MARCH.] JOURNEY TO BETHELSDORP. 
I find the word span to be used in various ways in 
Africa : a span of oxen means a sufficient number 
to draw a waggon : to take the oxen from the 
waggon in order to feed, is, to out span : yoking 
them again is to inspan : oxen feeding on a journey 
are said to be spaning : the place where tliey feed 
is called a spaning-place. Thermometer at ten A.M. 
eighty -four — ditto at two P.M. eighty-three. 
Notwithstanding the very distracted state in which 
Europe was involved when I left it, hardly a creature 
here knew any thing of its trouble. Were they better 
acquainted with revealed truth, perhaps this w^ould be 
a happy ignorance. 
The hills a little to the south of our spaning-place 
are extremely barren, being almost entire rocks, whose 
shapes however are interesting. Departed at four 
P.M. still travelling in a wilderness. Indeed the 
country hardly deserves to be called inhabited, for 
there is not one family in every ten miles, and it is 
remarkable, that wherever there are few inhabitants 
there are few birds ; for though the feathered tribes 
fear, yet they court the society of man. Thus the 
country w^ears the aspect of desolation, all things 
remaining as the deluge left them in the days of 
Noah. At seven P.M. we halted for worship and 
supper ; when beginning the latter, we discovered that 
the vessel which contained all our butter had fallen 
from the waggon. Our first messenger returned with- 
