CROSS THE RIVER ON A RAFT. 23 
the agitated stream, on which their husbands had em- 
barked in their new capacities as horsemen. The 
Bushmen succeeded after much delay and trouble 
in swimming the horses across, although carried by 
the current a great distance down the river. While 
thus engaged, an immense cloud of locusts passed 
over our heads; they were the largest I had ever 
seen, and so numerous as literally to darken the sky, 
producing a dull rustling noise with their wings, as 
they continued their flight over our heads for up- 
wards of an hour. The eastern writers have em- 
ployed their pens in describing the desolating effects 
of these vast migratory flights of insects; but by 
none has the subject been so sublimely treated as by 
the prophet Joel, chapter 11. verse 2, &c. 
The horses having been at length safely conveyed 
across the river, the Bushmen cut down several 
trees, and having stripped off the bark, fastened them 
together, forming a sort of raft, on which I was 
launched upon the stream. Notwithstanding the 
exertions of some of the best swimmers among them, 
the raft was carried rapidly down the current, while 
the noise caused by their vociferating and plung- 
ing about in the water, was quite deafening. Having 
partially dried my clothes at a fire, which they had 
kindled on our landing, I soon mounted my horse, 
being very desirous of pursuing my journey towards 
Waterboer’s kraal; but as the sun had gone down 
when I ascended the height from the river, in com- 
