On the fifth we croffed Gauritz river, the weftern limit of
the divifion of Mufcle bay. This river may properly be called
the Sink of the Colony. All the waters that have their origin
within the diftance of one hundred and fifty miles to the eaft-
ward, and as far to the weftward, upon the Great Karroo, and
mountains to the northward o f it, meet in one immenfe chafm of
the chain of mountains neareft the fea-lhore, and are difcharged
through the channel of the Gauritz river.- The hidden and
copious inundations of this river are almoft beyond credibility.
The ruins of a houfe are ftill to be feen, that is faid to have been
deftroyed by a fwelling of the river, though the fite cannot be
much lefs than a hundred feet above the level of the channel; at
this time all its numerous branches fcarcely fupptied it with
water fufficient to caufe a current.
From Gauritz we proceeded to one o f its branches, the Falfe
river, near which were feen a great variety of brown and yellow
ochres, and abundance of that curious ftone, already mentioned,
under the name of Paint ftone.
On the fixth we palled feveral rivulets, whofe united ftreams
form the Kaffer Kuyl’s river. In advancing towards the Cape,
the country became better inhabited; neat houfes flood on the
banks o f all the rivers, and the gardens, and vineyards, and
fruiteries, were more extenfive, and kept in a better ftate o f culture.
The furface o f the country interjacent between the rivers
was very irregular, the foil dry clay and chalk, and was fit for
little elfe than a iheep pafture. It produced a great quantity of
Ihrubs, among which was one called thtGuarrie bo/cb, (Royena?)
from
from whofe berries, and thofe o f the Arduina, fome of the
farmers had made a fweetiih wine, not unlike that which in
Europe is procured from the Alder.
The forefts of Plettenberg s bay, and the Autiniequas land,
had ceaied to clothe the feet of the mountains from the point
direilly north of Mufcle bay. Another clump now appeared,
about twenty miles to the eaftward o f the Drofdy of Zwellendam,
called the Grootvader’s bofch. This wood, in the early ftages
of the colony, contained as great a variety of large timber trees
as the others, but being fo much nearer to the Cape, is now
ftripped of moft of the wood that is valuable.
From Grootvader’s bofch, a beautiful valley ftretches along the
feet of the mountains, as far almoft as the Drofdy. This village
is compofed o f about twenty houfes, fcattered over a fertile
valley, with a perpetual ftream of water flowing down it. The
habitation of the Landroft ftands at the head of the valley; is a
very comfortable building, and has an extenfive garden attached
to it, furrounded with plantations o f oaks, and well flocked
with a variety of fruits.
The diftridt of Zwellendam, is compofed chiefly o f that trail
of country lying between the Black mountains and the fea-coaft,
and ftretches to the eaftward, as far as the Camtoos river, where
Graaff Reynet firft begins. The number o f families contained
in it, are between five and fix hundred; and the whole population
of whites amounts to about three thoufand. The number o f
Hottentots;