A BARGAIN STRUCK WITH THE BOERS. 79 



What I had to propose was this : that as they were 

 not very heavily loaded, they should take some more 

 of our baggage, thus lightening our load by, say one 

 ton; break up our team, taking the worthless members 

 into theirs, and supplying us in their place with an equal 

 number of their tried old cattle ; also that they should 

 remain with us till we reached Potschefstrom, their des- 

 tination, and of course assist us in all difficulties, and 

 allow William to drive for us (they had a spare Kaffir 

 driver) ; we on the other hand undertaking to feed him, 

 and on arrival at the journey's end to pay them fifteen 

 pounds sterling for their services. Long and earnest 

 was our interview. Again and again they retired to 

 consult; at least a dozen times the whole agreement 

 had to be repeated and explained, when, to the intense 

 satisfaction of Morris and myself, the bargain was 

 concluded. A resume, to simplify the matter to the 

 reader, places it thus for fifteen pounds the most un- 

 ruly of our cattle were to be replaced by good ones, these 

 Boers were to stand by us through all difficulties, and 

 we were to be supplied with a driver for the distance 

 of nearly four hundred miles. Looking at it from all 

 points, the arrangement was certainly in our favour. 



I have stated that the bargain was concluded, but a 

 difficulty arose in an unexpected quarter that nearly 

 undid the entire arrangement. It was in this way. 



To show these Boers a little attention, and further 

 to make them feel that we wished to consider and treat 

 them as equals, Morris and I asked them down to the 

 hotel to drink a glass of their favourite Hollands gin. 

 Soon after we had entered the public room and been 

 served, mysteriously one after another of our new 

 acquaintances was called out, and upon his return 



