SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
259 
vifit, they were entirely free from them. Their laft exit from 
the colony was rather fingular. All the full-grown inre(fls 
were driven into the fea by a tempeftuous north-weft wind, 
and were afterwards caft upon the beach, where it is faid they 
formed a bank of three or four feet high, that extended from 
the mouth of the Bosjefman's river to that of the Beeka, a 
diftance of near fifty Englifh miles ; and it is afferted, that 
when this mafs became putrid, and the wind was at fouth-eaft, 
the ftench was fenfibly felt in feveral parts of Sneuwberg. 
Fortunately they were driven thus to fea before they had 
depofited their eggs in the ground. The larvas at the fame 
time were emigrating to the northward. The column pafied 
the houfes of two of our party, who alTerted that it continued 
without any interruption for more than a month. The grylli- 
vori in myriads were clofe at their heels, and departed along 
with them, fince which, till the prefent year, not one of them 
was to be found in the country. 
Hunting excurfions had daily been made on the plains, at a 
diftance from the river, where game of all forts were in the 
greateft abundance ; but the chief objed: was the gnoo or ivild 
beaji^ as it is called by--the Dutch. Parties of five or fix had 
been out for two days, in order to procure one of thefe animals, 
but without fuccefs. On the third day we muftered a com- 
pany of ten perfons, and after a very long chace contrived at 
length to hem in a troop confifting of about fifty, out of 
which, at one volley, we fhot fix. This extraordinary ani- 
mal is the fwifteft beaft that ranges the plains of Africa. A 
- L L 2 traveller 
