March.] WILD BUSHMAN COUNTRY 
51 
situated six or eight miles to the north of the 
ford. Two of their riding-oxen failed from 
fatigue, and they were obliged to leave them 
behind in the desert. 
After worship and supper, the Griquas retired 
to • a fire under a tree, where they continued 
singing hymns till after midnight. 
Therm, at noon, in the shade, 92. During the 
heat of the day all were dispersed among the 
trees taking shelter under the thickest foliage they 
could find ; but in the evening the air became 
pleasantly cool, so that we could enjoy a fire. 
The Africans, from an indolent habit, after having 
made a fire at night, are not inclined to take the 
trouble to put on fresh fuel though lying around 
them. On leaving the tent after supper, we 
found the fire, which had been very large, almost 
gone out, and every thing looked gloomy. We 
heaped on it some large pieces of decayed trees, 
and in two or three minutes it became a great 
fire, scattering its light far and near, and throwing 
its heat to the distance of thirty or forty yards. 
This soon caused a kind of resurrection among 
the surrounding slumberers, who, after scratching 
their heads, and rubbing their eyes a little, 
became lively and talkative, and one of them 
remarked that he had assisted me in the passage 
across the Great River, six years before. 
E 2 
