SOUTHERN AFRICA. 321 
bitants had been obliged for some time to fetch their water 
from the Berg river, a distance at least of twelve miles. At 
the hazard, therefore, of losing our way a second time, I 
determined to proceed to the next habitation, which was said 
to be about four miles farther. On arriving there, at mid- 
night, it was found to be very little better than the other. 
The house and its inhabitants wore evident marks of poverty. 
A cow or two, a little corn, a few sheep and goats, consti- 
tuted the whole of their possessions which, though in Europe 
would comprehend both wealth and comfort, are incapable 
of conferring in this country either the one or the other. 
It was on these miserable plains that the Abbe de la Caille 
terminated the measurement of his base from the Cape, in 
order to ascertain the length of a degree of the meridian in 
the southern parallels of latitude. Respecting this great 
mathematician and astronomer, and his arduous undertaking, 
the learned author of a Mathematical Dictionary, lately pub- 
lished, has the following remark : " Having thus executed 
" the purpose of his voyage, and no present opportunity 
" offering for his return, he thought of employing the vacant 
" time in another arduous attempt ; no less than that of tak- 
" ing the measure of the earth, as he had already done that 
" of the heavens. This, indeed, had been done before by 
" different sets of learned men, both in Europe and America ; 
" some determining the quantity of a degree at the equator, 
" and others at the arctic circle : but it had not as yet been 
" decided, whether in the southern parallels of latitude the 
" same dimensions obtained as in the northern. His labors 
" were rewarded with the satisfaction he wished for, having 
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