ASSISTANCE ARRIVES. 231 



which I SO earnestly yet fearfully prayed for was at 

 hand. 



On the morning of the 16th, as I was preparing my 

 breakfast, I suddenly beheld a civilized-looking native 

 approach me : he wore a shirt, a pair of leather trow- 

 gers, and a sailor's red night-cap, and carried a gun 

 and shooting-belt. The instant I beheld him I said 

 aloud, " Natives from Sichely — the oxen are at hand." 

 It was even so : my messengers had found Mr. Living- 

 stone at home, who, on hearing of my distress, had at 

 once, in the noblest manner, dispatched men with his 

 whole stock of trek-oxen to my assistance. These I 

 had now the inexpressible satisfaction to behold reach 

 me in saloty. We inspanned at once, and commenced 

 our march and continued to make good way for sev- 

 eral days ; and on the 26th we reached Kolubeng, the 

 new residence of Sichely. In the morning that chief 

 brought me two young oxen, which I all but purchased 

 for an old saddle and two pounds of powder ; but we 

 split upon the cup of powder being level and not piled. 



A day or two after, I ascended the rocky hill above 

 the town with Mr. Livingstone, to obtain a view of the 

 surrounding country. I came upon a very high heap 

 of well-bleached moldering bones of many varieties of 

 game, amassed and piled here by a mighty Nimrod^ 

 now no more, who had in days of yore chosen this hill 

 for his habitation. Mr. Livingstone pointed out to me 

 a range of tabular hills to the southeast, near the 

 sources of the Kolubeng, throughout which he informed 

 me the sable antelope was to be met with. In the 

 evening Sichely came to trade with me, when I obtained 

 several young oxen in barter from him. 



On arriving at Sichely's I dispatched natives to Bak- 

 atla to fetch two spans of oxen which I had left on my 



