FIRST day's march. 43 



wheels, requested my permission to return to the town 

 to take another farewell of their wives and sweet-hearts. 

 This I did not deem altogether prudent; but knowing 

 well that if T withheld my consent they would go with- 

 out it, I considered it best to comply with a good grace ; 

 and granting a general leave of absence, took on my- 

 self the charge of the castle which was destined to be 

 my home during the next five years. 



The Hottentots, strange to say, according to their 

 promise, returned to the wagon during the night, and 

 next morning, at earliest dawn of day, I roused them, 

 and we inspanned. When this was accomplished, my 

 head servant Long not appearing, we marched with- 

 out him ; but we had only proceeded about three miles 

 when he managed to overtake us, the road being hilly 

 and very soft, owing to the recent rains. On coming 

 up and recovering his breath, he expressed himself 

 very much disgusted at my starting without him, when 

 I took the liberty of explaining that I expected my 

 servants to wait for me, and not that I should tarry for 

 them. Our progress was considerably impeded by the 

 bad state of the roads, and at ten A.M. we halted for 

 breakfast beside a pool of rain-water, having perform- 

 ed a march of about nine miles. Here, having out- 

 spanned our oxen, we set about preparing our gipsy 

 breakfast : one collected sticks for the fires, another 

 filled the kettles at the adjoining " vley," while Long 

 and I were busied in spreading the table and dusting 

 the beef-steaks with salt and pepper. 



Having permitted the oxen to graze for a few hours, 

 we again inspanned, holding the high road for Somer- 

 set ; and about sundown we halted for the night on the 

 farm o' a Mr. Fichett, a great sheep-farmer, who re- 

 ce'' ^it me hospitably, and invited me to dine with him. 



