128 SNEEUWBERG. 



objects around, while the bat and the night raven 

 skimmed the surface of the bushes > flapping their 

 wings as they passed, when all was again hushed, 

 until the silence was disturbed by the conflicting 

 elements. 



The dawn of day broke with a raw, chilly atmo- 

 sphere, and the farmer, according to appointment, 

 brought us another span of oxen, which succeeded 

 in drawing the waggon to the summit of the moun- 

 tain, where the aspect of the scene was completely 

 changed : not a tree or shrub of any description was 

 to be seen — all seemed a barren and cheerless waste. 

 This part of the country, from its elevated situation, 

 is so extremely bleak in the winter, that the farmers 

 find it necessary to retire with their flocks into 

 warmer districts of the Nieuwveld, until summer 

 returns. 



The waggon proceeded from this place towards 

 the Poorte, and we rode on horseback about an 

 hour's ride out of the main path, to view a waterfall, 

 to which we had been directed as an object worthy 

 of notice. Having traversed for some time the vast 

 range of mountains without discovering this cele- 

 brated fall, yet concluding that it must descend 

 from one of the heights in view, we imagined 

 we had been deceived as to the specified time, no 

 unusual occurrence when travelling in a country 

 where distance is only computed by hours, and 



