TABLE MOUNTAIN. 25 



and devote the remainder to pleasure, spending much of their 

 time and money on their dress, more especially the women. 

 These latter seldom have any covering for the head ; but the 

 men tie round it a red handkerchief, over which they wear 

 an enormous umbrella-shaped straw hat, admirably adapted 

 to ward off the sun's rays, but useless and inconvenient in 

 windy weather. 



The Malays are usually very honest ; but, strange to re- 

 late, on a certain day of the year they exert their ingenuity 

 in purloining their neighbors' poultry, and, Spartan-like, do 

 not consider this dishonorable, provided they are not detect- 

 ed in the fact : 



" To be taken, to be seen, 

 These hare crimes accotinted been." 



To be at Cape-ToAvn, without ascending the far-famed 

 Table Mountain, was, of course, not to be thought of. The 

 undertaking, however, is not altogether without danger. On 

 the side of the town, access to the summit is only practicable 

 on foot, and that by a narrow and slippery path ; but on the 

 opposite side the Table may be gained on horseback, though 

 with some difficulty. The whole mountain side, moreover, 

 is intersected by deep and numerous ravines, which are ren- 

 dered more dangerous by the dense fogs that, at certain sea- 

 sons of the year, arise suddenly from the sea. 



One fine afternoon I had unconsciously approached the 

 foot of the mountain, and the top looked so near and invit- 

 ing, that, though the sun was fast sinking, I determined to 

 make the ascent. At the very outset I lost the road ; but, 

 having been all my life a mountain-climber, I pushed boldly 

 forward. The task', however, proved more difficult than I 

 expected, and the sun's broad disk had already touched the 

 horizon when I reached the summit. Nevertheless, the mas- 

 nificent panorama that now lay spread before me amply re- 

 warded me for my trouble. It was, however, only for a very 

 short time that I could enjoy the beautiful scene ; darkness 



B 



