332 TRAVELS IN 
difappointmcnt they felt on finding the "beds of the pools and 
the rivers all perfectly dry. In one place only, fhaded by mimofas 
that had withftood the drought, was a fmall puddle of muddy 
water. Of this we contrived to bail out with our hats a fmall 
quantity for the horfes, but it afforded none for the cattle. The 
ftrong grafs, in many places, and the reeds ftill retaining fome 
verdure, were greedily devoured by the oxen, and it was to this 
circumftance I am convinced their fafety was owing. 
Riding over the furface of the valley in fearch of fome pond 
or rivulet that might afford a little water, the glimpfe of a fmall 
pool caught the eye of my horfe through fome thick bufhes, into 
which he diredly fprung, and, in fpite of refiftance, forced his 
way into the water. He had no fooner, however, applied his 
mouth to it, than he withdrew his head, finding it to be as 
fait as brine. It was in fa£t the Salt river mentioned on a for- 
mer vifit to this place. Much of the water having evaporated 
in the courfe of the long feries of hot weather, the banks were 
now encrufted with plates of fait, that wore the appearance 
of ice. 
The reeds and rufh-llke grafs having in fome degree refrefhed 
our cattle, towards the cool of the day we determined to ftart 
afrefli, ftrike off towards the edge of the defert, and crofs the 
great range of the Black mountains, beyond which there was no 
uncertainty of meeting with water. Our miferable cattle were, 
therefore, once more put into the waggons, and moving flowly 
through a pafs of the mountains, which proved to be tolerably 
level, we came about midnight to a place where a Hottentot 
had 
