330 TRAVELS IN 
I obferved the traces of a lion and thofe of a 
lionefs, which, though equally ftrong, are al- 
ways lefs. Having followed thefe traces for 
fome time, they condudted me, by a fmall 
winding, near to my people, which proved 
to me that thefe animals had advanced clofe 
to us. We thought it very fortunate that 
we had kept watch till the appearance of 
day; and this circumftance was an ufeful hint 
to me never to travel during the night in 
countries with which I was fo little ac- 
quainted, and which, as I afterwards learned, 
are the moft dangerous to be pafled of all 
Africa. 
I had under my carriages fome fpare poles 
cut down in the forefls of Auteniqua; but 
as there was no water in the place where we 
had flopped, and as we had no time to lofe 
in procuring any, I ordered the traces to re- 
ceive a temporary repair : we fpliced there- 
fore the broken pole, in the beft manner we 
could, with two pieces of wood, and purfued 
our journey; but what was our difappoint- 
ment when we arrived at the Platte river to 
find it dry ! We went up its banks for three 
quarters of an hour, always tormented with 
thirft, v/hich ftill increafed, and out of breath ; 
6 but 
