184 MUNGO PARK'S 
the bushes. We had not proceeded above half a mile 
farther, when we heard another bark and growl close to 
us amongst the boshes. This was doubtless one of the 
lions before seen, and I was afraid they would follow us 
till dark, when they would have too many opportunities 
of springing on us unawares. I therefore got Mr. Ander- 
son's call, and made as loud a whistling and noise as 
possible. We heard no more of them. 
Just at dark we descended into a valley where was a 
small stream of water ; but the ascent on the opposite side 
was through a species of broken ground, which I have 
never seen any where but in Africa. It is of the following 
nature. A stratum of stiff yellow clay fourteen or twenty 
feet thick, (which, unless when it rains, is as hard as 
rock) is washed by the annual rains into fissures of a depth 
equal to the thickness of the stratum. There is no vege- 
tation on these places, except on the summit or original 
level. Amongst these horrid gullies I unfortunately lost 
sight of the footmarks of the asses which had gone before ; 
and finding no way to get out, led the horse up a very 
gteep place in order to gain the original level, hoping there 
to find the foot path. But unluckily the ground was all 
broken as far as I could see ; and after travelling some 
little way, we came to a gulley which we could not cross; 
and finding no possibility of moving without the danger 
