56 
TRAVELS IN 
for many parts of the country, particularly after a feries of dry 
weather, produce not a fmgle blade of grafs. The bitter, four, 
and faline plants, than which the arid foil of an African defert 
produces nothing better, conftitute oft times their only food for 
weeks together ; and to the ufe of thefe may probably be 
owing the ofFenfive breath that the ox of the colony is gene- 
rally obferved to have. In Europe, the fweetnefs of the breath 
of horned cattle is almoft proverbial. In Africa it is remarked 
to be altogether as naufeous. The bad quality of the water, 
which in the defert plains is never met with pure, but impreg- 
nated with faline or earthy matter, may alfo contribute in pro- 
ducing this effedl. The fpeed of an ox in the waggon, where 
the country is tolerably level, and the furface hard, is full three 
miles an hour, at which rate he will continue for ten or twelve 
hours without halting. 
The firft day of July was fixed upon for our departure from 
the Cape ; and the preceding month was employed in making 
the necelTary preparations, fitting up three waggons, and in 
procuring draught oxen, which at this feafon of the year, after 
the long drought, were fcarce and extremely lean. Bajlaards 
for drivers, and Hottentots to lead the foremoft pair in the 
team, and to take care of the relays, were very difficult to be 
procured, but indifpenfibly neceffary. Every thing, however, 
was in readinefs on the day fixed, though it was night before 
the waggons left the town j and the oxen were fo miferably 
bad, that before they had proceeded three miles, two of them 
dropped in the yokes, and were obliged to be left behind. In 
feven hours they had only advanced about fifteen miles, to a 
place 
