AFRICA. 305 
them, until length of time, or a (hower of 
rain, might free us from them entirely. On 
account of this procefs, which is familiar to 
the Hottentots, they had been lefs attacked 
by them than their mafter. 
The new fituation which we occupied, 
and in which we palTed the night, was not 
defliitute of beauties. On the north we 
were flanked by immenfe forefts of the fame 
kinds of trees as thofe before mentioned ; 
and the plain was covered with the mimofa, 
which the planters name door en- boom : I had 
the pleafure of feeing it in full blolTom. 
This to me was a hicky circumftance; and 
I did not ncgleft to take advantage of it ; 
for, as I have faid, the flowers of this tree 
attract vafl: numbers of curious infed:s, 
which are feldom to be found but at this 
feafon ; and thefe infeds, in their turn, draw 
thither large flocks of birds of every kind, to 
which they ferve as food. I fettled, there- 
fore, in this plain, v/here I amufed myfelf 
in changing my place of encampment, I 
had reafon to conclude that all the borders 
of the foreft had been inhabited by Caffres ; 
for we could not move a ftep without feeing 
the remains of ancient huts, more or lefs de- 
VoL. II. X ftroyed 
