AFRICA. 211 
by my dogs, the howling and.barking was fo 
inceffant that it w^as impoffibie to enjoy a mo- 
me^it's repolco As I could not In the prefent 
inftance, for want of water, caufe my partridges 
to be boiled, I put one on the gridiron for 
myfelf, and gave up the reft to my people, 
who roafted them upon fmall fpits, which they 
placed round the fire : but what I was afraid of 
adlually happened : a number of carnivorous 
animals, drawn towards us by the fmell of the 
game, kept prowling round my camp, and my 
dogs barking at them did not allow us to fhut 
our eyes for an inftant. 
To this fatigue of the night was added 
thoughtfulnefs for the morrow. I did not know 
whether we fliould be fo fortunate as to find 
any water ; and had reafon to apprehend that, 
after one day of thirft, my people and my cat- 
tle would have to fuffer a fecond ftill more 
painful. When the morrow came, we found 
nothing but a fandy defert covered with briers 
and rufhes ; but while I gave myfelf up to the 
moft melancholy refledions, I was roufed from 
my revery by the cry of a bird which palTed 
over my head. It was a berg-eend (mountain 
duck), or rather a beneficent genius which came 
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