2 Mr. masson’s Botanical travels. 
the hot feafon. Thefe oaks, which are of the fame fort 
with ours in England, were brought out of Europe by 
Adrian vanderstell, formerly governor of the Cape, 
who built this village, and gave it his name. The 
country round it is populous, and contains many rich 
farms, which produce plenty of corn and wine. It is 
watered by a fmall river called Eerfte Rivier, which dif- 
charges itfelf into the Eaft part of Falfo Bay. The far- 
mers we found bufy in treading out their corn ; which is 
performed by horfes in the following manner. They make 
a circular floor about thirty, forty, or fifty feet diameter, 
with a compofition of clay and cow-dung, which binds 
very hard ; round it they ereft a mud wall, about breafl 
high; this floor they cover with flieaves, beginning in the 
middle, and laying them in concentric circles till they 
reach the outllde. They then turn in about twenty or 
thirty horfes, which a Hottentot, furnifhed with a long 
whip, drives round and round till the corn be trodden out, 
and the ftraw become as fine as chaff; which they after- 
wards clean, and carry into their granaries. This me- 
thod they can practice with great fecurity, as it feldom 
rains here from the middle of October to the middle of 
March. 
5 th, From thence we travelled along the foot of the 
Stellenbolch mountains to Hottentot Holland, a plealant 
and level country; furrounded on three lides by the 
mountains; and the other opening to the Eaft part of 
Falzo Bay. In it are eight or ten plantations, with elc- 
gant 
