Chapter IX. 



GEOLOGY AND METEOROLOGY. 



What I have just said about the extent of 

 Brown s researches into the habits of his monitors, 

 and about their undigested nature, applies equally 

 well to his studies in Geology. Brown may have 

 been a * Jack * in some of his many trades, but 

 in this one he seems to have been a master. 

 His * Notes and Researches on the conformation 

 and structure of all the rocks, and especially the 

 volcanic dykes, around Aliwal North,' cover 

 many pages of his Journal, but this is not the 

 place to dwell upon them. Suffice it to say that 

 he measured foot by foot and at times inch by 

 inch the thickness of every stratum of rock from 

 the bed of the Orange River to the summit of 

 the Stormberg mountains. 



This is, however, an appropriate stage at which 

 to make mention of another kind of fossil for which 

 Brown had a particularly good eye. I refer to 

 his wonderful collection of fossil plants, which 

 was one of the best and most beautiful in the 

 country. In his search for these he was fortunate 

 in being in Aliwal North at a time of great 



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