330 ' TRAVELS IN 
A confultation was held, to take into confideration the fteps 
that appeared mod advifable to be put in pradllce. The refult 
of this was, that as foon as the oxen, which had been in the 
yoke the whole day, had refrefhed themfelves by a few hours' 
reft, the relays fhould be put to the waggons, and we fhould 
proceed on our journey. We were unwilling to return, and it 
was in vain to think of remaining longer where we were. Be- 
fide the total want of water, there was neither a blade of grafs, 
nor fhrubbery of any fort, upon which the cattle could browfe. 
The fucculent and flefhy leaves even of the mefembryanthe- 
mum tribe, were ftirivelled up to a leathery confiftence, and all 
their juices evaporated. Scarcely a living creature had appeared 
during the whole day, but at night there came into the tent, 
attracted by the light of the candle, fuch a multitude of a fpecies 
of infect, fuch as in England are called cockchafers, that they 
literally extinguifhed the candle and drove us out. This infedt 
was of a pale afh color, and the thorax was covered with a whi- 
tifli powder. 
A little after midnight we ftarted afrefh, directing our way 
acrofs the defart towards the neareft part of the Karuka, hoping 
ftill to be fortunate enough to meet with water there. On ar- 
riving at day-light on the wifhed-for fpot, not a veftige of moif- 
ture even appeared in the whole bed of the river for feveral 
miles. We were now totally at a lofs what ftep to take. We 
found we had advanced too far to think of retreating, and were 
entirely uncertain of what might be the event of proceeding. 
In the midft of painful refledions, the fun began to dart his 
fcorching 
