308 
TEAVELS IN CENTEAL AFEICA. 
into a fine open flat country. The heat was intense,, from the 
change of the welcome shade of the forest to the burning glare of 
the plains. Came upon pools of water,, where we gladly rested 
until three p.m. The march resumed brought us again to wood, 
through which we passed, until an open space was reached, where 
we encamped for the night. 
February I7th . — Off at 5.50 a.m., and passed through a long 
continuation of wood ; then table-land was reached thickly studded 
with giant cacti (Euphorbia candelabrum ) ; the appearance of these 
enlivened the monotonous march. A slight descent led to a welcome 
spring, near which a brief halt was made. A rugged hill of no 
great height was never lost sight of : it became so irritating to me, 
as we seemed to make no progress. The ruins of a village were 
passed : it had been destroyed by fire. The cultivated ground 
around bore promise of abundance; but the proprietors were no 
longer there to tend it. Our old familiar friend, the pretty mimosa, 
now became frequent ; and Petherick went into raptures over mag- 
nificent specimens of quartz in masses of red conglomerate. At 
noon halted in the bed of a dried-up stream, called the Goorli, 
which when full must have been pretty with its serpentine windings. 
In an adjacent partly dried-up stream called Baboa, a few pools of 
water were discovered; these were speedily surrounded by wor- 
shippers. The sand bed of the Goorli was traversed a short dis- 
tance, when we diverged into open bush. Deep fissures in the 
sun-baked ground rendered marching difficult; so also did the 
abundant thin dry grass — with vitality just sufficient to prove 
sharp-cutting to feet unprotected. A group of hills called Maya 
were visible, bearing 45°. We encamped at sunset ; fires were kept 
