APPENDIX. 247 
had given them in the bright blaze of the lightning the 
appearance of a thick and comfortable bush. We still 
_ advanced, and were frequently deceived in the same manner, 
but the rain continuing to fall in such torrents, and the wind 
being right a-head of us, the Hottentots positively refused 
advancing any farther; so I was forced to sit down with 
them on the bleak exposed heath, holding the bridles of our 
horses in our hands, there being no place to tie them to, 
and allow the rain to fall upon us without the least protection 
in the world. The thunder and lightning became actually 
terrific, and it frequently appeared as if the earth would 
have split under us; but, as | am no hand at description, I 
shall leave it to your own imagination to paint what our 
sufferings must have been that night. After sitting in that 
position till our limbs became quite stiff, we huddled to- 
gether as close as we could, and laid down in the mire. The 
“ windows of heaven” were still open, and the “ waters of 
the great deep” seemed to be let down upon us. About two 
hours before day-light, I with much difficulty got upon my 
legs again, and finding that the rain did not in the least 
abate, I insisted upon my fellow-sufferers also rising, which 
they did with great reluctance, apparently preferring to 
die there to the fatiguing exertions of marching forward 
in the rain. It was a fortunate circumstance that I insisted 
on their moving when I did, or they must all inevitably have 
perished from stoppage of the circulation of blood. They 
all found themselves in the same predicament as myself, 
which was, being unable to stand upright, and our legs re- 
fusing to perform their accustomed functions. However, 
our case was desperate, and we tottered, rather than walked 
forward, leading our horses behind us. Every dozen of 
paces we stopped to breathe, although the rain still fell 
m torrents, and had scarcely proceeded half a mile, when 
