BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 129 



Orders Asclepiadeae, Convolvulacea, Byttneriacece, and Malva- 

 ceae vegetate, but they wither away during winter. The soil is 

 a reddish loam, and very fertile; still it remains mostly uncul- 

 tivated, on account of the dryness in a season when rain is 

 most required, and the want of rivers or springs to irrigate 

 any cultivated land ; there is scarcely water enough for 

 domestic purposes, and to keep alive the few trees and vege- 

 tables in the small gardens. 



We travelled for several days over a tract, nearly like the 

 last described. The course of the few rivers we passed 

 1S in a northerly direction, towards the Orange River, 

 proving our descent towards that river. On the 19th of 

 December, we passed Sternbergspruit, a tributary of the 

 former, and constituting, from its source, through the 

 whole length of its course to its junction with the Orange 

 River, the north-eastern boundary of the colony, about 

 28° 40' E. long., and 30° 40' S. lat. We were now only a 

 few miles distant from the Great, or Orange River, and our 

 curiosity was excited to obtain a view of that fine and large 

 stream. We were already pretty near, but could not see its 

 waters until we had reached the verge of the high embank- 

 ment, forming terraces of rocks, down to the stream, several 

 hundred feet below. Owing to our position, it seemed 

 to consist only of patches of water, like lakes, an illusion due 

 to its serpentine course and high banks, which latter present 

 a great contrast to the adjacent hills, being fringed with fine 

 Ia rge trees, of a lively green foliage. The Willow of the 

 Ga riep, much like the Weeping-willow, Zizyphus mucronala, 

 Rhamnus celtifolia, Chilianthus arboreus, are the principal trees 

 w hich skirt its banks and, convey a pleasant impression to 



e traveller, who, after a journey of much toil, over a barren 

 an d dry tract, finds himself invited, at the scorching hour of 

 n °on, to refresh his drooping frame on the shadowy banks of 

 a cool stream. 



On account of heavy rains which had fallen in the Draka 

 a nd the Wittebergen, the river could not be forded by wag- 



v °l. v. l 



