December ^ie eighth my waggon arrived, and the following day I %—>—1 was fupplied with a team of freih oxen, and directed my courfe to the Berg Valley, where I flayed two days, making excursions through part of the country, in which I collected feveral plants. When we arrived at the Croife, we remained there all night, and on the fucceeding day proceeded on our journey along the Picquet Berg. At night we arrived at the houfe of Albert Hanna Gamp, where I continued two days, and made an excurfion to the mountain. We then proceeded on our journey, and arrived at Rie Beck’s Caftle, at the houfe of Mr. Drayer, where I vifited the Roode Sand, or Land Van Waveren, which is fituate to the eaitward of Rie Beck’s Caftle. This is a pleafant and fruitful country, bounded by a large chain of mountains which are terminated on the eaft by Hottniqua Land, and on the weft by the chain of mountains which begin at Gape Falfe ; they join to the northward, where the mountain is called the Winter Hock’s Berg. This mountain is extremely high ; and during a coniiderable part of the year its fummit is covered with fnow. To the eaftward is a pleafant country, called the Gou- dinie, where there is a hot bath. The Breed Rivier has it's fource in this place, and to the eaftward is joined by the Hexen River, or Witches River. Along the weft lide of the chain of mountains, which begins at Cape Falfe, is fituate the Parel and Draken Styne, a well watered and fruitful country, which extends to the fouthward, and joins Stillen Bofch. The only produce of this country is Wine. In the courfe of this journey I have had frequent occafion to p mention the Mimofa, which abound particularly in this part '— 1 of Africa, a vegetable production which muft ftrike every traveller with aftonifhment; not only from its uncommon iize, but from the different ufes for which Nature feems to have intended it*. It produces in coniiderable quantities, a clear tranfparent gum, iimilar to Gum Arabic, which isefteemed by the natives as a peculiarly delicate fpecies of food: the leaves and the lower points of the branches feem to conftitute the principal aliment of the Camelopardalis 5 and the boughs afford an afylum to a fpecies of gregarious Bird+, which feems guided by inftindt in the choice of its habitation, for which this tree is peculiarly adapted. The item being about thirty feet high before it fends out branches, and covered with a fmooth poliihed bark, the birds are defended againft the different fpecies of fnakes and other reptiles which furround them, and which would otherwife deftroy their eggs; while the extent of the branches allows Sufficient room for the increaiing colony ; I fay increafing, as thefe creatures appear extremely prolific. The method in which thefe birds ufually fabricate their nefts is highly curious. In that of which I have given a reprefenta- tion in the annexed plate, there could be no lefs a number than from eight hundred to a thoufand refiding under the fame roof. I call it a roof, becaufe it perfedtly refembles that of a thatched houfe; and the ridge forms an angle fo acute and fo fmooth, projecting over the entrance of the neft below, that it is im- poffible for any reptile to approach them, * Sec the plate. f See the Loxia plate.
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