SECOND JOURNEY. 
half an hour, we gained the oppofite fhore, where we wounded , 
an Hippopotamus. At noon I made an excurfion along the 
mountains, which were fo naked that fcarcely a plant was to 
be feen. Some of thefe mountains conlill of a fpecies of 
quartz, others of iron, and feveral ftrata of copper ore. Along 
the banks of the river I found many pebbles of hard agate. 
In the evening we returned to the waggon, much fatigued. 
The wind being eafterly, had driven us above a thoufand 
yards down the river. I ftayed here feveral days, fearching 
the whole country for plants, and (hot many beautiful birds, 
with which I was before unacquainted. 
On the fifteenth, whilft we were in this iituation, my com- 
panion, Mr. Van Re nan, very narrowly efcaped with his life. 
In crofling the river, accompanied by four Hottentots, the 
whole party was attacked purfued by two Hippopotami. 
They had, however, the good fortune to get upcn a rock in 
the middle of the river, and their guns being loaded they 
killed one of thefe animals ; the other fwam to the oppofite 
fide. Mr. Van Renan's intention was to go to the northward, 
being informed that the Camelopardales were in that part of 
the country, while I made excurfions to the eaftward through 
a large plain in fearch of plants. Here I found many new 
fpecies of Gramina, particularly that which the Dutch call 
Bofliman's Grafs, from the ufe made of it by that people, who 
eat the feed of it. At different feafons of the year a fpecies 
of locufts come down to this plain in fuch numbers as to 
deftroy mod of the plants. The Boflunen efteem thefe in- 
fects excellent food. The locufts are dried and kept for ufe 
