SOUTHERN AFRICA. 365 
this is fo very trifling, that, let there be given in the new one 
a fall as little as poflible at the firft, and as great as poffible near 
the bay, the tide would neverthelefs fet up it for many miles, 
and render the water completely fait. Were a canal made to 
terminate in an open bafon near the bay, there is reafon to 
think that, without a current, it would conftantly be choaked 
up with the immenfe volumes of fand that are fhifting and roll- 
ing over the level furface whenever the winds blow ftrong. 
The general furface of the country, between the Berg river 
and Saldanha bay, is flat and fandy, exhibiting, however, a 
continued foreft of fhrubbery. It is very thinly inhabited, on 
account of the fcarcity of frefh water. The ground, however, is 
uncommonly fertile. The ufual returns on wheat are from 
fifteen to twenty fold. Barley yields from thirty to forty. They 
ufe no manure, and in fome places the foil is fo loofe and fandy, 
that the operation of ploughing is unnecefl^ary. Garden plants 
of all kinds thrive remarkably well. It is curious enough to fee 
pumpkins, melons, cauliflowers, and other vegetables, growing 
luxuriantly in fheer fand. At one place they were rooting out 
fugar canes, that had overfpread a garden, to give place for a 
plantation of tobacco. The greafy appearance, and the adhefive 
quality, of the fandy foil that covers the furface of this part of 
the country, are probably loamy or marly particles that render 
it fo particularly favorable to vegetation. From the chalky 
maflTes of flione that lie at certain depths under, and fometimes 
appear above, the fandy furface, may perhaps be difengaged, by 
fome fimple or combined adion of the air and the faline bodies 
in the fand, that fpecies of aeriform acid contained in chalk, 
which 
