Crossing the Orange River at this spot in September 1848, Sir Harry noted that it was "a beautiful site for a town," and in the May following the town was founded.
The annexation of the Orange River Sovereignty in 1848 followed, finally destroying his hope of maintaining independent native states.
The town lies north of the Drakensberg on the Kraai tributary of the Orange river at an elevation of 5831 ft.
On every side it is surrounded by British colonies, north by the Orange River Colony, south-west and south by Cape Colony, and east by Natal.
Epidemics of smallpox and typhoid occur; and leprosy, imported from the Orange River and Cape Colonies, has taken firm hold on the Basuto, of whom about 9r per too() are sufferers from this disease.
