The cache is to be found at the published FINAL co-ordinates below. There is a catch, however. The cache is closed with a combination lock. Unravel the clues, which you will decipher as you walk/drive around Fouriesburg, and you will be able to unlock the mystery. All clues involve historical buildings, of which Fouriesburg has a few.
Fouriesburg was founded in 1892, and named after a local farmer Christoffel (Rooi Stoffel)Fourie, on whose farm Groenfontein it was established.
You may not know this, but you are now walking around the capital of the Orange Free State Republic, which was declared during the AngloBoer war, when Bloemfontein was taken by the English. This proclamation has yet to be rescinded!
The number of asterisks (*) denotes the number of digits in the answer ( eg Z** could be 16, and Y* could be 5) This may help with some of the clues.....
First go to S28 37.190 E028 12.406. The date on the courthouse building is 19A*B*.
Over the road you will see the Doherty Centre. The number on the outside is 190C*.
Now go to S28 37.265 E028 12.486. These are two examples of tiled panels painted by Thelma Gifford- Gayton. She also painted panels for the Gordon's Bay Post Office, and the Table Bay Post Office, as well as panels in Groote Schuur children's ward. Some of the hills depicted in the right hand panel are of the hills in the surrounding area, the most obvious being the great Visierskerf mountain to the West of Fouriesburg, the highest in the area.
Count the number of PEOPLE in the RIGHT hand panel = D**
When was it painted? 193E*
Now go to S 28 37.B(A+C)E E 028 12.ECB. This cornerstone, laid by Mrs Middleton, is dated November 8th F**G**.
Finally, go to S 28 37.A(F+B)** E 028 12.(Cx2)C(D-6). [You will need to get the key for the West gate of the churchyard, and the blockhouse, which is available on request from the hotel opposite the West gate. These are kept locked simply to prevent vandalism, but visitors are welcome] At this co-ordinate there is a marble plaque with a date March H**th 190J*.
Use these letters to work out the COMBINATION to the lock on the cache container, which is inside the structure at the published co-ordinates. This building is a rare example of a bell, or Rice Pattern blockhouse. These corrugated iron blockhouses were named after Major S.R. Rice of the Royal Engineers, whom Lord Kitchener appointed to devise a more cost effective, mass producible method of building blockhouses, than the rock and stone fortifications built in the first part of the AngloBoer war. Each Rice Pattern blockhouse cost approximately 16 pounds, and took its garrison of about 7-10 men one day to erect. This compared favourably with the 3 months it took to build a stone blockhouse at a cost of 800 to 1000 pounds.
Built from 2 layers of corrugated iron, in many cases looted from the roofs of Boer homesteads, the space between the interior and exterior layer was filled with sand which rendered it bullet proof. On the outside, it was further fortified often with stone walling to the height of the loopholes. By 1902 more than 8000 Rice Pattern blockhouses straddled the South African veld.
Turn the lock at least 2 full turns to the Right. Stop at [G+H+(Jx2)]**. Turn Left one full turn, past previous, then stop at [J+B]*, Turn Right, and stop at F**. You may have to try once or twice, carefully, as this lock was made in China!