26TH MAY. 



A BITINGLY cold day after fierce rain storms ; but what 

 matter since we are off for L'Agulhas ? The Robinsons picked 

 me up in Stellenbosch, and in wind and rain but full of faith 

 we set forth on our 150-mile journey, using the precious petrol 

 carefully saved for the purpose. 



When we were over the first range of mountains there was 

 a gleam of sun ; and as we went on the weather definitely 

 cleared and our faith was justified. The car was full to capacity, 

 a passenger to Bredasdorp and stores for the house at L'Agulhas, 

 hats, cakes, boxes of eggs, two dogs and a pumpkin getting 

 jolted together, but we arrived well before dark and dug our- 

 selves in while the sun set behind the cliffs and the lighthouse 

 took over. 



A glorious feeling to be on the end of a continent, knowing 

 the thousands of miles behind us to the north ! Here the sea 

 comes rolling in, and one walks over short springy turf to the 

 shore. It might well be Dunwich, for here, too, the sun rises 

 over the sea, in the morning all is gay and sparkling, and at 

 evening there is the everlasting sadness of the sea. Peewits 

 fly over or run daintily on the grass searching for grubs as 

 they did at Easton Broad only here they call them keweetjies. 

 The duikers fish from the rocks, and we see an occasional king- 

 fisher, a big fellow in black and white. 



The rock pools at low tide are all joy. The colours tell of a 

 different world, something outside our ken, such strange greens 

 and a lovely mauve that is almost pink, and then as one watches 

 the shells begin to walk about, curious creatures shuffle side- 

 ways across the floor, sea anemones wave maroon-coloured 

 tentacles, and it is like the children's fairy tale where the toys 

 come alive at midnight. 



Along the shore, growing among the short grass and bushes, 

 are lachenalias and freesias, not in bloom yet. When I was here 

 in March, L. rMda was in full flower. Now I see L. pendula 

 has come through. There are even some tight buds showing, 

 and it will bloom here about the end of July or early August. 



