mountains, and duykers, grei/boks, andJleenboks not very fcaree
among the hills towards the northern extremity of the valley.
The inhabitants are alfo annoyed with wolves, hyasnas, and
jackalls, which defcend in the nights from the neighbouring
mountains.
i t . Paardeberg, or the Horfe Mountain, fo called from the
number of wild horfes or zebras that formerly frequented it, is
a continuation of the Paarl Mountain to the northward. The
produce of the farms is chiefly confined to wheat, which, with
a fprinkling of manure, or a couple of years reft, or by fallowing,
will yield from fifteen to twenty fold. They cultivate,
alfo, barley and pulfe, but have few horfes or cattle beyond what
are neeefiary for the purpofes of huibandry.
12. Ricbeck's Cafleel, or the Caftle of Van Riebeck, may be
confidered as a prolongation, of the Paardeberg, terminating to
the northward in a high rocky fummit. It took its name from
the founder of the colony having travelled to this diftance from
the Cape, which is about fixty miles, and which, in that eatly
period, of the fettlement, was as far as it was confidered fafe to
proceed, on account of the numerous natives, whofe race has
now almoft difappeared from the face of the earth. The produce
is the fame as that of the farms of the laft divifion,
in both of which there are as many loan-farms as freehold
eftates.
13, 14. Eaft Zwartlandand Twenty-four Rivers. Thefe two
divifions confift of wide extended plains, ftretching, m width,
from
from the Berg River to-the great chain of mountains, and to
the Picquet Berg, in length, to the northward. They are cori-
fidered as the granaries of the colony. The crops, however,
in Zwartland, are as uncertain as the rains, bn which, indeed,
their fuccefs almoft entirely depends. In the Four-and-twenty
Rivers the grounds are capable of being irrigated by the num-
berlefs ftreamlets that iffue from the great chain of mountains,
in their courfe to the Berg River. Many of thefe, in their pro-
grefs over the plain, form large traits of fwampy ground that
have been found to produce very fine rice. Wheat, barley,
and pulfe are the principal articles that are cultivated in thefe
two divifions, but they have plenty of fruit, and make a little
wine for their own family ufe. Should the Bay of Saldanha, at
any future period, become the general rendezvous of ihippipg,
thefe two divifions will be more valuable than ,ah the reft of the
colony.
15. The Picquet Berg terminates the plains of the Four-and-
twenty Rivers to the northward. Here, befides corn and fruit,
the inhabitants rear horfes, horned cattle, and (heep. And
from hence, alfo, is fent to the Cape market a confiderable quantity
of tobacco, which has the reputation of being o f the beft
quality that Southern Africa produces.
16. Olfant's River is a fine clear ftreara, flowing through a
narrow valley, hemmed in between the great chain of mountains
and an inferior ridge called the Cardouw. This valley,
being interfered by numerous rills of. water from the ®oun-
•tairis on each £de, is extremely rich .and fertile ; but the great
z z. 2 diftance