36 
JOURNEY TO BETHELSDORP. [1813. 
Before dinner I walked to a wood below us, but 
found it impenetrable, owing to the thickness of the 
underwood : it formed a most convenient retreat for 
wild beasts. I squeezed many of the surrounding 
plants between my finger and thumb, and found they 
emitted a pleasant scent. To observe the diversified 
forms of the leaves of plants and trees affords great 
gratification. Though all differed, yet their forms 
were so simple, that I wondered I had not conceived 
of them before. 1 observed no part of the wood 
that had been penetrated by man, but many that 
seemed to have been visited by wild beasts. Our view 
of the surrounding country was extensive, but in all 
the range not one cultivated spot was visible. While 
Cupido was exhorting at noon, three boors, on horse- 
back, stopped for some time, seemingly astonished at 
what was going forward. Thermometer, at seven, 
A.M. 74 : noon, 76. 
Leaving Greenland at three, P.M. we travelled 
over a plain until six in the morning, when we halted 
at Mr. Barnard's, Kleinfootein, who received us with 
much kindness into his house. While walking about 
alone I came to a small hut, in which I observed a 
very aged black woman, crouching by a small fire, for 
the evening was cold. She was covered only with a 
sheep-skin, and was very infirm and nearly blind with 
age. I asked if she had ever heard of Jesus Christ, 
bnt she could not understand me ; wherefore I went 
in search of Cupido, whom I brought to her, but he 
