ao TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
oaob'e'r. ^^nden, which is the refidence of a Lend Droft, or chief 
juftice. It is lituated under the chain of mountains which 
begin near the bay Alagoa, their direction weft north-wefl. 
The climate in this country differs much from that at the 
Cape ; for it is feldom that the fouth-eaft winds blow hard ; 
but there are often ftorms from the north-weft. This being 
the time w hen the boors* meet for exercifing, we remained 
here a few days ; during which time I made feveral excurfions 
along the mountains and through the woods. At this time 
very few of the arboreous plants were in flower, fo that I could 
* Farmers. 
above, is compofed of Hender rods or fprays of trees. Thefe rods, being previoufly bent into 
a proper form, are laid, either whole or pieced, fome parallel with each other, others croffwife ; 
they are ftrengthened, by binding others round them in a circular form with withies. Thefe 
withies, as well as the rods themfelves, are taken, as well as I can recollect, chiefly from 
the ClifFortia Conoides, which grows plentifully in this country near the rivers. Large mats 
are then laid very neatly over this lattice-work, fo as perfectly to cover the whole. The aperture 
which is left for the door is clofed, whenever there is occafion for it, with a fkin fitted to it, 
or a piece of matting. Thefe mats are made of a kind of cane or reed. The reeds, being 
laid parallel to each other, are faftened together with finews or catgut, or elfe fome kind of 
packthread, fuch as they have had an opportunity of procuring from the Europeans. They 
have it, therefore, in their power, to make their mats as long they chufe, and at the fame time 
as broad as the length of the rufh will admit of, viz. from fix to ten feet. This fame kind 
of matting is now made ufe of likewife by the colonifis, next to the tilts of their waggons, 
by way of preventing the fail-cloth from being rubbed and worn by them, as well as of afTift- 
ing to keep out the rain. 
When a Hottentot has a mind to take his houfe down and remove his dwelling, he lays all 
his mats, fkins, and fprays on the backs of liis cattle, which to a ftranger makes a monilrous, 
unwieldy, and, indeed, ridiculous appearance. 
The order or diftribution of thefe huts in a craal or clan, is mofi: frequently in the form of a 
circle with the doors inwards; by this means a kind of yard or court is formed, where the cattle is 
kept on nights. The milk, as foon as taken from the cow, is put to other milk which is curdled, 
and is kept in a leather fack ; of this the hairy fide, being confidered as the cleanlier, is turned 
inwards : fo that the milk is never drank while it is fweet. In certain northern dillricts, fuch 
as Roggeveld, or Bokkeveld, where the land is, as it is called, Carrow, or dry and parched, 
the Hottentots, as well as the colonifts, are fliepherds." 
