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the Caffres to sleep under. The ^^buck" wagons are 
much more roomy and, therefore, more comfortable than 
^^cap tents'' for travelling in, but the latter are much 
lighter and better for a long trek and bad roads. About 
sixteen oxen are required for a loaded wagon ; and they 
have a foreloper who '^leads'' the two front oxen by a 
reim tied to their horns, and a driver to look after them. 
The front oxen are the most important of the span, as, 
at a hard pull, they must be steady, ready to start at once 
when told, and good pullers, or else, if they are wild and 
unsteady, they upset the whole span. Next in importance 
are the two hindmost oxen. Going up a steep hill the 
span requires to stop every few yards, and, in fact, it is 
always slow and tedious travelling with bullocks, but then 
they will live and work where horses would starve and 
die. A well-trained span in good condition, and perhaps 
all matched as to colour and size, is a pretty sight. A 
good or bad driver makes so much difference in the comfort 
or difficulties of wagon travelling. We were not very 
fortunate in this respect, but were glad to get any men, 
as, for various reasons, drivers were in great demand and 
very scarce. 
May I2th. Started at eight o'clock, and after another 
twelve miles journey, arrived at the next station, where 
we got some breakfast, as there are accommodation houses 
at intervals along the road for the first fifty or sixty miles. 
Were delayed here till late, as a blacksmith had to be sent 
for from some distance to tighten the bands of the naves 
of the new wagon with wedges. A good opening for men 
of his trade in this neighbourhood, as I had to pay this 
chap £1 for about four hours' time, but I found this 
nothing to what I had to pay higher up the country. 
Trekked on late in the evening by moonlight. Next 
morning we managed to get off at 7-15, which we at first 
thought early, but gradually got accustomed to start by 
