tation. * Near the summit of the mountain, we halted a few minutes
at a hut in which a colonist happened at this time to be residing,
and where our caravan was strengthened by the addition of a small
party of the Klaarwater Hottentots.
The waggon which they had with them, was one that formerly
belonged to Dr. Cowan’s expedition, and had been taken as far as
the place at which their last letters were written ; and not finding
occasion for all their four waggons, this was sent back to the Gape
by one of the missionaries who had accompanied them thus far, and
had been sold to these Hottentots.
This object excited a mournful interest, and filled my mind with
melancholy reflections on the untimely end of those who once rode in
it, now the only Vestige of them remaining. Fortunate would it have
been for any of that party, had it been his lot to be the conductor of
it back*to the colony, instead of 'Sending it under the care of others.
From the highest point of our road over this mountain, there, is
a fine view of the hilly Roggeveld Karro, and beyond it, in a blue
distance, of the lofty Roggeveld Mountains, or cliffs, as they really are,
with respect to the country beyond them. Their even summits
appeared one long, unbroken, and horizontal line, trending a great
distance eastward, at the same elevation, and forming the third step
or rise in the surface of Southern Africa, in advancing from the Cape
of Good Hope. The first step seems to be at the great western
chain of mountains, and the second along the southern side of the
Great Karro. The high level of the Roggeveld, may be inferred
* The collection of this day consisted only of
EriocepJialus purpureas, B. Catal. Septas
Geog. 1281. Folia filiformia ' Sparaxis
minuta. Flores spicati, sed sse- Selago
pius in ramulis terminates soli- Asparagus
tarii, pnrpurei. . Parmelia. Vegetables of this order are
Lichtensteinia undulata. Willd. of extremely rare occurrence in the
Beob. ges. Berl. 1807. more arid regions of the interior.
An umbelliferous plant, probably a Seseli, was called by the Hottentots, Anys-wortel,
(Anise-root) the root of which was said to be eatable: but it is entirely different from the
Any’s-wortel of Zwartland.
from the circumstance of its being for several months in the year,
as the boors assured me, subject to storms of snow, although lying
under the parallel of only thirty-two degrees and a half from the
equinoctial line.
In the course of this day’s journey, a small species of bustard
(Otis) was shot. It is considered a rare bird and difficult to be
obtained; and, being only found in the Karro, is distinguished by
the name of the Karro Koorhaan. Its flesh is exceedingly good,
and, in this respect, it agrees with all of the Otis tribe. It is so
scarce that we never met with it again during the whole of my travels.
The descent on the northern side of the Wind-heuvel is very
gradual, continuing for about two miles. Not far on the other side
of the mountain, we came to a leg-plaats, belonging to Jasper Cloete,
where we took up our station, near the hut, which was not only
deserted, but in ruins.
A colonist, who lived in the neighbourhood, paid us a visit, and
was invited to dinner; but as he preserved a most extraordinary
taciturnity all the time, we learnt nothing from his company, except
that he was a tall man in a great jas (watch coat), and ate mutton
with a crooked knife.
Our party of Hottentots being now increased by the accession
of several of their old friends, together with some shepherds, who
chancing to pass by, were invited to take a seat at their fire, the
evening and a great part of the night were spent in conviviality,
smoking, laughing, and talking.
At one of the fires, an amusement of a very singular, and nearly
unintelligible kind, was the source of great merriment, not only to
the performers themselves, but to all the bystanders. They called it
Kaartspel (card-playing), a word, in this instance, strangely misapplied.
Two Hottentots seated opposite to each other, on the ground,
were vociferating, as if in a rage, some particular expressions in their
own language; laughing violently; throwing their bodies on either
side; tossing their arms in all directions ; at one moment with their
hands close together; at another, stretched out wide apart; up in
H H
*