1811. 
CUBIC PYRITES OF IRON. 
203 
matrix, at various distances, without any order, and, when first taken 
out, were of a black hue ; but after a few days' exposure to the air, 
became covered with a bright-red powdery rust. They burn with a 
blue flame, are very light, and within, porous, like slag; and, on 
being broken, some of them exhibit a yellow, shining, metallic ap- 
pearance. Sometimes the cubes are simple, and sometimes com- 
pounded of as many as five, growing into each other at various 
angles. Their sides are slightly striated; the stricB of each face 
being parallel to themselves, but opposite in direction to those of all 
the adjoining faces. 
The mountains, generally, may be considered as the repository 
of the more interesting vegetable productions of the colony ; and 
in this day's excursion I gathered forty-five species, most of 
which were new to me. * The beautiful Erica monsoniana may here 
be seen growing to the height of six feet, with long straggling 
branches, covered with paper-white flowers. Protea nana^ and many 
other proteaceous plants, inhabit the mountains ; and on the plain 
below, in moist places, grow Protea glaucophylla and repens. 
The Ostrich, the largest bird known to man, sometimes frequents 
this vicinity ; and, from the house, I had this morning the pleasure 
* These, together with all that had been collected since my departure from Tul- 
bagh, were lost ; as will be explained in the note appended to the 3d of August following, 
D D 2 
