File:Travels and adventures in southern Africa (1827) (14598375969).jpg

Identifier: travelsadventure00thom (find matches)
Title: Travels and adventures in southern Africa
Year: 1827 (1820s)
Authors: Thompson, George
Subjects:
Publisher: (London H. Colburn)
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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ves up around the embers of thefire, while Mr. Moffat and I crept into the waggon, and soon sunk to soundrepose amidst the melancholy bowlings of the hyaenas and jackals, whichalone broke at times the deep silence of the wilderness. 17.—Our new acquaintance, Arend, having persuaded us that it was notprudent to pursue our journey farther, on account of the marauders stragglingabout the country, and finding, also, that the axle-tree of our waggon hadgiven way, we determined on returning. We, therefore, ordered the peoplewith the waggon to make the best of their way back, while Mr. Moffat and Idirected our course towards the Kuruman Fountain, which we reached aftera ride of about five hours. This is probably the most abundant spring of .water in South Africa. Aconsiderable river bursts at once from the rock, by a number of broken pas-sages in the side of a hill, forming a sort of cavern. Into this we penetratedabout thirty feet, but without observing any thing remarkable. The water, as
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MATCIHAPEE WARRIOR & VOMAN, /.onifo nt^ffy S.album. Ja/\iJSz^. KURUMAN.—FURTHER RUMOURS. 113 it issued from the rock, felt at this time rather warm: in summer it is saidto be cold as ice. In all probability it retains the same temperature at alltimes, from coming a long way under giound; the apparent changes beingowmg, in reality, to the varying sensations of those who examine it at differ-ent seasons. It is at least well known that many springs have gained thereputation of changing their temperature from no other cause. I could hearnothing of the great serpent mentioned by Lichtenstein as residing in thiscavern, and which, he says, was regarded by the natives with sentiments ofveneration. I doubt not, however, the truth of the report he mentions,for some species of the boa certainly exist in the country. This spot wasthe farthest extent of Lichtensteins travels to the north,—that gentlemanand his party having come by a route across the Bokkeveld and the greatKarroo, and retur

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