houses, they feel no hesitation either in asking such favors, or in
granting them. Thus a boor is never at a loss for a meal on the
road; and as the customary time of dinner is about noon, he, without
much ceremony, unsaddles his horse at any door where he may happen
to come at that hour. If he arrive later, he is supposed to have
dined at some other place on the road, and the question whether he
may be in want of refreshment, is considered superfluous : but in
most parts of the country, a cup of tea is generally presented to him,
without any regard to the time of day. It is therefore a boor’s own
fault if he lose his dinner. Those who travel in waggons, and who
most frequently carry their provisions and cooking , utensils with
them, are looked upon as not standing in need of assistance, though
such persons freely make use of those houses where they have any
acquaintance with the family.
20th. The weather this day was more favourable; and notwithstanding
the ground was still wet from the rain of yesterday, the
sunshine tempted us to go out of doors. We were conducted to see
the kitchen garden ; and in the wine cellar, two casks were pointed
out as being reputed the largest in the colony. We were also shown
a corn-mill, of very good though simple mechanism, worked by an
overshot wheel.
In almost every farmer’s garden, a clump of Bamboo-cane may
be seen growing; which, though an elegant and ornamental plant, is
no where cultivated on that account, but merely for the uses to which
its cane is applicable; and principally for whip-stocks, as possessing
the desirable qualities of strength and lightness. Of these I now purchased
a number for the use of my journey. .
In a walk to the foot of the mountains behind the house, I first
met with Cunonia Capensis, growing wild in the damp rocky places
along the banks of a rivulet This is a handsome tree, with fine
shining green foliage, contrasted by numerous dense, elongated
bunches of small milk-white flowers, and twigs of a red color; having
the habit rather of a tropical, than of a Cape, plant Its colonial
name is Rood Elze (Red Alder), although the tree has not, in any
point of view, the least resemblance to the Alder of Europe; but
the waggon-makers say, there is some similarity in their wood. I am,
however, inclined to believe that the name was given rather on
account of their growing in similar situations: and this seems the
more probable, as the name of Witte Elze (White Alder) is applied
to another tree (Weinmanma trifoliata) which naturally grows in the
same kind of places as the common Alder.
In moist places I met with Erica pubescens growing luxuriantly,
and covered with a profusion;of little pink flowers ; this is one of the
commonest of the Cape heaths. Growing on the branches of Cassine
Capensis, I found the Cape Mmleto, a very curious parasitic plant,
bearing small white berries, but without leaves, and exceedingly
brittle. * A kind of wild cucumber f spreads itself over the bushes
and along the ground, bearing a'small yellow oval fruit hardly an inch
long, covered with soft prickles, and called Gift-Appel (Poison-apple)
on account of its extreme bitterness; in which quality it agrees with the
Coloquintida, and several of the Cucumber tribe. The ‘ African Sage’ %
is an ornamental flowering shrub, of very frequent occurrence. All the
Diosmas when bruised, give out a strong odor more or less pleasant; so
that, in walking, it is not easy to tread on a plant of this tribe without
being made sensible of it by the smell. By this means I discovered a
species § which otherwise might have escaped my notice. The baboons ||
which inhabit this mountain in great numbers, are very troublesome
by committing depredations on the neighbouring gardens; and various
stories are told both of their ingenuity and of their stupidity, which,
not having it in my power to confirm, I shall not here repeat.
Soon after noon we took leave of the family of Vanderhyl,
and commenced our ride to Stellenbosch. We passed through
the Paarl Village, which consists of between forty and fifty very
neat houses, placed at a considerable distance from each other,
and forming a single street, about the middle of which stands
* The Vignette at the. end of this chapter is a figure of the Viscum Capense, or
Cape Missleto, of the natural size.
f Cucumis prophetarum. , % Salvia AJncana.
§ Diosma capitata. || Cercopithecus ursinus.