on the perfon who had the honor to receive them. As fa£ts
locally colle&ed, they have been thought worthy to be laid
before the public. The obfervations and reflections upon the
fafts are fuch as occurred when the impreffion they made, on,
the fpot, was ftrongeft on the mind. Since that time they have
undergone but little alteration, and are therefore confidered as
fetches only, to be filled up and finifhed by future travellers:
and they are fubmitted to the public more with the confciouf-
nefs o f truth than of any literary attainments in the writer.
CHA P . II.
Sketches on a journey from The Cape o f Good Hope, acrofs the
Karroo, or Arid Defert, to the Brofdy o f Graaff Reynet.
JL HOUGIf the rains ufually commence about the beginning
of May, in the prefent year the whole month of June was a
feries of fine pleafant weather; unfavorable, however, to the
hufbandman, and not lefs fo to the traveller, who may have
before him a long journey over the uninhabited deferts of
Africa, and muft neceffarily make daily ufe of the fame cattle,
either in the team, or to travel along with him as relays.
The eftabliihed mode of performing fuch long journies, in
this colony, is in covered waggons drawn by bullocks.
The carriages made for this purpofe are very expenfive ; but
they are well conftrufted to bear hard fervice, to run light, and
are fufficiently commodious and fpacious to contain all the
neceifaries that may be wanted on a long journey, and alfo a
cot, or matrafs, for fleeping upon. Such a carriage is commonly
drawn by a team, or fpan, as it is termed in the colony,
of ten or twelve oxen. Each day’s journey is called a Jkojf;
and the length of thefe is generally regulated by local circum-
ftances, being from five to fifteen hours. It is cuftomary alfo
to travel in the night, that the cattle may have the advantage of
the day to graze, or rather to broufe, among the ihrubbery;
for