SECOND JOURNEY. 
55 
I found my companions at a fmall fountain, broiling fome white ^^778^ 
ants, which we eat ; and indeed they are by no means difa- ^— -v— 
greeable. Here I found a new Ixia, with a long fpike of 
crimfon flowers, I think it was one of the moft beautiful I had 
ever found : being rather appreheniive of the Boihmen, we 
lighted no fires ; but in the night we faw feveral to the eaft 
and north-eaft, wliich we fuppofed were made by the natives. 
Next day we proceeded on our journey to the north-wcfl:, 
through a deep fandy country. About noon we obferved a 
habitation a little to the eaftward, and found that it belonged 
to an European, who lived here during the winter feafon : 
this place we called the Pickled Fountain, from the water be* 
ing fo brackifh that we could not drink it. In the afternoon 
we continued our journey to another fountain, called Brack 
Fountain. The water here was exceedingly brackifli, though 
much better than the firfl. During the night we had much 
lain ; and next day found good water in the hollow rocks ; 
but I obferved that the water, by {landing a few hours in the 
rocks, became fimilar in its (juahties to that of the fountain. 
From this place we continued our journey through a hiilv 
country. Moil of the hills form large pyramids of loofe, red, 
fandy ftone. Here I found but few plants in flower, except 
of the fucculent kind. At noon, on the twenty-fecond, we 
came to the Hartebeeft Rivier, which was brackilh ; here we 
refled about two hours. In the afternoon we proceeded to 
the weftward, when we came to another houfe on the fame 
river, where we fcayed all night. A little to the weihvard 
