43 
gress to or from Capetown, halted at the road-side, and its 
team of oxen browsing amongst the shrubs. In their inter- 
course with the capital, the boors are under the necessity of 
arranging their affairs so as to remain there only a few hours, 
or, at least, to send off their waggons, the sterility of its imme- 
diate environs rendering it impossible to find subsistence for 
their cattle there for a single night. 
* From Brinksfarm, the road winds round the base of the 
mountain of Stellenbosch, and commands a fine view of the 
whole Cape Peninsula and the adjacent bays. Several neat 
plantations are scattered over each side of the road, as far as 
Hottentot-Holland Kloof. As we rode along, it was not 
without interest we remarked the country people actively 
employed in their various occupations; some collecting the 
juicy produce of the vineyard; some cutting down the corn, 
conveying it home in waggon-loads, piling it up in huge 
stacks, or guiding the horses, which were trotting over it, to 
disengage the grain from the straw. To these succeeded 
another set, who, availing themselves of a favourable breeze, 
tossed the broken corn up in the air with long wooden forks, 
to separate the grain from its impurities. This animated 
‘scene, on which we dwelt with delight, formed a striking con- 
trast to the early part of our day's journey. 
«There is an inn at the bottom f the Kloof, where we 
tarried the whole of the next day, to get some repairs done to 
our travelling cart. On the morning of ‘the 5th, we pursued 
‘our journey; and, after passing through a turnpike-gate, the 
only one in the Colony, at which half a Rix-dollar is levied.on 
-every waggon, we ascended the Kloof. The pass is rugged and 
abrupt, but might be made comparatively easy by a moderate 
share of labour, judiciously exerted: and if the public wel- 
fare had any influence over those who administer the affairs 
-of the Colony, they would employ a part of the garrison in 
works of this kind; instead of letting soldiers out to work in 
detail, to such individuals as have sufficient interest to — 
cure them for their private use. 
“The Bondeni innana we 
-ascended the Kloof; but from the time we gained the summit 
