Diary of a Journey to the Amaquaa . 105 



mountains of uncommon height. We left the former to our 

 right. The country between our resting place and this hill, 

 was chiefly sandy and full of small hillocks, which we had to 

 cross. At that time a running rivulet meandered through it, 

 the water of which was tolerably good. Leaving that, we 

 passed along the foot of the afore-mentioned hill, and through 

 a kloof between high sandy hills, when we came to a river 

 called Kleine-doornbosch-rivier, from the thorn trees which 

 grow on its banks. Earlier travellers found here very little or 

 no water, though at this time, in many places, it was three feet 

 deep, and running with great rapidity. We then travelled for 

 a third of a mile along this river, upon the foot of a very rocky 

 mountain, supplied with a few trees, and after that we crossed 

 the river and halted. 



We had this day uncommonly warm weather, in consequence 

 of which we were much plagued by a sort of flies called 

 Blinde Vliegen. They wound by a sting with which their head 

 is armed, to the great annoyance both of man and beast. They 

 are yellow and black, and according to the information obtained 

 from the Hottentots, they are found here till a sort of yellow 

 flowers, resembling the marigold of Europe, begin to fade, 

 when they entirely disappear. Our resting place was but 

 scantily provided with grass, the principal vegetation being 

 rushes (ruigte), which were unfit for the use of the cattle. 

 Our advance this day was three miles and a half. Our latitude 

 was 30° 5', and longitude 37° 39J*. 



Sunday, 30th.— We departed at seven o'clock with tine 

 weather, and ascended a height, after which, rounded another 

 hill, and ascended a third, then a fourth, still higher, from 

 whence we saw the sea in the direction of W.S.W. and at the 

 distance of about six miles. After that we changed the direc- 

 tion of our route several times, till we came to a little rivulet, 

 along the banks of which we marched one third of a mile, and 

 then crossed it, and passed over two other hills to the Groote 

 Doornbosch-rivier, where we stopped. We were obliged to 

 change the direction of our route so frequently to-day, on ac- 

 count of the high mountains, which it- was impossible to cross 

 over, and which consequently we were forced to pass by such 

 kloofs and valleys as were practicable. The mountains and 

 the road we travelled to-day were stony and sandy, without 

 any appearance of a tree. Our resting place was provided 

 scantily with grass, but plentifully with fuel. Our advance 

 this day was four miles, but we did not obtain the latitude. 



Monday, 1st October. — We started with fine weather, and 

 travelled along the afore-mentioned river for half a mile, 



•■n we crossed it. After proceeding two-fifths of a mile 

 re-crossed it, and upon having advanced about half a 

 mile further, we were again obliged to cross it. r i 



; which induced us to cross the river so often were, In 



