SOUTHERN AFRICA. 133 
ascent, which was near a mile in length, but was unable to 
be moved a step higher. After an hour's trial, bruising and 
fatiguing the oxen to no purpose, they had recourse to the 
method that ought in the first instance to have been adopted. 
The reserved oxen were yoked before the others, and thus, 
by double teams, the waggons were at last drawn out of this 
horrible chasm ; not, however, without producing an instance 
of brutality and cruelty that will scarcely be supposed to 
exist in a country that has any pretensions to civilization. 
While the poor animals were struggling and tearing on their 
knees, and exerting their strength to the utmost to draw up 
the waggons, the owner of one of the teams, enraged at their 
want of success, drew out of its case a large crooked knife 
with a sharp point, and fixing on one of the oxen for the ob- 
ject on which he might give vent to his fury, cut him with se- 
veral gashes across the ribs, in the flank, and in the fleshy 
part of the thigh, some of them from six to seven inches long, 
and so deep that when the animal walked they opened two 
inches in width. The size of the wounds is not mentioned 
loosely for the sake of exaggeration, but is given from actual 
measurement. The ribs were literally laid bare, and the blood 
ran down in streams ; yet in this condition the poor beast was 
obliged to draw in the waggon for the space of three hours, 
after having received such brutal treatment. By two of the 
gashes a large piece of flesh was very nearly taken out 
of the thick part of the thigh : and had it not been for the ir- 
ritable state of mind into which the savage conduct of the 
fellow had thrown me, but more particularly lest it should 
seem to give a kind of countenance to his brutality, I should 
have asked him to have cut it entirely out, as it could 
