i3« TRAVELS IN 
even fome orders refpefting my carriages an4 
cattle : but the Colonel, who was acquainted 
with the country through which I was about 
to commenee my journey, and who had travel- 
led over a part of it, flopped me in my career, 
by affuring me that, if I departed before the 
i:ainy feafon arrived, I fhould find only parched 
and barren deferts, where I fhould infallibly 
die of thirft, with my whole caravan. 
This argument brought me to a determina- 
tion ; for it was impoflible not to yield to the 
advice of a prudent and enlightened man, who 
fpoke from experience. My confidence in 
him was fo great, that I never even thought 
of objeding to what he faid. He had travelled, 
indeed, to the north of the Cape, as 1 was 
preparing to do 5 but, as it was not my in- 
tention to purfue the fame route, the ad vice he 
gave was by no means applicable to me ; as, in 
the end, I too fatally experienced. I caution 
future travellers, therefore, who ihall undertake 
a fimilar excurfion, not to follow my example, 
but to fet out from the Cape at the time of the 
intenfe heat, or, at leaf!:, fo to fettle their depar-* 
ture, that, during the fummer of the country, 
Jjjiat is to fay,, from November to february. 
