JOURNEY II. i 9 g 
the water, which at that diftance is ftili fmoaking. By 
this means they have all kind of garden vegetables in the 
greateft perfection. Next morning we went up to the 
top of this ridge of mountains, which appeared like a 
mafs of rocks heaped one on top of another, where we 
had an extenfive view of the country, which appeared 
horrible, every thing being parched up, and even the 
beds of the largeft "rivers entirely dry. We found here 
a fpecies of heath remarkable for having its branches and 
leaves all covered with a fine hoary down or nap, which 
we thought fingular in that genus ; we called it erica la- 
ment of a. 
Jan. i ft, We returned to Lange Kloof, and next day 
overtook our waggons ; but many of our oxen were fick, 
having caught a difeafe which rages there amongft the 
horned cattle in furnmer, and fo afte&s their hoofs that 
they often drop off, and great numbers die. This difeafe 
proves detrimental to the Dutch peafants, who live 5 or 
600 miles in the country, when they make a journey to 
the Cape. Then* oxen are often feized with it in the 
middle of a defart, and fometimes muft remain there 
for a month till they recover. This makes their jour- 
nies to the Cape long and difagreeable, efpecially, as 
they are obliged to take with them their wives and chil- 
dren, for fear of their being murdered by the Hottentots 
in their abfence. 
3d, We came to Great Thorney River, where we again 
parted with our waggons, in order to examine a large 
-traCt .of Carro, where it was improper to take our 
Q q 2 oxen 
