7« TRAVELS m 
7- Autmiequas Land is the next division to Mossel Bay 
^ilong the sea-coast, and extends as far eastward as the Kay- 
man's River. The Dutch Government reserved to itself 
about twenty thousand acres, which is nearly half the division, 
of the finest land, without exception, in the whole colony, 
being a level meadow always covered with grass. The moun- 
tains approaching near the sea, and being covered with large 
forest trees, attract the vapours and cause a considerable 
quantity of rain to fall in the Autiniequas Land in the summer 
months. The overseer calculated that the land held by Go- 
vernment in this division was fully sufficient for the main- 
tenance of a thousand horses, a thousand head of cattle, and 
for raising annually ten thousand muids of corn. 
. 8. Pktlenbergs Bay division begins at the Kayman's River, 
and continues to the inaccessible forests of Sitsikamnia. The 
whole of this tract of country is extremely beautiful, agreeably 
diversified by hill and dale, and lofty forests. Within seven 
miles of the bay are large timber trees, and the surface is al- 
most as level as a bowling-green, over which the several roads 
are carried. The peasantr3', who inhabit this district, are 
mostly woodcutters, and they earn a very hard subsistence. 
The great distance from the Cape, being 400 miles of bad 
road, leaves them little profit on a load of timber, when sold 
at the dearest rate in the Cape market, so little, indeed, that 
they prefer to dispose of it at the ba}'" for a mere trifle. 
Plank of thirteen or fourteen inches wide, and inch thick, 
may be purchased on the spot at the rate of threepence the 
foot in length. 
