A CAPRICIOUS DRIVER, 31 
morning and one in the evening, but in going 
through the 'thirst' we have to push on and trek as 
much by night as possible. 
" I was in advance of W. when I reached the Sha- 
she, and, as it happened, had then only one man, Hen- 
drik, my black servant, with me ; for my driver and his 
boy had decamped, though they afterwards returned 
— as of course they were likely to do — the same 
evening. They will not have their wages paid till 
they return to Maritzburg, and then not unless they 
have behaved properly, and they would have had a 
miserable time if they had actually deserted me. 
Hendrik can drive, and knowing, as I did, the hold 
I had on the others and the folly of giving way, I 
let them go, telling them the sooner they left me 
the better, and the result of this treatment proved 
satisfactory. The difference originated in the driver 
asking me for tobacco when I told him to inspan, 
and refusing to comply till I had supplied him, which 
of course I would not do, as I treat them quite 
liberally enough, and indeed too well. Hendrik was 
a little poorly^ at the time, but behaved very well, 
and we reached the Shashe, where we dug for water. 
" Beinor rather tired, we returned to the waeeon 
after watering the oxen, without driving them 
away from the river first, which I know now we 
ought to have done on account of lions, but I 
have never yet thought it necessary to take such 
precautions except at night, when we tie them up 
and light fires. Soon after reaching the waggon I 
heard the loud cries of an ox in distress, and ex- 
