328 
TRAVELS IN 
Sunday and Camdeboo, fo much fwelled with the rains as barely 
to be fordable. At the port alfo of Camdeboo, which opens 
upon the defert, the fmall river there was running with a 
copious and rapid ftream ; a circumftance that nearly removed 
every doubt, and fcarcely fuftered an idea to exift of the pro- 
babiUty even of experiencing any want of water on this fide of 
De Beer valley. We foon however found, by fatal experience, 
that the extent of the rains had been very limited. In fadt they 
had reached only a few miles beyond the Poort. Still we had 
hopes that the Hottentot's river, a day's journey farther, would 
contain fome water, or fhould this even fail, that the Karuka, 
whofe fource was in the mountains of Camdeboo, muft undoubt- 
edly be full from the late rains that were perceived to fall in 
thofe mountains. 
On the eleventh, therefore, we left the Poort, and the farther 
we proceeded upon the defert, the fainter became the traces of 
the rain that had fallen, till at length they totally difappeared. 
The face of the country very foon prefented only one continued 
plain of uniform aridity and barrennefs. The few faline plants, 
thinly fcattered over a furface of white clay fprinkled with red- 
difli fand, were fhrivelled up, crackling under the feet like fo 
many bundles of rotten fticks. The rays of the fun playing 
upon the naked furface were painful to behold, and their dazz- 
ling light highly injurious to the eye. 
About the middle of the day a melancholy objed prefented 
itfelf before us, near the fide of the road. It was a horfe at his 
laft gafp, for want of water. He was known by our Hottentots 
to 
