which occafioned us much vexation, as we had fcarcely any provifion for our Hottentots. We ftill continued our courfe to the eaftward, collecting different plants. In the afternoon we met Jacobus V an Renan, who had been about fix miles to the eaftward, and had only feen the prints of three Hippopotami, which feemed to be frefh, and he believed they were gone to the mouth of the river. We informed him of that which we had feen, and he fired feveral fhots at the animal, but without being able to give him a mortal wound. In the evening, Sebaftian Van Renan, and Mr. Pinar, returned to the waggon, and acquainted us that there were a number of Lions about twelve miles to the eaftward, attracted by a dead Elephant which had been fhot by Mr. Pinar during the time he was abfent from the waggons. We continued our excurfion to the eaftward, through, a hilly country, and the moft barren I ever faw. The hills were naked and decayed, with hardly a plant to be feen upon them; in the lower parts there were here and there a little grafs: from thefe appearances we judged that it would be in vain to think of proceeding farther. We agreed, therefore, to remain a few days, and if poffible, to fhoot fome game for provifion on our way through the dry country we had to pafs. Mr. Pinar, however, refolved to dired his courfe to the eaftward, and took with him five Hottentots, each of whom was provided with a gun. While we remained here, I difcovered a plant which the Hottentots ufe to procure fire by fridion. I found it to be of the clafs Tetrandria Monyginia. The plant I obferved about an hundred miles to the eaftward, on the fame river which I had vifited in the courfe of the preceding year. We fent our Hottentots out in fearch of game, on the twenty-feventh, while I employed myfelf in colleding p lants; one of them returned who had fhot a Hart, which fupplied us for three days; and Jacobus Van Renan wounded an Hippopotamus ; but it fwam to a place on the oppofite fide, where there was no poffibility of approaching it. On the twenty-eighth of Auguft, we prepared our waggon for our departure ; and the twenty-ninth, of the following evening, left the river, intending to travel in the night, which we conceived would be better for our cattle. After travelling about three hours, our dogs attacked a herd of Zebras, which were at a little diftance from the waggons; they feemed not in the leaft ihy, and we fhot two of them, which detained us about an hour ; part of the fieih we took with us, and it proved very good food. On paffing the Two Brothers, we obferved a fire, which we fuppofed was made by three of our Hottentots who had left us in the morning. We travelled till four in the morning, when we unyoked our bullocks in a dry fandy plain. During the thirty-firft, we continued our journey to the Deepe Kloaf, or Water Val, where we refted ; and in the evening, of the following day, proceeded on our route till about two in the morning. The next day we arrived at the Great,
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