SOMERSET. 
127 
and is there preferred to wood as fuel, giving a 
stronger heat, and causing less trouble. For this 
reason, it is frequently used by blacksmiths at 
the forge instead of coal. 
Game, of all kinds, is here abundant and plen- 
tiful. Sometimes, indeed, it may be said to be 
superabundant; long droughts, in the interior, 
often compelling the spring-bok to forsake the 
extensive plains, which are there its favourite 
haunts, and to migrate into this outlying dis- 
trict of the Colony. This they do, in such in- 
credible numbers, that their visit is felt by the 
farmers to be a serious calamity — the herbage 
being entirely consumed by them. 
Somerset is a part of this old division. It 
is a rich agricultural locality, but, otherwise, 
uninteresting. The soil, and general character 
of the country are diversified. The Great Fish 
Eiver runs through the centre, and receives, as 
its tributaries, nearly every stream which waters 
the district. In dry seasons, the valley, run- 
ning along the bed of this river, is arid and 
parched ; whilst, immediately after rain, it be- 
comes clothed in rich and sweet grass, and this, 
interspersed with a luxuriant supply of succu- 
lent bushes, makes it a good cattle-grazing 
country, and very valuable as such. 
CradocJc adjoins Somerset on the N". E. boun- 
dary, and possesses a population of 6491 per- 
