INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 1 77 
apprehend that I should perish of thirst. To relieve the burning 
pain in my mouth and throat, I chewed the leaves of different 
shrubs, but found them all bitter, and of no service to me. 
A little before sunset, having reached the top of a gentle 
rising, I climbed a high tree, from the topmost branches of 
which I cast a melancholy look over the barren Wilderness, but 
without discovering the most distant trace of a human dwell- 
ing. The same dismal uniformity of shrubs and sand every 
where presented itself, and the horizon was as level and unin- 
terrupted as that of the sea. 
Descending from the tree, I found my horse devouring the 
stubble and brushwood with great avidity ; and as I was now 
too faint to attempt walking, and my horse too much fatigued 
to carry me, I thought it but an act of humanity, and perhaps 
the last I should ever have it in my power to perform, to 
take off his bridle and let him shift for himself; in doing 
which I was suddenly affected with sickness and giddiness; and 
falling upon the sand, felt as if the hour of death was fast 
approaching. " Here then, thought I, after a short but inefFec- 
" tual struggle, terminate all my hopes of being useful in my 
day and generation : here must the short span of my life 
" come to an end." — I cast (as I believed) a last look on the 
surrounding scene, and whilst I reflected on the awful change 
that was about to take place, this world vvitli its enjoyments 
seemed to vanish from my recollection. Nature, however, 
at length resumed its functions; and on recovering my senses, 
J found myself stretched upon the sand, with the bridle still 
jn ray hand, and the sun just sinking beliind the trees. I 
A a 
