11||| y t i half an hour, we gained the oppofite ihore, where we wounded an Hippopotamus. At noon I made an excurfion along the ' > 1 mountains, which were fo naked that fcarcely a plant was to be feen. Some of thefe mountains confift of a fpecies of quartz, others of iron, and feveral ftrata of copper ore. Along the banks of the river I found many pebbles of hard agate. In the evening we returned to the waggon, much fatigued. The wind being eafterly, had driven us above a thoufand yards down the river. I flayed here feveral days, fearching the whole country for plants, and ihot many beautiful birds, with which I was before unacquainted. On the fifteenth, whilft we were in this iituation, my companion, Mr. Van Renan, very narrowly efcaped with his life. In eroding the river, accompanied by four Hottentots, the whole party was attacked and purfued by two Hippopotami. They had, however, the good fortune to get upon a rock in the middle of the river, and their guns being loaded they killed one of thefe animals; the other fwam to the oppofite fide. Mr. Van Renan’s intention was to go to the northward, being informed that the Camelopardales were in that part of the country, while I made excurfions to the eaftward through a large plain in fearch of plants. Here I found many new fpecies of Gramina, particularly that which the Dutch call Boihman’s Grafs, from the ufe made of it by that people, who eat the feed of it. At different feafons of the year a fpecies of locufts come down to this plain in fuch numbers as to deftroy moft of the plants. The Boihmen efteem thefe in- feds excellent food. The locufts are dried and kept for ufe
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