130 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 



gons, except with the aid of a raft or boat. We chose a raft, 

 which had been only finished a few weeks before our arrival; 

 it was placed at a narrow passage, where the river has forced 

 its way through a ridge of rocky hills, just below a rapid, or 

 fall, about 15 feet high. The raft traverses backwards arid for- 

 wards on a rope, which is fixed on each side of the river. 

 That place is called Sand-drift Point, where we remained for 

 two days. The heat was very oppressive in this narrow valley, 

 belted by hills of barren rocks, and sparingly covered with 

 short shrubby plants or grass ; but more annoying than the 

 heat were the myriads of a kind of red ant, during the hottest 

 hours of the day, on the level near the banks of the river 

 where we encamped. They were furious, and neither dogs 

 nor men, especially barefooted, could stand still for a moment 

 to endure their bites. The place where we halted was situ- 

 ated below a hill, and we could clearly see from the top of it, 

 towards the east, the higher parts of the lofty Witteberg 

 mountain chain, about 7000 feet high, looking apparently 

 white (whence its name), on account of the nature of the 

 rocks forming that mountain chain, which are chiefly of a 

 kind of white sandstone. The character of the vegeta- 

 tion of that mountain range, like many other mountains 

 within the colony, presents always a barren view when 

 seen from a distance ; but the Botanist, who deems it worth 

 while to examine somewhat nearer these sterile-looking tracts, 

 will not return without great satisfaction. The Orange River 

 has forced its way through this mountain range, one of the 

 most elevated in South Africa ; awful chasms and precipices, 

 as may be imagined, are in its course, passing through such a 

 high mountain. 



The season was rather unfavourable for botanical 

 acquisitions, although the vegetation about the regions ot 

 the river is highly interesting and rich. The much needed 

 rains had not commenced till very lately, so that the land but 

 just began to become green. In the shadow of some rocks, 

 leaning over and forming small caverns, adjacent to the river, 



