OP LA PEROUSE. 97 



I leave it to natural philofophers to decide, 

 whether in this cafe the fall of the mercury in 

 the barometer may not proceed from fome other 

 caufe than that which produces a fimilar effect 

 when it is placed in more elevated fituations. 



We met a number of waggons drawn by three 

 or four pair of oxen ; they were returning empty, 

 each led by a Hottentot, who fianding about 

 the middle of this carriage, with a long whip in 

 his hand, directed his cattle with wonderful 

 fkill. Although the foremoft oxen were very far 

 from him, he did not the lefs certainly hit the 

 part at which he flruck, in the ox that he wifhed 

 to urge on. 



Our Hottentot walked along fmoking his 

 pipe, and occafionally filling his belly with 

 Hottentot's figs, mefembryanthemum edule, that 

 grow on the road-fide, in the midft of fands, 

 without thinking of the load of our horfe, which 

 he made follow him ; accordingly our baggage 

 fell off feveral times, and would have remained 

 in the middle of the road, had we not attended to 

 the fmoker, who always continued his way ; it 

 was neceffary to frighten him by threats, in 

 order to draw him from his apathy, and make 

 him more attentive. * 



Different fpecies of geranium, poligala, lobelia, 

 &c. covered the fandy plain, over which wc 

 travelled. 



vol. i. h Having 



