VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA. 55 
and we now made the best of our way to Hottentot's Holland. After 
fording the Erste Revier, we passed through the charming planta- 
tions of a farm, belonging to a Mrs. Morkel, and crossing a dreary 
waste, arrived about four o'clock at Mr. Alexander's own farm. I 
was surprised to find here a Hottentot waiting for me. Brother Bo- 
natz and the travelling party having arrived this morning at the foot 
of Hottentot-Holland's^Kloof, spent the heat of the day at a miserable 
inn, intending, on my arrival, to pass over the kloof in the cool of the 
evening. I joined them immediately after dinner. Father Mars- 
veld and his wife had already set out on foot, and ^ve followed with^ 
three waggons. The pedestrians met a herd of ten or twelve baboons: 
on the road. The cowardly creatures betook themselves speedily to 
flight, and with astonishing dexterity and swiftness, scaled the steep, 
and to man, inaccessible cliffs, where they made a stand, till the 
cracks of the Hottentots' whips so frightened them, that they in an. 
instant disappeared, but kept up a hideous yell for some time. 
This kloof is celebrated in the journals of our missionaries for its 
difficult and steep ascent and the badness of the road. My imagi- 
nation therefore had presented to me the picture of a formidable pas- 
sage across these mountains, and I now found the accounts given 
by no means exaggerated. Twenty-four oxen having been sent 
from Gnadenthai to meet us, our complement had increased to fifty 
four, and it was with dilhculty, that even this number di'cw the 
loaded waggons up the rugged road. The lower part of the hill 
is richly covered with grass, flowering shrubs, and bnshes, but the up- 
per region is a wild, solitary, and vast assemblage of rocks, thrown 
together without any appearance of regular strata. 
After passing the summit, the descent is more gradual, and a fmc 
full moon lighted us on our way to the first station, where we un- 
yoked our oxen. We forded the Palmite river without difficulty, 
the water being low, and met five large waggons with fourteen oxen 
each, coming from the interior. 
After taking some refreshment and rest, we proceeded about 
midnight, and made halt again at four o'clock in the morning. Part 
