the intenfity of the cold, injure the growth of plants ; for oaks
even, that in Europe bear almoft any degree o f cold, will not
grow on the Sneuwberg.
The fuel ufed by the inhabitants is the dung of animals col-
ledted in the places where their cattle are nightly pent up, to
prevent their deftruition by wolves and other beafts of prey,
and their depredation by Bosjefmans. In the fpring of the
year this is dug out in long fquares, as turf is cut from the bog
in the northern parts o f England; thefe are fpread out to dry,
and then, like turf, are piled up in ftacks for the winter’s con-
fumption. At all the farm-houfes we palled they were bufily
employed in cutting or in flacking their fuel.
The caufes that operate againft the growth of trees and
Ihrubs extend not to the gramineous plants. Grain' o f all
kinds is fully as productive here as in the lower diftri&s ; but
the crops are generally a month, and fometimes two; later,
which renders them liable to be caught in the feafon of thunder
that is exceedingly violent in thefe mountains, and almoft
always attended by heavy fliowers of hail. The fineft crops
have fometimes been completely deftroyed by thefe in the
courfe of half an hour. The returns, however, of this feafon
being tolerably conftant, commencing generally with the new
year, they can in moft years prevent the evil by an early feedtime.
But there is a calamity o f a different nature' attending
their crops, againft which there feems to be no remedy. This
arifes from the multitudes of locufts with which they are occa-
fionally infefted. When thefe infeits make their appearance,
not
not a fingle field of corn remains unconfumed by them. In
the prefent year, I don’t fuppofe that the whole of the Sneuwberg
will produce a fingle bufhel. In fuch years the inhabitants
eat no bread; they bear the evil with great patience, and
confole themfelves by faying, that they muft make up for
the lofs in this article by killing a double quantity o f mutton.
But the greateft of all the drawbacks on the profits of their
farms is that occafioned by the depredations o f the Bosjefmans.
Their corn is cultivated merely for home confumption; their
cattle are reared for the market. All their care, and the conftant
attendance o f numerous Hottentots in their employ,; are
fometimes infufficient to prevent a furprife from thefe favages.
An inhabitant of Sneuwberg has not only the continual appre-
henfion of lofing his property, but he lives in a ftate o f perpetual
perfonal danger. Should he depart to the diftance o f five
hundred yards from his houfe, he is under the neceffity o f carrying
a múfquet. He can neither plow, nor fow, nor reap,
without his arms. I f he would gather a few greens in the garden,
he muft take his gun in his hand. To bear a life of fuch
conftant dread and anxiety, a man muft be aecuftomed to it
from his infancy, and unacquainted with one that is better.
Notwithftanding this, Sneuwberg has its temptations. It may
be confidered as the béft nurfery for iheep in the whole colony.
They are here much fuperior to thofe of the other diftrifts both
in fize and condition. The tails o f fome o f them are not lefs
than twenty pounds weight; many run from twelve to fixteen
pounds. A farmer here has feldom fewer than from three to
four thoufand iheep. They derive no fort of benefit from the
wool, which is ihort and harih like hair. That this is owing