Resources for the trip -
William Burchell's preparations, 1811
What will you pack in your wagon?
In 1811, William Burchell set of with a large wagon, 20 oxen, and a team of ten Khoi men to pull the wagon. Philip drove the wagon, and Speelman was a good hunter. Jan Kok was also one of the crew. They knew each ox by name, as well as its position in the team.
The wagon was 15 feet in length, with a frame of bamboo cane, covered by canvas.
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The front part of the wagon was separated from the other part by a canvas partition, to form a sleeping-place. The bedding lay along the tops of the chests.
The wagon contained bottles, muskets, pistols, powder-horns, and the cutlass (a short sword). There were reams of paper, a press for botanical speciments, chests, a large tin collection box, a sextant the brandy barrel, water casks, and fragile instruments, such as the sextant.
On the outside of the wagon, the spare yokes, lever, tar-bucket, skid, spades, pick-axe, hatchets, and whip-stocks, were fastened.
On the step-frame were the cooking utensils, besides the karosses (cloaks) and bedding of the Khoi helpers.
Stuff you can download for your journey ...
To plan your journey, the Stages Guide describes each town (from south to north, but you can always travel from north to south ...)
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Download our historical
Resource Guide
Drawn from early travelers, describing their journeys - which helps us to relive their experiences ...
[ 3 MB]
Your journey starts here!
Books for your wagon chest
Old, out-of-print books are often available on www.bobshop.co.za or www.abebooks.com.
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Download our Books for the Road!
Our new Forgotten Highway Express series ...
With the assistance of Rose Willis, the well-known Karoo historian, and other stakeholders, we are compiling a series of in-depth studies of Forgotten Highway themes.
the forgotten highway
museum safari
(1 MB)
The lives and loves of two women named mary
( 1 MB)
