sometimes go out in search of kukumakrankies ; and as it is difficult
to find them, being very inconspicuous amongst the herbage, they
consider it a little triumph to return home with a few ; and the
kukumakranki season (June) never passes unnoticed.
From three o’clock till five, the time was pleasantly spent in
wandering.and collecting* in a more southward direction; when,
coming to a hollow spot which appeared sheltered from the wind,
my negro unpacked our basket of provisions. This solitary situation,
in the midst of a wild bushy country, without any traces ol
cultivation or of human habitations, might sometimes recall to mind
the romantic tale of Robinson Crusoe ; and fancy would assist these
ideas, if one beheld a sable attendant, busily and cheerfully employed
in spreading thè frugal meal before us, while seated on the ground,
and delighted with the luxuries of Nature, unalloyed-, by restraint.
The banquet was soon finished ; I rose and left the poor fellow to
take my place, while I rambled to a little distance to explore the
heath in another quarter.
Here, as well as in every other part of the Sand Flats, I observed
innumerable mole-hills ; and my foot very often sunk into their
burrows. For this reason it is very unpleasant, if not dangerous, to
ride on horseback in such places, as persons are liable to be thrown,
by the feet of their horses unexpectedly sinking into these holes.
The animal which makes these hillocks is a very large kind of mole-
rat f , nearly as b}g as a rabbit, with a very soft downy ash-coloured
* In the open sandy country lying eastward from Rondebosch, the following were
among the number of plants added to my Herbarium.
Phylica secunda ? Th. Anthericum contortum. Th.
Brunia squarrosa ?’ Aristea cyanea
Chironia lychnoM.es Cliffortiaferruginea
Roella spicata Chironia fnitescms
Dianthus Chironia linoMes
Myrica qucrcifolia Montinia acris
Gnidia simplex
f The Mus maritimus of Gmelin, Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 140.
fur, having, in appearance at least, neither eyes, ears, nor tail.
It is peculiar to this colony, and is called Zand Moll (Sand-mole).
From the great softness of the fur and the abundance of skins that
might be obtained, it might possibly constitute an article of some
value for colonial trade, or for exportation; and it is surprising that
no speculating person has hitherto attempted to convert these skins
to some useful purpose. There is another kind of mole-rat, much
resembling this in color and nature, but in size not exceeding the
common mole of Europe: it is also peculiar to this country, and is
known by the name of Bles moll (White-faced Mole) *. Its haunts
may easily be discovered, as it throws up the earth in exactly the
same manner as the common mole.
Having already made collections on the Flats in the vicinity of
Rondebosch f , six weeks before, I did not find many new objects in
* The mus Capensis of Gmel. Syst Nat. i. p. 140. That these two animals belong to
a genus quite distinct from Mus, will hardly be denied; but to separate them, as a late
zoological writer has done, not only into two
families, is carrying the modern rage for ne\y
f On die 14di o f December, 77 species of
Serpicula repens
Disa barbata ,
Cyanella Capensis
Exacum atireum
Spmthiola virgata
Peneea Jitdiculosa
Passet'ina uniflora
Hallia imbricata
Erica calycina
Corytnbium scabrum
Erica margaritacea
Cenia turbinata, Juss.
•Polygomm Hydropiper
Cyperus p'olifer
Diosma oppositifolia
Watsonia plantaginea
Restio Thamnochortus
Hallia flaccida.
different genera, but even into two different
genera and new orders a litde too far.
plants were collected; among which were,
Ehrharta uniflora. B. Cat. Geog. 182.
Ixia erecta .
Anthospermum lánceólatwn
Restio tetragonus
Schcetius capitellum ? Th.
. Athanasia aspera
Passerina capitata.
Staavia rádiata
Passerina uniflora
Watsonia spicata
Drosera cuneifolia.
Andropogon hirtus. Th.
Briza Capensis
Lobelia rppens
Pelargonium rapaceum
Struthiola erecta
Leucodendron uliginosum
Brunia abrotanoides