the characters of Zeolite; but having fojne others from which it
differs, it was confidered as a new fpecies. Some fpecimens are
extremely beautiful; they are generally o f an apple-green
ground, marked with white, pale yellow, or brown ftripes, or
fpots. The only ufe or ornament to which the Dutch apply
this ftone, is to convert it into tobacco pipes, a purpofe to which
it is leaft fuited, as the heat foon deftroys the colors, and, if carried
to rednefs, the form alfo; for like Zeolite it poffeffes the
character of intumefcence by ftrong heat. It might be manufactured
into vafes, little inferior to the Derbyfhire fpar, which,
though much lefs efteemed than it deferves, becaufe too common,
has certainly no rival in the lapidary’s workihop.
We attempted to afcend the higheft point o f the Khamies berg
on horfeback, but before we had gained the general furomit out
o f which it rifes, we were buried in a thick miff, which Ihortly
became heavy rain; and the thermometer from 51° at the
bottom o f the mountain, had defcended to 34°.
We took ihelter in the folitary hovel 'of a Dutch peafant, that
flood on the general fummit of the mountain. Cold as it was,
the man and his family had no other habitation than a hut
made of ruih matting, and faihioned after the manner o f the
Namaaquas, which will prefently be noticed. Though rich as
to the number of his fheep and cattle, he could have no other
comfort in life, except, like the mifer at the foot of the mountain,
the gratification arifing from knowing how much he was
worth. Fearful that the weather might become worfe, and that
from the encreafing cold the rain might be converted into fnow,
■we thought it prudent to give up the attempt of proceeding
higher, and to make the beft o f our way down. It frequently
happens that the fnow begins to fall on this mountain early in
May. The inhabitants are then obliged to quit their elevated
fituation, and to eftabliih themfelves for the winter on the plains
below. Neither the diftance of the Khamies berg from the fea,
which is only about fifteen miles, nor its height, are fufficient to
account for the early approach of winter, and the deep inows
that fall there. Perhaps as this point is the termination of the
periodical winds, and the commencement o f thofe almoft invariable
breezes that blow between the tropics, and extend five or fix
degrees beyond them, called the trade winds, the frequent fqualls
and commotion in the air occafioned at the point of meeting, may
have a tendency to lower the temperature. To the nqrthward of
the Khamies berg, on the fandy plains o f the Namaaqua country;
it is faid that rain never fells. Whatfoever clouds may be borne
from the fea, or formed in the atmofphere, are immediately
attra<fled to this clutter of mountains.
In that part of the Namaaqua country, lying between the
Khamies and the Groote, or Orange river, no water is met with,
except in the periodical ftreams that flow from the mountain
under beds o f fend, in which the natives, when fuch exifted, ufed
to dig deep wells, and cover them over to prevent evaporation.
Thefe plains are now defolate and uninhabited. All thofe
numerous tribes of Namaaquas, pofieffed of vaft herds o f cattle,
are, in the courfe of lefs than a century, dwindled away to four
hordes, which are not very numerous, and in a great meafure
are fubfervient to the Dutch peafantry, who dwell among them.
3 D 2 The