HORSE-SICKNESS AND LUNG- SICKNESS. 59 



had many discussions with me on the subject, and ex- 

 pressed great faith in it. Horse -sickness is known in 

 other parts of the country than those mentioned by me, 

 but not with equal virulence. 



The lung-sickness is another disease that prevails 

 in these elevated table-lands : it is among oxen what 

 horse-sickness is among horses, and I am inclined to 

 believe is equally unknown as to cause. In lung- 

 sickness innoculation, I am aware, is largely practised, 

 while others laugh to scorn that treatment. I have 

 seen many drench their calves with a decoction of the 

 virus. My stay in the country was not long enough 

 to allow of my ascertaining results, but I have no faith 

 that such an antidote can be beneficial. 



Thus, in purchasing cattle up the country, either 

 horses or oxen, it is customary to obtain a guarantee that 

 a horse is saulted, or an ox over the lung-sickness. 

 With such a guarantee, if either should die within a 

 year from the complaints named, the sum paid can be 

 recovered at court of law ; but the word of black men 

 will not be received, only that of white witnesses no 

 easy matter to obtain beyond the pale of civilisation. 

 But now that the Transvaal is annexed to the British 

 Empire, that law may possibly be altered. 



In alluding to the loss of my leading oxen, I 

 characterised them as the most valuable. This is not 

 a form of speech, but a fact, and I will point out how 

 it is so. When a number of young oxen "are going to 

 be broken to the yoke, their places are allotted them 

 according to the opinion the " herd " has of each beast, 

 and a Kaffir or Hottentot who has once had his atten- 

 tion called to an ox never forgets it, or any peculiarity 

 of habit that may distinguish it. In this respect the 



