AN IMPORTUNE BREAKDOWN. 215 



state of illumination both before and behind them. 

 Certainly, the locality looked exactly such a place 

 as the king of beasts would select for an ambus- 

 cade, and I did not hesitate to express a hope to 

 Chummy that we should get through this gorge 

 without losing some of our stock, when smash, 

 almost with the report of a shot gun, went the 

 dissel-boom of the leading waggon, and the caval- 

 cade was brought to a standstill. 



Of a truth, the road was rough, so rough that 

 no conveyance on earth but a Cape waggon would 

 have attempted its passage ; but our gear and fittings 

 had been so well tested that we had every faith in 

 their enduring any possible strain. Thus, the more 

 provoking was this accident, and occurring just at 

 a place where it was desirable all should hold 

 together. 



To add to our inconvenience, the stupid bullocks 

 of the wrecked craft, now that they had no waggon 

 to draw, bolted, and nearly a quarter of an hour of 

 most valuable time was, in consequence, lost before 

 they could be recovered. But this was not all the 

 trouble in store for us that night ; the guard of the 

 spare stock must desert their charges to help to find 

 the truants, the consequence being that when they 

 returned there was not a loose horse or ox to be 

 found. This produced a further delay of half an 

 hour. 



However, "all's well that ends well." Cigar and 



