MARCH.] JOURNEY TO BETHELSDORP. 
55 
to a little distance from the waggons, I perceived 
the fog to be confined to the lower part of the valley, 
between the hills ; for while w^alking, at one place it 
was dark like night, but a hundred yards farther on 
I enjoyed a clear atmosphere and pleasant sun-shine. 
In about a quarter of an hour the sun dissipated the 
whole, which reminded me of the scripture, which de- 
scribes the goodness of some as resembling " the morn- 
ing cloud; which passeth away I never before wit- 
nessed so striking an exemplification of this simile. 
At eight, A.M. we crossed a plain, encircled with 
hills, beautifully covered with trees and bushes, about 
five miles in circumference, through which the Brak 
River runs in a serpentine course. This river we cross- 
ed immediately on reaching it, when three other wag- 
gons, that had been waiting for the retiring of the tide, 
followed our example by crossing also. It was broad, 
and at one part very deep ; but the worst was to come, 
for almost immediately we had to ascend a steep hill, 
which required, for a long time, the utmost exertion 
of our oxen to drag up their heavy burdens. On 
reaching the summit, we found ourselves on the mar- 
gin of an extensive plain, called Greenland, from 
which there is a charming view of Mussel Bay. On 
this plain we halted at nine, A.M. near a pool of 
water, which, compared to what we had been drinking 
for some days, was very good : opposite to which, on 
an adjacent hill, we saw many sheep feeding, which 
our people said were all runaway sheep, which now 
belonged to no one. 
