AFRICA. 147 
took care from time to time to fire feveral fhots 
during the night. 
In the courfe of the night, I obferved at a 
diftance towards the fouth a very large fire, 
which, by its extent, appeared to be a confla- 
gration of dry grafs on the fides of the moun- 
tains, and much nearer before us, to the wefl:, 
three others, which I fuppofed to be fig- 
nals. The latter feemed to announce that I 
was in the neighbourhood of a horde, either 
of the Houzouanas or of fome other nation ; 
and I confequently refolved, as foon as day 
fliould appear, to advance towards the moun- 
tains. 
When about to depart, I found myfelf once 
more retarded by the timidity of my people, 
who, being again feized with their former ter- 
ror, were afraid to penetrate farther. AVhen 
we quitted the horde of the Sandal-bearers, the 
danger had appeared only at a diftance, in 
perfpeftive, and they had braved it ; but now, 
when they beheld it near and magnified by 
imagination, it entirely damped their courage. 
My patroles, my fires, and thofe precau- 
tions for our fafety which I had thought pro- 
per to employ during the night, had ferved 
L 2 only 
