250 
TRAVELS IN 
to the breed, and not to the climate, has been fliewn by the in- 
trodudtion of fome Spanifli fheep a few years ago, the wool of 
which is fuppofed to have improved by their continuance in 
Africa : fpecimens of it fent to the London market are faid to 
have fetched an unufual high price. Were one of Bakewell's 
rams introduced into the Sneuwberg, there can be little doubt 
that an excellent breed would be the confequence. 
The higher parts of the Sneuwberg are not better calculated 
for fheep than the plains are for horned cattle. The butter 
made here is fuppofed to be preferable to any other in the 
colony, and of courfe is much fought after in the Cape, where 
it is brought in confiderable quantity, falted and put up in 
cafks. They reckon that on a moderately good farm fifty 
cows will produce a hundred pounds of butter a-week, befides 
bringing up the calves, which are always fuffered to run with 
their mothers. The draught oxen are large, ftout, and gene- 
rally in good condition ; and their horfes, though fmall, go 
through a great deal of hard fervice. In many parts they are 
very fubjed: to the common difeafe of the country, which 
proves fatal to great numbers. This difeafe, however, is 
entirely local. At one farm they were never known to have 
it, whilft at another, not more than fix miles from it, they can- 
not fcarcely keep a horfe alive ; a convincing proof of its being 
occafioned by certain plants whofe leaves, or flowers, or fruits, 
poffefs a deleterious quality. The Bosjefmans are well aware 
of the time when the diftemper rages^ and are then particu- 
larly bold and troublefome, knowing it to be impoflible for the 
farmers to purfue them. 
Such 
