150 
JOURNEY TO 
[1820. 
said they intended to eat it now, after which they 
should all sleep as sound as wolves, 
20th. Early in the morning, and while yet 
dark, I was suddenly awakened by a tremendous 
clap of thunder over the waggons, which also 
roused the dogs and made them bark with ve- 
hemence. At seven a.m., we left Manapanne 
Lake, and travelled over an extensive plain, 
without any rise, and destitute of either tree or 
bush ; however, it was rendered interesting by 
the variety of game of different descriptions 
which we saw upon it. We met with several 
pools of water, and the grass around them was of 
a greener hue than any we had previously passed. 
The rains in this part of Africa are not periodical, 
as in most other parts, but fall at all seasons in 
the year ; the grass, however, being sour, our 
cattle would hardly eat it ; though very green, it 
feels hard, as if destitute of moisture ; but it must 
be relished by the wild animals, which resort to 
this part of the country in such vast numbers. 
At eleven a.m., we halted at a lake called 
Chu-y-ing Mirebooh, in the vicinity of which are 
two low hills ; and a few miles to the north is a 
higher hill, covered with wood, and with a sort 
of bush called mayana-mabere, or two-heads. 
After breakfast I visited the lake, which ap- 
