a large river of Southern Africa, which derives its origin from the waters of the Snowy Mountains, in the district of Graaf-Reinet, nearly at the north-eastern extremity of the colony of the Cape of Good Hope. It is formed chiefly by two rivers, the Ky Gariep or Yellow River, and the Nu Gariep or Black River, which unite their waters in latitude 29° 4', upwards of five hundred miles due east from their mouth. The latter branch, flowing from the south-east, is called, higher up, the Craddock River, and receives the Sea-Cow River and some other streams from the Saeuwerberg. The Muddy or Alexander River, flowing also from the south-east, falls into the Yellow River above its confluence with the Nu Gariep. The former river, the Ky Gariep, comes from the north-east, and is formed by the union of the Vaal River with the Hart stream or Malalareen. After the junction of these two streams, the Orange River flows at first in a north-westerly course, but afterwards bends to almost due west, which bearing it maintains until it falls into the Atlantic in latitude 28° 30' north. In the eastern part of its course it forms the limit between the territory of the Hottentots and that of the Boshuans; the country on the south presenting an entirely different character of animal and vegetable life from that on the north. In its westerly course this river winds its way through a desert of clayey or swampy character; the sandstone rocks rising in perpendicular walls, which are often prolonged to a vast extent. The country retains the same aspect for a considerable space on both sides of the river; and the heat is here very great and oppressive. The course of the Orange River, including its windings, must considerably exceed one thousand miles.