1812. RED-BEAK. — LUXURIANT HERBAGE. 41 
all, who could witness a scene like this, unmoved. I confess that to 
my ear the sound was grateful in the highest degree ; and while I 
turned my head to view them for the last time, the pleasure which 
beamed in their happy countenances, communicated itself to my own 
feelings, in a manner the most affecting and indelible. 
We continued our journey across the mountain, and descended 
to an extensive plain covered with threethorn shrubs, and abound- 
ing in pitfalls for catching wild animals. Eastward, a pointed and 
very distant mountain was seen, which probably was only rendered 
visible by the effect of a temporary and extraordinary refraction 
in the atmosphere. After travelling about eight miles over the 
plain, we again fell in with the river, and as the evening was fast 
approaching, we halted for the night at a spot on its banks, where 
we were surrounded by the most beautiful fields of grass. 
Mh. A number of very small finches, {Loxia Astrild) frequented 
the bushes at this place, and I took advantage of the circum- 
stance, to distinguish it by the name of Astiild Station. This little 
bird is not peculiar to Southern Africa ; it is very common at St. 
Helena, and is said to be equally so at Madeira and the Canary 
Islands, in the tropical countries of Africa, and in India. It is 
known to the Dutch colonists by the appellation of Roode-bekje 
(Red-beak). 
From this station the bearing of the most western of the two 
table mountains forming part of the Hyena mountains, was S. 20 W., 
by the compass. Here were lying the bones of a 7'hinoceros, which, as 
our Bushmen informed me, had been shot by one of their countrymen, 
who by some means had come into possession of a gun, and had 
learnt the use of it ; but who was himself afterwards shot by the 
Boors, for sheep-stealing. 
At a few miles beyond Astrild Station, we passed through an 
opening formed by an insulated round hill on one side and by the 
end of a rocky ridge on the other, and entered upon a plain which had 
more the appearance of a verdant corn-field, than of a wild unculti- 
vated country. The soil was clayey, and the luxuriant herbage suffi- 
ciently proved its fertility; while the river, well supplied with water 
VOL. II. G 
