VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA. 
153 
under some horizontal strata of overhanging rock, crowned with 
beautiful trees and shrubs, we beheld the eastern bank with some 
degree of dismay^ The road ascended with a steepness, which 
seemed to baffle the attempt of any beasts to draw up the lightest 
weight. The travelling-waggon, however, reached the top after 
great exertion, but the other required both spanns to be yoked to 
it. The poor exhausted oxen made more objections to put forth 
their remaining strength at this place, than at Kayraan's Gat, 
and shouts and lashes seemed to have lost their effect. They 
turned round, entangled themselves willi the tackle, and more 
than once, ten or twelve of them were obliged to be unyoked, to 
brino- them ajiain into order. We were above an hour workinii 
the waggon up the cliffs. 
This afforded time for some examination of the stone of which 
the mountain is formed. Tov/ards the bottom of the defile, 
huge blocks of granite lie dispersed upon the surface, but higher 
up, the chief stone is sand-stone, with iron and quartz, as usual. 
The granite is beautiful, with a great quantity of bright, silver- 
coloured mica, in large flakes, and in some instances chrystalized. 
The feklspath and quartz are much decomposed. Iron has inserted 
itself, and seems to be the cause both of speedy decomposition, and 
of the division of some of the blocks into irregular strata. When 
protected within the bowels of the earth, this species of granite may 
be of a more durable quality, and some of the larger blocks at the 
bottom of the glen were so hard, that my hammer and cold chissels 
made but little impression upon them. Of what the strata of rocks 
liej'ond the pool might consist, I was not able to discover, their sur- 
face being covered witli red lichen, moss, creepers and ivy. 
After sunset, we closed the adventurous business of the day, and 
arrived at Mr. Zaayman's farm. The houses, or hovels, are \vretcli- 
edly constructed, but the inhabitants were friendly. The firmer 
and several other men came out and received us with much civility, 
shaking hands, as is the custom of the country, and bidding us .vel- 
come in the Dutch style. Our tent was pitched in the held, and 
