Chap. III.] SOUTHERN AFRICA. 17 



though the young Smiths stared abundantly at us, 

 neither the master nor mistress even condescended 

 to look at us, the lady after a time informing us, 

 whilst she shovelled down the pease and gravy 

 with her knife, that she could not think of allowing 

 lier j)oor dear oxen to go another journey so imme- 

 diately after their return from the country. 



In the course of our perambulations through the 

 town, we stumbled upon a waggon discharging a 

 cargo of oranges, which was to return the very next 

 day to within a few miles of Graaff Reinet; yet, 

 strange to say, the bull-headed proprietor, after 

 taking an hour to consider of our offer, preferred 

 returning empty to receiving our freight and fifty 

 Rix dollars. In the end, being utterly discomfited, 

 we had no alternative but to avail ourselves of an 

 offer obligingly made by a Mr. Thomas Butler, to 

 deposit our effects in his warehouse ; and having 

 strictly enjoined him to forward them to us by the 

 first opportunity, we crossed the Little Fish River a 

 second time, and, shaking the dust from off our 

 feet, departed from Somerset. 



Tlie following morning, according to arrange- 

 ments previously made, Mr. John Campbell, a kind 

 and obliging friend whom we had met at Graham's 

 Town, and to whom we had been introduced by 

 Colonel Tripp, overtook us, and shared our gipsy 

 breakfast on his way to Graaff Reinet, The road 

 over Bruintjes Hoogte, comprises a succession of 

 formidable acclivities and perilous descents, and we 

 were frequently obliged to lock both hind-wheels at 



