SOUTHERN AFRICA. 341 
It may be obferved, that the fizes marked in the above lift 
are, as nearly as could be guefied, fuch as they run in general, 
but of both the Geelhouts, may be met with abundance of trees, 
from feventy to ninety feet in length, and very proper for ihips' 
mafts, fpars, and other timber ufed in fhip building. 
Between the foot of the Duyvil's kop and Plettenberg's bay, 
the latter of which is about hfty miles to the eaftward of the 
former, the country is beautifully wooded, and interfedled with 
numberlefs rivulets, ilTuing out of the forefts ; there are alfo 
feveral broad deep rivers, over which it is neceffary to pafs in 
boats. Some of thefe terminate in large fheets of water, form- 
ing beautiful lakes, whofe margins are finely fringed with 
wood. One lake is fufEciently curious, having neither inlet 
nor outlet, and the water is greener than any part of the ocean, 
not fait, but fo flightly faline as fcarcely to be perceptibly fo to 
the tafte. One of the farmers told me, with great triumph, 
that he had puzzled the Governor Van Plettenberg, with 
refped to the water of the Green lake, by afking him 
whence the color proceeded. The governor had made him for 
anfwer, that it came from the furrounding fiirubbery, being 
gieen matter wafhed away by the rains. Upon this the 
peafant fhewed him fome of it in a glafs, where it appeared 
clear and colorlefs. There is a tradition among the Hot- 
tentots, that this lake, now fix or feven miles in circumference, 
was, no very long time ago, a beautiful green meadow, and it 
is ftill faid to be increafing in fize. If the quantity of water 
thrown in by the rains, and its iprings, fhould exceed the quan- 
tity 
