1812. 
ALKALINE WATER. 
21 
that at the commencement of our journey, so valuable a prize had 
been placed in our way. Our faithful dogs were not forgotten in 
the division of the spoil ; and their share, which we immediately 
broke into a bowl, was eaten up on the spot. 
Meeting again with the river, we halted and unpacked our oxen, 
that they might graze for an hour or two ; though little benefit was 
to be derived from the situation, as the pool at this place was quite 
salt, and not less unfit for use, than the alkaline water at the First 
Station. The quality of the ponds in the lower part of this river, 
is probably not at all seasons equally objectionable, and while the 
stream continues to flow along its bed, the water will every where 
be serviceable, because the saline solution from the soil, is then con- 
stantly weakened and carried off by the accession of fresh water 
from the higher part of its course. At other times, when the stream 
ceases to run, the pools remain, at first tolerably drinkable ; but in 
proportion as the quantity of water is lessened by evaporation, 
this solution becomes more concentrated. It should not be sup- 
posed that occasional showers in the immediate vicinity of these 
brackish ponds, would tend to improve them, because those showers 
must wash down more of the same salts from the surface of the soil, 
which, at the part where we had now halted, was covered principally 
with such shrubs and plants as afford alkali : these were the Kanna- 
bush, and another whose name of Brak-boschjes * (Brackish Bushes) 
indicates that their nature has been well observed by the inhabitants. 
We made our dinner from the ostrich-eggs ; each of the Hotten- 
tots eating a whole one, although containing, as already mentioned, 
as much food as twenty-four eggs of the domestic hen. It is there- 
fore not surprising that I found myself unable to accomplish my share 
of the meal ; even with the aid of all the hunger which a long morn- 
ing's ride had given me. The mode in which they were cooked, was 
* A shrubby species of Atriplex, probably the A. candicans. Yet the name of Brak- 
boschjes does not exclusively belong to this plant. 
A sort of Statice was found growing in abundance on spots of the saline nature here 
described. (Compare with p. 454. of Vol. I.) 
