CHAPTER IV. 
A RIDE THROUGH HOTTENTOT-HOLLAND TO THE WARM-BATH AT ZWARTEBERG. 
As it was now certain that my final departure from Cape Town could 
not take place before the middle of May, there was sufficient time for a 
short excursion into the nearer districts of the colony. This, besides 
gratifying my curiosity, would be attended with the advantage of giving 
me, previously to my principal journey, some idea of the nature of the 
country ; and consequently, of enabling me to make my preparatory 
arrangements more judiciously, and to form a more correct estimate of 
what provision it would be necessary to make. In the present journey 
Mr. Polemann was both my companion and my guide, as it was proposed 
to direct our course through a part of the country with which he was 
acquainted. One of the objects which we had in view, was to pur- 
chase a couple of teams of oxen ; because in the immediate vicinity 
of the town, there was little chance of meeting witli any equal to the 
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