A WEETCHED FAMILY PARTY. 289 



To lighten the load as much as possible, I walk; to 

 learn the mysteries of bullock-driving, I assist the driver; 

 to kill ennui, to drown thought, to prevent regrets at 

 loss of companionship, I seek occupation. This howling 

 waste may possibly act as a barrier to prevent the 

 amalgamation of races, or a cordon to stop the belli- 

 gerent tribes of the south harassing with constant wars 

 the more effeminate natives of the tropics. 



Just before outspanning at noon, we overtook a 

 most wretched family party of bushmen. When they 

 first perceived us, they appeared disposed to run away ; 

 but whether our manner was reassuring, or the number 

 of black attendants that accompanied me gave them 

 confidence, they stood by the road waiting our approach. 

 Father, mother, and two little bits of bairns, not pos- 

 sessing enough clothing among them to make one 

 respectable garment, and so thin and withered about 

 the limbs, were the components of this family party. 

 The man was armed with a small bow and a dozen tiny 

 arrows, the points of which were poisoned with the milky 

 juice of the Euphorbia arbor escens. This plant grows 

 abundantly about these parts, and is an exceedingly 

 deadly poison. The wife carried on her back three or 

 four ostrich eggs, doubtless filled with water, for their 

 orifices were closed with a bunch of grass, their stock 

 of liquid most probably having been obtained from 

 sucking-holes in the vicinity. 



To those unacquainted with this method of obtaining 

 water, an explanation might be interesting. A hole is 

 made in sand showing evidence of moistness, into which 

 is pushed a tube with a quantity of grass attached to 

 its end. This forms a vacuum for the water to collect 

 in, when it is raised to the surface, and ultimately into 

 T 



