162 KLOOF AND KARROO. 



a dozen bottles of stout, which, at two shillings 

 and sixpence a bottle, is a luxury in these regions. 

 Three of these I inserted into the capacious pockets 

 of my own shooting jacket, the other three I got 

 Jackson, who, though drowsy and tired, seemed 

 pretty well, to carry in the same way. 



Then we prepared to start. About three hundred 

 yards from the house lay the drift or ford of the 

 Groote River, and towards this we made our way. 

 The drift was strewn with rough stones and boulders, 

 and the water ran in a shallow stream between these ; 

 with ordinary care, it would not be a difficult matter 

 to get across dryshod. I went over first, and when 

 half-way, or a little more, turned to look for Jackson ; 

 alas ! at that moment he stumbled and fell 

 headlong into the stream, smashing my gun, which 

 he carried, short off at the stock, and smashing also the 

 three bottles of stout with which he was loaded up. 

 I picked him up, put his hat on, took the pieces of the 

 gun under my arm in addition to my own rifle, and 

 helped the man across the remainder of the drift ; 

 he was simply dripping with stout, which leaked 

 through his pockets and streamed down his legs. 

 On the other bank, I picked the pieces of broken 

 bottles from his pockets, and cleaned him down as 

 well as possible ; then, with his arm in mine, we 

 continued the journey a journey I shall never 

 forget. 



We proceeded about three hundred yards, and I 

 was vexed to find that the fresh air had an entirely 

 different effect upon Jackson from what I had hoped 

 and expected. He became rapidly more helpless ; 

 he leaned heavily upon me, reeling in his gait, and 

 occasionally letting his hat fall from his head. When 



