44 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



comprehend her; but no matter llie would 

 ftill talk. 



The others endeavoured, at different times, 

 to charm us with airs, the modulation of which 

 ftruck me fmgularly, from their great analogy 

 to thofe of the Arabs of Afia Minor. Two of 

 them frequently fangth? fame air together ; but 

 theoneconftantlya third above the other, form- 

 ing this harmony with the gi*eateft cxaclnefs. 



In the midft of thefe fands was growing a 

 fpecies of Jiciodes, almoft in every refpecl fimi- 

 lar to the fig-tree of the Hottentots, mefemhry- 

 anibemnm ediile: however, it differed effentially 

 from' it in the colour of its fiowers, which are 

 red, while thofe of the fig-tiee of the Hotten- 

 tots are yellov/ ; but, like the latter, it bore 

 fruit, the tafte of which confiderably refembles 

 that of fweet apples exceedingly ripe. Thefe 

 fruits confiituted the delight of the New-Hol- 

 landers, who afliduoufly fought them, and ate 

 them immediately. 



During this long excurfion, fome of them 

 took us by the arm from time to time, with the 

 intention of helping us to walk. 



A young girl, having perceived at a diflance 

 a head which the gunner of the Efperance had 

 carved on the trunk of a tree, appeared at fir 11: 

 extremely furprifcd^ and flopped a moment ; 



fhe 



3 



