124 
THE HOT SPRING 
14, 15 April, 
adorning the hills and valleys ; but which were over-topped by the 
Bezem-riet (Broom-reed), a large kind of Restio, which grew abun- 
dantly in several places. An elegant willow-leaved shrub [Capraria 
lanceolata), was common in the beds of small rivulets. 
At five o'clock we reached Brand (or Brandt) Valley, and took 
up our lodging at the farm-house of De Wet. I immediately went 
to examine the Hot Spring, which is at a very short distance from the 
house, and found it much larger, and more remarkable, than the 
spring at Zwarteberg. It formed a shallow pond of about fifty feet 
across, of the most transparent water ; in the middle of which several 
strong springs bubble up through a bottom of loose white sand, and 
afterwards, flowing in a very copious stream, become a rivulet, which, 
for at least a mile and a half, continues so hot, that its course along 
the valley may, at any time of the day, but more particularly early 
in the morning, be traced by the steam which perpetually arises 
from it. The pond is sheltered by a small clump of white poplars, 
which thrive perfectly well, although growing at the very edge of 
the water, and bedewed with the hot steam, which ascends to their 
highest branches. No plant, it seems, can grow in the water it- 
self ; but the margins of the bank are thickly covered with sedge. * 
Royena glabra, a Rhus, and a variety of plants, stood within the 
influence of its heat. 
The thermometer, when plunged into the pond, rose only to 
144° (49^ Reaum. ; 62^ Centig.) ; but, to the hand, it felt nearly 
scalding hot, so that the immersion could scarcely be endured for a 
couple of seconds ; and I have no doubt that the great heat of this 
spring would cause the death of any animal that should happen to 
fall in. Where it bubbles up out of the earth, it is, perhaps, a few 
degrees hotter. This water is pure and tasteless, and is used for all 
domestic purposes. Nothing resembling a deposition is any where 
observable ; nor are its banks or channel at all discolored. The 
* Particularly Cyperus fascicularis (C. polystachr/os. Lin. et Th.) 
