390 THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



to some semblance of discipline, except old Ackerman ; 

 lie reared, pulled backwards, and rushed forward. Pacify 

 him we could not, so at length he broke his reim, and 

 rushed madly about the wagon. At length he discovered 

 the vessel that contained the water, and endeavoured to 

 knock it down. I went to the rescue, for I feared the 

 fall of the small keg would cause it to be stove in, and 

 the precious fluid lost ; but the mad ox turned on me, 

 knocked me down with a severe blow on the head, given 

 by the side of the nigh horn, and afterwards tramped 

 on my leg. I only saved myself by having presence of 

 mind to crawl under the wagon: It took half an hour 

 to secure that crazy brute, and even then, tied with a 

 double reim, it struggled so fearfully, that several times 

 it threw itself down. 



Again we trecked till daybreak, when we outspanned 

 for two hours ; but the cattle would not eat the dry 

 herbage around them. Umganey was too ill to forelope, 

 so I made him get into the wagon, and took the leading 

 reim myself. If any one could have seen me, toiling and 

 hauling the half-dead cattle through the heavy sand, 

 pouring with perspiration and hid in a cloud of dust, 

 they must have pitied me, even supposing them to be 

 the hardest-hearted people in the world. 



But if we suffered, and the cattle suffered, the poor 

 dogs appeared to endure the ordeal worse. They ran 

 about like creatures that were blind, recognised no 

 one, and were momentarily in danger of getting run 

 over. 



About ten o'clock I heard a yell: I dropped the 

 leading reim, and ran back. The hind wheel had 

 passed over one of poor faithful tried Bob's legs, and 

 broken it. I lifted him in my arms and placed him on 



