TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
ii6 
Au^uft is compofed of the fkins of Seals and Jackals, the 
^—' flefh of which they eat. When it happens that a Grampus 
is call ailiore, they remove their huts to the place, and fubfift 
upon it as long as any part of it remains ; and in this manner 
it fometimes affords them fuRenance for half a year, though 
in a great meafure decayed and putrified by the fun. They 
fmear their fkins with the oil or train ; the odour of v/hich is 
fo powerful, that their approach may be perceived fome time 
before they prefent themfelves to the fight. They carry their 
water in the Riells of Oftrich eggs, and the bladders of Seals, 
which they fhoot with bow^s. Their arrows are the fame as 
thofe of all the other Flottentots. 
Towards the evening we returned to our boat, accompanied 
by four of the natives. Our companions had been the whole 
day employed in fifhing, with tolerable fuccefs ; part of the 
fifh they had taken we gave to the ftrangers, which they 
thankfully received, and returned to their habitation. We 
next propofed to crofs the river to our waggons. The even¬ 
ing, however, being dark, our boat overloaded, and v/e totally 
ignorant of our courfe, we got into the furf, quite in the mouth 
of the river, and had a very narrow efcape. We were about 
half an hour in great danger; but one of our Hottentots ob- 
ferving the fires made by our companions, we foon got into the 
right track. 
The following day we made an excurfion through the adja¬ 
cent country, but found no great variety of plants, except 
Geraniums. The next day we again croffed the river, to 
