one moment turning or wavering while the others 

 backed jibbed and swayed and dragged him staggering 

 backwards, made one's heart ache. The end was 

 sure : flesh and blood will not last for ever ; the 

 stoutest heart can be broken. 



The worst of it was that with all the work and strain 

 we accomplished less than we used to do before in a 

 quarter of the time. Distances formerly covered in 

 one trek took three, four, and even five now. Water, 

 never too plentiful in certain parts, was sadly dimin- 

 ished by the drought, and it sometimes took us three 

 or even four treks to get from water to water. Thus 

 we had at times to drive the oxen back to the last place 

 or on to the next one for their drinks, and by the time 

 the poor beasts got back to the waggons to begin their 

 trek they had done nearly as much as they were able 

 to do. 



And trouble begot trouble, as usual ! Sam the 

 respectable, who had drawn all his pay in Delagoa, 

 gave up after one hard day and deserted me. He said 

 that the hand of the Lord had smitten me and mine, 

 and great misfortune would come to all ; so he left 

 in the dark at Crocodile Drift, taking one of the 

 leaders with him, and joined some waggons making 

 for Lydenburg. The work was too hard for him ; 

 it was late in the season ; he feared the rains and fever ; 

 and he had no pluck or loyalty, and cared for no one 

 but himself. 



I was left with three leaders and two drivers to 

 manage four waggons. It was Jim who told me of 

 Sam's desertion. He had the cross, defiant, pre- 

 417 2 D 



