SOUTHERN AFRICA. 377 
of men born and educated in the wilds of Africa, on refieding 
to what extent the impoftors of Europe have fucceeded, in Hving 
upon the folly of thofe who have been weak enough to liften 
to them. Animal magnetifm has raifed many a quack to a 
ftate of grandeur, at the expence of credulity ; and the nonfenfe 
of the virgula divinatoria^ or divining rod, has ftill its votaries. 
There never perhaps were a fet of men fo void of refources in 
overcoming difficulties as the Dutch farmers of the Cape. The 
inanity of mind, and the indolent habit of body, are not even 
furmounted by felf-intereft. Their ignorance cannot be a mat- 
ter of wonder, but we often find in Europe unlettered men pof- 
fefled of great talents and ingenuity. No printing-prefs has yet 
found its way to the Cape of Good Hope, except a fmall one 
for cards or hand-bills. They contrive, indeed, to publifti a 
fort of almanac, but that of the current year has fomewhat 
fuffered in its reputation, by having ftated an eclipfe of the 
moon to fall on the day preceding the full, and to be invifible, 
when, unluckily for the almanac-maker, it happened at its pro- 
per time, vifible, and nearly total. 
The defcent to the eaftern plain was feveral hundred feet lefs 
than had been the afcent of the oppofite face of the mountain. 
The country was now rough and ftony, bounded by a high 
ridge of wall-fided rock, from five hundred to a thoufand feet 
in height. The fummit was a broad belt, of that kind of fur- 
face formerly fpoken of under the name of Karroo. A partial 
elevation ftill higher than this furface, is called the Bokkeveld's 
mountain, and refembles, in its appearance and produce, the 
3 c mountains 
