174 JOURNAL OF A 
the name of mountain in the midland counties of England. Thejr 
are uniformly very steep, and the ravines dividing them, full of 
huge stones, rocks, and bushes. One must see such a wild and truly 
horrid region as Ave passed through, to have any conception of it. 
It is in vain to attempt to describe it. The weather had appeared 
very unpromising in the morning, but cleared up, though the sun 
did not break forth till late in the day, which kept us and our cattle 
cool. We were indeed highly favoured in venturing to make the 
passage over the Paerdekop into the Lange Kloof. Had it rained, 
Ave might have been detained among the mountains many days, as is 
the fate of many a traveller. The people belonging to a w^aggon we 
met on the road, informed us that they had been three days on the 
journey, and had the misfortune twice to overset. 
After a tedious, difficult, and I may say, dangerous passage over 
many a hill and glen, we made one hour's out-spann in a deep 
valley enclosed on all sides by steep banks, and got a luncheon 
of bread and honey. Brother Stein mounted a rock, unobserved, 
and played on his flute the tune of that hymn, " Now let us praise 
the Lotrl,'' while we all felt disposed to join with heart and voices; 
for we had indeed cause to praise the Lord for bringing us thus 
far in safety. Our musician afterw^ards regaled the English ears 
among us, with " God save great George our King", which we may 
venture to say has never yet been heard in this part of his Majes- 
ty's dominions. I remained in the waggon, writing my journal. 
After our refreshment, we entered with renewed courage, upon 
our toilsome journey, of which, indeed, the poor oxen had more 
cause to complain, than we. Sixteen drew the heavy, and twelve 
the light Avaggon. We had our full complement of drivers and 
leaders, Avho Avith our OAvn Hottentots found sufficient employ. 
Let no one ever hereafter complain of the passage of Hottentot- 
Holland's Kloof, or the Haue Hoek near Gnadenthal, who has 
passed over these roads, or rather plunged up and doAvn these pre- 
cipices. Barren as these mountains in general appear, they yet 
iifford a rich harvest for the botanist, and we found several curious 
