254 THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



the case in the vicinity of water in South Africa. At 

 the top of the bank I told the driver to stop for a few 

 minutes, in order that I might assist my companion 

 if he got into difficulties. Like myself he reached the 

 bottom safely, but unfortunately there he became a 

 fixture. For nearly half an hour we could not release 

 him; however, patience and perseverance, as in every 

 instance, had their reward, and the exhausted oxen, 

 grunting over the severity of their toil, at length hung 

 to their work and hauled together : the wagon again 

 moved, slowly at first, soon more rapidly, till the 

 summit was passed. 



But during these vexatious delays, the cattle that 

 were loose took advantage of the absence of their guard, 

 and strayed up and down the margin of the river. 

 Orders were issued to have them re-collected without 

 delay, and we trecked slowly on to the next out- 

 spanning-place, to be followed up by them as soon as 

 possible. 



For quite two hundred yards of our course the trees 

 almost interlocked over our heads, while their stems 

 beneath were hid in the densest description of matted 

 underbrush. 



With a feeling of relief we both got successfully 

 through the woods, and entered again open velt, and 

 we were congratulating ourselves that our work was 

 over, when the yell of several people, the report of a 

 gun, and an attempted panic among the working cattle, 

 informed us that something unusual had taken place. 

 Of what it was we were not long kept in ignorance, 

 for one of our people, breathless from fright and 

 exertion, came up shouting "Taou 1" (Bechuana, lion.) 



My friend and self rushed towards the scene of 



