STUCK IN THE MUD 45 



they recommended me to retrace my steps, and, cross- 

 ing the country, try the other road by De Bruin's Poort. 

 Notwithstanding their remonstrances, I resolved to push 

 on and give it a trial. 



About mid-day I outspanned for two hours, to let the 

 cattle graze ; after which, having proceeded a few miles, 

 we found the road so cut up that we were obhged to 

 abandon it, and trek along the rugged hill-side, holding 

 a course parallel to it. Marching in front, and sinlving 

 up to my ankles in mud at every step, I endeavored to 

 select the hardest ground, on which the wagon might 

 follow. The ground now every moment became worse 

 and worse ; the panting oxen, straining every nerve to 

 keep the wagon in motion, and halting every hundred 

 yards to take breath. At length the wheels suddenly 

 sank deep into the soil, and became immovably fixed, 

 upon which we made loose our shovels and pickax, and 

 worked hard for half an hour, clearing away the soil in 

 front of and around the wheels ; which being accom- 

 plished, we rigged out a fore-tow and extra yoke to in- 

 span my two spare oxen, and then set our whole four- 

 teen to draw, but they could not move the wagon an 

 inch. We then lightened it of a part of the cargo, and 

 after half an hour's further labor we had relieved it of 

 upward of three 'thousand pounds; but still the oxen, 

 notwithstanding the most unmerciful application of both 

 whip and jambok, failed to move it. The thought then 

 struck me of pulling it out backward ; we accordingly 

 cast loose the trek-tow, and, having hooked on the long 

 span or team to the after part of the wagon, we suc- 

 ceeded in extracting it from its deep bed. We next 

 proceeded with much care and trouble to stow away 

 the baggage which we had removed, and the oxen being 

 again placed in their position, we resumed our journey; 



