190 
JOURNEY ACROSS THE [1813. 
thought dirt upon their skin kept them warm. Each 
of them had a jackal's tail fixed on a stick to wipe the 
sweat from their faces in hot weather. They had also 
a quiver of poisoned arrows. They had left the old 
woman, the mother, in the cave where they had slept 
during the night. They had been visiting a distant 
kraal, and were returning to their own. When we 
had advanced a few miles, I learned that the young man 
who accompanied us had a wife and child at home. 
Thermometer at noon, 58. 
This season may be called the Bushman's harvest, 
for the ground being softened by tlie rain, they can 
easily pull up roots not only for present consumption, 
but if they choose for future use also. In summer 
they are supplied with locusts, which they dry and 
pound into powder, which serves as a substitute for 
flour. 
Our being accompanied by the young Bushman 
appeared to be a singular favour from providence, 
for had he not been with us, it is probable we should 
neither have found grass, nor water, nor wood for fire at 
night. We had not seen a blade of grass during the first 
day's journey ; but a little after sun-set he led us out of 
our track, up a narrow pass between two hills on our 
right, to a small sequestered valley, where there was a 
fountain, grass, and abundance of fire-wood. I looked 
to him, as Elijah may be supposed to have looked to 
the ravens that fed him in the wilderness, as God's 
instrument for fulfilling his gracious will to us, in 
