132 TRAVELS IN 
Its flcull, and thereby kill it 5 whereas yoti 
might beat its body with a ckib, with all youf 
ftrength, without depriving it of life. This 
fort of infenfibility, let me add, is by no means 
owing to the hardnefs of its fkin, which on 
the contrary is very tender • for, if you take 
h^ld of fome of its quills, or even its hairs, 
and pull them ever fo gently, you will tear 
away w^ith them all the fl^in in which they 
grovvT. 
In remembrance of the birds which I had 
killed, I called this fpring Groufe Fountain : 
in the country it is named Matjes-Fontyn (Mat 
Fountain): and fo vexed was I with Pinar, 
that in my anger I was on the point of ftyling 
It Fountain of Torment. This man, as de- 
termined to follow me as if he had refolved to 
be my plague, accompanied me the following 
day. On the road I refolved iji my mind va- 
rious methods of getting rid of him ; but I 
knew^ his obftinacy fa w^ell, that I defpaired of 
fuccefs. When 1 arrived at the Kauffi, how- 
ever, I fancied I had found an opportunity of 
accompliihing it. 
This rivulet was dry, like mofl of thofe we 
tad lately croffed. But as its bed was fcooped 
put 
