THE WAGON GETS STUCK IN THE RIVER. 123 



resting them for a little, Nve inspanned them in the 

 trek-tow, and, taking them some distance above the 

 isolated wagon, swam them down, and tried to fix the 

 trek-tow on the dissel-boom; but in this we failed, the 

 stream carrying away the cattle before they made the 

 wagon. We had then to go ashore and repeat the 

 process. In the next attempt the oxen were brought 

 too near the wagon, and, getting foul of it, we had 

 s:reat difficultv ^n extricating them. One ox remain- 

 ed there for half an hour before we got him clear, the 

 strong current holding him against the" wagon. We 

 next got over the oxen and trek-tow of the other wag- 

 on, and made several attempts with these, but without 

 success. 



The day was now waning away, and both men and 

 oxen were very much knocked up. It was most dis- 

 tressing work, and it was greatly aggravated by the 

 cruel, sharp stones which composed the river's bed, and 

 the virulent, invisible doublegee-thorns with which the 

 banks were strewed. I began to despair of getting the 

 wagon out that day ; and from the appearance of the 

 weather toward the sources of the river for some time 

 past, we had every reason to expect a flood at any mo- 

 ment. It was a dismal prospect, and my heart was ill 

 at ease. Late in the day we made loose my strong 

 new buffalo trek-tow, and bent it on to the dissel-boom, 

 and then, bringing in tlie oxen, we managed to fasten 

 the tow on to this one. I also placed several men on 

 the wheels. This time we very nearly succeeded; the 

 wagon started and proceeded several yards, when one 

 of the tows gave way, and we were again left in the 

 lurch. Once more we made the attempt, and again 

 failed, the oxen becoming entangled with the gear. The 

 sun was now under, and, all hands being most coin- 



