September. Euphorbia, which grows to the height of fifteen feet, and ' i— 1 fupplies the Hottentots with an ingredient for poifoning their arrows. Their method of making this pernicious mixture, is by firft taking the juice extradied from the Euphorbia, and a kind of caterpillar peculiar to another plant, which has much the appearance of a fpecies of Rhus, though I could find none in flower. They mix the animal and vegetable matter, and after drying it, they point their arrows with this compofition, which is fuppofed to be the moil effectual poifon of the whole country. The Euphorbia itfelf is alfo ufed for this purpofe, by throwing the branches into fountains of water frequented by wild beafts, which after drinking the water thus poifoned, feldom get a thoufand yards from the brink of the fountain before they fall down and expire. This practice of poifoning the water, proves an additional danger to travellers who are unacquainted with the circumilance ; though the natives generally ufe the precaution of leading off the water which is to be poifoned to a fmall drain, and covering up the principal fountain. We next directed our courfe eailerly, along the banks of the river, where I added much to my colle&ion. In our pro- grefs we faw a variety of the moll beautiful Birds I ever beheld; and numbers of wild Apes and Elephants. The day following, I propofed croffing the river with feveral of the Hottentots who were fwimmers. We invented a fmall float, which confifted of three pieces of dry wood, on which we tranfported our guns and clothes. After fwimming about E FPHORBIA. * fr> /*• f / t c i r y c / f f / / r / / / ,
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