lcndam, which is the refidence of a Land Droit, or chief juitice. It is fituated under the chain of mountains which begin near the bay Alagoa, their direction weft north-weft. The climate in "this country differs much from that at the Cape; for it is feldom that the fouth eaft winds blow h a rd ; but there are often ftorms from the north-weft. This being the time when the boors* meet for exerciiing, we remained here a few days; during which time I made feveral excuriions along the mountains and through the woods. At this time very few of the arboreous plaints were in flower, fo that I could * Farmers, above, is compofed of (lender rods or fprays of trees. Thefe rods, being- previouily bent into a proper form, are laid, either whole or pieced, fome parallel with each other, others croifwife ;" they are ilrengthened, by, binding others round them in a circular form with withies. Thefe withies, as well as the rods themfelves, are taken, as well as I can recolle&, chiefly from the Cliffortia Conoides, which grows plentifully in this country near the rivers. Large mats are then laid very neatly over this lattice-work, fo aS perfe&ly to cover the whole. The aperture which is left for the door is clofed, whenever there is occafion for it, with a ikin fitted to it, or a piece of matting. Thefe mats are made of a kind of cane or reed. The reeds, being laid parallel to each other, are fattened together with finews or catgut, or elfe fome kind of packthread, fuch as they have had an opportunity of procuring from the Europeans. They have it, therefore, in their power, to make their mats as long as they chufe, and at the fame time as-broad as the length of the rufh will admit of, viz. from fix to ten feet. This fame kind of matting is now made ufe of likewife by the colonifts, next to the tilts of their waggons, by way of preventing the fail-cloth from being rubbed and worn by them, as well as of aflift- ing to keep out the rain. When a Hottentot has a mind to take his houfe down and remove his dwelling, he lays all his mats, ikins, and fprays on the backs of his cattle, which to a ftranger makes a monftrous, unwieldy, and indeed, ridiculous appearance. The order or diftribution of thefe huts in a craal or clan, is moft frequently in the form of a circle with the doors inwards ; by this means a kind of yard or courtis formed, where the cattle is kept on nights. T h e milk, as foon as taken from the cow, is put to other milk which is curdled, and is kept in a leather fack ; of this the hairy fide, being confidered as the cleanlier, is turned inwards : fo that the milk is never drank while it is fweet. In certain northern diftrifts fuch as Roggeveld, or Bokkeveld, where, the land is, as it is called, Carrow, or dry and parched, the Hottentots, as well as the colonifts, are ihepherds.” not preferve any perfect fpecimens. The Piper Cordifolia is very ¡common in the woods. I found fome beautiful fpecimens '—«—* of the Helianthus and Phylicas. The whole country affords good pafture for cattle, and produces plenty of corn and w in e : the foil is a hard yellowifla clay, intermixed with rotten rocks. . We left Zwellendam on the twentieth, and directed our courfe about eaft north-eaft, towards the Reed Valley. About four in the afternoon we crofted the Buffalyte Agte* Rivier, fo called ftom its being , formerly a noted place for hunting Buffaloes ; but they feldom make their appearance at prefent in this part of the country. Here the riyer winds to the fouth- ward, and joins the Breed Rivier. Towards the evening we loft our road, and with fome difficulty got to the Reed Valley. This place belongs to the Dutch company, and is employed for breeding c a ttle ; moft of their draught oxen are reared here : it alfo produces wood. It is diftant from Zwellendam about twelve miles, and from the Cape, one hundred and twenty. Here we overtook our waggon, which was fo much injured by the journey, that we were neceffarily detained a few days in order to repair it. During our ftay, I added much tp my collection, and amufed myfelf by joining in the chafe o f the Bonta Bocks, which are found in this place in great numbers, as well as of the Capra Dorcas of Linnseus, and the Equus Zebra. The Reed Valley likewife produces great plenty of wild fowl,' fuch as Partridges of feveral kinds. f jg t e ; to.hunt.
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