TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Euphorbia, which grows to the height' of fifteen feet, and 
fupphes the Hottentots with an ingredient for poilbning their 
arrows. Their method of making this pernicious mixture, is 
by firft taking the juice extracted from the Euphorbia, and a 
kind of caterpillar peculiar to another plant, which has much 
the appearance of a fpecies of Rhus, though I could find none 
in flower. They mix the animal and vegetable matter, and 
after drying it^ they point their arrows with this compofition, 
which is fuppofed to be the moft eifedual poifon of the whole 
country. The Euphorbia itfelf is alfo ufed for this purpofe, 
by throwing the branches into fountains of water frequented 
by wild beails, which after drinking the water thus poifoned, 
feldom get a thoufand yards from the brink of the fountain 
before they fall down and expire. This pra£lice of poifoning 
the water, proves an additional danger to travellers who are 
unacquainted with the circumflance ; though the natives ge- 
nerally ufe the precaution of leading off the water which is to 
be poifoned to a fmall drain, and covering up the principal 
fountain. 
We next directed our courfe eafterly, along the banks of 
the river, where I added much to my collection. In our pro- 
grefs we faw a variety of the moll beautiful Birds I ever be- 
held ; and numbers of wild Apes and Elephants. 
The day following, I propofed crofling the river with feveral 
of the Hottentots who were fwimmers. We invented a fmall 
float, which confifled of three pieces of dry wood, on which 
we tranfported oitr guns and clothes. After fwimming about 
