104 VIEW OF THE GREAT DESERT. [1820. 
life ; but, if. they rejected, or trifled with it, he 
had threatened everlasting misery. 
27th. A dance and singing in honour of Seretz 
commenced last night about eight o'clock, con- 
tinued through the night and had not ceased in the 
morning. I went about eight to see if they were 
worn out with their long revel, but they ap- 
peared all fresh and in good spirits ; most of the 
women, however, were hoarse with singing. I 
felt for some of the children who were with them, 
and who must have had a tiresome night. 
After breakfast we ascended a hill of consider- 
able height, accompanied by Mrs. Moffat, in 
order to have a view of the Great Desert. It was 
somewhat troublesome to climb, especially for a 
female, being covered with loose rocks and 
bushes. In about an hour we reached the sum- 
mit, from whence we had an extensive prospect 
of what may be very properly called the Great 
Southern Zahara or Desert, to the W. and N. 
It was a complete plain, without a visible rise, 
and only bounded by the horizon. Many trees 
grew scattered over the sand. Two or three 
pillars of smoke were seen ascending at consider- 
able distances, occasioned probably by withered 
grass set on fire by the Bushmen, who have 
the undisputed sovereignty over that vast wilder- 
ness, extending more than a thousand miles to 
