Aasvoelberg
This spectacular sandstone mountain is a backdrop for the town of Zastron, in the south-eastern Free State province of South Africa. At 2207m (approx. 7240 imperial feet), it is the highest peak in the province, and takes its name from the Cape vulture (Gyps coprotheres) which favours its cliffs for nesting. In Afrikaans, 'aasvoel' = vulture, and 'berg' = mountain. It is the site of the only colony of Cape Vultures in the Orange Free State.
The Aasvoelberg is famous for its 'Eye', a hole of 9 metres (approx. 29.5 imperial feet) in diameter in a rocky crag. The Zastron storyteller Reinier de Winnaar, on whose farm the town was founded, took responsibility for making this. One day, so the legend goes, he was out hunting below the cliffs with his ancient rifle, when he met the devil. Mistaking his weapon for a pipe, the devil asked for a draw. De Winnaar loaded an extra powder charge and obligingly put the muzzle in the devil's mouth, lit the fuse and blew the devil's head right through the mountain. "Wraggies!" ("Damn it!", in Afrikaans) said the devil after a moment, "That tobacco is a bit on the rough side!"
To view the 'eye', visit the tourist sites http://www.places.co.za/html/zastron.html and http://www.xhariep.co.za/towns.htm (scroll to the bottom of its page).
References
- Howcroft, P. (undated). South Africa Encyclopaedia: Prehistory to the year 2000, unpublished papers with by SA History Online
