SOUTHERN AFRICA. 341 
It may be obferved, that the fizes marked in the above lift 
are, as nearly as could be gueiTed, 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 iliips' 
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 fifty miles to the eaftward of the 
former, the country is beautifully wooded, and interfered with 
numberlefs rivulets, iiTuing out of the forefts ; there are alfo 
feveral broad deep rivers, over which it is neceflary to pafs in 
boats. Some of thefe terminate in large fheets of water, form- 
ing beautiful lakes, whofe margins are finely fringed with 
w^ood. One lake is fufEciently curious, having neither inlet 
nor outlet, and the w^ater 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 fhrubbery, being 
green matter waflied away by the rains. Upon tliis the 
peafant (hewed him fom.e 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 fprings, fhould exceed the quan- 
tity 
