19S VISITS TO MADAGASCAR chap. vin. 



just coming into flower. In the afternoon of this day we 

 passed a couple of ostriches. They were feeding among the 

 heath, or rather the low shrubby Rheinorsten bush, and did 

 not attempt to run until we had approached within twenty 

 yards, when they raised up their long necks, apparently seven 

 or eight feet high, and then quietly trotted away, the elastic 

 springing of the feathers of their wings and tail imparting to 

 their movements a singular appearance. Though the road was 

 in some parts extremely rough, we travelled about fifty-two 

 miles during the day ; and arrived at Dysalsdorp a little 

 before sunset. 



The next day we visited, in company with Mr. Anderson, 

 many objects of interest at the station, amongst others the 

 dam across the Elephant's river, a valuable watercourse con- 

 structed by the people for irrigating their land ; and early on 

 the following morning we set off to visit a settlement recently 

 formed at the base of the Zwartz mountains. On our way we 

 again passed a couple of ostriches and several pairs of the Cape 

 turkey, a species of bustard. After travelling about sixteen 

 miles we halted at Silvermansdorp. Here Mr. Schoeman, an 

 hospitable boer, invited us to his house, and furnished us with 

 an excellent breakfast. We were now joined by another party, 

 including a Swedish naturalist, proceeding to the celebrated 

 Cango Caverns, which we also intended to visit. 



From this point we proceeded on horseback, threading our 

 way through thickets of mimosa, or among fragments of 

 rock, by the margin of a stream which flowed along the 

 bottom of a deep wooded valley. This stream we frequently 

 crossed — at times passing for a considerable distance along its 

 course — the water, in some places, scarcely covering the 

 horses' fetlocks, in others reaching to the girths. Here I 

 found a new kind of vegetation. The speckboom or elephant's 

 food, Portulacaria Afra, was abundant; but I was most 

 gratified on meeting, as with old friends, with several sorts of 



