AUG.] 
CONTINENT OF AFRICA. 
379 
in raising their huts, which is a business exclusively 
allotted to them. They seemed considerably alarmed 
at seeing us, and perhaps the more so as their men 
were not come forward. I observed a venerable old 
woman who was blind, and appeared the oldest person 
I had seen in South Africa. The skin of her body did 
not appear to be united to her flesh, but rather re- 
sembled a loose sheet wrapt round her. The women 
continued very busy at work as if they did not observe 
us, but this was evidently the effect of fear. 
The appearance of the country was interesting, 
from the variety of hills that were in view, and the 
windings of the Great River, but all barren in the 
extreme, and seemingly incapable of cultivation, being 
either sand, gravel, or covered with stones. The ther- 
mometer in the shade at noon was 80 ; of course tra- 
velling in the sun was truly oppressive. Except the 
Coranna kraal, we did not see a human being the 
whole day, nor any animals except a few fowls. At 
four, P.M. we halted for the night, as the heat had 
been very oppressive to our oxen. We had the re- 
semblance of an encampment, there being about eight 
or nine fires, surrounded with people cooking victuals 
and conversing cheerfully together, though many of 
them knew not where the next day s meal was to be ob- 
tained, unless they killed some of their sheep or goats, 
which they are not fond of doing if they can avoid it. 
Their dependence is chiefly on game. Travelled W. 
Three of our people were sick. 
3 c 2 
