33 
find, I made a good fire, roasted and ate a pigeon I 
happened to have in my pocket, tied the horse up, and 
laid down to sleep as best I could. Was very glad to see 
daylight break; and after some trouble found a track 
down the rocks, and then soon reached the wagons, and 
very glad to get some hot coffee. A double shot soon 
brought back the party which E. had started off the 
fii^t thing to search for me. Saw several small buck 
about here — the prettiest bit of country we have yet 
seen. After breakfast we inspanned the oxen, and 
prepared to cross the Tugela by the ford. We had 
considerable trouble, the oxen behaving badly as usual ; 
but at last, by putting both spans into one wagon, we 
managed to get them across. E. and I went over in the 
ferry boat. On the other side we had a tremendous hill 
to ascend, and didn't get to the top with both wagons till 
dark. — A bad day's work as regards distance done. Could 
find no oxen to hire or buy ; and another of the small 
span died. 
May 21 st. Started again at 8-30. Another ox had 
died in the night. Camped for breakfast at Sand river, 
having left the thorn " district behind us, and got back 
into the open country. We did not find the change 
pleasant, as plenty of wood was a luxury, and the nights 
in the '^thorns" much warmer for ourselves and the 
animals. Dubois left us about mid-day to ride on to his 
home, on the Biggarsberg, which we were to reach the 
next night. One was very glad of warm clothing in the 
evenings which were decidedly cold, canvas not being 
much protection against frost. One of the men brought 
us a scorpion which he had caught, and the horrid-looking 
beast was immediately bottled. We carried a bottle with 
a wide mouth, about three parts filled with sawdust, 
slightly saturated with benzine, to - put insects in ; but we 
lost a great many of the specimens we caught owing to 
