MARCH FOR COLESBERG. 185 



on finding her bones, would follow on our spoor and re- 

 venge her death. Under this impression, they refused 

 to remain at>out the wagons or in the tent after the sun 

 went down ; and having cut down the rafters and cup- 

 boards of the Boer's house for fuel, they kindled a large 

 fire in the kitchen, where they took up their quarters 

 for the night. 



1 continued hunting here until the 29th, when I 

 deemed it high time to return to Colesberg, for the pur- 

 pose of packing and storing my curiosities, increasing 

 my establishment, and refitting generally, preparatory 

 to starting for the distant land of elephants in the far 

 forests of the interior. The distemper or horse sickness, 

 which rages in those parts during the summer months, 

 might be expected shortly to be past ; there was, there- 

 fore, not much time to lose. The morning was spent 

 in stowing the wagons, greasing the wheels, securing 

 the pots, gridirons, spades, &c;, and overhauling the 

 yokes, rheims, straps, and other gear, preparatory to in- 

 spanning, and in the afternoon we inspanned, and, turn- 

 ing our faces to the south, marched upon Colesberg. 



On the march I killed two springboks ; and having 

 proceeded ten miles, we halted for the night. It rained 

 heavily till morning. My oxen were in fine condition, 

 and, having done very little work of late, they were 

 very fresh and obstreperous. On the following day we 

 crossed the Riet River. The country was very heavy, 

 owing to the recent rains, and some of my gear, which 

 was rotten, broke repeatedly, causing much delay. At 

 sundown we halted at a lager, or encampment of Boers. 

 Here about a dozen families were congregated together 

 for mutual protection. These men were all rebels and 

 our enemies, being, at that very moment, at war with 

 our allies, the Griquas and Bastards, whom we shortly 



