rrS EFFECTS GAME BONES NOSOP RIVER. 353 



slopes of the hills, swept over our camping-ground. The 

 poor dogs howled from fear and suffering. Every moment I 

 expected to see the wagon capsized by the blast, or, what 

 was worse, struck by lightning, as we had somewhat incau- 

 tiously encamped under a kameel-doorn boom, which is one 

 of the most certain of conductors. Indeed, nearly two thirds 

 of the full-grown trees of this kind are found splintered by 

 the electric fluid. 



So completely did this deluge saturate and swamp the lo- 

 cality, that for two days after the rains had ceased we were 

 unable to move ; yet such is the partial operation even of 

 such thunder-storms as we had just endured, that, after trav- 

 eling a day or two farther to the eastward, we all but per- 

 ished from thirst, and the vegetation was parched and sun- 

 burnt ! 



Our route lay through a country similar in character to 

 that traveled over by Mr. Galton and myself about a year 

 and a half previously in our journey to the eastward, name- 

 ly, large sandy plains, richly covered with fine grass and 

 brushwood, with occasional clusters of kameel-thorn-trees. 

 Water was very scarce. 



From the number of bleached bones of rhinoceroses, gi- 

 raffes, and other wild beasts scattered about, it was evident 

 that game had at one time been abundant in these parts ; but 

 the introduction of fire-arms among. the Namaquas had ei- 

 ther put an end to the animals, or scared them away to less 

 peopled haunts. "With the exception of hycenas and jackals, 

 beasts of any size were scarce. 



In about a fortnight we reached the Nosop River, near to 

 its junction with the Black Nosop. The two streams, when 

 united, flow under the common name of Nosop ; and, though 

 nothing is known of the course of this river three days south 

 of Wesley Vale, it is believed ultimately to make its way 

 to the Orange River. Indeed, the fact of fish having been 

 found in the pools at Elephant Fountain of similar kind to 



