AFRICA. 
mid the mofl: beautiful fpots of the fnow 
mountains, I began to think of quitting 
this difmal country altogether. My people 
ftrongly folicited me to conduit them to 
Carouw, and to make hafte to crofs it before 
the exceffive heat had entirely dried up the 
fmall quantity of ftagnant water that we 
might poffibly find in it, and left we fliould 
not meet with paftures fufficient for our 
oxen, w^hich for a long time had fufFered 
greatly from the intenfenefs of the feafon. 
Being therefore as much preffed by the cir- 
cumftances of the moment as defirous of re- 
turning to the Cape, and no longer finding 
in my excurfions the fame charms and the 
fame amufements as before, either that fa- 
tigue had cooled my ardour, or that other pro- 
jed:s, and powerful remembrance, had refumed 
over my imagination that empire which a 
view of the greateft novelties had deftroyed, I 
fet out on the 2d of February, and direded 
my courfe towards the fouth-weft. A part of 
the horde accompanied us three leagues, to 
alfift us in crofling the river Jubers, w4iich 
they concluded to be greatly fwelled by the 
excefiive rains. When we reached it we be- 
gan to think of conftruding rafts ; but our 
A a 2 condudors. 
