144 TRAVELS IN 
every where abundance of water, left by the 
ftorm the preceding evening ; but the earth 
which it had wafhed away in its courfe made it 
fo fait that it was impoffible to drink it. My cat- 
tle, however, accuftomed to brackifh fpringSj 
did not rejeft it : which was a fortunate cir- 
cumftance. For my part, I would rather have 
fwallowed fo much brine. However, to our* 
extreme joy, we found here and there in thd 
cavities of the rocks fome fmall pools formed 
by the rain, the water of which was drink- 
able* 
On the third day, I at length diftinguifhed 
the plain and the mountains which had been 
defcribed to me by the Sandal-bearers. When 
1 make ufe of the word plain, the reader muft 
not affix to it the ftrict mealiing which it has 
in the French language. In Africa, this name 
is given to certain fpaces which, furrounded 
by high mountains, prefent only rocks and 
hills of much lefs fize, by which they are in- 
terfered. 
We advanced Into this pretended plain, hav- 
ing in front the mountains faid to be the re- 
treat of the Houzouanas. They were only 
about five or fix leagues diftant, and , appeared 
to 
