ridge o f fmooth white fand-ftone, were feveral iketches of
animals, and fatirical attempts to reprefent the colonifts in ridiculous
fituations and attitudes, characterizing them by fome of
their moil common and ftriking habits. But the grand objeCt
o f our refearch was ftill wanting. The long-necked Camelopardalis
was eafily diftinguiihed among the reft; as was alfo
the rhinofceros and the elephant.
The fame kind of black matter that had been found along
with the native nitre, was here abundantly adhering to the
rocks, and oozing down the fides of the cave. A Bosjefman
that belonged to one of the party informed us that his countrymen
mixed it with water, and drank it as tea. This cavern
was near the fource o f the Riet river, a fmall ftream that falls
into the Fifli river.
We ftill continued our fearch in the kloofs of the mountains,
in the hope o f meeting with the figure of the unicorn, the pea-
fantry being equally fanguine to convince me o f the truth of
their affertions as I was, to gratify curiofity. We came, at
length, to a very high and concealed kloof, at the head of
which was a deep cave covered in front by thick ihrubbery.
One o f the party mounted up the fteep afcent, and' having
made his way through the clofe bruihwood, he gave us notice
that the fides o f the cavern were covered with drawings. After
clearing away the buihes to let in the light, and examining the
numerous drawings, fome o f which were tolerably well executed,
and others caricatures, part o f a figure was difcovered
that
that was certainly intended as the reprefentation of a beaft with
a fingle horn projecting from the forehead. O f that part of it
which diftinCtly appeared, the following is a fa c ftmilc.
The body and legs had been erafed to give place to the figure
of àh èléphaiit that flood direitly before it.
Nothing ebuld be mote mortifying than filch an accident;
but the peafantry, who Could form no idea o f the confeqüeneè.
I attached to the drawing of fuch an animal, feemed to ehjoy
my chagrin. On being told, however, that a thoufand, Or
even five thoufand, rixdollars Would be given to any one who
would produce an original, they flood gaping with open
mouths, and were ready to ehlift for an expedition behind the
Bambos-berg, where fome of them were quite certain the animal
was to be found. Imperfect as the figure was, it was
filfficient to convince me that the Bosjefinans are in the practice
of in hiding, among their repréfèntâtîohs o f animals, that
of an unicorn ; and it alfo offered a ftrong argument for the
s s exiftence