Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.3)

June, 1836, cape of good hope. 577 spots fine tufts of heaths. There were also several bea'.^tiful little birds : — if a person could not find amusemeut in observing the animals and plants, there was very little else during the whole day to interest him : only here and there we passed a solitary farm-house. Directly after arriving at the Paarl, I ascended a singular group of rounded granite hiUs, which rise close behind the village. From the summit I enjoyed a fine view of the line of mountains which I had to cross on the following morning. Their colours were gray or partly rusty red, and their out- lines irregular, but far from picturesque : the general tint of the lower country was a pale brownish green, and the whole entirely destitute of woodland.* From the naked state of the mountains, seen likewise through a very clear atmo- sphere, I was reminded of Northern Chile ; but the rocks there, possess at least a brilhant colouring. Immediately beneath the hill, the long village of the Paarl extended ; all the houses were whitewashed, and appeared very comfort- able; and there was not a single hovel. Each house had its garden and a few trees planted in straight rows ; and there were many vineyards of considerable size, which at this time of year were destitute of leaves. The whole village pos- sessed an air of quiet and respectable comfort. June 5th. — After riding about three hours, we came near to the French Hoeck pass. This is so called from a number of emigrant protestant Frenchmen, who formerly settled in a flat valley at the foot of the mountain : it is one of the pret- tiest places I saw in my excursion. The pass is a considerable work, an inclined road having been cut along the steep side * When the extreme southern part of Africa was first colonized, rhinoceroses (as I am informed by Dr. Andrew Smith) abounded over the whole of this district, and especially in the wooded valleys at the base of Table Mountain, where Cape Town now stands. I mention this in •corroboration of the statement (p. 98), that a luxuriant vegetation is not at all necessary for the support of the larger quadrupeds. Having myself seen this district, which was formerly frequented by the huge rhinoceros, I am fully impressed with the truth of those views. VOL. III. 2 P