300 TRAVELS IN 
sorption and evaporation, the Green lake will one day, by its 
great pressure, break down the barrier that now divides it 
from ihe sea, which has evidently been the case with its 
neighbouring lake the Knysna. This, in fact, is now become 
an arm of the sea, into which the tide sets through a narrow 
passage or portal, as into a dock. This passage, though nar- 
row, and not quite clear of rocks, appears to be capable of 
admitting small vessels ; and within there is plenty of deep 
water stretching out into a bason of several miles in width. 
The surrounding hills are clumped with forest trees, and their 
sloping sides are clothed with shrubbery down to the water's 
edge. The lake is studded Avith a number of flat islands, 
covered with verdure. The arms of the Knysna stretch into 
the deep vallies at the feet of the mountains, and are there 
lost in impenetrable forests. The whole country is boldly 
marked, and most magnificently clothed^ and may be con- 
sidered, beyond comparison, as the grandest and most beau- 
tiful part of Southern Africa. 
The farm-houses in this part of the country were also in a 
better style than they are usually met with at so great a. dis- 
tance from the capital. Being near the sea-coast, the pro- 
prietors incur the expence of burning shells into lime, and of 
white-washing all the buildings. A sort of chalky limestone 
was also here observed in large masses, lying upon the sur- 
face, but was not used for lime. To almost every house was 
attached, generally in a grove of trees, a small enclosure with 
ornamented walls, serving as the family burying-ground. The 
decorations usually bestowed on those mansions of the dead, 
appeared to have much more engaged the attention than 
