1812. A MODE OF PUNISHMENT. «- DOUBLE RATIONS. 
247 
Andries and Stuurman, who had been appointed to attend the 
oxen and sheep at pasture, were now so neglectful of their duty, that 
the latter were suffered to stray. As soon as this was discovered, 
two men on horseback were sent in search, and they at length found 
them at Ongeluks Fountain, a distance of six miles. As a punish- 
ment for this neglect, and as an example to the others, I withheld 
their rations of brandy and tobacco. 
In giving to the people their usual allowance of brandy, which 
was portioned so as to avoid the risk of intoxication, I noticed a 
singular expedient to which they resorted in order to counteract my 
precaution and to render more sensible the exhilarating effects of the 
spirit. They had made agreements with each other to give up their 
rations alternately ; and were content to remain one turn without 
any, in order that on the next they might receive a double quantity. 
On coming to their fire in the evening, it was easy to perceive, by 
their unusual talkativeness and animation, whose turn it had been to 
have double rations. 
Our biscuit and flour being all expended, we now began to 
make use of, what was intended for, our last resource, and opened 
the sack of rice. Afterwards, when this was all consumed, we con- 
tinued from necessity, to live on animal food alone, and literally with- 
out the smallest addition of any thing of a vegetable nature. 
\6th. During this day, we travelled over an open country, the 
soil of which was generally a red loamy earth, thickly covered with 
grass, in which the track we followed was nearly obliterated, or very 
faintly marked. At this season we found the grass dried up, though 
it still remained standing in the same position as when alive and 
growing. As we were obliged to force our way through it much 
inconvenience was experienced from its barbed seeds and triple awns, 
which, adhering to my clothes, and their sharp points creeping through 
to the flesh, occasioned a constant irritation.* 
These plains abounded also in large bushes of Tarchonanthus ; 
* These were the seeds of two or three species of Aristida [Chcetaria), of an Anthis- 
tiria, and of different sorts of Aiidropogon. 
