difappointment they felt on, finding the bedsf of the pools and
the rivers all perfectly dry. In one place, only, fhaded by mimn^
that had withftood the drought, was a, finali puddle o f muddy
water. O f this we contrived to bail out with our hats a finali
quantity for the borfes, but it afforded none for the cattle. The
firong grafs, in many places, and the reeds ftifi retaining finn.?
verdure, were greedily devoured by the oxen, and it was to this
circumftance I am convinced their fafety was owing.
Riding over thè ihrface of the valley in foarch of fome pond
or rivulet that might afford a little water, the glimpfe of a fmall
pool caught the eye of my horfe through fome thick bulhes, into
which he diredly fprung, and, in fpite, o f refiftanee, forced his
way into the water. - He had no fooner, however, applied his
mouth to it, than he withdrew his head, finding it to be as
fait as brine. It was in fait the Salt river mentioned on a former
vrfit to this place. Much of the water having evaporated
in the courfe o f the long feries o f hot weather, the hanks were
now encrufted with plates o f fait, that wore the appearance
of ice. : ;
The reeds and ruih-hke grafs having in fome degree refrefhed
our cattle, towards the cool o f the day we determined to ftart
afrelh, ftrike off towards tile edge o f the defert, and erofi the
great range of the Black mountains, beyond which there was no
uncertainty of meeting with water; Our mifeFabte cattle were,
therefore, once more put into the waggons, and moving flowly
through a pafs o f the mountains, which proved to be tolerably
level* we came about midnight to a place where a Hottentot
had
S O U T H E R N A F R I C A . 333
had told us was the Karree fanteyn. After fearehing about for
fome time in the dark, a kind of fwamp was difcovered, containing,
in places, a little muddy and fetid water. Bad as it
was, both Hottentots and cattle fwallowed it with great avidity.
For our own part, a bottle of chalybeate, and another of hepatic
water, that had been taken and kept for experiment, were found
very acceptable and refieihing.
Qn the fifteenth, after travelling about five hours, and after
having been four days without freih water, we came to a clear
limpid ftream called the Keur Jbnteyn, or Choice Spring ; and
never certainly did any ftream of water appear to be more truly
valuable and delightful. It was with the greateft difficulty that
both cattle and Hottentots, who are equally void with the former
of thought or reflection, were reftrained from drinking to
excefs after fo long an abftinence.
The great fcarcity of water on thofe plains of Africa, known
by the name of Karroo, rendering it ibmetimes hazardous, and
almoft always haraffmg, for cattle to pafs, ihould feem to point
out the camel or the dromedary as the kind of animals beft
fuited for the tranfport of goods and paffengers in the colony
o f the Cape. The camel is more patient of hunger than moft
quadrupeds, and is able to endure thirft for a mueh longer fpaee
of time ; and the harfh thorny ihrubs, or the fucculent plants,
one or the other of which are to be met with on the moft dreary
o f the deferts, would furnilh for it abundance of food. It will
carry with eafe half a ton weight, which is more than twice the
quantity that is ever drawn by an African ox.
We
lit II