the first large exploring party since the return or the van der Stel expedition
was made in that year from a rendezvous near the mouth of Olifants
River. This party was led by Captain Hendrik Hop of the burgher
militia, and was made up of seventeen whites and sixtv-eight
half-breed Hottentot servants. It started in August and advanced on the
track of the former expedition, passing the Copper Mountains of
Little Namaqualand, and reaching the river Vigiti Magna on September
29. This river was familiarly called by the colonists the Groote
(Great) River, and held this name until both the tradi-
