CHAP. III.] OXEN SENT TO THE BAY. ; 81 



them in some other way. They were troublesome, 

 sensible creatures, not kicking at random, but always 

 with an aim. We had several tumbles, but succeeded 

 in teaching them the elements of their duty. 



It is much more difficult to break-in animals in the 

 open country than it is in an enclosure, because, when 

 you let them go, which you cannot help doing some- 

 times, they gallop off, and it takes a very long time, 

 often an hour, and plenty of running, to tm-n and catch 

 them again; besides this, each chase scares and 

 frightens them all the more. 



Eight days had now i)assed since I had returned 

 from Barmen, and a fortnight since the cart first 

 arrived here, in Otjimbingue. The time had been spent 

 pretty actively, a great deal had been learnt, one very 

 bad character weeded from among my men, and on the 

 evening of the ninth day all the party, except Timboo, 

 John Morta, and myseK, went down under the care of 

 Andersson to the waggons. They took all the oxen 

 and a sufficiency of slaughter sheep with them, 

 the remainder being in charge of John Allen, the 

 English lad whom I foimd living with Hans, and 

 doing work for him. John Allen was not yet in my 

 service, but I engaged him afterwards ; he was a most 

 trustworthy, hard-working clever lad, and originally a 

 sailor. There was now no anxiety about the food and 

 safety of the Bay party, for Hans knew every inch of 

 the road, and was thoroughly aufait in all that related 

 to oxen ; but I did anticipate with much fear that the 

 animals would never be broken-in within any reason- 

 able time. Everybody prophesied ill; but they had 



£3 



