170 
VISIT TO 
[1820. 
summit of a low hill, beautifully decked with the 
long-thorned mimosa tree, from whence Ave had 
a view of a country, exceeding in beauty any 
thing I had yet seen in Africa. We beheld an ex- 
tensive valley, covered with rich pasture, finely 
interspersed with trees, displaying here and there 
the most delightful verdure. While crossing the 
valley, several Mashow herdsmen ran towards the 
waggons, to gratify their curiosity. On reaching 
the farther side of the valley, we passed over a 
low ascent, between a range of beautiful hills, 
which were adorned with various kinds of trees, 
to their very summits. The only variety of trees 
to be met with are on the hills, never in the val- 
leys. On the end of one of the hills, I observed 
some mimosas of a different species to any I had 
before seen ; they were not in flower, but in seed ; 
the pods Avere long, and of a dark purple colour. 
The kurree, with several other trees unknown to 
me, abounded. Almost every bush sent forth an 
aromatic odour, although the season of flowers, in 
that latitude, was not yet come. 
On reaching the summit of the ascent, another 
valley of similar beauty, about five miles broad, 
presented itself to view, bounded by a range 
of picturesque hills, resembling those we had 
crossed. In the valley I listened to the singing of 
a bird, whose notes resembled those of the black- 
bird in England. This was a rare occurrence in 
