r RETURN TO GRIOUA TOWN 9 



Potgieter's being consumed, we had to go back at 

 once, as there seemed but small likeHhood of our 

 shooting anything here. Eventually, after travelling 

 almost continuously for two days and a night, during 

 all which time we were without food, we once more 

 reached the farm, where I found my friend tired of 

 waiting for me, and anxious to make a start at once 

 for the Diamond Fields. 



March 2nd. — Reached Griqua Town. For some 

 days past Laing had been unwell, and he now fell 

 seriously ill. As it was necessary that one of us 

 should remain for some time yet in Griqua Town, in 

 order to get together some cattle, and collect a few 

 debts at some of the neighbouring farms, I hired a 

 waggon, in which my friend travelled at once by 

 forced marches to the Diamond Fields, where good 

 food and attendance quickly pulled him round. 



By the 12th I was myself ready to start, and six 

 days later rejoineci Laing at Klip Drift, and was 

 rejoiced to find him alreaciy convalescent. 



Upon reaching the Diamond Fields we sold off 

 the produce of our trading trip — cattle, goats, and 

 ostrich feathers — and found we had made a profit of 

 about /^loo. My friend then returned to England, 

 whilst 1 at once set about making preparations for a 

 journey into the far interior. Buying a strong Scotch 

 cart and four oxen, I first trekked back to Gric^ua 

 Town, where I had already arranged with a trader, 

 one Van Druten, to purchase his waggon, a span of 

 young oxen, and five horses. For the waggon I 

 gave /1 145, for the oxen £6 : los. per head, and for 

 the horses ^11 apiece. At the same time I bought 

 for cash some fat oxen and a lot of sheep and goats, 

 which, after trekking back to Klip Drift, where I 

 left my waggon, I drove over to Kimberley, and 



