found intermediate spaces of level ground. At the distance of about
five miles from Cold Station we crossed a branch of the Gant (Barley)
river, which was at this time so1 full, as to be but barely fordable ;
and a mile farther we passed a house and farm belonging also to Piet
Van der Merwe, and which he had mentioned to us as a place where
we might take up our quarters. From this house, till we quitted the
Sneeuwbergen, the hills resume the tabular form so common in
the Cisgariepine; and many, which were both large and lofty, succeeded
each other, with intervening levels of various extent. The
country of the Sneeuwbergen, may be described as a very elevated
region, level in many parts, but almost every where thickly studded
with high rocky mountains.
After this, we travelled between four and five hours longer,
without halting; and were rejoiced at finding ourselves arrived at the
top of the descent from the Snow Mountains. The prospect was
exceedingly fine, as wild and rocky scenery. Lofty mountains
in the distance seemed to close the view before us, but the road,
after descending into the valley, leads round on the right, into the
extensive plains which lie between the Sneeuwbergen and Graaff-
reynet. This view, and the appearance of our party, are represented
in the second plate.
The descent was very steep, and the road in some places broken
and dangerous. Here we found trees of a larger size than we had seen
for some time ; and the deep glens and bold sides of the mountain,
were rendered verdant by an abundance of large bushes of spekboom
(fat-tree*,) and were well covered with wood of rich and beautiful
foliage. Amongst these were many which I had no where met with
before, but which, at this time, I had no opportunity of collecting, f
* Portidacaria Afra.
f Of these, I noted in passing,
Greuoia robusta, B. Catal. Geogr. 2845. Ramuli robusti rigidi. Folia parva ovata
obtusa crenulata subtus tomentoso-albida. Fructus subhirsutus, sub-tetracoccus. Pedun-
culi solitarii oppositifolii, foliis paulo breviores uni- vel bi-flori. Flores purpurei.
Celastms linearis, B. Cat. Geog. 2872. Frutex 6—8-pedalis. Folia inlegerrima
linearia. Spinas internodiis duplo longiores rectas horizontales folia proferentes simul cum
cymis sessilibus. Incolis Hollandicis dicitur Pen-doorn; nomen aliis fruticibus pariter
spinosis commune.