1811. 
HARVEST-TIME. — LEEUWENKUIL. 
491 
soiled, with a red stain, which was found not easy to be extracted. 
From his neck hung a number of bead necklaces of various colors, 
to which were appended a Bichuana knife, and the shell of a small 
tortoise to hold snufF or tobacco. His wrist and fore-arm were 
ornamented with bracelets of beads, cords of acacia-bark, and 
a broad ivory ring. Although perfectly friendly in all their in- 
tentions, these men were each armed with a hassagay and kirri, 
and some with a bow. The countenance and manners of this chief 
were expressive of a good-natured quiet disposition : his behaviour 
was even respectful, and less troublesome in the way of begging, 
than that of the generality of his countrymen. 
The heat of the summer season now began to be oppressive ; 
and the thermometer, even in the shade, stood generally as high as 
90° of Fahrenheit's, 25°-7 of Reaumur's, or 32°-2 of the Centigrade 
scale. The herbage of all the country around was parched up : 
owing to the long absence of the expected rains, the greatest 
drought prevailed every where, and seemed to have locked up 
the earth, and put a stop to all vegetation. 
l^th. At this time some little appearance of business might be 
observed going on at Klaarwater: a few of the Hottentots were 
occupied in getting in the harvest. The wheat, when cut, was 
trodden out of the ear by horses, on a hard earthen floor in the open 
air, precisely in the same mode as practised in the Cape colony. 
The hand-mills were now in constant work ; and one seldom passed 
by a hut without seeing women or girls pounding corn. If I 
looked into the pot which stood on the fire, it was always found 
filled with wheat ; or if I met a Hottentot, either man or boy, his 
mouth, like the mill, was incessantly at work, grinding corn ; while 
his hands were not idle, as they performed the duty of the hopper, 
in keeping it constantly supplied. 
14th. I took a solitary ramble to explore the valley of 
Leeuwenkuil (Lion's-den), along which the Klaarwater rivulet takes its 
course towards the Gariep. It obtained its name from the circum- 
stance of a lion having been dispossessed of his den when this spot 
was first taken possession of Its average width was between three 
3 R 2 
