they ever received at Fortuintje, having, most probably, been thrown
away the moment after we rode off. *
Having passed the Kloof, I was surprized to find so little descent
on the eastern side: here the country must, therefore, lie at a great
elevation above Hottentot-Holland.
The districts situated, with respect to the metropolis, beyond
these mountains, and also their inhabitants and produce, are often
distinguished in a general way by the word overbergsch (tramontane.)
Over the whole colony the words boven (upper), and bovenland, are
used to signify those parts of it which are nearer to Cape Town, and
often Cape Town itself; while onder (under), and onderveld, are the
terms applied in contradistinction. These are colonial expressions
in constant use in a great variety of cases, frequently even for indicating
only the situation of a neighbouring farm-house.
This pass, and two or three others farther northward in the same
chain of mountains, may be regarded as the great portals by which
the interior of Africa may be entered on th e . side of the Cape of
Good Hope; the country on the west of this range being as it were
only the vestibule. The Hottentot-Holland and Roodezand Kloofs are
the two principal passes, by which waggons cross these mountains :
the former leading to all the districts lying along the southern coast, as
Swelleridam, George, Uitenhage, and Albany; and the latter to the
Tarka, Graaffreynet, the Karro, and Roggeveld. The Elands Kloof
Pikeniers Kloof and Kardouws Kloof three passes of inferior note, are
*• This pass was more carefully investigated on a subsequent occasion (March 29.
1815); and among the plants collected at that time, the following, already well known to
botanists, may here be noticed:
Olea Capensis
Phylica buxifolia
Erica taxifolia
Aulax umbellata
Pelargonium angulosum
Rhus cuneifolium
Erica Plulcenetii
Brunia nodiflora
Protea speciosa
Hydrocotyle tridentata
Cliffbrtia trifoliata
Lohelia pinifolia
Protea sceptrum- Gustavianum, of Spam
Erica glutinosa
Erica fascicidaris.
northward of Roodezand ; and besides these, several others divide
the great ranges of mountains which separate the southern coast from
the regions of the interior. Of these the principal are, the Hex river
Kloof, Kokmaris or Kogman’s Kloof, Platte Kloof, Attaquas Kloof, and
the Duivels-Kop ; to which may be added the dangerous and little
■frequented pass of the Keurbooms river. *
As we rode along, the beautiful pink flowers of Pena'a squamosa
caught my eye ; and I once or twice dismounted to pluck Retzia spi-
cata, Erica Massoni, Erica axillaris, and Protea [Spatalla of Salisbury)
incurva. Retzia spicata is a plant of singular growth, about three
or four feet high, with a few upright, undivided branches, thickly
clothed with stiff, long, narrow leaves, between which its tubular,
orange-colored flowers just appear ; but they are not very conspicuous
at a distance.
We soon afterwards crossed the Palmiet river, whose waters,
like the greatest number of those which take their rise from the
Southern side of the great southern range of mountains, were of a
brown color resembling coffee, but at the same time clear and wholesome.
This is probably to be attributed to the decayed vegetable
matter, which is observable in greater quantity on the southern than
on the northern side of these mountains ; and which gives to all
these waters a color exactly .the same as that which is imparted by
peat and bog-mould. After running some distance from the mountains,
they lose the brown tincture, and gradually change to a more
usual complexion, by the accession of rivulets formed in the plains.
The boors believe this brownness to be caused by the great quantity
of Palmite (Palmiet), which every where grows in these streams ;
but, however much they may assist in producing this effect, they
are certainly not the chief cause ; since I have observed them to be
thus coloured, before they reach the foot of the mountains, and far
above where the Palmite begins to grow.
* Since ,my departure from th e , Cape, a convenient waggon-road has been made
over the mountains near the Paarl, at. a place called Du Toil’s Kloof, which till then was
merely a foot-path.
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