JOURNEY III. 303 
wealthy farmer, who treated us in the mod friendly 
manner, and begged that we would favour him with our 
company for a month, which fhould not coil us a far- 
thing. 
9th, We went up to the top of Riebeck’s Cafteel, 
which is very high, and on the North fide inacceffible. 
It is about four or five miles long, and very narrow on 
the top; we collected here many remarkable new plants, 
in particular, a hyacinth, .with flowers of a pale gold co- 
lour. 
10th, We came to the Berg Rivier, which was then 
impaflable by reafon of the late rain. 
1 2th, With fome difficulty, we transported, in a large 
boat, our waggons and baggage to the oppofite fide, and 
afterwards obliged our oxen to fwim over. From, 
thence we proceeded through a barren uninhabited 
country; confequently were obliged to content ourf elves 
with the. fhelter. of a large IcucodsyidToyi^ that protected 
us from the S.E. wind, which at. this feafon fbmetimes 
blows cokl.* 
1 3th,- We arrived at the foot of a mountain called 
Piquet Berg, lying dire£l North from the Cape Town, 
being a particular place of obfervation of the Abbe de ea 
gaille, when he. meafured a degree on the meridian in* 
the year 1 7,50. All around the mountain the foil is fandy, 
but furnifhed with a great variety of beautiful plants, 
efpecially afpalatbi . 
1 5th, We mounted the Piquet Berg, which is very 
high but eafy of afcent. On the top are fine plains co- 
vered 
