198 LODGES IN THE WILDERNESS 



But how to test the ground; that was the 

 question. My principal object in sending for 

 the wagon was the conveyance of a few loads 

 of gravel to the nearest water, — wherever that 

 might be. In the meantime I set a party of my 

 followers to work loosening the soil and pick- 

 ing out the stones. By the time darkness set 

 in we had as much " wash " ready as we would 

 be able to deal with. 



The Trek-Boers used to say that rain always 

 followed me to Bushmanland. It had apparently 

 followed me to the Richtersveld, for as we sat at 

 the camp fire a menacing black cloud climbed in- 

 to and filled the northern sky over the mountains 

 of Great Namaqualand ; every few seconds it was 

 illuminated by fantastic lightning explosions. 

 As the cloud drew nearer the thunder began to 

 speak. Soon a black fog rolled down on us and 

 a veritable thunder-storm set in. For upwards of 

 an hour the rain fell heavily. We got wet through, 

 but I was much consoled in the discomfort by 

 information from the Hottentots to the effect 

 that there was a deep hole some few hundred 

 yards down the river-course, which held water 

 for several days after the rare occasions upon 

 which rain fell. Soon the storm had passed 

 away, so we built up a huge fire and got our 

 clothes more or less dried. Then to sleep. 



