AFRICA- 391 
of lofirig their cattle and carriages than unite 
to make a proper road, or at leaft to repair 
fome paffes ; an evident proof both of their 
inattention and their indolence. 
For my own fafety I ventured to undertake 
this bufmefs. 1 employed the whole day of the 
^24th in cutting down branches of trees to fill 
up the deep fiflures, and in covering them over 
with ftones, fand, and earth. In this operation 
I fucceeded; and on the 25th5 in the fpace of 
four hours, thanks to the precautions which 
wje had taken, and the exertions which 
my people with great cheerfulnefs made, at 
the expence of a very trifling lofs, we had the 
inexpreffible happinefs of palling the frightful 
precipice, the only one that we had occafion 
to dread. The planters call this horrible road 
Ma/ler-HoeCy or Matter's Corner. We en- 
camped at the bottom of the mountain, cn the 
other fide; and next day halted in the morning 
at the entrance of Roye-Sajid^ near the ruins 
of a plantation which appeared to have been 
long deferted. 
This canton, in my opinion, la very impro- 
perly name Roye-Sandy or Red Sand, for I ob- 
ferved none of that colour : I remarked, oa 
the contrary, that it was abfolutely yeilow. 
This country is fertile in corn ; and the 
C c 4 crops 
