IN SOUTH AFRICA. 247 
executed by an officer of the 27th regiment, and which gave 
a most lively idea of the style of hunting on the Bontebok 
Flats. 
In the neighbourhood of Graham's Town I met with few 
wild animals, though I wandered over the hills for several hours 
almost every day. 'The ground indeed is everywhere per- 
forated by the burrows of the Ant-eater or Aardvark, and the 
broken and excavated ant-hills bear witness to his operations; 
but he very rarely stirs out of his hole by day, and I never 
was able to meet with him. The hyena, which is common 
enough in this neighbourhood, is likewise a nocturnal animal. 
One day as I was walking along the top of the high hill already 
mentioned, behind the barracks, I had a good view of a large 
bird of prey, which I easily recognised as the Bearded Eagle, 
or Lámmergeier of the Swiss. I was already aware that this 
noble bird was a native of Southern Africa, as well as of the 
Alps and the Himalaya, but I did not expect to see bim at 
Such a moderate elevation above the sea. Perhaps he had his 
home among the cliffs of the Winterberg, and had come thus 
far in quest of prey. | 
The climate of Albany is considered very healthy, although 
subject to sudden and violent changes of temperature. It is 
on the whole remarkably dry ; rain is unfrequent, and very 
uncertain as to the times of its occurrence; but when it does 
Come it is always from the south or south-east, as in that 
direction the country is open to the sea. The dry winds 
from the west, north-west, and north, often blow with great 
violenee and are excessively annoying; for, like the south- 
casters at the Cape, they raise stifling clouds of dust. During 
Part of the time we remained here, indeed whenever it did 
not blow hard, the weather was extremely pleasant, and the 
air singularly clear and pure. The sunsets were often strik- 
ingly beautiful, the western sky being all in a glow of the 
deepest and clearest gold or orange, while the light clouds 
Opposite to it were tinged with an exquisitely pure rose 
colour. Med 
The elevation of Graham's Town is said to be nearly one 
