18 SCARCITY OF WATER. 
Jacobs informed me that, upon a previous occasion, 
while crossing this spot towards evening, with a 
cavalcade of sixteen waggons, observing direct indi- 
cations of lions in the vicinity, he advised a halt. The 
party, however, anxious to get forward, continued 
their course after the evening had closed, when the 
oxen suddenly gaining scent of lions, of which they 
have great terror, started off with the waggons in 
various directions, and many hours elapsed before the 
farmers could succeed in reassembling the vehicles 
thus dispersed over the plain, nor was this done 
without much difficulty and fatigue. 
We proceeded on our journey for eight hours, but 
did not obtain the supply of water so anxiously 
looked for. ‘The oxen were ready to drop from ex- 
ertion and thirst, not having been unyoked for sixteen 
hours, we therefore determined to halt; but sleep 
was out of the question from the constant lowing 
of the distressed cattle, and the noise made by the 
drivers in endeavouring to keep them within the pre- 
cincts of our encampment. Fires were obliged to be 
kept constantly blazing, as this part of the country 
was known to be much infested with lions; and for 
this reason, added to the difficulty of obtaining 
water, was seldom traversed. On taking our de- 
parture at day-break, it was amusing to observe the 
eagerness with which our Hottentots and Bushmen 
examined every cavity in the rocks at all likely to 
