Thinking that water would be more likely to be found near these cliffs, he turned his horse's head towards them.

As he approached nearer to their base, he was charmed with the beautiful scenery that began to open before his eyes.

He passed through grassy plains of different sizes, separated from each other by copses of the delicate-leaved mimosa; some of these forming large thickets, while others consisted of only a few low bushes.

Towering high over the mimosas, grew many trees of gigantic size, and of a species Von Bloom had never seen before.

They stood thinly upon the ground; but each, with its vast leafy head, seemed a little forest of itself.
The whole country around had a soft park-like appearance, which contrasted well with the dark cliff that rose beyond--the latter stepping up from the plain by a precipice of several hundred feet in height, and seemingly as vertical as the walls of a house.
The fine landscape was gratifying to the eyes of the traveller--such a fine country in the midst of so much barrenness; for he knew that most of the surrounding region was little better than a wild karoo.