SECOND JOURNEY. 
^3 
September*, 
half an hour, we gained the oppofite lliore, where we wounded . uyS 
an Hippopotamus. At noon I made an excurfion along the 
mountains, which were fo naked that fcarcely a plant was to 
be feen. Some of thefe mountains confifl of a fpecies of 
quartz, others of iron, and feveral Rrata of copper ore. Along 
the banks of the river I found many pebbles of hard agate. 
In the evening we returned to the waggon, much fatigued. 
The wind being eafterly, had driven us above a tlioufand 
yards down the river. I Rayed here feveral days, fearching 
the whole country for plants, and Rmt many beautiful birds, 
with which I was before unacquainted. 
On the fifteenth, whilft we were in this fituation, my com-,' 
panion, Mr. Van Renan, very narrowly efcaped with his life. 
In eroding the river, accompanied by four Hottentots, the 
whole party was attacked and purfued by two Hippopotami, 
They had, however, the good fortune to get upon a rock in 
the middle of the river, and their guns being loaded they 
killed one of thefe animals ; the other fwam to the oppofite 
fide. Mr. Van Renan’ s intention was to go to the northward, 
being informed that the Camelopardales were in that part of 
the country, while I m.ade excurfions to the eaftv/ard through 
a large plain in fearch of plants. Here I found many new 
fpecies of Gramina, particularly that which the Dutch call 
Bofhman’s Grafs, from the ufe made of it by that people, who 
eat the feed of it. At different feafons of the year a fpecies 
of locufts come clown to this plain in fucli numbers as to 
deftroy moft of the plants. The Bofhmen efteem thefe in- 
fe£ls excellent food. The locufts are dried and kept for ufe 
