Isqhema Esitjha Sabahloli
Ngonyaka ka-1770, isqhema esitjha sabahloli sangena e-Namaqualand. Gade babososayentsi ama-ornithologists kanye nama- botanists’ egade arherhwe zintjalo ezimraro zesifundesi kanye ne-fauna yakhona engakajayeleki. Hlangana kwesqhemesi gade kubalwa u-Francis Masson, ogade ayi-botanist ye-Kew Gardens owathunyelwa yikosi ye-England ukobana ayokubuthelela imbewu kanye nentjalo eziphilako ayozitjala etenini yebukhosini.
U-Masson wahlala iminyaka eminengi akhamba iphasi loke, ekubalwa hlangana neSewula –Africa ngonyaka ka-1772-1774 kanye neminyaka ka-1786-1795. Wabuthelela i-Stapeliads ye- Kamieskroon district ngonyaka ka-1774. U-Mason gade avamise ukuphekelelwa ngabanye ababutheleli abaziwako, ekubalwa hlangana u-Carl Thunberg, ubaba we-Cape Botany.
Kunabantu ababili abakhulu abarholela ekobaneni kutholwe i-canon yelwazi ye-Namaqualand ekwakungu-Robert Jacob Gordon kanye ne-William Paterson. Gordon, u-Hollander, gade amkhambi owathatha amakhambo ambalwa aya eSewula–Africa.
Kwakukulokha athethe elinye lamakhambeli ngonyaka ka-1777, lapha abona khona umlambo i-Great river eduze kwe-Bethulie wayithiya kobana yi-Orange, ahlonipha indlu yesigodlo i-House of Orange, kanye namakhosi we-Holland. U-Gordon wasola kobana umlambo lo gade ugeleza bewuyokufika elwandle kodwana anganabo ubufakazi ngeskhatheso.
Ukuthola Umlomo
Kwathi ngonyaka ka-1779, u-Gordon wahlanganyela nabanye abakhambi egade bakhamba baphekelele u-William Paterson balinga ukuthola umlomo we-Orange River. U-Pateon gade ayi-botanist esese yincani yeBritheyini ogade athunyelwe eKapa ngu-Lady Strathmore.
Wathabela ipikiswano lokha nakalapha eSewula-Africa. Kesinye isikhathi, wabekwa umlandu wokuba mhloli weBritheyini kwathi lada kwathiwa uthole irhawuda emadongeni we-Orange River, kodwana wathula wathi du, kwaba yifihlo yakhe.
Nanyana kunjalo u-Paterson begade akhe waya emadongeni we-Orange ngonyaka ka-1778, lapha ahlola khona imayini yekhopha edala endaweni kwanjesi esele ibizwa bona yi-Springbok, ayithola kobana iyathembisa. Njeke, gade sele ajwayele isifundesi lokha yena no-Gordon batjhinga epumalanga.
Lokha nabathathe ikhambo elifitjhani elisuka eKapa,baba netjhudu elaneleko kobana bahlangane no-Hendrik Wikar, ogade angumabhalani we-Dutch East India Company, owabaleka eKapa ngonyaka ka-1775 abaleka iinkolodo zakhe egade angakazibhadeli zokugembula.
U-Wikar waqeda iminyaka eminengi ezulazula eduze komlambo i-Orange River akhamba nabantu abanomusa egade bakhe eduze komlambolo begodu watlola iripoti ngesifundesi, ayithumela ku-Governor ye-Dutch, u-Van Plettenberg. Iripoti le yasebenza khulu ngebanga lokobana u-governor wamqolela u-Wikar, ogade sele abuyela eKapa lokha nakazokuhlangana no-Paterson kanye no-Gordon. Ngaphandle kokungabaza u-Wikar wapha abahlolaba ilwazi ngokobana bazokuhlangabezana nani ekhambeni labeli.
Nanyana kunjalo, ikhambeli laba budisi. Ihlabathi ethambileko ye-Sandveld gade ihlala ibudisi ebavakatjhinaba kodwana u-Gordon kanye no-Paterson gade bazimisele ukobana bahlale etlhagwini kunokobana batjhinge epumalanga lapha kunehlabathi eqinileko.
Njeke baqiniselela baragela phambili baya emlanjeni i-Buffels River (eduze kwendawo ebizwa bona yi-Kleinzee namhlanje) ukuya e-MacDougalls Bay (eduze kwendawo ebizwa bona yi-Port Nolloth kwanjesi) badlula ne-Holgat River Gorge, baze bafika emlonyeni we-Orange River ngezi-17 August 1779. Ikhambo lebanga elifitjhaneli elingaba yi-120 km labathatha iinyanga ezilithoba.
Translated by Busisiwe Skhosana