Quagga Flats and the Bushman's River
heights, until the various points of divergence were reached, when the
column broke into divisions, which turned off to their several locations
and overspread the land.

There was "Baillie's party," which crossed Lower Albany to the mouth of
the Great Fish River, and on the way were charmed with the aspect of the
country, which was at that time enriched and rendered verdant by recent
rains, and enlivened by the presence of hartebeests, quaggas,
springboks, and an occasional ostrich. There was, however, a "wash" of
shadow laid on part of the pleasant picture, to counteract the idea that
the Elysian plains had been reached, in the shape of two or three
blackened and ruined farms of the old Dutch colonists--sad remains of
the recent Kafir war--solemn reminders of the uncertainties and
possibilities of the future.

Then there was the "Nottingham party." They took possession of a lovely
vale, which they named Clumber, in honour of the Duke of Newcastle,
their patron. "Sefton's party" settled on the Assegai Bush River and
founded the village of Salem, afterwards noted as the headquarters of
the Reverend William Shaw, a Wesleyan, and one of the most able and
useful of South Africa's missionary pioneers. Wilson's party settled
between the Waay-plaats and the Kowie Bush, across the path of the
elephants, which creatures some of the party, it is said, attempted to
shoot with fowling-pieces. Of the smaller parties, those of Cock,
Thornhill, Smith (what series of adventurous parties ever went forth
without a "Smith's party"?), Osler, and Richardson, located themselves
behind the thicket-clad sand hills of the Kowie and Green Fountain. But
space forbids us referring, even in brief detail, to the parties of
James and Hyman and Dyson, and Holder, Mouncey, Hayhurst, Bradshaw,
Southey; and of Scott, with the Irish party, and that of Mahony, which
at the "Clay Pits," had afterwards to meet the first shock of every
Kafir invasion of Lower Albany. Among these and other parties there
were men of power, who left a lasting mark on the colony, and many of
them left numerous descendants to perpetuate their names--such as
Dobson, Bowker, Campbell, Ayliffe, Phillips, Piggott, Greathead,
Roberts, Stanley, and others too numerous to mention.

But with all these we have nothing to do just now. Our present duty is
to follow those sections of the great immigrant band with the fortunes
of which our tale h