CHAP. XXXVIIL 
LEAVE SILVER FOUNTAIN- MEET A BOOR— KNEW NO- 
THING OF THE STATE OF EUROPE— REACH FIRST 
HOUSE IN COLONY— COME IN SIGHT OF ETHIOPIC 
OCEAN — MOSAMBIQUE SLAVE — GREAT HEAT— BAD 
WATER. 
At one, P.M. we proceeded on our journey, drawn 
by oxen belonging to Cornelius Kok, which were to 
assist US for two or three days. Thermometer at noon 
84. As I walked along I almost trod upon a serpent ; 
it hissed with all its might. We were told, that in 
Namacqualand it frequently happens, after rain, that 
SO many serpents come out of their holes, that it is 
very difficult to walk without treading on them. We 
halted about ten, P.M. among hills, and without 
water. The way was circuitous, in consequence of 
the hills, but always inclined to the S.W. 
2nd. The rising sun discovered that we were sur- 
rounded with beauty : the bushes were all in flower of 
various colours ; but the prevailing colours were yel- 
low, white, and pink, of various hues. We had ob- 
served no dew for a long time till now ; the bushes 
were sprinkled with it* We moved at six in the morn- 
