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came with their tools to the rescue, and after cutting down 
a small tree in the bush, began to work it into the proper 
shape. Before we left our old camp, an enterprising 
Dutchman bought the cart for £2, but how he ever 
expected to get the body up again to replace it on the 
wheels was a puzzle to me, and I have often wondered 
whether he ever managed it. While waiting for the 
desselboom to be mended, the Caffres returned from 
Leydenburg, bringing a most welcome budget of letters 
and newspapers from England. We hadn't seen an 
English paper for about five months, and eagerly read the 
news as may be supposed. Caffres still keep bringing 
eggs and fowls in exchange for beads; an egg is about Je?., 
and a fowl 3d., reckoning their value in beads. We have 
rigged up a box, which travels on the wagon, containing 
some live fowls which lay regularly when let out in the 
morning as soon as we outspan for breakfast. Next day 
the Dutchmen returned and finished their job, but would 
take nothing in payment for their trouble except a little 
coffee. Made a trek in the afternoon, and had our first 
stick-fast, the oxen not yet being thoroughly used to their 
work. However, we persevered, and made each span at 
last pull their wagon over the difiiculty; and we never 
had another hitch all the way back to Natal. 
September 10th. Inspanned, as of old, at daylight, and 
stopped for breakfast. A deliciously cool day, and we 
think this most luxurious travelling after our late experi- 
ences. The peach blossoms are out and in great profusion 
all along the road sides. We saw to-day enormous flights 
of locusts almost darkening the sky, they were in such 
masses; they have done a great deal of damage to the 
crops, and are, of course, obnoxious to the farmers, though 
an extraordinary sight to us. Camped for the night at 
Lemun Place, one of our old resting places, and overtook 
a traveller on foot returning from the gold fields, who told 
