VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA. 
141 
by charming little glens and coves, filled with luxuriant bushes and 
many aloes. A pleasant brook ran winding down the vale. But we 
had not long enjoyed the delightful scenery among these interesting 
and ever-varying hills and dales, before black clouds came sweeping 
along their summits with lightning, thunder, and rain. When the 
rain ceased, and the sun began again to shine upon us, the air was 
filled with millions of small flying ants, each hav ing four wing^. 
Many fell upon our clothes, and stuck to the wet coverings of the 
waggons, while the main army passed over us, in appearance like a 
cloud of dust. From the hills, we descended into a grassy plain 
with a ridge of higher mountains before us. On a peak in the 
fore-ground stood two remarkable rocks, shaped so as to resemble 
decayed castles. Mr. Melville and Stein followed some wild 
peacocks for some time, but in vain. After fording the Little 
Sout Revier in two places, we halted on the banks of the great 
Brak Revier. Here we saw our own oxen feeding, having advan- 
ced no farther towards George, and we were glad to find them in 
good condition. 
From hence we sent our old groom, Leonhard, to Mr. De Watt's 
house, where oxen had been ordered for us, to desire that they might 
meet us on the banks of the river. The old man gave such an ac- 
count of the dignity of his employers, that the honest farmer was 
soon awed into compliance, and sent his son with the beasts, with 
an apology for not waiting upon us in person. This was the first 
time, that the requisition for relays had perfectly succeeded. 
The vale, in which we had halted, pleased us much, and ap- 
peared to have many requisites for a settlement. But besides 
being occupied, we \vere informed, that in the rainy season it is 
turned into a lake, by the overflowing of the river. In all direc- 
tions the scenery is beautiful. Towards the estuary, the low hills 
consist of white sand, their tops covered thick with bushes. The 
state of the tide admitting of our fording the river, we proceeded 
towards its eastern bank, and ascended the hills. Here the cha- 
racter of the soil seemed to change, and instead of iron and sand- 
