92 
HOUHOEK. — OUTSPAN PLACES. 
9, 10 April, 
radishes, eggs, and wine. Frifje, his youngest, performed the duties 
of handmaid, and by her readiness and attention, made us excuse the 
deficiencies of the meal. Another visitor, a meagre old man, coming 
in just at this time, partook with us. He was on his way to Uiten- 
hage, a place not less distant than 700 miles. Such long and laborious 
journeys are not thought much of by the boors ; the nature of their 
population, thin and widely scattered, has taught them to regard a 
colonist dwelling at the distance of ten miles, as a near neighbour. 
After leaving this house, we came to a short, but rugged range 
of mountains, where, by an execrable road, we ascended the rocky 
pass of Gi^oote Houhoele, or Howisclioek. * This place is much dreaded 
by those who have to pass it in waggons : though not so steep, it 
is more difficult than the Hottentot-Holland Kloof ; and, being in 
the great eastern road, cannot be avoided, unless by the Kleine 
(Little) Houwhoek, another pass in the same range, which, how- 
ever, is said to be even worse than this. 
We passed several waggons at uitspaji, and met others, heavily 
laden with country produce, proceeding to Cape Town ; and, among 
them, some bringing timber from Auteniqualand. Were but the 
same degree of labor and perseverance applied to the repairing and 
improving of the roads, which is daily wasted in dragging over-land to 
the Cape these ponderous loads of planks and beams, which in the end 
yield but a poor return for so much trouble, the boors would be 
amply repaid by the facility and dispatch with which their journeys 
would be performed. 
These uitspari, or outspan places, are, in fact, the caravanserays 
of the Cape ; and the varied groups-of travellers, with their waggons 
and oxen, which are frequently seen at such places, taking their 
meals under shade of the bushes, interest much by the simplicity 
and novelty of the scene. These parties appeared often to consist 
of whole families; and women and children, Hottentots, slaves, and 
* This word has been spelt in various ways, according to its supposed etymon ; 
Howwhoek, implying " Hewing-corner," Houdhoek, " Holdfast-corner," or Houthoek, 
" Wood-corner." 
