BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 127 



quite isolated, and rising from an already much elevated plain, 

 upwards of 1000 feet high. This far-visible cone is called 

 Teabuss, on account of its shape, which resembles a Dutch 

 teapot The top is covered with a horizontal stratum of 

 rocks ; its sides are quite perpendicular, high, and inacces- 

 sible. Thousands of vultures have their resort and hatching- 

 place on these rocks ; some of these birds seem to enjoy 

 themselves by sailing in the air for hours in circles, far above 

 the summit of that mountain. We ascended, in hopes of 

 making some acquisitions of botanical objects, but failed in 

 our expectation, the plants on the upper part being as dry as 

 those below, except a few succulents, such as Euphorbia and 

 Mesembryanthemum. We had an extensive view over the sur- 

 rounding plains and hills from this mountain ; the tops of the 

 latter presenting, in many instances, a table-like platform. The 

 general formation is of reddish sandstone. The surrounding 

 plains were inhabited by many sorts of game > as the black 

 gnoo,hartebeest, bless-bok, spring-bok, ostriches, and quagga, 

 or wild horse. 



Leaving this place the same afternoon, and ascending 

 gradually to an elevated region, we arrived, towards evening, 

 at the side of a range of hills, called " Zuureberg," a moun- 

 tain quite unconnected with that of the same name in the 

 district of Albany, near Graham's Town, and spoken of on a 

 former occasion. The name indicates the acid or sour quality 

 °f its pasturage, and was given by the farmers. It is a curious 

 tact, that the sourness of a pasture is always indicated by the 

 cattle chewing bones, which they never do where the grasses 

 are quite sweet; they know, by instinct, what remedy to take 

 tor neutralizing the acidity in their stomachs. It was very 

 interesting, sometimes, to see our oxen chasing each other to 

 get hold of a bone out of the mouth of another. The farmers 

 believe, from ignorance of the true state of things, that the 

 cattle use these bones to sharpen their teeth, and generally 

 a mrm, that the teeth of cattle become sensible and painful, 

 from the sour nature of their food ; while the fact is, they chew 

 a «d swallow the bones, as a cure for the internal acidity, 



