222 THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



trecks from Zeerust ; you are too near home, my fine 

 fellow, to have any trouble with you now. Such was 

 Philip such was my latest acquisition in the driving 

 line. 



Master Philip came to me with the information that 

 another ox must be purchased, that a spare one was 

 absolutely necessary, and that without such an adjunct 

 we never could expect to reach Bamanwatto. His argu- 

 ments were worth listening to namely, that a lion 

 might jump an ox, that lung-sickness might break out, 

 and some of the cattle get footsore. There was truth 

 in all this, so, resolved not to baulk any movement that 

 might assist to make my journey successful, I ordered 

 the horse to be saddled, and rode off to a farmhouse a 

 few miles distant to see if I could obtain what was 

 required. 



Here I found a young Africander and his friend 

 at dinner, to which I received a cordial invitation. 

 During the meal I stated the cause of my visit, and 

 the friend most obligingly offered to accommodate me. 

 This gentleman was a Swede, and dressed in the 

 most extraordinary outre fashion, all the colours of the 

 rainbow predominating in his attire, while massive 

 ewellery decorated his fingers and vest. By familiar 

 friends he was called " Count," by the general public 

 " Uncle." 



Soon a pair of black oxen were submitted for my 

 inspection, and I took them on his warranty that they 

 had been through the lung-sickness, paid the price 

 rather a heavy one and drove them to the wagon. But 

 when I arrived there, what was my dismay to find it 

 in possession of several Boers ! The enemy had come 

 in force during my absence, and taken hold of my goods 



