136 
JOURNEY TO 
[1820. 
brown ostrich feathers, that at a little distance it 
resembled the common umbrella of England. 
Salakootoo, uncle to Mateebe, is considered 
by every one as a man of no principle, so that^ 
in speaking of some bad character, the Mat- 
chappees who travelled with me described him 
as another Salakootoo. The king himself speaks 
as contemptuously of him as any one. Lately a 
person came to the king, complaining against 
Salakootoo, that he owed him a debt which he 
would not pay. The king whispered to him that 
he should go to the place where his uncle's cattle 
were kept, and seize as many as would be suffi- 
cient to pay the debt, for he could not help him 
in such a matter. 
After travelling six hours among trees and tall 
grass, we passed a lake of brackish water, of 
which the oxen drank but little. Another hour 
brought us to a dry lake called Choo-y-ing, near 
which is a spring of good water, where we halted 
at four p. M. This lake is about four miles in cir- 
cumference ; the bottom consists of white clay, 
and at a distance resembles salt. On its side 
are six or seven large and deep holes, dug by the 
natives, containing water covered by green vege- 
table substances, under which the water tasted 
tolerably well. Flocks of quachas, springboks, 
and other wild animals, were feeding quietly 
