1812. 
SCENERY IN THE ASBESTOS-MOUNTAINS. 
5 
row valley which conducts it through the Asbestos Mountains towards 
the Gariep. * This valley is more romantic and picturesque than 
any which I had seen since leaving the Hex-river kloof. The 
mountains, which are essentially the same sort of clay-slate which has 
been already described, rose close on either hand in bold majestic 
forms, in some places clothed with luxuriant verdure, or more fre- 
quently exhibiting their steep rocky sides sprinkled here and there with 
light bushes growing out of their crevices, and enlivening with tints 
of verdure the rich and varied browns of their broken crags. Along 
the dale below we rode in many places over a thick and verdant 
carpet of the most beautiful grass f , shaded often by the soft foliage 
of large trees of acacia, whose branches were loaded with festoons of 
clematis hanging wild with all the grace and charms of Nature, and 
decorating them with a profusion of white flowers, which diffused their 
delicate and grateful odor through the airy grove. In one spot, an 
immense mass of rock, or rather a mountain, reared its lofty precipice 
high above our heads, and, partially covered with evergreens and 
various shrubs, presented a subject for both admiration and regret, 
since time and circumstances allowed me no opportunity for making 
a drawing of the scene. 
Our road became more irregular and hilly, leading us sometimes 
through the dry bed of the rivulet ; sometimes halfway up the sides 
of the mountain ; and often through thickets of acacias, which 
abounded throughout the whole length of the valley ; and, as we 
passed, lent their friendly aid in sheltering us from the burning rays 
of the sun. 
A clear refreshing spring which we perceived hard by beneath 
the trees, tempted us to halt a few minutes to quench our thirst : 
it was the cool fountain of a Kraal of Koras, whose sheep and oxen 
were in sight grazing upon the sides of the hills around. A few of 
* Vol. I. page 334. 
f Catal. Geogr. 2570. Exceedingly like the IVire-gyass of the island of St. HeleiTIi 
(Jgrostis linearis, Willd. S. P.), and near akin to that which is called Cocksfout-gras^ by 
theEn glish farmers. {Pa?iicum Dactylon, Linn. Cynodon Dadylon, Pers.) 
