AFRICA. 147 
dreadful convulfions. I made thofe that were 
bathing quit the water, of which they had cer- 
tainly not fwallowed any, fince they were not 
at all difordered ; and I forced down the throats 
of the other two feveral dofes of fpermaceti 
oil, which made them vomit, and faved their 
lives. They felt the efFeds of the poifon, 
however, for more than a fortnight : their legs 
were fo ftiff, that thqy could not bend a fingle 
joint : during the whole of this time we were 
obliged to leave them in the waggons, and 
they would take no food except milk. It was 
fortunate for us, that their eagerncfs to drink 
had warned us of the danger. But for this, 
perhaps, my Hottentots would have watered 
the cattle at the refervoir without fufpicion, 
and poffibly even fome of themfelves would 
have been poifoned in quenching their thirfte 
However great may be the proportion of 
euphorbia thrown into a pond of water, I am 
perfuaded that it never difFufes itfelf through 
the whole mafs. It is my opinion, that the 
poifon is a refmous juice, which, being from 
its nature incapable of combining wirh water, 
fwims on the furface, and there forms that 
Ihining greenifh oil, which with a little at- 
L a tentioa 
