On such fast days, the inhabitants of the Kraal were careful not to
interrupt us ; at the same time, perhaps, fearing to give my men
an opportunity of inviting themselves to dine at their huts in return
for the feastings they had enjoyed at our fire.
In my walk to day I observed, with surprise, how rapidly small
annual flowers spring up after the rains. In the cornfield, several
European plants seemed quite at home*; but their presence, at this
distance from their own country, is easily accounted for; the seeds
having been introduced along with the corn. In this manner many
weeds are transported all over the world, and become so completely
naturalized in a foreign climate, that, to prevent being misled in
supposing them aboriginals, it is necessary first to examine into
the possibility of such an emigration having taken place.
The Kloof and its mountains, notwithstanding their apparent
sterility, afforded, even at this unfavorable season, many new and
remarkable plants, j*
* Polygonum aviculare
Veronica Anagallis
Urtica urens
f Cleome juncea. Linn.
Echites succulenta. Thunb.
Cynoglossum echinatum. Th.
Lithospermum papillosum. Th.
Centopodium B. Catal. Geogr. 1687.
[Rumex spinosus. Th.) Nomen corn*
positum, a xemco pungo et voví, míos
pes i quia fructus tribuliformes
obambulantium pedes pungunt.
Genus est monoicum, ex ordine
Pólygonearum.
Pteris calomelanos. Willd. Sp. Pl.
Aitonia Capensis
Celastros ilicinus. Catal. Geog. i 663.
Frutex pul eher sub-6-pedalis, in-
ermis. Folia subtus glauca, acute
ovata, serraturis pungentibus. Flores
solitarii axillares. Pedunculi
Lolium temidentum
Hordeum murinum ; and
Phalaris Canariensis.
foliis breviores, infra medium arti-
culati. Capsula.1 flavse.
Phlomis micrantha. Cat Geog. 1672.
Frutex 4-pedalis totus tomentosus.
Ramuli tomento albo brevissimo
denso vestiti. Folia angustè lanceolata,
serrulata, subtùs venis reti-
culatis. Flores folio duplo breviores.
Verticilli 6—12-flori. Corolla sul-
phurea calyce vix longior.
Rhus pyroìdes. Cat. Geog. 1796. Frutex
6—10-pedalis. Ramuli ssepè
spinescentes. Foliola ovata-lance-
olata integerrima glabra. Racemi
axillares folio breviores ; terminales
longiores.
Rhus tridaetyle. Catal. Geog. 1667.
Frutex 4—5-pedalis. Ramuli ri-
29th. After remaining so many days stationary, the men had
become rather dilatory, and were so slow in putting the waggons
into travelling order again, that our departure was delayed till between
four and five in the afternoon.
In half an hour we cleared the Asbestos mountains, and entered
upon an extensive plain, the soil of which was of a red color, varying
in places with clay and sand, or a mixture of both, and generally
clothed with low bushes. No land could appear better suited for
agriculture than this plain, which would, more than probably, produce
excellent crops, if sown just before the rains set in ; but, unfortunately,
no permanent springs have yet been discovered upon it,
which might enable the inhabitants to reside there during the
whole year. We passed a grove of Acacia alomi-phytta, whose soft
masses of pale foliage produced an effect extremely beautiful arid
elegant.
A range of black craggy mountains stretched from the Kloof,
and bounded the plain at a distance on our right. The strata, however,
were not horizontal: their huge masses of rock were progidi
patentes inermes. Foliola
glabra integerrima linearia ob esissima,
versùs apicem latiora.
Cassia arachoìdes. C a t Geog. 1680.
Herbácea huniifusa. ‘ Folia 4—5-
' juga. Foliola obovata, apicibus ro-
tundatis vèl obeordatis. Racemi
. simplices axillares foliis longioies.
Legumina ovali-orbiculata membranacea
complanata. Pianta facie
Arachidis hypogaeae.
Acacia atomiphylla. Cat. Geog. 1685.
’ Frutex vel arbuscula 8 —16*pedalis.
Spinse gracillimae rectse patentes.
Folia tomentosa admodùm singu-
laria, (quasi, pedinata simpliciter
pinnata 8—19-juga, foliolis lineari-
bus ;) sed reverá, bipinnata, pinnis
18—24-jugis. Foliola minutissima
seminiformia arctè compacta, ut
quasi conglutinata. Flores in capi-
tulis globosis longé pedunculatis.
Legumen tomentosum farctum lineare
indehiscens.
Justicia
Parlería
Acanthus
Aptosimum
Sida
Convolvulus
Phlomis
Phamaceum
Melianthus
Nemesia
Calendula ?
Celastros
Hermannia, 3 sp.
Mahemia
Tarchonanthus
cum pluribus aliis.