38 
STATE OF THE BUSHMEN. [1820. 
by the plummet. A great proportion of the 
stones were scooped out in the form of soup 
plates, with regular waved sides, as if finished 
by the art of man. The plain ascended to the 
westward, but seemed almost deserted by every 
thing that had life, nor were there any signs of 
water till three p. m., when we came in sight of 
trees on a strip of rising ground, which animated 
our hopes, but they were disappointed, as this 
gfoup of trees was succeeded by a naked 
plain, destitute even of the smallest bush. At 
five p. M. we reached a second collection" of trees, 
where we happily discovered water, as the sun 
had nearly reached the verge of the western sky. 
We halted in the middle of this small forest of 
mimosas, and near some decayed ones well fitted 
to feed our fires. 
Two wild Bushmen appeared at a little dis- 
tance, but fled at our approach. Some of our 
people came upon their kraal, but all its inhabi- 
tants were gone. What a state for human beings 
to live in ! separated from the whole world, in 
the midst of a barren, gloomy desert. Their 
condition calls loudly to the more-favoured part of 
mankind, to send them help. Were a mission 
to be established with Makoon on the Malalareen, 
there is no doubt but in process of time these 
wild men of the desert would be collected into a 
little society, and thus be brought into connection 
