BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 19 



on a small hill near Doorne Kop, where we had plenty of 

 wood and water and abundance of hares and guinea-fowls. 

 It is useless to think of proceeding while the horses die so 

 fast ; fifteen, belonging to an emigrant farmer, have been 

 carried off by the epidemic in one day. In a month, we were 

 obliged to shift our quarters, having drunk up all the water 

 for two miles round, and consumed our sugar and biscuit ; 

 so we removed to near the residence of a Boer, who has a 

 hand-mill, with which our corn can be ground. On the 

 25th of April, we came to the Sand River and crossed it with 

 much difficulty, and pursued our way among hills of a half 

 desert soil, for several days. The tedium of the journey 

 was enlivened by the herds of BurchelFs quagga and spring 

 boks ; a large pack of wild dogs were seen pursuing the latter 

 animals. At Rhinoster's Kop, which we reached on the 

 3rd of May, we collected many birds, white herons, Ibis 

 religiosa, &c. The weather became gradually colder and 

 frost prevailed at night, and sometimes snow. In a beautiful 

 spring to which we went for water, I was charmed to find 

 great quantities of Water-cress and Veronia Beccabunga ! 

 We continued travelling slowly, as the weather and state of 

 our oxen permitted, to a small village inhabited by emigrant 

 farmers, with one of whom we left our collections, in order 

 to lighten the waggons. We were advised to call on the 

 commandant of the district, whose name is Potgister; he 

 has given us a note to one of his cornets, whom we shall 

 meet at Macalisberg, whither we are going; but I should 

 prefer to be without it, for whereas he pretends that our 

 safety will be thus promoted, I feel convinced that his only 

 motive is to extract presents, and to keep up an espial on 

 our movements. On the 28th, we left Potgister, and com- 

 menced our journey towards Macalisberg. Wild boars and 

 hyaenas were numerous, and at night a lion prowled about 

 and could not be driven away, even by keeping a large 

 fire and letting off our guns, till he had seized one of the 

 dogs, with which he went off. The carcase of a brindled 

 gnu which we had shot, proved a great attraction to these 



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