50 ADVENTURES IN SOU III AFRICA 



On the 30th I inspanncd before it was light, and 

 again held on, as on the preceding day, through heavy 

 sand and interminable forest, where it was necessary 

 to keep the axes in constant operation. In the after- 

 noon we reached the promised watering-place, but on 

 springing from the wagon, and running anxiously for- 

 ward for an inspection of the pits, I had the mortifica- 

 tion to find that all they contained was a little mud, in 

 which sundry heterogeneous insects were sprawling. 

 The Bechuanas, however, signified to me that, by clear- 

 ing out the pits and digging a little, water would maks 

 its appearance. Accordingly, having outspanned the 

 jaded oxen, I unlashed the spades, which were vigor- 

 ously plied, when the water began very reluctantly to 

 trickle in from every side. We thus cleared out the 

 T.nree most likely pits, and in two hours I obtained a 

 rcry moderate supply of water for each of the oxen, 

 which I gave them individually out of my large flesh- 

 pot. My poor horses did not get a drop; and we now 

 proceeded to inspan, and resume our march beneath a 

 burning sun of unusual intensity. The sand became, 

 if possible, worse than ever, and the wagons repeated- 

 ly stuck fast. We held through a jungle of the most 

 virulent wait-a-bit thorns, which reduced my wagon- 

 sails to ribbons ; and when the sun went down I halted 

 for the night, and cas+ ioo.«^e my wretched oxen for au 

 hour. 



On the 31st my vans \\2re again in motion before 

 daylight ; and about 4 P.M., to my infinite delight and 

 great relief, I got clear of the desert, and reached a 

 strong perennial fountain situated in a finely-wooded 

 valley on the northern borders of the mountain coun- 

 try, extending to the southward, with little intermis- 

 sion, as far as the chain of the Kurrichane rant'e. To- 



