170 WAGGON BREAKS DOWN. [chap. vi. 



ride and pack oxen had to be broken-iii, and I had a 

 great deal of country to map up, and several observa- 

 tions to work out. 



On the 19th of April we had started for the fountains 

 when an accident occui'red that detained me much 

 longer than I had expected. I ought to have premised 

 that the character of the country had entirely changed ; 

 instead of small bushes some magnificent timber 

 trees began to appear, forming belts of forest as 

 regular in shape as the designs of an ornamental 

 gardener could have made them, but offering a very 

 considerable impediment to waggon travelling. The 

 oxen were very fi-esh, and as soon as they were 

 inspanned bolted down a sHght descent with the waggon ; 

 there was a stump in the way; it looked a rotten 

 affair, such as we had constantly crushed over, but it 

 really was a hard sound piece of wood. The off fore 

 wheel of the large waggon came against it, and crash 

 went the axletree and ever so much more of the wood- 

 work — and there we were ! 



We did not sit one moment with our hands in our 

 pockets and lament, but brought the other waggon up 

 alongside, and at a proper distance off, and then out- 

 spanning worked diligently at making a regular encamp- 

 ment. It would never have done to appear disheartened. 

 AVe were in a complete jungle, but that we soon cleared 

 sufficiently out of our way; a space was then hedged in 

 round the waggons, half of which was made into a 

 strong ox-kraal, and round this I made my five married 

 couples of savages build their huts at equal distances, 

 that they might act as a watch over it. In tliis sort of 



