88 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
neighbourhood, Le Vaillant started, on the 18th Decem¬ 
ber, 1781, for a first journey eastwards, and in Kafifaria. 
His equipment this time consisted of thirty oxen—ten 
for each of his two waggons, and ten as reserve—three 
horses, nine dogs, and five Hottentots. 
Le Vaillant first crossed the Dutch districts already 
explored by Sparrman, where he met with vast herds of 
zebras, antelopes, and ostriches, arriving in due course 
at Zwellendam, where he bought some oxen, a cart, and 
a cock—the last serving as an alarm-clock throughout 
the journey. Another animal was also of great use to 
him. This was a monkey he had tamed, and promoted 
to the post, alike useful and honourable, of taster—no 
one being allowed to touch any fruit or root unknown 
to the Hottentots till Master Rees had given his verdict 
upon it. 
Rees was also employed as a sentinel ; and his senses, 
sharpened by use and the struggle for life, exceeded in 
delicacy those of the most subtle Redskin. He it was 
who warned the dogs of the approach of danger. If a 
snake approached, or a troop of monkeys were disport¬ 
ing; themselves in a neighbouring; thicket, Rees’ terror 
and his shrieks quickly revealed the presence of a dis¬ 
turbing element. 
From Zwellendam, which he left on the 12th January, 
1782, Le Vaillant made his way eastwards, at some 
little distance from the sea. He pitched his camp on 
the banks of the Columbia (Duywen Hock) river and 
made many very successful hunting excursions in a 
district rich in game, finally reaching Mossel Bay, 
where the howls of innumerable hyaenas frightened 
the oxen. 
A little further on he entered the country of the 
Houtniquas, a Hottentot name signifying men filled 
with honey. Here not a step could be taken without 
coming upon swarms of bees. Flowers sprang up be¬ 
neath the feet of the travellers ; the air was heavy with 
their perfume ; their varied colours lent such enchant¬ 
ment to the scene that some of the servants would have 
liked to halt. Le Vaillant however hastened to press 
