AFRICA. ' 365 
wild beafts, we were under the neceffity of 
having it In our view. We were not fur- 
rounded or covered by many trees ; and this 
rendered our fituation ftill more critical. We 
might indeed have been eafily furprifed; but 
by means of extraordinary fires which we 
kindled, and of twenty fhots fired at intervals, 
we remained all night in perfect tranquillity. 
We were not however able to fleep, for we 
were torm ented by myriads of gnats, attraded 
by the vicinity of the water, and the coolnefs 
of the place we had chofen. One of my 
Hottentots, who fell afleep, was fo flung by 
them, that his face fwelled fo much as to ren^ 
der it almoft impoffible to know him. 
I took care to order one of the feet of the 
hippopotamus to be cut off, which my people 
prepared in the fame manner as that of the 
firft elephant I killed in pafling the mountain 
called Dayvals-Kop, to go from the country 
of Auteniqua to that of Ange-KIoof. I found 
great dilEculty in fetting my people to work, 
for they had fpent the whole night in ftufiing 
themfelves with the flelh of the hippopotamus^ 
I faw them broil pieces two or three feet in 
length, and a foot in breadth; and they Teem- 
ed to be in want of nothing except fleep. 
The 
