£62 
TRAVELS IN 
been drawn. The animal was a female, and irs full-grown 
foal had been dragged by the vultures more than half way 
©ut of the vagina. It would seem that the sacred bird of 
Egypt is a kind of caterer to the condor, and is employed in 
drawing the carcases of animals, whilst the other sits by " to 
prey on garbage." 
In the evening we reached a farm-house, situated on the 
skirts of the colony, in the division of the Sea Cow river and 
the Rhinosceros-berg, where, after a very long day's journey, 
our waggons also arrived. In this part of the country are 
stiM a number of famiHes that, like the people of Sneuwberg, 
have withstood the attacks of the Bosjesmans, by keeping to- 
gether and affording to each other mutual -assistance. The 
wealth of the farmers consists here entirely of sheep and horned 
cattle ; their scanty crops, sown only for home consumptian, 
were entirely destroyed by the locusts. 
At this place the party of boors which had accompanied us 
was discharged ; but, as it was our intention to skirt the 
colony to tlie eastward, and pass through the deserted division 
of the Tarka, a second commando, as it is called, was selected 
from among the farmers of Agter Sneuwberg, as being best 
acquainted with this eastern part of the country. Six boors, 
and as many Hottentots, in addition to our own strength, 
were deemed sufficient to enable us to perform this part of 
the journey with safety. 
Directing our course to the south-eastward, we came to a 
cliain of four salt-water lakes, lying one immediately after the 
