Chap. XXXIL] SOUTHERN AFRICA. 283 



shot one from the waggon; but in the total absence 

 of fuel, we were driven to the necessity of burning 

 one of the spare waggon-poles, in order to cook a 

 portion of the flesh. 



A heavy dew fell during the night, and was fol- 

 lowed by a dense fog, in spite of which we were 

 fain to decamp from this inhospitable bivouac at 

 an early hour. The face of the country here, so 

 beautifully clothed with herbage and flowers, would 

 appear to be kept fresh and verdant by these nightly 

 dews and humid mists, rather than by the partial 

 showers which, few and far between, are wont to 

 visit it. The being able to sleep in the open air 

 with perfect impunity is a convincing proof that in 

 Africa these vapours are little prejudicial to health. 

 As the fog dispersed, long files of quaggas were 

 observed moving across the distant profile of the 

 plain, like a rival caravan on its march; a range of 

 mountains could shortly afterwards be distinguished 

 to the westward, and about noon the hawk-eyed 

 Hottentots, who possessed an extraordinary facility 

 of detecting objects at a distance, descried a troop 

 of savages. Of the two parties it is difficult to say 

 which was thrown into the greatest consternation by 

 the mutual discovery; but I can only aver, that 

 while every preparation was making on our side for 

 a gallant defence, the enemy was observed in igno* 

 minious retreat. 



After we had advanced twenty-five miles, a long 

 line of karree trees darkening the horizon proclaimed 

 our approach to some hidden stream ; and late in 



