134- TRAVELS IN 
was tlie more grateful to us, becaufe they were 
the firfl: large trees we had feeii fince we left 
the Elephants- River. 
A botanift would have found here an ample 
harvefi: of various plants, particularly of the 
oily kindsj with which the country abounds, 
I made drav/iogs of feveral that appeared to me 
the moR remarkalile ; among others, of a mag- 
nificent ixia, very lofijy the numerous deep red 
flowers of vv'hir:h vvere extremely pleafing to 
the eye. I alio noticed fome large and high 
bulhes of the great euphorbia, with which the 
whole plain was inter fperfed. The favoges 
employ the milky juice of this plant to poifon 
the arrows the}- make ufe of in hunting the 
larger kinds of game. I was defirous of tiylng 
the poiforious quality of this plant, and, not- 
withfianding the ftreiiuoiis diiluafjon of m.y 
I^ottentots, I put a feall drop of its milky 
juice upon my tongue, which occafioned an 
irifufFerable f.nart for more than two hours. I 
cut a fiice of the plantj and offered it to my ape, 
who leaped back affi'ighted, and ran to a con- 
fiderable diftance, without venturing to come 
near mc again for a long time. 
Ivlaas Bafter talked as if he was well ac- 
quainted 
