VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA. 
133 
CHAPTER VII. 
Zeekoegat on the Vat Rnief\ Conversation with Hottentots. Soete- 
Melks-Valley. Delay at Tygerfonteyn^ and on the Gowritz Jievier. 
Kleinberg. Mossel-Bay. Arrangements made by Government. 
Aloes. Mr. Meyer s farm at Harfenbosch. Account of Wild 
Beasts. Flying Ants. Beautiful scenery on the Great Brak 
Bevier. Groeneland. Description of Hoogte Kraal. Arrival at 
George. Account of the Ea ecution of five of the rebellious Boors. 
nth. Ha viNG dispatched a horseman to the next Veldcornet for 
relays, and taken leave of our kind host and hostess, we left their 
hospitable mansion about seven in the morning. Mr. Du Preez is 
a lively old man, and constantly wears a large round hat. His 
house is well built, and the farm extensive. The oxen he had fur- 
nished were extremely wild, and set off in a gallop. They almost 
ran over our Hottentot Johannes, as he was tacking through the 
bushes, down the hill, towards the river. We passed through seve- 
ral pretty vales, full of shrubs and low wood, in which the thorn- 
bush and milk-bush, (fiscus), a tree not unlike a Portugal laurel, 
were most abundant. The hills are low and heathy. In one of 
these sequestered vales, we made halt to breakfast. Near the road 
lay the carcases of three large vultures, half devoured by beasts of 
prey. About noon we arrived at Zeekoegat, on Vat Revier, a 
large farm belonging to Mr. Cobus Du Preez. An avenue of noble 
oaks leads up to the house. The buiklings are substantial, and 
surrounded by rich plantations, unlike most of the farmers' dwell- 
ings in this country. The master very civilly came out to meet 
us, and prevailed on us to stay with him, till the heat of the day 
had somewhat abated. After dinner, Mr. Du Preez walked witli 
