AFRICA. 261 
to be acquainted for the firft time with this 
fpecies of quadrupede, I fet out with the utmoft 
fpeed. The river however was fo broad, and 
its banks were fo encumbered with large trees, 
that my labour and refearches were in vain. 
I fpent whole days in walking along its fhores; 
and in the night time I placed myfelf on the 
watch, in hopes of feeing fome of them come 
forth from the water to feed j but I never had 
even that fatisfaflion. 
To make me amends, elephants and buffaloes, 
efpecially the latter, were fo common, and eafy 
to be killed, that we had more provifions than 
we could ufe. I fupplied the former hufbands 
of our women with great abundance : being 
better armed than they, I hunted only for 
them ; fo that I obliged them in every man- 
ner poffible. Thus, amidft the defarts of Africa, 
I introduced the cuftoms and polite manners 
of the moll civiUzed nations of Europe. I 
muft here remark, that if fome hiftorians have 
faid that the Hottentots are of a jealous dif- 
pofition, thofe whom we met with were not 
fufceptible of that cruel paffion. Had I after- 
wards found any hordes fubjed: to it, I fhould 
have mentioned this circumftance with the 
fame veracity, 
S3 My 
