118 
COLONIAL HORTICULTURE. - SEA-COW RIVER. 20 Mahch, 
tinguished it by the name of Kleine Tafelberg (Little Table-Moun- 
tain) : it appeared to be about a mile and a half distant from the 
farm-house ; and had the pleasing effect of inducing me, for some 
moments, to fancy that I was standing in the vicinity of that town. 
In front of the house, there was a small gaj'den : I saw growing 
in it, maize, dakka, cabbages, pumpkins, lettuces, cucumbers, and 
tobacco ; but the latter had been stripped of all its leaves, and utterly 
destroyed by the hail which had fallen yesterday. Wheat and 
barley are grown on this farm in small quantities ; but the climate 
has been found too cold to ripen grapes ; and from the same cause 
their peach-trees appeared to be in a very unthriving state. In the 
month of April, they usually expect frost sufficiently severe to kill 
all their garden-crops ; but it must be confessed, that in general the 
boors take very little pains with their gardens, and, from either 
ignorance, or slovenliness, are very bad gardeners. The productive^ 
ness of the Colony, or its aptitude for horticulture and agriculture, 
cannot therefore be fairly estimated from such specimens of cultiva- 
tion as are commonly seen in travelling through it. 
It was nearly two o'clock before all were ready for departing. 
At taking leave, Juffrouw (Mrs.) Vermeulen, who could not be per- 
suaded to accept any remuneration for what we had eaten at her 
house, repeated her invitation for us to stop there on our return. It 
was not more on my own account, than for the character of the 
colonists, that I rejoiced at having, under her roof, met with a treat- 
ment which served to do away the unfavorable impressions received 
at the dwelling of Jacob Van Wyk. 
So unusual a quantity of rain had fallen during the last twenty- 
four hours, that many parts of our road were covered with water, and 
but just passable. 
About eleven miles and a half, brought us to the highest, and 
principal, hvauch o£ the Zeekoe rivier, (Sea-cow, or Hippopotamus, 
river,) which we attempted to ford, but found it too much swollen to 
be passed without danger. Just at this place, was the residence of a 
colonist of the name of Nieukerk, who, as we were endeavouring to 
cross the river, came out ; and, perceiving that it could not be done 
