202 
JOURNEY ACROSS THE 
[1813. 
which they surround with fire. Perhaps the last 
is the best of the three methods. Thermometer at 
noon, 44. 
We continually met with a species of grass which 
is very troublesome. If it even attach itself to the 
oatside of the great coat, the seeds will work their 
way to the skin, which produces much uneasiness. 
Our clothes required to be cleared of these visitors 
after every walk, or we suffered by the neglect. 
During the day our waggons had several narrow 
escapes from falling into pits made by the bushmen 
for catching beasts. They are five or six feet deep ; 
at the bottom of which is stuck a poisoned stake, and 
the mouth is concealed by a slight covering of branches 
strewed over with grass, that the unsuspecting creature 
walking over, may sink down and be taken. Those 
we passed were old ones. 
At the place at which we arrived about sun-set, the 
Brak River ceased to have a bed ; the ground being 
flat, it must form itself in the rainy season into an 
extensive lake, as is evident from the absence of 
bushes on the ground, and the kind of grass which 
covers it, which at this season, being withered, has 
much the appearance of a corn field in autumn. The 
sun was set before we could reach any water, which 
obliged us to stop, lest in the dark we should fall 
into some of the pits. 
