154 
ARRIVAL OF A PARTY OF HOTTENTOTS, 
25—31 May, 
multitudes, whiten the soil. Later in the season other flowers spring 
up in their place, and colour the ground with other tints. 
Should any botanist allow himself the time, carefully to explore, 
at all seasons, every part of the Cape peninsula, including a portion 
of the isthmus, and afterwards publish a list of his collection, the 
lovers of the science would, I doubt not, be surprised, not only at 
the unexampled number of species growing in so small an extent of 
country, but at the number of undescribed plants that were still to be 
found in a tract, over which so many collectors have rambled. The 
importance and practical utility of local catalogues, pointing out the 
natural stations and circumstances of the native plants, will, it maybe 
supposed, increase in proportion as the science advances, and as the 
objects it embraces become more multiplied. 
25th. The party of Hottentots which had long been expected 
from Klaarwater*, arrived at Salt-river with their waggons and 
oxen. It consisted of about twenty men, with an equal number 
of women, and as many children ; besides three waggons and families 
left behind at Tulbagh. 
These people were nearly all of the mixed race of Hottentots, f 
Their object, in making this long journey to Cape Town, was prin- 
cipally that of exchanging ivory and cattle for such manufactured 
articles as their present mode of life leads them to regard as 
necessaries. These were chiefly, gunpowder, muskets, lead, flints, 
porcelain beads, knives, tinder-boxes and steels, tobacco, woollen 
jackets and trowsers, horses and waggons. The quantity of ivory 
which they had now brought to town, was about a thousand 
pounds weight, which was sold to English merchants at the rate 
of seven schellings a-pound, Dutch weight : % their cattle had 
* Mentioned on the 18th of February, at page 64. 
f Denominated Bastaards by the colonists ; which word is intended to signify Hot- 
tentots who are not of the genuine race, or who are sprung from parents, of whom one is 
not a pure Hottentot, whether the descendants of the colonists, or of any neighbouring 
tribe. This name is objectionable, as conveying to us a false idea ; it will not, therefore, 
be thought an unnecessary innovation, if I use in its place, the term Mixed Hottentots^ or, 
sometimes, that of Half-Hottentots. 
X One hundred pounds, Dutch weight, are equal to one hundred and eight pounds 
avoirdupois, English weight. 
