58 
JOURNAL OF A 
which the Warm-bath is situated. It is high, with many dells and 
gullies among its rocky steeps. Before us, the higher and very pic- 
turesque range of hills» among which the great Bavian's mountain 
(or Gnadenthal mountain) is the most conspicuous, afforded a no- 
ble and interesting prospect. It somewhat resembles the higher 
ranges of the Cumberland and Westmoreland hills in the neigh- 
bourhood of Winandermere and Brathay vale, but its foot is not 
clothed with the rich verdure and beautiful plantations, with 
which our English vallies and the ascents of our hills abound. If 
zee were impatient to reach the end of our journey, our oxen seemed 
more so, for on being again yoked to the waggon, the Hottentots 
could hardly keep them from going off in a wild gallop. They 
almost ran over the boys, who led the foremost. As the shaft- 
oxen cannot keep a waggon back on a steep descent, and a drag- 
chain dees not always answer the purpose on these rough roads, 
the way of the Hottentots is, to tack down a hill. To a traveller, 
not accustomed to it, it appears rather dangerous to be driving 
among the heath, high bushes, mole-hills, and ants' nests, where 
in England there would be a certainty of oversetting, especially 
in turning so suddenly as these people do. But they guide four- 
teen or sixteen oxen with the greatest skill ; and the length of the 
waggons, yielding to the unevennesses of the road, keeps them 
upright, notwithstanding the violent jolting experienced by the 
travellers. 
The approach to Gnadenthal and the Bavian's Kloof, which 
now opened to view, was to us all highly interesting and affecting. 
The road winds among low heathy hills, behind which the high 
mountains rise in various shapes, forming a bold outline. Within 
an English mile from the river Sonderend, we were met by about 
a hundred Hottentots, men, women, and children, on horseback 
and on foot, who came to bid us welcome, accompanied by the 
missionaries Leitner and Beinbrech. We alighted, and the people, 
placing themselves in a semicircle, sung a few verses, expressive of 
their joy and gratitude to God for bringing us safely across the 
