BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 327 



rous population of the town. The hills and dales are clothed 

 with a fine verdure of grass and many other herbaceous 

 plants. A little Dianthus, (n. 81) ; Silene cernua? (n. 84) ; 

 Hermannia, (n. 105); Corchorus serra>folius, Burch., (n. 148 !)j 

 Lotononis calycina, Benth., (n. 406) ; Lessertia, (n. 461) ; 

 Herniaria, (n. 611) ; Kohautia, (n. 757> and another species, 

 n. 759) ; Helichrysum, (n. 881) ; Lactuca, n. (1036) ; 

 Sebata, (n. 1192); Solanum, (n. 1258); Striga coccinea, 

 (n. 1278); Alectra, (n. 1311) ; Rhytiglossa, (n. 1398) ; Boer- 

 haavia pentandra, (n. 1433); Phyllanthus, (n. 1507); Eu- 

 phorbia, (n. 1543) ; were the principle species of plants 

 flowering at this period about the environs of the place. 

 The general character of the country with regard to vege- 

 tation is similar to that of the Caledon River, and is stocked 

 with many species of Cyperaceee and Gramineee as being the 

 predominant orders of plants here ; of which are the genera 

 Cyperus, Mariscus, Kyllingia, Ficinia, Elinurus, Heteropogon, 

 Andropogon, Anthistiria, Arthratherum, Chloris, Brizopyrum, 

 Eragrostis, Brachypodium. Owing to its elevated situation, 

 the climate is liable to sudden changes from hot to cold, 

 especially when the thunder storms prevail, of which we 

 experienced a very awful one, one evening attended with a 

 furious gale of wind, which tore our tent nearly to pieces, 

 and broke the fold in which our sheep were kept during 

 night. As they strayed about, through the accident, during 

 the night, we had great trouble the next morning in finding 

 them and bringing them together, and not without the loss 

 of several. 



When we left Taba Uncha, which is situated about 28° 

 35 ' south, latitude, and 27° 30' eastern longitude, we tra- 

 velled a considerable way between many acres of cultivated 

 ground, planted with various kinds of vegetables, promising 

 abundance to this industrious people. The country in 

 general over which we passed had an undulated appearance, 

 and after travelling for a distance of about six miles, we fell 

 ,n with another missionary station, called Ramootshe, 



