DISMAL SITUATION. 127 



The farmer of whom we had hired the extra span 

 of oxen stated, that it would be necessary to keep a 

 good look-out during the night, the mountain being 

 infested with Schelms, or runaway convicts, who 

 were constantly committing depredations on the 

 farmers in the vicinity. He mentioned that during 

 the last week he had himself assisted in the appre- 

 hension of four in a neighbouring ravine, who had 

 just slaughtered a fat cow which they had stolen, 

 and were in the act of making bill-tongue of the 

 flesh ; and that, only two days previously, another 

 farmer descending the mountain had left his sheep 

 in charge of a Hottentot boy, who was driving them 

 behind a waggon, when some of these fellows sprang 

 from their concealment, seized the lad, and carried off 

 several of his flock. This was not very agreeable 

 intelligence, particularly in our present situation \ 

 and I became alarmed for the safety of our oxen, 

 which had already been turned out to graze. 



Collecting what dry wood we could find, we made 

 a fire near the waggon, and prepared our evening 

 meal. Finding the Hottentots little disposed to keep 

 watch during the night, I rose at intervals and fired 

 my gun, in token of our vigilance, when the chasms 

 of the naked rock sent back the sound in repeated 

 echoes, that might well have startled the bandit in 

 his cell, and the leopard from his prey. The blazing 

 fire spread a dim and fitful glare on the indistinct 



