A large caterpillar, called "Nato", feeds by night on the leaves of these trees, and comes down by day to bury itself at the root in the sand, in order to escape the piercing rays of the sun.

The people dig for it there, and are fond of it when roasted, on account of its pleasant vegetable taste.

When about to pass into the chrysalis state, it buries itself in the soil, and is sometimes sought for as food even then.

If left undisturbed, it comes forth as a beautiful butterfly: the transmutation was sometimes employed by me with good effect when speaking with the natives, as an illustration of our own great change and resurrection.
The soil is sandy, and there are here and there indications that at spots which now afford no water whatever there were formerly wells and cattle stations.
Boatlanama, our next station, is a lovely spot in the otherwise dry region.

The wells from which we had to lift out the water for our cattle are deep, but they were well filled.