386 TRAVELS IN 
the charaders of Zeolite ; but having fome others from which it 
differs, it was confidered as a new fpecies. Some fpecimens are 
extremely beautiful ; they are generally of an apple-green 
ground, marked with white, pale yellow, or brown ftripes, or 
fpots. The only ufe or ornament to which the Dutch apply 
this ftone, is to convert it into tobacco pipes, a purpofe to which 
it is leaft fuited, as the heat foon deftroys the colors, and, if car- 
ried to rednefs, the form alfo ; for like Zeolite it poffeffes the 
charadler of intumefcence by ftrong heat. It might be manu- 
factured into vafes, little inferior to the Derbyfhire fpar, which, 
though much lefs efteemed than it deferves, becaufe too com- 
mon, has certainly no rival in the lapidary's workfhop. 
We attempted to afcend the higheft point of the Khamies berg 
on horfeback, but before we had gained the general fummit out 
of which it rifes, we were buried in a thick mift, which fhortly 
became heavy , rain ; and the thermometer from 51° at the 
bottom of the mountain, had defcended to 34°. 
We took fhelter in the folitary hovel of a Dutch peafant, that 
flood on the general fummit of the mountain. Cold as it was, 
the man and his family had no other habitation than a hut 
made of rufh matting, and fafhioned after the manner of the 
Namaaquas, which will prefently be noticed. Though rich as 
to the number of his fheep and cattle, he could have no other 
comfort in life, except, like the mifer at the foot of the moun- 
tain, the gratification arifing from knowing how much he was 
worth. Fearful that the weather might become worfe, and that 
from the encreafmg cold the rain might be converted into fnow, 
we 
