70 
SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
highly impregnated with sulphurated hydrogen^ 
and is in some request as beneficial in the cure 
of cutaneous diseases. It is said to contain 
lime, soda, and magnesia, and its temperature 
varies from 92°. to 96°. It is used also, medi- 
cinally, as an aperient. 
Travelling towards the interior, we next come 
to the division of Stellenbosch, which is so 
called, from a small picturesque town of the 
same name, situate about 30 miles from Cape 
Town. This is one of the oldest villages 
in the Colony, dating its foundation in the year 
1681. The name was derived from its founder 
(then Dutch governor of the Colony) Simon 
van der Stell, together with that of his wife, 
whose aristocratic maiden name was Bosch. 
It is a pretty, but not very striking, locality. 
The soil appears rich and productive, and is 
principally laid out under vineyards. The chief 
produce is wine ; although wheat, oats, and 
potatoes, are also raised in some parts. The 
scenery is varied near the mountains, and many 
localities are thickly wooded with oak. The 
formations under, and of the earth, are granite, 
iron-stone, and clayey alluvial mould. Near 
the Paarl, which is also situated in this division, 
another mineral spring of warm water, similar to 
that at Malmesbury, has been lately discovered, 
which is said to be very efficacious in liver com- 
