404 ' JOURNEY AaiOSS THE [\si3. 
The Psalmist, in his 23rd Psalm, speaks of the 
Lord leading him in green pastures, beside still 
waters." The beauty and force of this expression 
ean hardly be conceived by one who never was out of 
England. Five months had elapsed since we had 
seen green pastures^ all having been withered grass, 
which is neither so pleasing to the eye, nor so nutritious 
to the cattle. I longed to see green hills or plains^ 
and a river gently gliding along. 
Nine o'clock at night came, but there was no 
appearance either of our oxen or Hottentots who were 
sent to guard them. We had various conjectures 
as to the cause ; perhaps while the men slept the 
oxen strayed, or the Bushmen on the river had stolen 
them. Our two milch goats ran off, and were sought 
for in vain — the lions might devour them during the 
night. Our situation was awkward, for every thing 
was packed up and ready for setting off, but without 
our oxen we could not move an inch, and were in the 
middle of a barren desart. 
10th. Thermometer at sun-rise, 48. In the morn- 
ing we had no intelligence of our oxen or goats. 
Parties were dispatched in search of both. 
The bush louse, as it is called, became v^ry trouble- 
some to us — it is black, and about the size of a large 
bug. When it fixes on the skin of a person, it is 
hardly possible to get it off without cutting it to pieces, 
indeed it sticks so close to the skin, that it cannot be 
