A WAGON UPSET. 55 



worked hard for several hours cutting down the precip- 

 itous banks of the river a.nd constructing a road for the 

 wagons to pass; after which we inspanned and took the 

 stream. I drove my wagon safely through ; but, alas ' 

 not so with the baggage-wagon. Twice it stuck fast 

 in the treasherous sand while crossing the river's bed, 

 but the sturdy oxen pulled it out, and had dragged it 

 more than half way up the almost perpendicular bank, 

 when the native who led the long team, unmindful that 

 a wagon was behind them, suddenly turned the lead- 

 ing oxen short toward the river's bank, thus render- 

 ing it impossible for the driver to steer his after-oxen. 

 The wagon was dragged off the fine road which I had 

 made for it, and after quivering for a moment as if loth 

 to meet its fate, it fell heavily over and rolled down the 

 bank with a most terrific crash, smashing the fine cap- 

 ped tent, and sending the ivory and all my highly -val- 

 ued trophies flying into the bed of the river in a mass 

 of the most dire confusion. 



This was enough to vex any man; but I had now 

 become so seasoned to adversity that I only laughed at 

 the capsize as though the accident had happened to a 

 foe ; and having unyoked the oxen, we commenced car- 

 rying the heavy ivory and other articles up the bank to 

 the level ground beyond ; after which we righted the 

 wagon, and a team of oxen dragged it up the bank. I 

 then set to work to repair the tent with green boughs, 

 and before sunset we had again replaced the greater 

 part of the cargo. As the sun went down " The Cow" 

 died from the distemper which had carried off my other 

 two horses. The night set in with thunder, lightning, 

 and rain; jackals and hyaenas prowled around us, and 

 soon found the remains of my lamented charger, op 

 which they feasted till the dawn of day. 



