Auguft hear*n§ we determined to remain where we were tilt '>— »— 1 day-light, when we proceeded on our journey, through the moft barren country I ever vifited. Several of our Hottentots complained, and wanted much to return. After travelling all day and towards the evening, not difcerning any appearance of water, the country every where being equally dry, we con- fulted with our guide, who feemed not perfectly to know, whether we had paffed the water or not. We all agreed to fet out with our guide in fearch of water, and leave the waggons under the care of a fervant of Colonel Gordon, and took with us a few bottles, that if we fhould be fortunate enough to find water, we might fend fome to our Hottentots, who had not tailed any for two days. After travelling about four miles, we difcovered a fountain on the ihore, but which at high water was overflowed by the fea. This water was extremely difagreeable, and the quantity fo fmall as to be barely fuffi- cient for ourfelves and our horfes. After ilightly refreihing ourfelves, Colonel Gordon and our Hottentot returned to the waggon and took with them fome water for our fervants, while we determined to remain at the fountain. Here we ihot fome Flamingoes, which we eat. About midnight one of our Hottentots arrived, who had been abfent from us two days; he had ihot a Gems Bock, part of which he brought with him, and it proved good eating. The fucceeding day we made an excurfion along the coalt, which is low and rocky, with Itrong furfs off ihore, which break about four miles from the land. We tried to fiih at feveral places, without fuccefs, but the rocks were covered with Mufcles, and in the inlets, or fmall bays, were numbers a!779j of wild Ducks, many of which we (h o t; but they were fo oily, '— <— • as to prove very difagreeable food. In my botanical refearches, I found a variety of Mezembryanthemum, which I had never feen before. After filling fome empty calks, on the next day, we continued our journey northward. Colonel Gordon and myfelf left the waggon at ten in the morning, and purfued our journey along the ihore, where we faw feveral huts. Great numbers of fhells lay in heaps about thofe huts, which inclined us to fuppofe that the inhabitants fubfifted entirely on the fiih which they contained. At about one mile diftant from the ihore we faw a fmall iiland, where we obferved feveral pieces of wood ituck into the ground ; but we could not perceive any huts ; and were convinced, by the number of Seals which we faw every where round it, that at this time it was uninhabited. Along the ihore we obferved many bones of Seals. At nine in the evening we found that we had loll our way ; and the guide advifed us to continue where we were till next morning. This day Colonel Gordon’s companion left us, and promifed that he would return at night to the waggons. We accordingly made fires, that he might difcern where we were, but in vain. We fattened the cattle, and remained in this place during the night. In the morning we continued our courfe north, through a fandy country. We obferved to the eaftward a high ridge of fandy hills evidently thrown up by the fouth-eaft winds, which
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