g g RACES. 27.DEC.
to the antiquated Dutch calash, and the light, but jolting paarde-
wa»en *, are seen driving about to enjoy the sport. Horsemen,
without number, fly backwards and forwards to watch the fate of the
day; and exhibit their prancing steeds of half Arab or English
blood; although some, indeed, of their noble animals refuse to
prance without the incitement of the curb or spur. Nor is it
less amusing to watch the motley group on foot: Malays and
Negroes mingled with whites, all crowding and elbowing, eager
to get a sight of the momentous contest. But the patient Hottentot
views it almost with apathy ; and, squatted on the ground, seems to
prefer a pipe of tobacco to that which aifords such exquisite gratification
to his superiors. Together with the art of making horses run
fast, the science and mystery of betting has found its way to the
farthest extremity of Africa; and on Green Point large sums are
said to have been won and lost.
Continuing our walk to a cottage romantically situated under
the Lioffs Head, and belonging to Dr. Liesching, we rested a few
minutes. About this spot grow Mahemia incisa, Phylica buxtfolia,
Solanum tomentomm, Eriocephalus racemosus, Euphorbia genistdides.
At a subsequent visit to this place, I followed a narrow path
down to the sea shore, where, it being low water, I saw what might
be called little groves of a very large kind of sea-weed, Fucus buc-
cinalis, growing in the sea, under water. Its trunks, or stalks, were
six feet high, hollow within, thin at bottom, but gradually swelling
upwards ; having at their top very broad and long leaves floating in
the water. The Dutch call this plant Zee bambos (sea-bamboo), and
boys, after cutting its stalk to a convenient length when dry, sometimes
amuse themselves in blowing it as a horn or trumpet; but
the,sound, thus produced, is very hollow and dull.
* Horse-waggon. This is so called in contradistinction to the more common waggon
drawn by oxen, which travels usually about three English miles in an hour; but the
Paardetmgen goes at a trot, estimated at six miles in an h o u r; although its rate may
vary from five to seven miles, according to the goodness o f the road. The Osse-
ioagen:3 or Ox-waggon, will, from the same cause, travel from two to four miles.
1810. CAMPS BAY. 29
Leaving Dr. Leisching’s, we pursued a road cut along the side of
the Lion Mountain, and soon after opened a view of Camps Bay and
the western side of Table Mountain, which offered a pleasing subject
for a sketch. Here a glittering rock on the side of the road attracted
my notice; it was a loose granite, containing abundance of mica.
The great mass of rock, in these mountains, is principally sandstone
of various degrees of compactness: when red, it is nearly friable; but
when white, very hard. Every intermediate kind is occasionally to
be met with. Of the latter kind, are generally composed the summits
of these mountains, and, as I afterwards found, of the great
southern range running from Hottentot Holland to Kromme-nver
bay. Of granite, the quantity is less than that of sandstone ; and of
schistus, or slate, less than that of granite.
On our road, we met no one, except a single black man.; all the
rare productions of these mountains seemed to be our own. We
descended to Camps Bay, where I soon gathered a rich harvest of
interesting plants. This excursion produced* a hundred and nine
Among these, after an examination in the evening, were found,
Cluytia pulchella
Cissampelos Capensis ,
Mesembryanthemunf pomeridianum
Rhus villosum
Erica pubescens
Buchnera. Ethiopica
Tetragonia Jruticosa
Rottboellia dimidiata
Xeranthemum (Elichtysum) sesamoides
Stilbe pinastra
Berclckeya ciliaris
Blairia erico'ides
Rhus tomentosiim
Hebenstreitia cordatct
Malva Capensis
Osteospermum polygaloides
Echium glabrum
Stachys JEthiopica
Erica bruniudes
Heliophila linearis
Lobelia coronopifolia
Polygala (Muraltia) stipvlacea
Polycarpum têtraphyllum
Sideroxylum inerme
Thesium Çolpoon (Fusanus compressas)
Cliffbrtia strobilifera
Periploca Africana
Glycine bituminosa
Gunner a Perpensum
Psoralea bracteaia
Tanacetum multiflorum
Aniholyza nervosa
Cassytha JUiformis
Erica-baccans .
p/rica ramentacea
Rhus glaucum
Gnaphalium foetidum
Gnaphalium denudatum
Pencea mucronata
Erica cerinthoides
Polygala bracteata
Euclea racemos.