42 EXrEDITION INTO 



It unfortunately so happened^ however, tliat he passed 

 throuo-h our camp during- the nig-lit on his way to Litakoo 

 (whither he had been despatclied by Mahura, chief of that 

 phice), a circumstance which the Hottentots carefully con- 

 ccalcdy from motives of their own, until he was far distant. 



The weather Avas piercing-ly cold when we resumed our 

 journey in the morning*. Our people had for once taken 

 the precaution of filling- the casks, and we were thus enabled 

 to obtain breakfast althoug"h we came to no water. About 

 noon we also halted for half an hour at a muddy pool, which 

 the cattle drained to the dreg's, whilst a sheep was being- 

 slaug-htered to satisfy the craving-s of our g-uest's stomach, 

 to the empty state of which he had repeatedly drawn our 

 attention, altog*ether forg-etting- that he had secured the lion's 

 share of a spring--buck that I had shot the preceding- morn- 

 ing-. 



During- the early part of the day our road continued 

 across a boundless ocean-like expanse, the surface being- 

 broken only by anthills, or occasional dwarf bushes, among-st 

 which troops of unwieldy ostriches were g-razing-, and at first 

 sig-ht were mistaken for white and black cattle. Proceeding-, 

 we passed throug-h many extensive areas of waving* g*rass, 

 and the country g-radually became decorated with larg-er 

 shrubs, bearing- a profusion of yellow flowers. Occasion- 

 ally, too, strag'gling* clumps of mimosas, from ten to fifteen 

 feet in height, resting* like islands on the bosom of the sea 

 of g-rass, affording- a pleasing- relief. The day was intolerably 

 hot, dusty, and disag-reeable : we saw Motito indistinctly in 

 the distant g-lare some hours before we reached it. This we 

 did about sunset, having* travelled altog'ether twenty-two 

 miles. We were immediately welcomed by Mr. Lemue, the 

 French Missionary, who, with his ag*reeable wife, evinced 

 by g*reat attention and kindness to us, the gratification they 

 experienced from the arrival of two civilized strangers in the 



