AFRICA, 385 
tune. Being perfuaded that we had nothing 
more to fear from the Boihmen, and feeing all 
my people fufEciently compofedand freed from 
their terrors, I refolved to travel night and day; 
and in confequence of this determination I 
departed on the 14th, at five in the evening, 
obferving the fame order as before. Having 
halted at midnight, near the Matjes-Fontein, 
the atmofphere became overcaft, and feemed 
to threaten a ftorm; but it pafTed by us, and 
next morning I crolTed the Wet-Waater, and 
unyoked my cattle at Conjlapel^ an agreeable 
plantation, which the owners have been 
obliged to abandon on account of a fcarcity 
of water. Though the feafcn was now far 
advanced, the heat had not yet decreafed, and 
we were obliged to remain inactive during 
the middle of the day, when the fun's rays 
darted upon us with the greateft force ; we 
were fcorched fo much the more, as we could 
find no fhade or place of fhelter to fecure us 
from them : the relaxed ftate in which we 
were did not even permit us to amufe our- 
felves with hunting. It is well known that 
ftifling heat tends greatly to deftroy the ap- 
petite, and that it corrupts meat whether frefh 
or faked, and renders it very difgufl:in(5;; the 
Vol. II. C c operations 
