I 
370 A JOURNEY IN 
than of vegetation and on which two or three of their wag- 
gons broke down, they were under the necessity of halting 
on both nights, without finding the least grass or any kind of 
food for the cattle and without a drop of water. This hilly 
part of the country was called by the boors the Karree bcrgen. 
From the feet of these hills a plain of vast extent stretched 
out to the northward, of a nature altogether different from 
the Karroo desert over which they had just passed : the latter 
being a solid bed of clay on which little vegetation appears, 
except a few straggling weak and sickly succulent plants ; 
but the former was thickly covered with long withered grass. 
On the skirts of this plain our travellers observed at a distance? 
a party of natives intending apparently to approach them. It 
consisted of eight persons, some partially covered with skins, 
tmd others naked; but all of them armed with bows in their hands, 
quivers on their backs, and arrows stuck in a fillet bound round 
the head forming a kind of coronet. Having advanced pretty 
near the waggons they stopped short; and on being beckoned to 
come forwards, they made signs, by pointing to the ground, that 
somebody should first go to them. Accordingly squie of the 
party proceeded towards them, on which they betrayed evi- 
dent marks of fear. They were presented with some 
lacquered brass medallions, a couple of grenadiers' caps, a 
few gilt rings, a little tobacco and, as tliey appeared to be 
greatly in want of food, Avith a whole sheep, which they mi- 
m^ediately killed by cutting the throat ; and having divided it 
among them in shares as nearly equal as they could contrive, 
including both the skin and the entrails, they w^alked offAvith 
oTcat satisfaction. Shortly after this three others of the same 
tribe made their appearance ; but all the endeavours of the 
