SOUTHERN AFRICA. 331 
fcorching rays, and to difplay a wide horizon that prefented to 
the eye a melancholy picture of cheerlefs defolation. No 
quadrupeds, except our own exhaufted oxen, not a bird, nor 
even an infed: appeared. A total fufpenfion of the vivifying 
principle feemed to prevail on every fide, or that animated 
nature had fled from the dreary wafte. With fuch a profpedt, 
and under fuch a fituation, the mind fickened, and feemed to 
feel a kind of 
** — fecret dread and inward horror 
« Of falling into nought." 
One fmgle hope only now remained, and that was fixed 
upon De Beer valley. This place we knew to be a kind of 
refervoir, in which a number of periodical ftreams had their 
confluence from various parts of the diftant mountains of 
Nieuwveld, Winterberg, and Sneuwberg. The diftance from 
our prefent fituation to it was not very far, but our cattle were 
exceedingly exhaufted ; and had long exprefTed their fuffering 
by hollow lowings, and the fheep by their perpetual bleating. 
The children alfo of the Hottentots who were with us, cried 
inceflTantly for water. 
The appearance of De Beer valley, from a diftance, indicated 
no want of water ; it was that of a beautiful green meadow ; 
and the cattle, and the horfes, and the Hottentots, the moment 
it caught the eye, fcampered away towards it in full career. 
Thofe in the waggons were not behind the reft. Their looks 
and manner, on arriving at the fpot, fufficiently exprefl'ed the 
u U 2 difappoint- 
