86 The Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society 
SOME SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF AN EXCURSION TO 
THE HEX RIVER MOUNTAINS. 
By R. Maruotu, Pu.D., M.A. 
READ OCTOBER 25, 1893. 
The expedition of the Mountain Club to the Hex River Mountains 
on October 2, 1893, was a distinct success. It was such, not only on 
account of the considerable number of mountaineers who took part in 
it and scaled the highest peak of the range, but also on account of the 
interesting results and observations obtained by the naturalists of the 
party. 
The Hex River Mountains, rising boldly with their precipitous walls 
more than 5,000 feet above the valley of the Breede River, like gigantic 
gate-keepers, overlook the two principal passages from the south-western 
coast regions to the elevated tablelands of the interior. 
The northern route leads through Mitchell’s Pass, the old Mostert’s 
Kloof, the southern through the valleys of the Hex River and Ver- 
keerde Vley, whence the old colonists and many an explorer reached 
the vast plains of the Karroo by passing through a narrow defile, which 
was accordingly named Karroo Poort. Their tales of adventure, of 
oxen stolen by the Hottentots or eaten by lions, of wheels broken and 
waggons capsized, came vividly to my mind as I gazed from the summit 
far away to the east and north, and I fancied that I could almost see 
the little homestead described in Burchell’s book, where he rested and 
replenished his boxes of provisions, before setting out on his two years’ 
journey beyond the Gariep. 
One would naturally think that mountains occupying such a promi- 
nent position ought to be well known and explored ; but such is not the 
case, for until recently even the height of the mountain was underrated 
by more than 1,000 feet. 
In all books of South African geography, the Winterhoek, near Tul- 
bagh, which is 6,840 feet high, is stated to be the highest peak in the 
Western Province, and the Hex River range is generally given as 
6,000 feet high. 
During an ascent of the highest peak of the range made a year ago 
by a party of gentlemen from Worcester, Mr. Isaac Meiring took read- 
ings of a pocket aneroid, and calculated the height to be 7,400 English 
