October. liums> many fpecimens of which have been fent to--Europe, v— ' This night we relied at a place called Berg Fleet, the property of a rich farmer of the name of Extin. It is unneceffary to enlarge upon the hofpitality of thefe people, fince that cir- eumilance has been remarked by all who have travelled through the country. The following day we were detained by the inclemency of the weather. On the eighth, we continued our journey along the bottom of Bay Falfe, from the point of Moefen Berg, to very near Hottentot Holland, which is a continuation of what is called the Sand Down, a large trad: of country lying between the Table Bay and Bay Falfe. Moil of it is uninhabitable, on account of a white fand blown up by the fouth-eafl winds in very large ridges. Yet there are many ffirubs difperfed in different parts. I t is the principal place whence they procure their fire-wood at the Cape. It alfo produces the Myrica Cerifera ; the berries of which make excellent candles, nearly equal to thofe of bees wax. Near the middle of the bay is a fmall hut, where we found fome fifhermen. It being in the heat of the day, and we much fatigued by travelling through the heavy fand, we relied there about an hour. At firil we expedled to regale ourfelves with oyflers; but the furf was fo flrong that we were unable to approach the banks. From this place we proceeded on our journey, and about funfet arrived at the Erft Rivier, or Firil River, which has its fource from the Stillen Bofch Mountains, and empties itfelf, at this place, into Bay Falfe. From the late rains we found it almoil impaifable; but we croifed it with much more fafety than we had expected. As foon as it became dark, we were accofted with the howling of the Hyenas, '777• J O £tober. which accompanied us all the way to Hottentot Holland, where '—.—< we arrived about nine, at the refidence of a Mr. De Wall. This was formerly a place belonging to Governor Adrian Vander Stell, who had introduced many foreign plants into this country, particularly the Camphor tree. Many of thefe are from forty to fifty feet in height, and from twelve to thirteen feet in circumference. Hottentot Holland is fituated on the north-eail fide of the Bay Falfe, and furrounded on three fides by lofty mountains; but open to the fouth-wefl, where we have a view of the bay. The foil here is not fo good for vines as moil other places on this fide the mountains, being wet and marihy; but it produces excellent corn. The mountains afforded me many beautiful plants, particularly Xe- ranthimums, Geraniums, Gladiolufes, and many others quite new to me. Here may be faid to be one of the moll difficult paffes into the country, called Hottentot Holland’s Kloaf *. It '■is a narrow road cut through the hill, the fummit of which appears to be nearly of a height with the Table Land. This is part of the chain of mountains which have their beginning at Cape Falfe, or the Hang Lip, and continue to the north- wefl for near three hundred miles ; and from twenty to forty miles, from the fea, feveral other branches from this chain extend to the interior parts of the country, which I ihall hereafter have occafion to defcribe in the courfe of my narrative. After fending our baggage through the pafs, we purfued our journey, on the twelfth, round the Hang Lip, and proceeded * Kloaf, fignifies a narrow pafs through the mountains.
27f 61
To see the actual publication please follow the link above