1811. 
A MUD-PLAIN. 
307 
the nature of its mineralogy : consequently, a change in the cha- 
racter of its botanical productions might now begin to be expected ; 
and this was afterwards found to be the case. 
At seven in the morning we reached i}/o<i<ier-^a^, (Muddy Hole), 
a deep hole about fifty feet in diameter, in which there was still some 
good clear water remaining. It was with difficulty we could keep 
the cattle from rushing into it before we had filled the casks ; and 
when the draft oxen had once drunk, the Hottentots were obliged to 
stand by with their whips and drive them away, that a little might 
be left for the loose oxen and sheep which were still on the road 
a long way behind : yet, notwithstanding this precaution, the bottom 
of the hole being of a strong blue clay, and the oxen naturally 
fond of going into the middle of a pond in hot weather, the water 
was trampled at last to a thick mud, and none of the cattle could 
quench their thirst but those which drank first. 
Modder Gat is situated in a very extensive hollow flat, which, 
in the rainy season, becomes a lake, as was evident from the want of 
vegetation, and the mud which every where covered its surface to the 
depth of a foot. This mud is of a clayey nature, and, even at this 
time, was so soft that the people could not walk on it without sinking 
five or six inches at every step. This periodical lake is nearly half 
a mile across ; and its two extremities stretched eastward and west- 
ward farther than we could see. To the north, a long range of lofty 
mountains, through which our road lay, bounded the horizon, and, 
to the westward, they join the Gariep below a ford named Brieskap 
by the Hottentots. 
During the few hours we remained here, I made a sketch of our 
dreary and singular situation : I ascertained the latitude by two 
altitudes of the sun to be 29° 59' 1"*; and obtained a set of lunar 
distances for the computation of the longitude. 
On leaving this place, my oxen had the greatest difficulty in 
* 13th Sept. at Modder-gat, at Ohr. 18 miii. 8 sec. P. M. by the watch, the observed 
altitude of the sun's upper limb was 55° 42' 21"; and at Ihr. 12min. 54'Sec. 51° 17' 26". 
B R 2 
