evening. The wind blew freffi, and the thermometer had de-
fcended to forty-five degrees. On the preceding day, at Graaff
Reynet, it flood at eighty-five in the lhade till near fun-fet,
and at feventy-fix during the night; and in the courfe of this
day’s journey it was at eighty-three. The fudden change was
probably occafioned, not fo much by the difference of elevation,
which in a Dutch manufcript journal is eftimated at
4800 feet, as by the fudden evaporation o f the moifture
caufed by a heavy fall o f rain that had here continued
during the preceding day and night. An extraordinary de-
creafe of temperature is always the cOnfequence of continued
rain in South Africa.
The following day brought us to Waay Hoek, or Windy Corner,
the habitation o f the late provifional landroft o f Graaff
Reynet, who had fignified an inclination to accompany us on
the intended expedition. He had attended Governor Van
Plettenberg on his journey northwards, and had fince been
commandant for many years on expeditions againft the Bof-
jefmans, which had given him an opportunity o f being acquainted
not only with the different parts within, but alfo with
much of the country beyond, the limits o f the colony. Having
prepared himfelf for the journey, we remained with him
only for the night; and on the following morning fent forward
the waggons, while we made an excurfion into the mountains
on our left in fearch o f Bosjefmans. A large party of thefe
people had carried off a number o f cattle but two days before,
and another was fuppofed to be ftill hovering about in thefe
mountains. T he places o f their ufual haunts are eafily difcoverable,
verable, but generally very difficult o f accefs, and not fafe to
approach. The kloofs or chafms, waffied by torrents of water
rufhing down the fteep fides o f the high ftratified mountains,
frequently leave a fucceffion of caverns, of which the Bosjef-
man choofes the higheft, as not only removing him farther
from the danger of a furprife, but giving him alfo the command
o f a greater extent of country.
In one o f thefe retreats were difcovered their recent traces.
The fires were fcarcely extinguiihed, and the grafs on which
they had flept was not yet withered. On the fmooth fides of
the cavern were drawings o f feveral animals that had been
made from time to time by thefe favages. Many o f them
were caricatures; but others were too well executed not to ar-
reft attention. The different antelopes that were there delineated
had each their character fowell difcriminated, that the
originals, from whenee the reprefentations had been taken,
could, without any difficulty, be afcertained. Among the numerous
animals that were drawn, was the figure of a zebra remarkably
well done ; all the marks and charadters of this animal
were accurately reprefented, and the proportions were
feemingly corredt. The force and ipirit o f drawings, given to
them by bold touches judicioufly applied, and by the effedt of
light and ihadow, could not be expedted from favages ; but for
accuracy of outline and correctnefs of the different parts, worfe
drawings than that of the zebra have palled through the engraver’s
hands. The materials with which they had been executed
were charcoal, pipe-clay, and the different ochres. The animals
reprefented were zebras, qua-chas, gemiboks, fpringboks,
reeboks,