CONTINENT OF AFRICA. 
373 
employed themselves very laboriously in cutting it down 
in such a manner as that the waggons might get to 
the channel of the river. By two o'clock all was in 
readiness for crossing. Our three waggons were got 
down the steep bank without any accident. The 
first branch of the river was compleatly dry ; of course 
we all travelled with ease to the west point of the 
first island, which was about a quarter of a mile 
distant, at which place the real crossing commenced. 
Captain Bern, John Hendric, and one or two others 
first entered the stream on horseback to examine its 
depth. The current was strong, and it was about 
three hundred yards wide. An ox, carrying on his 
back the materials of a house, above which sat a little 
naked boy, was the first of our train that entered, 
followed by the loose oxen, the sheep, and the goats ; 
most of the two last were to be dragged by the men 
till they got beyond the strongest part of the stream ; 
during which they made no small noise, like the 
screaming of children. Our three waggons followed — 
then eight or ten Griqua women riding on oxen, most 
of whom had children tied to their backs — next came 
several men mounted on oxen, some of whom had 
females in tow, holding them by the hand, to assist 
them against the current. I observed a little boy 
holding fast by the tail of an ox, the whole way across, 
violently screaming while the current was strong. 
The procession was closed by a mixed multitude of 
men, boys^ girls, dogs, loitering oxen, sheep, and 
goats. A great many of the oxen, sheep, and goats 
were the property of the Griquaas who went 
