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a species of Mimosa^ rising here to the height of fifty feet, 

 though it never grows to any considerable height in the 

 open plain, but spreads out like a parasol. This tree 

 yields, by exudation through fissures in its bark, a great 

 quantity of gum^ which is as difficult of solution as gum- 

 tragacanth. Its bark is employed by the boors for tanning 

 leather. In the flowering season, it is a highly ornamental 

 tree, its spherical tufts of orange-coloured flowers, presenting 

 a striking contrast with its formidable, white, bifurcated 

 thorns, and dark-green foliage. 



" For eight or ten miles beyond the Sunday River, the 

 wood is so thick, and the path so narrow, that there is 

 hardly room for a waggon to pass along ; so that when two 

 meet, which sometimes happens, all hands are set to work 

 with the axe, and clear a recess sufficient to receive one of 

 the waggons, so as to let the other pass. This is one of the 

 compensations which tend to equalize the condition of the 

 colonist with that of persons of his class in long established 

 communities. Both of them are doomed to hard labour. 

 But the energies of the latter are exerted solely on produc- 

 tion ; whereas, with the former, the labour of production is a 

 subordinate concern; his time and his sweat are expended 

 in surmounting the obstacles which nature has scattered in 

 the way of production. He has, however, one consolation, 

 which is wanting to the other, he labours for himself, and 

 neither landlord, nor tax-gatherer, nor tythe-proctor can 

 come forward and claim a share in the fruits of his industry. 



" Beyond this wood, the country is beautifully diversified 

 with clumps of shrubbery, until you arrive at the Quagga's 

 Plain, which is entirely bare. On the border of the latter I 

 remarked a great number of those circles, called in England 

 ' Fairy Rings.' Their area, in general about ten yards 

 in diameter, was circumscribed by a ring three feet in 

 breadth, of an intensely green colour, and covered with 

 large mushrooms. 



" We found no great variety of game on the plain ; 

 the great masses of the Antelope tribe having migrated in 

 quest of water to other districts. The scarcity of this fluid 



