160 
JOURNAL OF A 
The immense forests of Piettenberg Bay are not without in- 
liabitants. Elepliaots, buffaloes, tygers, wolves, and wild boars, 
liaviug little to dread from that grand destroyer, Man, find here 
shelter. Tliey seem all to have chosen their ground, some prefer- 
ring the coast, and others the mountains. Thus, if not followed 
into their haunts, they are not often seen by the traveller, espe- 
cially during the day, and we were never amused by the gambols 
of tygers or leopards, near the road. A few partridges were put 
up by Mv. Melville's dog, and one or two of them shot; but 
passing through these woods, nothing is heard of that cheerful 
chirping and singing of birds, that busy hum of flying insects, 
Avith other symptoms of animated nature, which delight and in- 
spirit the traveller through the forests of England and the Euro- 
pean continent. 
We crossed several brooks, running, all but one, from the moun- 
tains towards the sea. This perverse stream is called Samson's 
Revier, and taking its rise on some high land near the coast, 
runs rapidly towards the hills, where it is taken up by the Kier- 
booms Revier, and turned back. Its waters were remarkably 
clear and sweet, and whether from this cause, or feeling some in- 
terest in its capricious course and opposition to general rule, we 
here replenished our stock of fresh water. On the banks of one 
of the abovementioned brooks, we found the larger species of 
bukku, one of the most aromatic, medicinal plants in the coun- 
tr}'', and justly esteemed for its healing properties. Its leaves 
steeped in brandy or vinegar, and the bottle placed in the heat 
of the sun, emit an unctions juice, by which the fluid is rendered 
as thick as honey, and applied particularly for the healing of 
contusions, sores, and all external complaints. The Hottentots 
also use it for inward hurts, by mixing a spoonful of it with warm 
water. Its leaves are lancet-shaped and serrated. 
After leaving the woods, we passed over an uninteresting, bar- 
ren country, and were rather alarmed by perceiving, what the 
height of the trees had hidden from our view, that thick black 
