112 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
/779; Brothers ; and in this defolate region there was no one who 
Auguft. ^ ... 
^— -v^-^ could difpute any denomination by which we chofe to diftin- 
giiifli whatever we met with. To the northward we difcovered 
a large valley about three miles diftant, but found there was 
no water. This Colonel Gordon called Renting' s Valley. We 
were obliged to Hay here all night, as our cattle was fo much 
fatigued that it was impoflible to proceed farther ; our guide 
informed us that we were then about eight miles from the 
river. 
Early in the morning, Colonel Gordon, Jacobus V an Renaii 
^ and I, left the waggons and proceeded on our journey. In our 
way we found an Oftrich neft, containing thirty-four frelli 
■eggs, which proved excellent food. We faw feveral Zebras, 
Quachas, and Elks. At ten in the forenoon we arrived at the 
river, which appeared at once to be a new creation to us. After 
having pafTed nine .days in crolTing an arid and fultry defart, 
where no living animal was to be feen, and during which our 
cattle had but twice tafted the luxury of a drop of water. 
We here unfaddled our horfes and refreihed ourfelves by the 
4ide of the river, under the fhade of a Willow, which hung 
over its banks ; and afterwards made an excurfion along the 
river to the eaftward, hoping that we fliould find fome appear- 
ance of our loll companion, who had been feven days abfent 
from the waggons. We obferved feveral old uninhabited huts, 
where were numbers of Baboons bones, with thofe of various 
other wild beafts. About a thoufand yards from the banks of 
the river, the country is extremely barren, and to the eaftward 
very mountainous, -On thefe eminences there is fcarcely any 
