193 
CHAP. VIII. 
COLONY OP THE CAPE OP GOOD HOPE. 
Visit to the Missionary Settlements in the Cape Colony. — Journey to Faarl. — 
African Omnibuses. — Driving ten in Hand.— Intercourse with an aged 
Missionary. — Departure from Cape Town. — Accident on the Road.— 
Aspect of the Country. — Variety and Abundance of Flowers and Fruits_ 
Zurbraak. —An African Congregation. — The Montague Pass.— Ostriches. 
— Extent and Beauty of the Cango Caverns. — Hospitality of a Negro 
Woman. — Matzie’s Riviere.— Settlement of African Christians. — Spirited 
Conduct of the People of Oudshorn. — Journey across the Desert. — Graaf 
Reynet. — Fruits of Frugality and Industry. — Flight of Locusts. — Large 
Herds of Springboks. — Kindness of Mr. Gilfillan, Wonder Hill. —Encamp¬ 
ment on the Banks of the Orange River. — Subsidence of the Waters_ 
Journey to Philipolis. — Sunday with the Griquas. — State and Prospects of 
the People. — Hospitality of the Boers. — Sheepshearing in South Africa. — 
Cradock. —Disease among the Cattle. — Orange Grove. —Venomous Rep¬ 
tiles. —• Anecdotes of Caffres. — Visit to Mr. Hart at Glen Avon. 
On proceeding to the residence of Mr. Thompson, the agent 
of the London Missionary Society in Cape Town, I found 
letters from England urgently requesting me to visit the 
several stations of the Society in the colony, and Mr. Thomp¬ 
son having proposed to accompany me, we immediately com¬ 
menced the necessary preparations for our journey. 
In the mean time I paid a visit to Paarl, a station about 
thirty-five miles from Cape Town, and lying rather out of the 
line of our route. I set out in an omnibus drawn the chief 
part of the way by ten horses, two abreast. The road lay 
across a wide sandy plain called the Cape Flats. I had long 
been familiar with Cape heaths and mesembryanthemums, but 
the vast numbers of the latter growing in the dry white sand 
in every direction, and the miles and miles of beautiful heaths, 
were to me a new and most pleasing spectacle. One species, 
o 
