SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
75 
Roode Sand kloef, the fall of the river that meanders through 
it being not more than 200 feet. The mountains on each fide 
of this pafs were wild and naked, but the kloef itfelf abounded 
with large fruitefcent plants. Balking in the fun, on the banks 
of the river, were a troop of four or five hundred large black 
baboons, apparently of the fpecies of Cynocephalus^ which quit- 
ted their place with feeming reludlance, grumbling and howl- 
ing as they fcrambled up the fides of the naked rocks. 
The head of the kloef opened out into a narrow valley to 
which there was no defcent. It is about two miles in width 
and fifteen in length ; and the third branch of mountains, on 
the northern fide, were covered half way down from their 
fummits with fhow ; yet the orange-trees at their feet were 
loaded with large ripe fruit. Four families, the only inhabit- 
ants of this deep valley, conftitute a little world of their own : 
their wants might be as bounded as their horizon, for the ferti- 
lity of the ground furnifhes them with almoft every neceffary 
of life. They have plenty of cattle, and alfo all the different 
forts of game that are met with on the other fide of the moun- 
tains. We faw here fome large partridges with red wings, 
much preferable to the common Cape partridge, and a quadru- 
ped called the Berghaas or mountain hare. It was the Dipus 
Cafer of Linnaeus, by fome called the Cape Gerboa. Like the 
kangaroo of Botany Bay it has the hind legs about thrice the 
length of the fore ones. When purfued, it always takes to the 
mountains, knowing that the conflrudion of its legs is better 
adapted to afcend their iteep fides than to fcour the plains. 
L 2 
All 
