of Southern Africa. 42H 



ducement for wild animals to visit them more frequently than 

 if they lived on the spot ; and as these fountains are gene- 

 rally surrounded with pit-falls, large herds of game seldom 

 escape without leaving some victims behind. Indeed, travel- 

 lers ought to be very careful of their cattle in the neighbour- 

 hood of any of those wells of the desert, as we frequently 

 found, to our loss, that they were'but too well adapted to the 

 purpose for which they are intended. 



At night we kept watch for the elephants which we expect- 

 ed would visit the springs, but none made their appearance. 



August 18. — There being little inducement for us to remain 

 long at this place, which the natives call Korea, we resumed 

 our journey, continuing in a N. Easterly direction through a 

 country slightly undulating, aad every where interspersed 

 with beautiful clumps of trees. On reaching the small dry 

 river Lorolaanie, we were met by a deputation from Sibigho, 

 king of the Bawenketzie, whose capital, Siloqualaly, was yet 

 several days journey in advance. They brought us a cow for 

 slaughter, and had orders from their king to render us every 

 assistance in their power. Although we were at a loss to 

 know by what means he had obtained such early information 

 of our arrival on the confines of his kingdom, we were never- 

 theless pleased to find that our visit was likely to prove 

 agreeable to that despotic prince, of whose character we had 

 heard such contradictory reports. 



Finding at Lorolaanie a few wells similar to those of Korea, 

 we spanned out to cook our victuals; and setting the natives 

 to work to empty them, in the course of three hours we had 

 nearly sufficient water for all our cattle, letting them go 

 down one by one to drink. In the afternoon we left tlrs 

 place, and at ten at night reached a small well scarcely yield- 

 ing us a mouthful of water per head, but where we were 

 obliged to encamp for the night. 



August 19. — This morning our eyes were gladdened with a 

 view of distant mountains to the N. E. E., which were to us 

 as refreshing a sight as the first view of land is to the weary 

 sailor after a long voyage; having scarcely seen any thing in 

 the shape of a hill since we left the Chue lake. We found 

 our oxen devouring with avidity the wild water-melon.' 

 which was a proof, if any were wanting, that they had been 

 but poorly supplied with water for the last few days ; so we 



* Ever bountiful nature has, as it were, in atonement for the scarcity nt 

 water, spontaneously produced vast quantities of those useful vegetables on 

 all the sterile plains to the Northward ofLattakoo; without which, in the 

 absence of water, it would be impossible for one-half of the game to subsist 

 that at present inhabit them. I have often seen the natives eat them to 

 quench their thirst; and both they and their cattle are frequently (when 

 journeying') many days without any other moistnre. They have" a v<rv 

 insipid, though not unpleasant, taste 



