66 DAYS AND NIGHTS BY THE DESERT. 



upon their stations, and safety for their cattle from 

 the depredations of the flesh-eaters of the forest. 



In every team of treck oxen that I have known 

 there always is a bete noir, a beast that gives more 

 trouble than all the others put together, so no one 

 will learn with surprise that I then possessed such 

 a plague. Often has this brute's conduct tempted 

 me to shoot him, and from taking such a step I only 

 desisted by remembering that he was a willing and 

 powerful animal to pull when once secured in the 

 yoke. This ox was an ugly beast to look at, of a 

 mousey-black colour, unevenly shaped horns, the 

 one hanging down and pointing forward, the other 

 projecting at right angles from the side of the head. 

 This formation of his natural weapons made him 

 particularly dangerous to the natives when he was 

 on the rampage, and well they knew it, for he in- 

 variably received a wide berth from all of them until 

 he could be cornered, and the leading rheim made 

 fast to the beast's most unornamental pair of horns. 

 Well, Master Ackerman, for every ox has a name, 

 had been chased all over the place for about ten 

 minutes, till, finding his pursuers were not to be 

 outdone, he took refuge between one of the after 

 bullocks and my waggon. He could not go forward 

 on account of the dissel-boom ; to retire was im- 

 possible, from the jamboks that assailed his flank 

 and rear, so, making a virtue of necessity, the 

 refractory creature allowed himself to be lassoed. 



