36 
A WALK TO 
3 Jan. 
every thing we passed, caught at last some feehngs of botanical plea- 
sure, and good-naturedly plucked for me every showy flower he saw ; 
and among them some wliich otherwise might, perhaps, have escaped 
my notice. The weather was exceedingly pleasant, and, at this spot, 
quite serene, although at Cape Town a disagreeable south-easter con- 
tinued blowing the whole day. I could have passed many hours in 
this charming spot, and the evening would have come on before I 
should have strayed a mile from it, or have discovered half the 
plants it produced ; but Mr. Hesse and part of his family having ap- 
pointed to meet me at Paradise, I hastened away. I, however, could 
scarcely be a loser by doing so, as I found the remaining part of the 
way equally rich in variety. The country by degrees assumed a less 
cultivated appearance, and the number of whitened villas diminished 
in proportion as we advanced. 
In approaching the end of our journey, we ascended a consider- 
able way up the foot of the mountains. Here we found Paradise, a 
very picturesque spot, embosomed in woods. Owing to this elevated 
and woody situation, the air felt several degrees cooler than on the 
open plains below. Here and there, through the boughs of the 
trees, a beautiful and extensive prospect opened over the Cape Flats 
(Kaajjsche Vlakte). The name of this place is derived from its plea- 
sant situation, and abundance of trees. The only building here was 
a dilapidated cottage, inhabited by a person placed in charge of the 
woods. I intended to have taken my dinner under tlie shade of some 
fine oak-trees ; but Jak, supposing that I should prefer a house to the 
open air, had asked leave of the mistress of the cottage, that he might 
unpack the basket and spread our provisions within doors ; and, as 
soon as this was done, came running to me in the woods, where I 
was busily employed, to tell me that dinner was ready. 
The meal was just finished when the expected party arrived. 
On foot we were able to advance much higher up the mountain, and 
penetrate deeper into the woods, which consisted wholly of indigen- 
ous trees in a state of nature, and of which some large pieces of 
timber were still standing, having escaped the axe merely by growing 
in situations difficult of access. We had no time to examine these 
