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250 TRAVELS IN 
fmall pieces, and put them In our two kettles ; 
after which they threw boiling water upon 
them : in proportion as the greafe melted, it 
floated on the furface ; and being colleded, 
my people put it into bladders, and fome of 
the inteftines, the better to preferve it. A 
Hottentot never neglefts to make this pro- 
vifion ; for, befides what he daily ufes at his 
toilette, he employs it alfo in cooking different 
diflies. As for us, we never could find too 
much of it, as we were obliged to greafe the 
wheels and traces of our waggons ; which, 
without this precaution, would have been foon 
fo much dried by the fun as to be unfit for 
fervice. I myfelf ufed it for candles and for 
jny night lamp, which wafted a great deal : 
for want of fpuii cotton I made wicks of my 
neckcloths. 
The preparing of this fat took us up a con- 
fiderable time ; and the operation was not 
quite finiflied, when fome of my people came 
to inform me that they had obferved an enor- 
mous print of an elephant's foot, at the diftance 
of an hundred paces from my tent. As the 
traces were quite frefh, I concluded this mon- 
ftrous animal could not have gone far ; and I 
immediately fet out in fearch of it. We ranged 
the 
