AFRICA, 139 
^whole mafs reprefented mountains of fnow, 
and their top difplayed a zone refplendent 
with all the colours of the rainbow. This 
fpedacle lafted only for a moment ; but at the 
diftance of about thirty leagues to the north, 
the Piquet mountains, flill higher than the 
Table mountain, retained, for fome time, the 
light on their majeftic tops, that feemed to pro« 
3e,<3: from the purple and violet ground of the 
iky. They might have been ftyled lighc- 
houfes, deftined to enlighten the incerior parts 
of the continent during the obfcuiity of the 
night. How little is man to this exalted height, 
and how wretched are his pafiions when he 
^compares himfelf with immenfity i 
On the approach of darknefs, the baboons 
had retired to their holes ; the vultures had 
quitted the plain, and returned to the rocks : 
fome fmall bii:d^ only ftill fluttered around me, 
and, fcattered over the ilirubs and the bufiies, 
vrere celebrating with their concerts the.clofe 
^of fo beautiful a day. Theh* fong died away 
with the tv/illght ; ohfcurity gave up the moun- 
tain to funereal birds of prey ; and 1, thought- 
ful and melancholy, returned to m.y tent, 
•which my people had ah-eady furrounded witii 
1 4 ^ large 
