JOURNEY TO BETHELSDORP. [1813, 
Mrs. Vos, whom we left at three, and arrived at 
Mr. Wessels, at six P.M. 
In consequence of the rain, our departure on the 
19th was postponed till two o'clock P.M. when we 
set off with an additional supply of ten oxen, which 
Dr. Vyanderkemp had left with Mr. Wessel, about 
twelve months before. At five we halted at Sand 
Fountain, to which Mr. W favoured us with 
oxen for one of our waggons — at seven we went for- 
ward, and halted in a wilderness during the night, 
where we found it very difficult to produce fire, as 
every thing was wet. 
We expected at eleven P.M. to have proceeded on 
our journey, but in consequence of some of our cattle 
straying in search of water, we could not remove till 
after six in the morning. About eight we came to a 
small salt brook, in which one of our waggons stuck so 
fast, that we were detained nearly an hour ; four and 
twenty oxen with difficulty pulled it out. At ten A.M. 
we stopped at what is called River-without-end. 
Having caught a scorpion near our tent, we tried 
whether naturalists were accurate in relating, that if 
that animal be surrounded with fire, and sees he can- 
not escape, he will sting himself to death. However, 
it died as quietly as any other animal, only darting its 
sting from it, as if to oppose any ordinary assailant. 
We saw another animal, which exactly resembled an 
animated piece of straw, with wings and legs. Having 
