20 EXPEDITION INTO [Chap. III. 



by it. Leaving him to the tender mercies of the 

 field cornet, who prohibited us from paying any 

 reward, we pursued our journey on the morning of 

 the 5th. Before dismissing Erasmus from these 

 pages, I may add that on our way back through 

 the colony, about twelve months afterwards, we were 

 forced by heavy rain, I need scarcely say contrary 

 to our wishes, again to halt at his farm. The hand 

 of fate had fallen heavily upon him and his race; 

 the house was deserted and its inmates extinct — a 

 small group of graves before the door being all that 

 remained, instead of a numerous and well-favoured 

 family. 



As we advanced, the country became more open 

 and practicable, and was covered with large herds 

 of elegant spring-bucks, bounding playfully across 

 the road. Whilst vainly pursuing some of these 

 antelopes, a favourite dog belonging to my companion 

 ruptured a blood-vessel, and died shortly after. On 

 the 6th we rode on at noon in advance of the waggon, 

 but darkness overtaking us, we had great difficulty 

 in finding our way. Crossing the Sunday River 

 three several times, we at length arrived at Graaff 

 Reinet, having ridden six-and-thirty miles, and thus 

 completed a total of two hundred miles from Gra- 

 ham's Town. 



