12 
JOURNEY FROM 
[1820. 
white appearance, but the cliffs and excavations 
were of a red hue. Circumstances prevented me 
from going near enough to them to be more parti- 
cular in my observations. We found strong 
creeping grass growing in the dry bed of the river, 
which measured twenty-three feet in length, and 
one inch in circumference ; also wild yellow 
melons very abundant on the sides. Thermometer 
in the shade at noon 90, at midnight 76. 
An exploit by Cornelius, my driver, is worthy 
of notice, as it shows what patience and perse- 
verance can accomplish, even under the oppres- 
sive heat of an African climate. He returned in 
the evening, after an absence of three days in 
search of two oxen that had strayed, having 
walked about one hundred miles. He was very 
tired on his return and said little, only that we 
had travelled too fast for him. After taking some 
food he became more communicative, and related 
the history of his journey. 
He started on the Saturday morning from the 
Helbeck River to return to Reed Fountain, where 
the oxen left us. At this place he arrived about 
sunset, and it being too late for commencing the 
search that night he lay down behind some sand, 
and slept till daybreak. The next morning he 
examined the foot-marks of oxen all around, but 
could not distinguish those he wanted. He then 
