SOUTHERN AFRICA. 371 
rain, is almost incredible. Among the earliest of such plants, 
as by the brilliancy of their flowers captivate the sight, are 
the various species of the oxalls, the yellow star-flower, and the 
three-colored Lachenalia, with two or three other species of 
the same genus. But one of the most singular among the 
small plants, that blossom in the beginning of winter, is the 
septus, whose name is derived from the regular septenary di- 
vision of all the different parts of fructification, and is re- 
l ^ markable for being the only plant, yet discovered, in the 
seventh class and seventh order of the Linnsean System, 
The refreshing coolness, occasioned by the rain, permitted 
us to extend our march to the river Zonder End, or Endless 
River, near the banks of which the Dutch East India Com- 
pany had reserved, for its own use, an extensive tract of land 
called the Sweet Milk's Valley. It is bounded on the north 
side by a range of hills that were once well covered with forest 
trees, but these have long been cut down, few of any magni- 
tude now remaining, except in the deep chasms where they 
are scarcely accessible. The country, on each side of the river, 
is extremely pleasant, and tolerably well inhabited, in compa- 
rison at least with other parts ; the dwellings being seldom re- 
mioved from one another beyond the regulated distance of three 
miles. A few of the small kind of antelopes still remain, as 
reeboks, springboks, griesboks, and dui/kers, and plenty of hares 
and partridges ; but the large honteboks are almost totally 
destroyed, or driven to some other part of the settlement. I 
observed, on a former journey, that in the neighbourhood of 
this river was once to be found the Leicco.phcea or blue ante- 
lope ; but that, for many years past, it had been lost to the 
3 B .2 
