^05, TRAVELS IN 
tivated fields, trees in a thriving condition, plan-^ 
tationsin the moft admirable order; in a word, 
an air of fertility and abundance, which I had 
not the pleafure of obferving on the other 
farms and plantations of the colony. 
The diftrid: of Piquet-berg, according to 
what my hoft told me, does not contain more 
than twenty-five or thirty plantations ; nor 
can it, in my opinion, ever contain more, be- 
caufe, having but a certain number of ftreams 
and rivulets, which the firft inhabitants of 
courfe took poflelFion of, thofe who may in 
future come to fettle Vvall find only barren and 
parched fields totally deftitute of water. The 
foil, in genera!, is indifferent ; yet the propri- 
etors raife what corn is necefl'ary for their own 
confumption. The only trade which the na- 
ture of the country allows them to carry on is, 
as at the Twenty-four-Rivers, that of fruit ; 
and for this fruit there is no other fale than 
among the neighbouring planters, who fend 
themfelves to fetch it ; for the diftance from 
Piquet-berg to the Cape is too great to under- 
take a journey thither merely to difpofe of 
oranges. My philofophic veteran was defi- 
lous of giving me a certain quantity of his, 
to 
