A REFRACTORY OX. 39 



team at the moment of inspanning, being this day un- 

 Dsually lively, not having had any severe work for some 

 weeks, suddenly springs round, notwithstanding Klein- 

 boy, well aware of his propensities, has got his particu- 

 lar rheim firmdy twisted round his hand ; and havnig 

 once got his tail where his head ought to have been, 

 and thus deprived Kleinboy of all purchase over him, 

 he bounds madly forward, heedless of a large sharp 

 stone with which one of the leaders salutes him in the 

 eye. By his forward career, Carollus is instantly dashed 

 to the ground ; and Kleinboy, who has pertinaciously 

 grasped the rheim in the vain hope of retrieving the 

 matter, is dragged several yards along the ground- and 

 eventually relinquishes the rheim, at the same time 

 losing a good deal of the outer bark of his unfortunate 

 hand. Away goes Blauberg in his headlong course, 

 tearing frantically over hill and dale, his rheim flying 

 from his horns like a streamer in the wind. His course 

 lies right across the middle of the Cape-corps barracks, 

 where about forty or fifty riflemen who are lounging 

 about, parade being over, rush to intercept his course, 

 preceded by a pack of mongrel curs of every shape and 

 size, but in vain. Blauberg, heedless of a shower of 

 sticks and stones hurled at his devoted head, charges 

 through the midst of them, nor is he recovered for the 

 space of about two hours. 



The rest of the team, seeing the driver sprawling on 

 the ground, as a matter of course follow Blauberg's ex- 

 ample : instantly wheeling to the right and left about, 

 away they scamper, each selecting a course for himself, 

 some with and others without the appendage of the 

 streamers. The Hottentots, well aware that it w'ill 

 be useless to follow Blauberg in the usual way, as he 

 would probably lead them a chase of four or five miles, 



