72 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



had crossed an hour previous had deemed it necessary 

 to inspan sixteen tearing, well-conditioned oxen into 

 their light wagons. I was right in my conjecture, for 

 with infinite flogging and shouting I got the wagon half 

 way through, when it stuck fast, and no efforts could 

 prevail upon the oxen to move it a yard further. A 

 Griqua offered to lend me on hire a fresh span of able- 

 bodied oxen, when, with the help of these and some of 

 my best, I got safely through, and once more encamped 

 within her majesty's dominions. While the wagon 

 was sticking in the middle of the river, a Boer took the 

 drift from the opposite side with a light new wagon and 

 twelve superb oxen, which bore him through in gallant 

 style. Resuming my march for Colesberg, I trekked 

 on till near midnight, when I lost my way in the dark. 

 The country here was parched and arid, not a blade of 

 grass for the weary oxen, but hopeless sterility stretch- 

 ed far around. 



On the 21st I left the Bushman to bring on the wag- 

 on, while I walked ahead, under a most terrific sun, to 

 the farm where I had purchased Prince and Bonteberg 

 while eyi route to the far interior. My costume con- 

 sisted of a dilapidated wide-awake hat, which had run 

 the gauntlet with many a grove of wait-a-bits, a dusty- 

 looking ragged shirt, and a pair of still more ragged- 

 looking canvas trowsers, which were, moreover, ampu- 

 tated above the knee, while my face was adorned with 

 a shaggy red beard, which toid ensemble imparted to 

 me the appearance of one escaped from Bedlam. As 

 I drew near the farm, its inmates took fright at my 

 wild appearance, and two of the Boers, timidly pro- 

 jecting their heads from the half-closed door, loudly 

 shouted to me to lay down my gun. I, however, pre- 

 tended not to understand, and, ad='ancing boldly, I wish- 



