74 THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



Morris I knew was good for two of them, and 

 possessed of all the necessary pluck ; in fact, I think he 

 would have enjoyed the exercise; and I thought my- 

 self fit to fight the remainder, that is, if our three 

 boys espoused the cause of the offender. So again I 

 tendered him the shovel ; in broken English he 

 coolly informed me that it was not his business, 

 and that he would not do it. At this I swooped 

 upon him, got him down, and pommelled him to my 

 heart's content. Complainingly and sulkily after his 

 punishment he went to work ; the hardest parts of 

 the task I made him perform, but I spared not myself 

 nor any of my people, for Imp had just returned, 

 and Umganey was not required to herd the cattle, as no 

 cultivation or habitation was in sight. 



An hour's labour enabled me to form a solid base 

 outside the hub for the screw-jack to work on, and that 

 wonderful and powerful instrument was brought into 

 play. Inch by inch the wheel was raised, stones and earth 

 were forced in beneath the tire, till the driver announced 

 that he thought the cattle could now draw the wagon 

 out. At the second or third effort the fore part of the 

 conveyance came away, severed from the body and hind 

 wheels, for the skimmel-pin had broken, and everything 

 looked a wreck. 



I believe the driver would have liked to bolt at this 

 crisis. He looked at me and the saddled horse ; in the 

 former he did not admire the expression, and in the 

 latter recognised that there was sufficient fleetness of 

 limb to overtake him, and proved by remaining that he 

 was not such a fool as to run such risks. I certainly 

 expected him to go, and I was equally resolved to 

 ride him down, if determination and sharp spurs could 



