40 OUR FIRST STAGE. [chap. ii. 



loose, the brute ran about, looking for somebody handy 

 to be tossed : he caught sight of me first, just as I 

 was mounting, and trotted up. I had no idea he 

 meant mischief till he was close by, when he made 

 a most vicious dash at me ; and if I had not had 

 spurs, I could never have twisted my horse round 

 enough in time to avoid his aim, for, as it was, the 

 cui've of his short sharp horn glanced along and bruised 

 my thigh and the horse's shoulder ; but we both escaped 

 its point. 



The crisp sand of the desert was very pleasant to 

 travel on ; and we made great progress : the mules pulled 

 very well, and all went cheerilj'. After nightfall we 

 floundered about a little amongst some broken ground, 

 and Stewartson lost his way for a time ; but by keeping 

 steadily on by compass, the rounded head of the 

 Granite Rock showed itself against the clear sky, and 

 we off-packed and out-spanned at eleven o'clock to 

 drink coffee and to sleep. 



We were up before daylight; and the oxen, being 

 very tired, were submissive, and we were off about half- 

 past six. After four hours, we entered into the broken 

 country that borders tlie Swakop ; and, making our 

 bivouac at the head of a steep path that led down to 

 the river bed, sent the animals dowTi some four miles 

 to eat and drink. 



This was the premier pas of my journey ; and I 

 am sure we were all highly dehghted at its success. 

 The only drawback was, that the wretched goats were 

 quite knocked up ; and when we went down to the 

 river bed, we could perceive no signs of game. The first 



