18 RIDE-OXEN. [chap. i. 



on which they depend. We came back much as we 

 went, and bought five ostrich eggs that were brought 

 to us, giving seven sticks of tobacco for the lot, but 

 this was a piece of extravagance, five being the proper 

 price. Cavendish tobacco is that which has been neai'ly 

 always bartered here ; it is, as most smokers know, in 

 sticks, each stick weighing about an ounce, and worth 

 a penny. I had taken only a hundredweight with me ; 

 but five hundredweight would not have proved at all 

 too much. We took the captain and an ill-looking 

 Hottentot, who appeared to be a relation of his, on 

 board, as the two were inseparable ; and we employed 

 ourselves in picking bush tics from our persons, for 

 the bushes swarmed with them. 



During the night a gim was heard on shore, and a 

 fire was lighted, which proved to be made by the 

 Missionary, Mr. Bam, and Stewartson, who had been a 

 cattle-trader, but had lately lost everj'thing, so that he, 

 his Avife, and children could not afi'ord to return to Cape 

 Town, but lived at the same station with Mr. Bam. 

 We had sent the letter at midday ; they received it 

 about night-fall, and had ridden down on oxen in five 

 hours. I had up to that moment no conception that 

 oxen ever were, or had been, used as hacks, except 

 possibly as a joke; but here were two fine-looking 

 beasts, saddled, and with sticks through their noses, 

 and a thin bridle fastened to the stick, and tied to a 

 log of wood, and reaUy they looked uncommonly well, 

 and not at all out of their element. 



We at once proceeded to disembark. The horses 

 and mules had to swim : the sailors managed it rather 



