TRAVELS 
quite worn out. They dragged themfelves 
along with great difficulty, and were obliged 
in turns to ride upon the oxen. The Greater 
Nirr.iquas, with their eyes funk and a de- 
jected air, had fcarcely flrength to utter a 
word ; but, though they did not fpeak, their 
filence every moment announced the regret 
they felt at having engaged to follow me. In 
lliort, whoever had feen my caravan would 
have taken it for one of thofe flying hofpitals 
that ufually follow in the rear of an army. 
The animals themfelves, extenuated by 
long failing and long marches, fhared in the 
general dejedion. My horfes were lame; and, 
as it was impoiTible to ufe them, I had been 
obliged to travel on foot. I have already re- 
marked, that fuch was the fatigue of my oxen^ 
that I had been forced to abandon two of them,' 
The feet of my dogs were abfolutely fore and 
covered with blood. They y/ere not only 
become indifferent refpecting the purfuit of 
game, but faw it rife before them without ftir- 
ring fo much as a ftep to follow it. I could 
not, as formely, place them in my waggons; 
for I had none. It was a truly affeding fpec- 
tacle to fee the lim-ping manner in which they 
w^alked. 
