Good Hope. The predominating rock was a sandstone, and the
soil exhibited evident appearances of a ferrugineous nature. The
marks of much rain having lately fallen here, were observable: but
the thunder showers which water this district, fall very locally, and
are uncertain in their course; so that it happens that some spots do
not receive the rains till late in the season, while others are very
early; and as it is on this circumstance that vegetation entirely
depends, the time of its recurrence cannot be known with any
precision.*
The Hottentots reported having seen Quakkas f ; and, expecting
soon to fall in with abundance of large game, began to get their
muskets and powder-horns in readiness. I saw, with my glass, a
solitary female ostrich, as it was feeding amongst the low shrubs, but
this bird had not, any where in our journey hitherto, been seen in
great numbers.
At sunset, we arrived at Jakhals Fontein (Jackals’ Fountain), and
took up our quarters for the night in an uninhabited farm-house.
It has been already mentioned, that the colonists of the Roggeveld
quit their houses during the winter to reside in the Karro. On these
occasions, they carry with them all their furniture, and every thing
that is moveable; giving themselves no concern about the fate of
their house, which they entirely desert and leave even unfastened. In
these, a traveller may always take shelter, and, whenever we came to
one at the end of a day’s journey, my men took advantage of i t ;
but for myself, it was thought more prudent to remain in the waggon
to watch over the property it contained, and to protect it from the
depredation of runaway slaves or vagabond Hottentots.
Sth, The next day we crossed the beds of several rivers, now
completely dried up, the largest of which was Rhenoster (ot
* On this day were found —
Heliophila seselifolia. C a ta l. Geog. 13 1 8 . • Senecio
Trichonema. 2 species. Pterqnia, and a genus allied to Buck-
Arctotis. 3 species. nera.
f Equus Quagga.
Rhinoceros) river. The animal from which it takes the name, is
becoming every day more scarce in this part of the country, and
indeed, is at present rarely to be met with. It is fond of inhabiting
an open, dry country, such as this is, abundant in low bushes ; but the
advances of the colonists, and their destructive huntings, have
alarmed, and driven,' it more into the interior of the continent.
The inhabitants of this district, when in want of resin, use as a
substitute, a gum which exudes from different species of shrubs*;
which they therefore call Harpuis bosch (Resin bush). Of this gum,
a considerable quantity might b.e collected.
In the evening we arrived at Kuilenberg (Pit Mountain), probably
so named from some holes or hollows, where water may generally be
found; for, in dry countries, any circumstance relating to water, is of
sufficient importance to distinguish that place. Thus it is that the
Dutch word' Fontein is made such, liberal use of in every part of the
Colony: the Hottentot word Kamma (water,) is not less frequently
found in the composition of the aboriginal names.
In taking possession of the farm-house here, we disturbed a
number of sparrows f which are said to be a troublesome
bird to farmers, and well deserving the name they have given
it, of Koomvreeter (Corn-eater). It has very much the manners
of the common domestic sparrow of Europe, and seems also to
Species of Othonna, one of which is, perhaps, the Othonna trifida of Tbunberg.
The botany of this day’s journey was distinguished by
Belhania paleacea
Othonna trifida
Heliophila pubescens. C. G. 1334.
Mesembryanthemum campestre. C. G.
1340. Sesquipedale erectum. Flores
rosei. Affine M.pulchello, Haworthii.
Limosella caerulea. C. G. 1341. Planta
pollicaris. Flos cceruleus
Trichonema tortuosa, B.
Grimmia campestris. C. G . 1344. 2.
Tortala recurvata. C. G. 1344. 4.
Hujus et precedentis, figuram dedit
•f- Fringilla
L L !
Hooker in opere suo pulcherrimo
de Muscis Exoticis.
Lanipila. C. G. 1336. Genus Cottdce
affine. Nomen à lana et pila ; ob
semina lana involuta, et in capitulo
spherico conglomerata.
Eriocephalus
Pteronia
Oxalis
Androcymbium
Tilleea
Erinus.