1812. 
CROSSING THE GARIEP. 
13 
goods with which he might purchase provisions during our absence. 
I gave him instructions to meet me on our return, at the river with 
the waggon, should he be able in time to get intelligence of our 
being on the road. He then, with the assistance of Old Daniel's 
son and Muchunka, began to put the oxen to the yoke, and, as soon 
as he perceived that I was safely landed on the other side, set out on 
his journey home. 
To save the swimmers the fatigue of bringing over the raft when 
they returned, we were obliged for each load to construct a new one ; 
and as soon as the third raft was put together, I seated myself upon 
it, with four of my dogs, and launched into the stream. I was 
attended by twelve swimmers, including all the remainder of my 
men, excepting Ruiter and Nieuwveld, who remained behind to bring 
over the horse, and the oxen and sheep. 
We reached the southern bank just at sunset, and as soon as Jan 
Bloem and his people had received the gunpowder, they returned to 
the other side on ' wooden horses.' * As they had exerted themselves 
to their utmost in transporting our baggage over the river, and must 
have been excessively fatigued before they reached home, I freely 
forgave them the unfair stratagem by which they had outwitted me ; 
and allowed them to plead their own necessities in excuse. We 
parted good friends, and they promised to give their assistance in 
swimming the cattle through in the morning ; as it was become too 
late to attempt it this evening. 
At the place where we landed, a high precipitous bank confined 
us close to the water's edge, where it would have been highly im- 
prudent to have remained till morning, exposed to the risk of being- 
swept away, should the river suddenly swell. It grew dark before we 
had removed the goods to the higher ground ; and in this operation fate 
seemed to declare that no luxuries were to be allowed me on this 
journey ; for the only article I had provided, which could be con- 
sidered so, excepting tea and a bag of biscuits, was a stone bottle. 
* An explanation of this term, has been given in the first volume, at page 415. 
