AFRICA. 151 
At firfl I direded my courfe, as much as the 
ravines and defiles would permit, towards the 
place where we had obferved the fires. Having 
arrived with great caution at the bottom of the 
mountains, I found it neceflary to afcend in a 
northern diredion, as I perceived that the 
windings had made us defcend too low. 
The fpace traverfed by thefe circuitous 
marches prefented only to my view, rocks^ 
piled one upon another, and crowned with 
peaks ftill more elevated. The afpedl of them 
was truly hideous ; and, but for fome mifer- 
able and ftunted fhrubs which here and there 
difplayed their melancholy vegetation, I fhould 
have beheld nothing but the dreary picture of 
dead and inanimate nature. The horror of 
this defert was ftill increafed by the filence 
which prevailed around. We heard only at 
certain diftances the fhrill cry of fome dama- 
antelopes, and the difcordant noife of birds of 
prey, with which the ear was equally dif- 
treffed. 
I was apprehenfive, left the miftake which 
had led us aftray fhould expofe us to fome dif- 
agreeable adventure : by the happieft chance, 
how^ever, it led to the difcovery of what 
L A with 
