A F R I C A. 187 
iCxpofe their lives for a fingle (heep, this was a 
temptation not to be refifted. Accordingly 
they requefted only that I would allow thein 
four or five days to colled their friends— to 
which I readily confented. 
In the evening they difperfed themfelves 
over the mountain, climbing to the higheft 
fummits, there to kindle fires which might 
ferve as iignals to the fcattered parties of their 
friends ; or to obferve thofe which the latter 
might kindle in the plains. They had no 
doubt that, if they fucceeded in making their 
fires be perceived, all the different bodies would 
immediately join them. 
Nofturnal fires are a peculiar language un- 
derftood and employed by almoft all favage 
nations. None, however, have carried this art 
fo far as the Houzouanas, becaufe none have 
fo much need of underftanding and bringing 
it to perfedion. If it be neceilary to announce 
a defeat or a vidory, an arrival or departure, 
a fuccefsful plundering expedition or the want 
of affiftance, in a word, any intelligence what- 
.ever, they are able, either by the number of 
their fires or the manner in which they ar- 
range them, to make it known in an inflant. 
They 
