328 GAURITS RIVER. 



every description with safety. From its local situa- 

 tion it is well adapted for receiving all kinds of pro- 

 duce from this district, and that of Swellendam, and 

 is consequently well calculated for commerce. Boats 

 can always land without danger. The water at 

 Mossel Bay is wholesome, and every sort of refresh- 

 ment can be obtained from the neighbouring farms 

 at a very moderate price. A whale fishery has also 

 been carried on here for some time with considerable 

 success. 



Quitting the Bay, we proceeded over an extensive 

 plain covered with verdure, where we found large 

 pools of water abounding with wild fowl. We 

 passed several farm-houses at a distance, on which 

 were bred large flocks of Merino sheep. The surface 

 of this part of the country was thickly covered with a 

 variety of elegant bulbous plants, particularly a 

 species called by the natives the chandelier. It has 

 a vast number of shoots proceeding from one high 

 stem in the centre, and branching out with beautiful 

 scarlet flowers at each extremity. It was at this 

 period in full blossom, and might be said, in the 

 language of the poet, 



" To gladden all the plain." 



We continued to travel throughout the whole of 

 this day, and on the next reached Gaurits River, 

 which, in consequence of the rains, had recently been 

 very high, but we crossed it without much difficulty- 

 On arriving, however, at Buffels Jack River, we 



