142 
JOURNEY IN ALBANY. 
[1813. 
The ants are remarkably troublesome there. Lieut. 
Flechwood told us, that his sugar and butter were 
constantly infested by them. Mr. Read recommended 
placing them in the middle of a bason of water as the 
only preventive, for even though suspended from the 
roof by a small cord, they would find their way by 
that cord. 
1 3th. Left Sand-flat at seven in the morning, and 
soon came in sight of some Springbucks, which afforded 
great entertainment, from their springing at least six 
feet every leap in height, and several yards in length. 
However near a person may be to them, no motion 
of their legs can be perceived ; the instant they touch 
the ground after one spring, they rise again into the 
air, which makes their motion resemble flying. At 
nine A.M. we passed a military post, commanded by 
Lieutenant Easson : near it I observed an ant-hill, 
the largest I had seen, apparently about five-feet in 
height, and twelve in circumference : we then crossed 
Bushmen s River, and halted for worship and breakfast 
on the other side. 
Departed at three P.M. travelling over a level 
country, without tree or bush, till eight in the evening, 
when we halted at Assagai Bush, near to which stands 
a fort and a boors house. The boor told us they 
had been hunting two lions the greater part of the 
day, without success, owing to the number of bushes, 
and that they had seen many elephants on the plain ; 
