o f water, is as fertile as that of Egypt pofiibly can be. The
rains in the Abyifinian mountains generally begin in May, and
caufe the inundations of the Nile to take place in June, continuing
to the month of September. The rains in the Great
mountains, beyond the Kaifers and the Tambookies, along the
feet of which the Orange river runs, colleiting their tributary
ftreams in its paflage, commence in November, and caufe the
inundations to take place,' towards the Namaqua country, in
December, correfponding thus exaitly with the former, both
countries being nearly at the fame diftance from the equator,
but on contrary fides. The fame Angular peculiarity has been
obferved in the conformation of the Egyptian women that pervades
the whole of the Hottentot nation. That extraordinary
animal the Camelopardalis is faid to be an inhabitant o f Ethiopia,
nearer to the Line than Egypt; and it is firft met with in
Southern Africa, beyond the Orange river, which is alfo nearer
to the Line than any part of the colony of the Cape. Many
other analogies might be drawn; but thefe are more than fuffi-
cient to eftablifh the opinion of a ftriking refemblance exifting
between the two countries.
The Orange river, at this time, though far from being full,
exhibited a very grand ob jeit; but in its low ftate, when the
water is clear, it muft be exceedingly beautiful. In the level
parts of the country through which its fmooth and eafy current
ran over pebbly beds, thefe were compofed entirely of ftones
that were not common, nor were many of them wanting
either in being curious or beautiful. Among thefe were opals,
carnelians, chalcedonies, and agates of every form and color,
figured,
figured, plain, and ftriped, zoned and ftaladitical; not thinly
fcattered here and there, but in fuch quantities that, judging
by thofe few banks which were uncovered with water, a wag-
gon-load might be collected in a few hours. Thefe beds con-
fifted generally of round and oval pebbles, fome having a black
ground, others light-brown, and others chocolate color. Thefe
were inlaid with other fmall, white, quartzy pebbles, forming,
on the fmooth furfaces of the former circles, ftripes, and irregular
ipots and lines. They appeared to be of that defcription
of aggregated ftones called, by fome French mineralogifts, va-
riolites, and to which Mr. Kirwan has propofed to give the general
name of porphyrites. The white parts grew as it were
into the colored bafe, and adhered to it fo clofely as not to be
eafily feparated. It is remarkable enough that this ihould be
the only river in Southern Africa, at leaft between it and the
Cape, in which ftones of this nature are found. According
to the relations o f Vaillant and Patterfon, the agates extend
down the bed of the river as far as its mouth, on the weftern
coaft; but neither of thefe authors makes any mention o f the
fpotted ftones which, had they been there, muft have obtruded
themfelves on their notice, being no lefs fingular and beautiful
than they were numerous ; whole banks were entirely compofed
of them and the others above mentioned. They occurred
of all fizes, from a line to a foot in diameter, generally
rounded and fmoothly polilhed by attrition in their paflage
down the river. The rocky banks were maffes that apparently
were compofed of clay and mica, containing alfo a confiderable
portion of the oxyd of iron. The angles of thefe were likewife
rounded off, and their furfaces worn fmooth by the aftion of
Q.CL.2 the
IB