38 
Mil we have to put both spans to each wagon, and 
consequently make slow progress. Continued rising up 
the Berg, and, after travelling a day or two, camped 
under the last steep ascent. The game has disappeared 
since we left Newcastle, as just here the country is more 
populated ; but nearly all the farms we pass are deserted, 
as at this time of year the farmers migrate with their 
families, cattle, and sheep, to the warmer districts below 
the Berg, where they remain until the warm weather and 
fresh grass come round again on the high lands. A great 
part of the country through which we are now passing 
has been burnt off to kill the old grass, and has a very 
dismal appearance, besides the occasional difficulty of 
finding grass for the oxen. 
June \st. Whitsunday. Did not travel, and felt seedy 
for the first time since I landed in Africa ; but E. doctored 
me up, and I was all right again in a day or two. The 
wind in the night was perfectly terrific, blowing a 
hurricane, and we found afterwards it was a famous spot 
for gales. Dubois went back from here to see about some 
oxen we had heard of for sale at a neighbouring farm. 
Next day we reached the top of the Berg, and looked 
forward to a pleasant change of down, instead of the 
everlasting up hill we had been struggling over. ^^Lion" 
has taken a strong fancy for pigs, and worries any that we 
have come across ; but to-day he found his match, and was 
severely bitten by an old sow he found near a farm and 
gave chase to. Another ox died from the cold and 
exhaustion. We passed some Caffre kraals to-day, and 
having sent up word to them that we wanted mealies for 
our horses, the women came trooping down to the wagons 
with large baskets of this corn on their heads, and we had 
great fun in dealing with them. 
June Zrd. Passed a farm inhabited by the best fellow 
we have seen in these parts, and living more comfortably 
