1811. RAIN. — INUNDATION OF THE DOWNS. I47 
step. It was evidently time that our excursion ended ; for tliis last 
day's journey being, for nearly the whole way, over the heavy loose 
sand of the Cape Flats, was excessively fatiguing and painful to the 
animals. 
At sunset, we passed the foot of Tygerberg, and were soon 
afterwards overtaken by a night of impenetrable darkness, and both 
wet and chilly. To the fear of losing the way, was added that of 
finding the sands impassably flooded by the late rains, as, at almost 
every five minutes, we had to wade through ponds of rain-water. 
It may seem singular, that plains of sand should be found covered 
with standing water ; but this is easily accounted for, by a stratum of 
clay lying immediately beneath the sand, at the depth of from 
one to perhaps six feet or more. 
In the midst of our uncertainty, wandering in various directions, 
a glimmering light at last appeared at a distance, and enabled us to 
shape our course to Salt river. Here we procured a guide to conduct 
us safely through the river, which occupied ten minutes in wading 
through, as it had overflowed its banks and inundated a great 
part of the adjoining flats ; and nearly all the way to Cape Town, 
we seemed to be travelling in a river rather than a road. So 
complete was the darkness, that when arrived at the hospital, it was 
not possible to find our way, even the short distance to the castle 
without a guide : the atmosphere seemed as if bereft of every par- 
ticle of light. At length, at eight o'clock, we reached Cape Town. 
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