the donkey line now but independent Jack," wlio appears 
to be a very knowing and sociable donkey, and fortunately 
shows no signs of giving in like the others ; he evidently 
despised his weaker brethren, for he utterly eschewed their 
company, and always kept with the ponies. The ^^pau" 
was cooked to-day for our dinner, and very good it was ; 
and we were only sorry we had not got another in reserve. 
Although we have lately passed several farm houses, we 
have been unable to buy any milk, butter, potatoes, bread, 
or, in fact, anything we want, and are much puzzled to 
know how the people live. 
May 29th. Arrived at Newcastle in the first trek, and 
immediately took our wagon to a blacksmith to have the 
iron bows that support the cover repaired, as they were 
broken in several places with the jolting. The man civilly 
set to work at once, but when I saw the cover off and the 
work to be done, I was much alarmed lest we should not 
get our house again in time to sleep in, but it was finished 
just at dark. Newcastle contains about twenty or thirty 
houses and stores — a poor place and very desolate looking. 
No eatables to be got here except meat, and that was cheap 
enough at fourpence a pound. As we could buy no bread 
we took our flour, &c., to a good-natured Scotch woman in 
the town, who made a batch of bread for us. One of our 
drivers bad with a severe cold, and very doleful over it. 
The Caffres always think they are going off the hooks at 
the slightest sign of illness, and will take any amount of 
physic that a white man will give them, the nastier the 
better. Weather very cold, and thin ice every morning, 
with a sharp white frost. Left Newcastle next morning, 
and ascended the first spur of the Drachensburg range in 
the afternoon, getting close on the boundaries of three 
countries, viz.. Natal, Free State, and Transvaal. I have 
tried in vain to buy more oxen, and consequently the few 
we have are obliged to do double work, as at every steep 
