Perdeberg (Horse Mountain), is the dominant natural feature of the Walkerville area. It was so named because during the Boer War, horses from the area and from as far away as Standerton, were driven to the summit of the hill at a certain time of the year to protect them from contracting horse sickness.
I managed to locate the many Kraals (stables) on the satelite photo, and B and I went in search of some tangible evidence.
The 1st photo (Aerial Photo 1) is of the koppie and the route we took. Position 1 is of a kraal at the summit. Position 2 and 3 are the remnants of the Kraal at a lower altitude. 4 is the old road we took. 5 the view back to the koppie. 6 is an old wall we manage to find, only because B 'just had to go'. And 7 - We almost missed this. An old graveyard where the headstones are of coloured people. The oldest headstone read a birth date of 1907 and the death at 1963.
The photo (Point 3), Aerial Photo 2)) is a close up of the kraal area as indicated by the waypoint 3 on Aerial Photo 1.
The rest of the photos are arranged according to the waypoints indicated on Aerial Photo 1. Re: Photo 3 - waypoint 3. Photo 7 - waypoint 7
I misread the Aerial photo completely, but B managed to find this kraal almost immediately.
Some of the walls are well preserved and still a few feet high.
The road around the koppie. Recently scraped, but lots of evidence that this is a very old road.
It really is great to have a partner that shares you're interests as much as I found with B. We're in the same work industry, we love photography, and Afrikaner history. It helps, so that I'm not out there walking, and talking to myself. Thankfully she's can also read a map.
Thanks Love.
1 comment:
Excellent article, much enjoyed!
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