Chap. XXIII.] SOUTHERN AFRICA. 199 



more to bay, which were despatched after several 

 charges. Our savage friends, still torpid from 

 their yesterday's feast, had not made their appear- 

 ance ; we therefore despatched Claas, after break- 

 fast was over, to bring in some marrow-bones, in 

 the act of collecting which delicacies, he was put 

 to flight by a lion that jmnped out of a bush close 

 to him, and did not leave him time to think of his 

 gun. After some hours, however, he mustered 

 courage to proceed with a large party to recover it. 

 Early in the afternoon the Hottentots returned 

 with the oxen, and we proceeded without loss of time 

 to the eastward, following the course of the mountains 

 through very high grass, and passing between two 

 conical hills of singular appearance, which stood like 

 sentinels on either hand ; after crossing six incon- 

 siderable streams, we with some difficulty gained 

 the vicinity of a remarkably abrupt opening in the 

 range, which through a telescope appeared to afford 

 a practicable road to the northward. Both our wag- 

 gons stuck fast in the Sant river, and were with 

 difficulty extricated by the united efforts of the 

 teams. The heat was intense, not a breath stirred, 

 and heavy black clouds fast collecting bade us pre- 

 pare for a deluge. We therefore formed the camp 

 in a sheltered and elevated position, under the lee 

 of a high stone enclosure, which only required the 

 entrance to be closed with bushes to make a secure 

 pound for the cattle. Scarcely were these arrange- 

 ments completed, when a stream of liquid fire ran 

 along the ground, and a deafening thunder-clap 



