it preſents when ſeen at a diſtance by ſea, is very unfavourable to vegetation. It is almoſt every where covered, even as far as the ſea-ſide, with hard ſteatites of a greyiſh colour, and ſo barren that I carried home with me but very few ſpecimens of plants. On the following day I viſited the Devil's Mountain. It well deſerves its appellation, on account of the violence of the ſouth-eaſt winds, which is much greater at the declivity of this mountain, than in any other part of the country. The delightful vale, which ſeparates this mountain from the Lion's Mountain, is adorned with the beautiful ſpecies of the protea, named by Linn. protea argentea, the tufted tops of which reſiſt the violent blaſts of wind from the ſurrounding mountains. The leaves of this tree are covered with a ſort of down, which grows the thickeſt on the parts moſt expoſed to the wind. This circumſtance may here be remarked in moſt of the plants liable to be beaten by the winds, which renders it probable, that their down ſerves them as a defence from the injury they might otherwiſe receive from them.
The fertility of this valley afforded a remarkable contraſt with the barrenneſs of the Lion's Mountain. The vegetable kingdom appeared here in its higheſt luxuriance. Where the grounds roſe with an eaſy aſcent, they were beſpangled
with
