39 
tlian the usual run of farmers here, wlio very kindly took 
charge of a lame ox for us, and allowed him to run with 
his cattle till we returned. We slept last night on the 
stream that forms the boundary between the Transvaal 
Eepublic and Natal, so are now out of British territory. 
Dubois caught us up again this afternoon, bringing with 
him six oxen for which I had to pay £9 a-piece, but was 
thankful to get them even at that price. We found here, 
at Sand spruit," we were about ten or fifteen days from 
Leydenburg, which was pleasant news, as it was nearer 
than we had thought for. Distances are unknown in 
these parts and are reckoned by so many days' trek, which 
is really little or no guide, as, of course, a day's trek varies 
considerably with different travellers, some doing twice as 
far as others. The game has appeared again, and to-day 
we have seen quantities of blesbok, springbok, and other 
antelopes. We do three treks a day now as there is a 
bright moon, and find that the oxen travel so much better 
at night than in the daytime. Had my first spill on horse- 
back to-day, my pony blundering into a hole, but luckily 
no damage done to the Express rifle I was carrying. 
Woodroffe got a blesbok and springbok, and I bagged one 
of the latter after a patient stalk ; so we are well supplied 
with meat, and able to give the Caffres a blow out at no 
expense. The buck are capital eating when in decent 
condition, and the amount we consume at dinner would 
rather alarm an English housekeeper. One feels one can 't 
eat enough. We get up at daylight, or rather before, 
have a cup of coffee a-piece, inspan the oxen, and trek till 
nine or ten, as we find grass and water for them ; then 
breakfast, which we do justice to. On again about twelve 
till perhaps two o'clock, then perhaps go out after game, 
and dinner at six. Trek on again from seven till ten, and 
then, after a glass of whiskey turn in, glad of our night's 
rest — a glorious life for health, though not perhaps 
