nite, and a very hard ſort of free-ſtone. The mould produced by the decay of the vegetables grow upon them, is the cauſe of the fertility of the vallies where the coloniſts reſide. Hence they are obliged to travel over ſandy deſarts in order to carry the produce of their labour to the town. This kind of ſituation is common to all the eſtabliſhments at any conſiderable diſtance from the Cape. The cultivators are neceſſitated to go more than 500,000 toiſes into the interior of Africa, in order to ſeek out ſome ſpots of arable land, ſcattered like iſlands in an ocean of ſand; and after they have found them, every one applies to the ground he has cleared whatever mode of cultivation he thinks moſt adapted to the ſoil. The black ſlaves, though obliged to labour very hard, are in general treated with humanity. It is remarkable that, contrary to the practice of the Spaniards, who always endeavour to make proſelytes of their ſlaves, the Dutch planters leave theirs in the moſt profound ignorance of their religion.
We frequently ſaw the ſnakes, which are much dreaded by the inhabitants of the country, lying in wait under the trees for the birds which often become their prey.
The zebras are very common in theſe moun-
tains:
