q8o TRAVELS IN 
own countrymen, whofe marauding way of life he had been pre- 
vailed upon to quit, with his whole horde, on the promife of 
pardon and protection of the government. It is now fifteen 
years fmce they had taken up their abode on the edge of the 
Karroo, where they have lived peaceably and induftrioufly ever 
fmce. He faid that, by making proper overtures to his country- 
men, he had no doubt but many hordes might be brought to live 
quietly in the fervice of the farmers, for that their diftreifes, in 
their prefent way of life, were great and grievous. 
Early on the morning of the twenty-feventh, with frefh teams 
of oxen, we proceeded to crofs the defert. The wind ftill con- 
tinued at fouth-eaft, and the weather was remarkably warm for 
the feafon of the year, the thermometer {landing at 59" at fun-rife, 
and at 80° in the middle of the day in the fhade. The waggons 
raifed a cloud of duft that was almoft infupportable. Except one 
folitary oftrich, not a living creature of any kind appeared the 
whole day. Having travelled near eight hours, our Hottentot 
guide pointed out a place under a fmall clump of naked hills, 
where water, he faid, frequently lodged in the cavities of rocks. 
He called it the Lieuw kuyl, or Lions' den. After a long fearch, 
a little water was difcovered in a cavernous rock frefh and fweet ; 
and with this we replenifhed our vefTels. Under one of the 
ridges of hills was a channel covered with fmall pebbly fand, 
which appeared in feveral places to have been fcratched with 
hands in fearch of water ; and thoufands of the impreffions of 
the feet of various antelopes, quachas, and zebras, were marked 
on the fand, but none of lions, of which the name of the place 
feemed to imply it to have been the refort. 
On 
