FATAL ACCIDENT. 53 
best of our way to the Brack River, when the storm 
had subsided, much enjoying the refreshing coolness 
which it had occasioned. On our route we disturbed 
a female ostrich from her nest, in which we found 
from twenty to thirty eggs, a number, however, fre- 
quently exceeded, and even doubled. It is much to 
be regretted that more attention is not paid to their 
preservation, the feathers of these birds being such a 
valuable article of export. 
Within a short distance of Rooye Poorte we came 
up during the afternoon with a large herd of spring- 
boks; and Jacobs afterwards fancied, from the acce- 
lerated pace of the oxen, that they must have caught 
scent of a lion at no great distance. ‘The next 
day we met a Trek Boor, with his cattle, who 
informed us that eleven lions had passed the 
day before in a troop, along the route we were 
pursuing. 
The sun was very powerful, and the dry, scorch- 
ing winds were almost suffocating. Here I sustained a 
severe shock from an unfortunate occurrence, which 
I shall ever remember with the most painful feelings 
of regret. While lying in my waggon, enfeebled 
by indisposition, I observed Cupido, the Bush-boy in 
the service of the farmer who accompanied us, spring 
from the foot-board, on our coming to a rough part 
of the road, as if to assist the driver, who had pre- 
viously jumped down to guide the oxen. The boy 
being missed, after some time had elapsed, it was 
