nd asleep.

Three days after this misadventure I was nearly as well as ever, and we
were once more journeying by forced marches towards the south. Two days
more, we calculated, would bring us to Mbango's village. As the end of
our journey approached, we grew more desperately anxious to push
forward, lest we should be too late to give them timely warning of the
slave-dealer's approach. We also became more taciturn, and I could see
plainly that the irrepressible forebodings that filled my own heart,
were shared by my companions. Poor Makarooroo never spoke, save in
reply to questions addressed pointedly to himself; and seeing the state
of his mind, we forbore to trouble him with conversation.

Yet, even while in this anxious state, I could not avoid noticing the
singular variety and beauty of both the animal and the vegetable kingdom
in the regions through which we passed.

In one part of our journey we had to cross a portion of what is called
desert country, but which, notwithstanding its name, was covered with
grass, and in many places with bushes, and even trees. Its vegetation,
however, as compared with other parts of the country, was light; and it
was almost entirely destitute of water, there being no rivers or
springs; only a few pools of rain-water were to be found in the hard
beds of ancient river-courses. This desert land was inhabited by
numbers of bushmen and other natives, as well as by large quantities of
game of various kinds. But what struck me as being most singular was
the great variety of tuberous roots with which the region was supplied,
and which were evidently designed by our beneficent Creator to make up
to the inhabitants in a great degree for the want of a full supply of
water.

I also observed, with much interest, a species of plant which, like man,
is capable of being, as it were, acclimatised. It is not by nature a
tuber-bearing plant; yet here it had become so, in order to be able to
retain a sufficiency of moisture during the dry season. Makarooroo also
dug up for us several tuber-roots, which were the size of a large
turnip, and filled with a most delicious juice, which, as we were much
oppressed with thirst at the time, appeared to us like nectar. Besides
these, we also procured water-melons in abundance at certain spots,
which were a great treat, not only to us, but also to elephants,
rhinoceroses, antelopes, and many other animals, whose footprints we
found in great numbers,