always constitutes an essential part. This shows how attentively the
nation have studied the horrid art, and how well they understand the
effect of their combinations : for they must have perceived that the
poison of serpents operates in a manner different from that of
vegetables ; the former attacking the blood, while the latter corrupts
the flesh.
From such a wound, if the poison be fresh, there is little
hope of surviving, unless it happen to have been made in some part
of the body where all the surrounding flesh can be instantly cut out.
Yet examples of a cure are sufficiently numerous to encourage every
unfortunate sufferer to try all the remedies within his reach ; for it
may be possible, that the poison have, by age, lost much of its
strength, or that the manufacturers of it, not having the most dangerous
materials at hand, may have been obliged to employ a less
fatal kind.
As the Bushmen endeavour to conceal from strangers a knowledge
of the different substances which they use, it is not easy to
find out exactly what they are. Of serpents, they select several
kinds as preferable; but, on necessity, often take others. Of
vegetables, they occasionally make use of various sorts, which are all
endowed with an acrid thick juice, capable of being inspissated, such
as Euphorbias, several species of different genera of Amaryllideee, and
Apocynete; with many others. To these, are to be attributed, the
great pain and heat of the wound; and all the inflammatory symptoms.
On lightly touching the arrow-poison with my tongue, I have,
in most cases, experienced a highly acrimonious taste.
Medical men, especially those of the Cape Colony, could not
dedicate their time and study to a more important object than the
discovery of an antidote to this poison, and of some certain mode of
treating such wounds. This would in effect be nothing less than to
disarm these dangerous tribes of their most formidable weapon, and
to relieve the bordering colonists of the greatest portion of those
fears which render their abode in such parts of the colony exceedingly
uneasy. From what has been stated above respecting the
component parts of the arrow-poison, it naturally follows that the
antidote must be of a two-fold nature : one to counteract the ser-
pent-venom, such as the Liquor Ammonite, * or a similar preparation ;
the other to resist, the power of the vegetable poison, yet at the
same time not of such properties as to impede the action of the
former. It would perhaps be advisable to administer these remedies
both internally and externally as a topical application; for which
latter purpose they might be prepared of greater strength.
He who should discover such a remedy, would receive, in the
consciousness of having been the means of saving the lives of many
of his fellow creatures, the highest reward which a philanthropic
mind can desire. Nor would he, I think, be less entitled to a public
recompense, than those who invent new means of warlike de-
struction.
When we had passed through the region of the Poison-bulb, we
drove over an extensive field of thousands of the beautiful Amaryllis
lucida in full bloom ; which gave to the whole plain within view, the
delightful appearance of a gay flower-garden, -f'
We arrived at the Kloof village at a little after sunset, and were
immediately visited by the chief and some of the head people of the
kraal; to whom I explained the motive of my coming. Berends,
who seemed not averse to lending me his aid, promised to make search
for m en; but regretted that all those people of the Kloof who were
best qualified for my purpose, were absent either with the horses in the
Uo<roeveld, or had just departed with his relation Klaas Berends for
the colony. In the meantime my own men and myself, made all
possible enquiry; and endeavoured to explain our journey to Graaff-
reynet, as one of short duration, and easy to be accomplished.
* An instance of the efficacy of this medicine, has already been related at page 392.
f At Aakaap, I found new species of
Heliotropium and
Capj'aria ?
Between Aakaap and the Kloof, new species of
Cucttmis
Bryonia
T a lin tm
Verbena.