414 
AFEICAN HUNTING. 
are dead, and one of tlie latter is useless, on account 
of a sore back. I unsaddled him when hot, the 
sun blistered him, and then rolling in the sand 
and fine stones completed the business. Not being 
able to get two loads of ivory, I am preparing or 
curing heads, male and female, of all sorts that are 
to be met with here, but there is no great variety. 
This salt water has been of inestimable value to my 
wagon wheels ; I have let them all soak for twenty- 
four hours, and they are now as tight as drum-heads. 
We had the tail of a passing thunder shower last 
night, but all appearance of rain has vanished this 
morning, and the wind still continues in the old 
quarter from which it invariably blows—due east. 
I am considerably better again, and hope I may 
now altogether escape the fever ; I have had two or 
three twinges, but have thrown it off so far, and now 
trust I may escape this year. Yesterday the heat 
was so intense that I could not even bear the palms 
of my hands on the sand, while I was trying to creep 
up to some ducks; from hard work, the covering is 
much more like horn than skin. 
1 §tli .—flow I have managed to kill the last five 
days, and how to get rid of the next ten or fifteen, is 
a perfect puzzle. I can find nothing in the world to 
do, but very little to eat, and that little by no means 
tempting; wood next to none; and I have drunk 
almost enough brackish, nauseous water to share the 
fate of Lot’s wife. Boccas set off two days ago in search 
of my other wagon, a good 200 miles at least, back 
