SOUTHERN AFRICA. 429 
And having satisfied the whole horde, the Koras, the Bas- 
taards, and the Bosjesmans, who had so willingly and so es- 
sentially assisted them on all occasions, they took their leave 
on the 11th March, returning up the river and crossing it 
occasionally at the same places as in their journey down- 
wards. Nothing particular occurred till the 19th, Avhen they 
encountered a swarm of locusts so immensely great that, 0^1 
all sides as far as the eye could reach, the whole surface of 
the ground, the trees, the bushes, and the smaller plants 
were entirely covered with them. Numbers of l^osjesmen 
were observed to be busily employed in collecting these- 
insects, which, after being dried in the sun, serve them for 
food v/hen other resources fail them. 
In various parts of the Orange river they had met with the huge 
hippopotamus, but had not hitherto been fortunate enough to- 
kill one of these creatures. The two secretaries Daniell and Bor- 
cherds, determined on having at least a fair chance, left the- 
waggons and proceeded along the banks of the river at an< 
early hour in the morning, taking with them a Hottentot 
and a pack or saddle ox. Towards the close of the day they 
thought of striking off from the river, in order to fall in with, 
the waggons ; but the weather suddenly became so bad, the 
wind blew so violently, the rain descended in such torrents^ 
and the thunder and the lightning were so severe, that they 
found it utterly impossible to proceed. The night was ex- 
cessively dark, and they were on the midst of a barren plain^ 
without a bush or even a rock to afford them the smallest 
degree of shelter. To those who have nevej experienced 
thunder-storm on the deserts of Africa it is impossible to con- 
