AFRICA. 107 
I intended to vifit. Atter marching fome 
hours, we found ourfejves, however, fiopped 
by a torrent, which, falling from the moun- 
tains, had been prodigioufly fwelled by the 
rain of the late ftorm ; and, as it was neceffary 
to wait till it (liould fubfide and become ford- 
able, I was obliged to encamp on its banks. 
The place was agreeable ; and I found in it 
birds of various kinds, which made me fuffi- 
cient amends for the uneafmefs occafioued by 
the delay. 
Klaas, who by long pradice had become a 
naturalift, and who knew as well as I what my 
colledion contained, and what would be new 
in it, exerted himfelf with indefatigable ar- 
dour to augment it. He killed and brought 
to ilie a magnificent bird with which I was 
entirely unacquainted, and v/hich exhibited 
charaderiftics fo confufed that I was at a lofs 
how to clafs it. 
On the firft view I fliould have taken it for 
a cuckoo ; but, though it had fome relation to 
that genuSj it did not in reality belong to it ; 
for its feet were ftronger, and its claws more 
hooked and notched : befides, Klaas, before 
he fired, faw it hook itfelf to the trunk of a 
tree. 
