414 THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



majesty ; and with it rain not as we know it, but as if 

 the flood-gates of some great river had suddenly been 

 removed. Of course, for the time being, further pro- 

 gress was impossible, so I ordered a halt, and the patient 

 cattle stood still in their yokes, trembling with fear. 

 The next flash and the thunder came simultaneously, 

 and the oxen became so alarmed, and showed such 

 evident intention of wheeling round and rushing off 

 before the violent deluge, that in a moment I ran to the 

 leaders' heads and made the treck-tow fast to a tree, then, 

 hurrying back, put on the brake and drag. The wagon 

 was safe now, at least from being overturned; but was 

 it safe from the possibility of other accidents ? I 

 commenced to think it doubtful, for close by the light- 

 ning struck a large mimosa, and shivered it into frag- 

 ments. There was so much iron about the wagon, and 

 the treck-tow was of the same material, that I could 

 not help fearing for the results. Yet I dared not release 

 the cattle, for the moment the strap was removed from 

 their necks, I felt convinced they would rush away into 

 the gloom, far beyond pursuit. As soon as the rain 

 descended, my attendants had hurried under the wagon 

 for shelter, so that all that required doing had to be 

 done with my own hands ; even Umganey refused to 

 obey the orders of his master in fact, they almost 

 appeared to be in a state of coma through fear. 

 Drenched? of course I was drenched, and ill beside. 

 Still, I had lots to do, and no one to do it ; so I had to 

 suffer the pelting storm, which beat down upon me with 

 unrelenting fury. 



Again another blaze of lightning, and with it a 

 dreadful crash of thunder, suggestive of many deep and 

 serious things. At this moment the thought occurred 



