258 KLOOF AND KARROO. 



possibly appreciate the vastness and completeness 

 of the change. 



Amongst the principal feeding plants upon these 

 plains are the spekboom (fat-tree), guarray, karree- 

 bosch, fingerpoll, vaal boschie, noorse-doorn (in 

 certain localities, especially in Zwart Ruggens), and 

 others too numerous to mention. The compositae 

 and the portulacise are very largely represented 

 amongst the innumerable varieties of vegetable life. 

 The hibis-cus, pelargonium, heliophila, oxalidae 

 (several), mesembryanthemum, crassula, and coty- 

 ledon, are very noticeable. 



The fingerpoll is singular, even amongst many 

 curious plants. This, the Euphorbia caput-medusce of 

 scientists, has a low growth, not distantly resembling 

 a squabby footstool, with fingers standing forth from 

 it. It is a tough, yet an extremely nourishing plant, 

 and is so hard as to require to be cut up with an 

 axe ; the kernel or inner part of it is, when boiled, 

 used as a vegetable occasionally. Sheep and goats 

 feed greedily upon it when cut up and thrive 

 amazingly. Oxen do not take to it quite so naturally, 

 but when used to it they do even more credit to its 

 recuperative powers ; and it is a well understood fact, 

 that spent and foundered oxen, left to die upon 

 the road where they had fallen, have, when fed 

 with fingerpoll, regained vitality, got up, and 

 resumed their trek. Horned cattle, indeed, become 

 extraordinarily fond of this plant. I have seen a 

 span of oxen outspanned for evening, and wandering 

 off into the bushes to graze. I have watched the 

 driver go to the waggon, get out his axe, and with it 

 smartly strike the wheels. The metallic clink was 

 instantly noted and responded to by the cattle ; 



