The Horse Sickness. 127 



ing. Mr. Sinclair came across to our camp this 

 morning, and kindly offered to take us out for 

 some duck-shooting, so we all made a start on 

 horseback to some " vleys " some few miles away. 

 We came across a flight of seven duck, all of 

 which Ave killed, after foUoAving them backAvards 

 and forAvards from " Adey " to '' A'ley." 



Wednesday,. June ?>rd. — At 1 a.m. AA^e inspanned, 

 and had not 2)roceeded more than a couple of 

 miles before one of the Avaojo^ons stuck in the mud 

 in a drift. The night Avas A^ery dark, the moon 

 being in its last quarter. Then tAvo others stuck. 

 EA'CntuallA^ one of them — the meal wao-oon— had 

 to be unloaded and the others double-spanned 

 before they could be extricated. We did not 

 start again till just belbre daylight — a hard night 

 for eA'ery one except myself. I had a comfortal^le 

 night's rest, and being A^ery tired trom my exer- 

 tions of the preAious day, slept on quietly in my 

 " Kartel," ^ all unconscious of what Avas going on 

 outside. We had intended to reach Sandpits by 

 daylight, Avhich is the nearest water (supposed), 

 but luckily Ave came upon a " Adey " where there 

 is seldom water, al)out nine o'clock, so aa^c out- 

 spanned there. . . . xVt 3.30 p.m. Ave inspanned, 

 and at 5.30 arrived at Sandpits. On the Avay one 

 of the mules AA^as attacked by the dreaded 

 " horse " sickness, and was dead in three hours. 

 This sickness is Avell knoAvn in South Africa. It 

 attacks horses and mules suddenly, but donkeys 

 are exemj)t. An animal is c|uite well up to a 

 ' Large waggon slung mattress. 



