JUNE.] 
BUSHMEN'S COUNTRY. 
215 
river, and found plenty of firewood. We passed a few 
huts about seven o'clock. We observed a signal made 
by our friends on the other side, intimating that they 
were travelling to the eastward along with us. Such 
an occurrence is peculiarly pleasing, after travelling so 
many days in a desert without seeing one inhabitant 
6th. Thermometer at sun-rise, 50. Though the 
fifth week in winter, at nine in the morning the heat 
began to be oppressive ; the swallows and butterflies 
were flying every where around. I observed a Bush- 
man's pit seven or eight feet deep, near our waggons. 
The bed of the river appears here to be about half a 
mile wide, but seems only to be entirely covered after 
great rains. Thermometer in the shade, at nine, A.M. 
66 : at noon, in ditto, 76 : in the sun, 84. There 
was much distant thunder, but we enjoyed sun-shine 
all the day. 
Pretorius, a Bushman belonging to our company, 
who had lived a considerable time at Bethelsdorp, on 
making a confession of his faith in Christ, was bap- 
tized by Mr. R. in the Great River, which was a 
solemn and affecting service. 
At two, P.M. Bern drove thirty oxen across to us 
from the other side : the stream carried them down 
with great speed for a quarter of a mile, and all got 
over except one which returned, and would not enter 
the river again. Two men followed the oxen on what 
they call a wooden horse, which is a thick branch of a 
