June.] PASSAGE OF THE MAKLAREEN. 
51 
parated from each other by a space of eighteen 
inches or two feet. The soil between these hil- 
locks is every where bare, so that, during heavy 
falls of rain, innumerable little streams run in all 
directions, increasing the depth of their channels, 
and of course rendering the ground extremely 
rough. The greater part of African travelling, 
where there are no beaten paths, is over a surface 
of this kind. 
At two p. M. we reached the Maklareen river, 
where it forms what may be termed an invisible 
lake of great extent ; invisible from the thick 
growth of rushes, reeds, &c. all over it, which 
completely conceal the water. It was about a 
quarter of a mile across. My waggon happened 
to enter first, and got over without any material 
obstruction, only the hind leg of one ox sunk so 
deep that he fell, but immediately recovering 
himself, he went on briskly ; The two other 
waggons were not equally successful, for both 
stuck fast in the middle, in consequence of some 
of the oxen in each sinking into the mire up to 
their bellies. After a long and severe struggle 
one of the two waggons got over ; but they were 
obliged to take out the two oxen that were yoked 
to the shafts of the waggon, and then, with about 
sixteen or eighteen oxen, they succeeded in 
dragging it to the side also ; but still there re- 
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