SOUTHERN AFRICA. 263 



beiri^ an event of every day occurrence, created so little un- 

 easiness at first, that Andries, whose business it also was to 

 look for them, instead of atoning* for his carelessness by a 

 suitable display of activity, took his leisure to indulg'e in a 

 little more g'ossip with the pretty Bush-girl, who very know- 

 ing-ly persuaded him that she had seen the cattle not a quar- 

 ter of a mile off only a minute before. In the course of an 

 hour, however, the Hottentots, who had g*one out to look for 

 them, returned for horses — the appearance of the trail 

 leading" them to believe that the oxen had been chased by 

 lions. wing- to some intestine feuds and jealousies, difficult 

 to be explained, Piet alone obtained a steed, but Andries 

 and Cobus were also mounted the moment we discovered the 

 real state of affairs ; and although much valuable time had 

 been unnecessarily thrown away, still no doubt was enter- 

 tained that the oxen would eventually be recovered. All 

 that day, however, and part of the next, were passed in a 

 state of anxiety and suspense. During- the nig-ht it rained 

 a delug-e, and about 2 p.m. on the 5th, Piet returned 

 empty-handed, for ammunition, or rather for no reason at 

 all, having- left the other two men upon the tracks, which, 

 still indicating' a chase, led in the direction of some distant 

 hills, but owing to the hardness of the g-round, he had been 

 unable to discover the cause of the panic. 



In this posture of affairs, I determined to proceed in per- 

 son without another moment's delay, and whilst mounting- 

 my horse, faithfully promised my comrade not to show my 

 face ag-ain until I had recovered our cattle. Alas ! it was 

 destined that I should never redeem my pledge. I had can- 

 tered about eig-ht miles, less than half way to the hills, when 

 Andries and Cobus were descried plying the lash, and ap- 

 proaching at speed, with the dismal intelligence that the oxen 

 were in the hands of a troop of Bushmen, occupying the 

 summit of the nearest hill, whence one of the pigmies, in 



