122 BOTANICAL. INFORMATION. 



had enjoyed no rain for along while. Apprehensive of the danger 

 occasioned by the drought, and our oxen finding scarcely any 

 food, we travelled with more speed over that arid district. 

 We passed the Tarka River, a little above its junction with 

 the Great Fish River ; it rises in the Bambusbergen and the 

 Stormbergen; the length of its course is about 100 miles. 



We crossed several times the Great Fish River, and reached 

 on the 3rd of December, the village of Cradock; rather a 

 small place, though the seat of the principal functionary of 

 the district. It is situated in a narrow valley, on the banks 

 of the Great Fish River, which supplies it with water. A 

 mighty spur of the Sneewberg stretches to the bank of that 

 stream, and continuing from the left side, runs up towards 

 east, and joins the Bambusberg. We remained a few days 

 near Cradock, in order to have some things repaired in our 

 waggons, and took our station on an elevated spot, close to a 

 mineral spring, opposite the village, hoping to have the water 

 near for our use ; but we found it of such a had taste and 

 smell, that it was hardly fit to drink ; as it seems to contain 

 sulphuric air in considerable quantity, it may have a good 

 effect in cutaneous diseases. The village is situated on a 

 fertile spot ; the soil having been mostly deposited here, in 

 former times, by the overflowing of that river. Fine gardens, 

 planted with fruit-trees, grapes, and vegetables, bear witness 

 to the good quality of the soil. The climate, however, is not 

 a very healthy one, owing to its sudden changes of tempera- 

 ture. The heat, during summer, is often insupportable, on 

 account of the narrow valley, more than half enclosed by very 

 high and barren mountains, and the other part by lower hills 

 and the Karroo. The heat would be still greater, were it not 

 cooled by a strong breeze of wind during the afternoon, pour- 

 ing down from the high mountain region, in order to restore 

 the equilibrium of the atmosphere, too much expanded hy the 

 heat below. Those gusts of wind prove a great annoyance to 

 the inhabitants, carrying clouds of dust through the streets 

 into their houses. Cradock is as cold again during winter; 

 the high mountains, on one side, being covered with snow 



