224 A PERFUMED VEGETABLE. [CH. V. 



containing several hollows, thickly overgrown with the poly- 

 gonum junceuni. Between these low parts the ground was 

 rather more elevated than usual, especially where D'Urban's 

 o-roup bore 163° (from north.) The undulations were proba- 

 bly connected with that range, and their position afforded 

 some clue to the western bends of the river. We passed in 

 a scrub, a young gin and a boy. They did not begin to run 

 until we stood still, and had called to them for some time. 

 As there was still light to spare, I proceeded onward, tra- 

 velling west-south-west, and with difficulty regained sight of 

 the river at dusk. Here, the water was still more brackish, 

 but quite good enough for use ; and we passed the night in 

 a hollow by the river side. 



June 4. — At an angle of the river, below the gully in 

 which we had slept, a rocky dyke crossed the stream in a 

 north-north-west direction. It consisted of a very hard 

 ferruginous sandstone, resembling that on the eastern coast. 

 This must have been another of the many impediments to 

 our boat navigation, had we proceeded by water, and from 

 the general appearance of the river, I was satisfied that a 

 passage witli boats could not have been attempted in its pre- 

 sent state, with any prospect of getting soon down. We 

 travelled on, without seeing the river, from seven until twelve, 

 following a south-west course, then due west, and in this 

 direction, we crossed the broad dry bed of a water-course 

 coming from the south-east, having previously observed high 

 ground on the left. The bed of this water-course was covered 

 with a plant resembling clover or trefoil, but it liad a yellow 

 flower, and a perfume like that of woodrooffe.* A fi-agrant 

 breeze played over this richest of clover fields, and reminded 

 me of new mown hay. The verdure and the perfume were 

 new to my deliglited senses, and my passion for discovei'ing 

 " something rich and strange" was fully gratified, wliile my 

 horse, defying tlu; rein, seemed no less pleased in the midst 



• See page 'i.'j.'i, ("r Dr. Lindlcy's (lescrii)li<)n dl' this plant. 



