190 THROUGH GASA LAND. 



creepers, that were impenetrable to anything except 

 buffalo or rhinoceri. In fact, it was evident that 

 these coverts were the frequent haunts of such 

 animals, from the trampled state of their edges, and 

 the crushed and prostrate herbage that in parts be- 

 spoke their having been forced aside. The ease 

 with which the soil is removed by the action of the 

 water in this section of the world accounts, doubtless, 

 for the clmrs and bars that make their entrance from 

 the sea ever a matter of difficulty to even light-draught 

 craft, and, probably, so it will remain even to the 

 end of time. But for these impediments, the in- 

 terior of south tropical Africa would long since have 

 ceased to be almost a terra incognita. Scientific 

 skill might be brought to bear upon such difficulties 

 to navigation, but I fear not with permanent success. 

 Whether or not I am right in these conjectures, 

 however wealthy the soil might be agriculturally 

 and mineralogically, it would take ages of fortunate 

 commerce before the debt contracted for such a 

 herculean work as constructing breakwaters would 

 be paid off. These impediments, combined with the 

 unhealthiness of the coast at certain seasons of the 

 year, will, however, have one good effect, viz., it will 

 long be a barrier to the annihilation of the noble big 

 game of this portion of the world. The extermina- 

 tion that has been perpetrated upon the buffalo 

 (bison) of North America, can, thank God, never be 

 repeated here. 



