SOUTHERN AFRICA. 15 



feet in perpendicular depth^ over some of which the ckimsi- 

 ness of Andries^ more than once^ nearty precipitated us. 



It was pitch-dark before we had cleared this mountain 

 barrier^ and the oxen being- g-reatly in want of water I 

 groped my way in advance, directed by a lig'ht, to the dirty 

 cottag*e of a neig'hbouring' boor, and with some difficulty 

 obtained unAvilling* permission from the OAvner, who g'loried 

 in the virtuous appellation of Erasmus, to unyoke on his 

 farm. Here a trial of temper awaited us, that immeasurably 

 eclipsed all that we had been destined hitherto to experi- 

 ence. A strong* disag-reeable ^^ind was blowing*, which, 

 added to the impossibilit}^ of obtaining- on the spot more than 

 barely sufficient fire-wood to boil the water in the kettle, 

 caused every one to retire early to bed ; and the oxen having" 

 literally tasted nothing- since leaving* De Klerck's, were left 

 at liberty to g-raze upon the farm during- the nig-lit, instead 

 of being" secured, as usual, to the wheels of the wag-o-on. 

 On om' awakening" the next morning- the}' were nowhere to 

 be found, and the stony character of the country, in every 

 part clothed with a hig'h thicket of speck-boom, added to 

 the violent wind that had blown during- the nig-ht, and effiiced 

 the trail, rendered utterly fruitless our diligent search for 

 them during- the whole day. 



A combination of circumstances led us to expect that 

 Erasmus was concerned in the abstraction of our cattle, aa ith 

 the design of extorting a reward for their restitution. He 

 had been seen lurkino- about the wag-o-on with some of his 

 associates the preceding- evening", and now, far from rendering 

 us any assistance towards then" recovery, turned a deaf ear to 

 our application, and studiously absented himself from the 

 house. The sequel proved that our suspicions of his dis- 

 honesty were not unfounded. The promise of a reward 

 induced him, on the 3rd August, to return four of the oxen, 

 but as these were insufficient to draw the waggon^ we 



