August.] 
SLATE QUARRY. 
251 
18th. About two miles in front of a range of 
hills running to the westward, there is a perpen- 
dicular cliif, probably one hundred feet in height, 
and three or four hundred in length, at the 
bottom of which is a quantity of blue slate, from 
whence the Griqua Town school obtain their 
slates for writing and cyphering. In a short 
time, perhaps, they may be used for covering the 
roofs of their houses. After heavy rains a consi- 
derable body of water falls over this cliff, which 
affords an interesting sight. From the appear- 
ance on the stones, it must be often from thirty 
to forty feet broad, with smaller streams on each 
side of it. 
In the afternoon, accompanied by Abraham 
Kok and others, we walked up the valley, in 
order to examine the fountains from which the 
water proceeded. They showed us six or seven 
excellent springs ; most of these are already led 
into corn-fields, which are thus rendered very 
productive. As Mr. Sass was likely to settle 
here, at least for a time, we looked out for a si- 
tuation on which a place of worship, dwelling- 
house, &c. might be erected, as near to the centre 
of the population as possible, and in the vicinity 
of ground fit for a garden and a corn-field. The 
people themselves had, however, reserved such a 
spot with the hope that sometime or other a 
