Kbiices respecimg A^ew Boohs. UG^ 



twelve oxen, and did not get back to the Cape till the end of 

 October. 



Feb. 16. — Killed a gray serpent, which shone in the dark, and 

 emitted a rattling sound, evidently intended by Providence to 

 give warning of its approach. 



March 15. — Counted 29 aloes in flower. Some of the stalks 

 Hieasured 38 feet in height, and 2^ feet in circumfeience at the 

 bottom; — a wonderful growth in one year! What a curiosity 

 would these be esteemed in the vicinity of London, where it is^ 

 believed they come into flower only once in 100 j'ears ! If an 

 aloe produces seed when it sends on a flower, it dies that year; 

 if not, it lives and sends forth a flower again. 



March 19. — Saw numerous ants' nests. In sliape they resem- 

 ble a baker's oven, and are from two to four feet high. These 

 industrious animals have their enemies, especially a creature 

 about the size of a fox, who, after piercing a hole in the side of 

 the nest, pushes in his tongue, when the unwary ants rush to- 

 wards it in order to investigate what has happened. The tongue 

 being covered with these insects, he draws it in, and swallows 

 the whole, repeating the process till he has devoured millions. 

 The bees sometimes covet and take possession of the house. 

 The boors also, when travelling, frequently clear out these nests, 

 and use them as ovens for baking their bread. 



April 13. — Came in sight of some springbucks, which af- 

 forded great amusement, from their springing at least six feet 

 every leap in height, and several yards in length. However near 

 a person may be to them, no motion of their legs can be per- 

 ceived. The instant they touch the ground they rise again into 

 the air, which makes their motion resemble flying. When they 

 leap, the ground on which they light seems as if elastic. 



April 25. — A honey-bird, which leads travellers to hives of 

 bees, invited us, by chirping, to a place where honey might be 

 found. One or two of our escort went towards it, v/hen it flew 

 froia tree to tree chirping ; but as the hive appeared too distant 

 they returned. 



May 18. — Commenced keeping watch at night. The Hot- 

 twitots watched chiefly on the lee side of the waggons : the rea- 

 'Son I understood to be, that a lion or a Bushman never makes an 

 attack from the windward, because then the dogs smell them 

 and give an alarm. 



May 2 1 . — This season may be called the Bushmans' harx'est. 

 The ground being now softened by rain, they pull up roots, uot 

 only tor present consumption, but for future use. In summer 

 they are supplied with locusts, which they dry and pound into 

 jKjwdcr, which serves as a substitute for flour. 



.lune 7. — Plagued with bu'^hc:, tignificantly naiiitd stop-a- 

 V«l .45, N„. 20,t, . Muij I S 1 . A A ;/ •// ;/.•. 



