SOUTHERN AFRICA. 271 



lowers. Next to the inexcusable want of vio-ilance, and 

 subsequent credulity of Andries^ in which the Avhole mis- 

 chief had originated^ came the needless and provoking- loss 

 of time on the morning- of the 4th, followed by an extraor- 

 dinary lack of energy and zeal, on the part of the Hottentots 

 who were sent in quest of the truants. The retreat of the 

 marauders, whose adroitness in driving- off cattle has already 

 been noticed, was doubtless g-reatly favoured by the undu- 

 lating* character of the g-round ; but if instead of plodding* 

 on the trail, the mounted men had g*alloped in advance, and 

 reconnoitred the countrj^, there can be no doubt that the 

 event would have been widely different. An examination of 

 the footmarks showed that Piet, in the first instance, without 

 any reason whatever, had turned back when actually within 

 a quarter of a mile of the plunderers, A\'hom he must have 

 seen had he ridden to the brow of the next eminence. And 

 even after the golden opportmiity of retaking* the g-reater 

 portion of our oxen had been thrown away throug'h the 

 coAvardice of Andries and Cobus— still the day mig-ht have 

 been retrieved, had those doug'hty characters been persuaded 

 to accompany me to the hill, as I repeatedly urg-ed them to 

 do. In the end, it appeared that the former of these wor- 

 thies had some days before sold his ox to the latter for a 

 stipulated sum, which was to be paid on arrival at GraafF 

 Eeinet ; and never was their apathy and indifference to the 

 interest of their masters more perfectly illustrated than on 

 the present occasion— the irreparable loss Avhich w' e, throug-li 

 their ag-ency, had sustained, being* totall}' merged in a dispute 

 which had arisen between the two principal delinquents as 

 to which was to be considered the ow^ner and loser of the 

 one-eyed Mutlee. 



It rained pitilessly during* the night, and in the morning- 

 three of our oxen w-ere stiff and cold, four others being quite 

 unable to rise. The accursed women, ^^ho had in a o-reat 



