PROPERTIES OF THE WATER-MELONS. II5 
method. A hole is dug in the ground, and filled 
with melons ; these are covered with sand, on 
which a great fire is pkced. When the melons 
are sufficiently roasted, they are taken out, and 
the water they contain is poured into bottles, or 
rather ostrich egg-shells, when the thick sub- 
stance that remains is used for food. 
These melons are remarkably adapted by Pro- 
vidence to the circumstances of the natives, as, 
in ordinary cases (according to Hendric's testi- 
mony) they retain their freshness for two years, 
so that, should there fall no rain during that pe- 
riod, the natives continue to be supplied from 
them with both food and drink. The Boot- 
shuannas, when they live wholly upon them, 
grow quite fat ; indeed, more so than when 
living entirely on flesh. The inhabitants of the 
desert also hunt elephants, cameleopards, elks, 
steinboks, and quachas, which they sometimes 
are able to kill with their bows and arrows. 
He saw no running water in the desert; but 
after the rainy season there are various pools in 
the hollow parts. He heard also of a salt-lake, 
the salt of which the natives represented to him 
to be as solid as stone. The natives were more 
numerous than he expected; they lived in a 
very scattered way over the desert, and generally 
fled from his party. He likewise heard that the 
