OCT.] 
JOURNEY IN THE COLONY. 
467 
At ten P.M. an ox which had done all he could to 
serve us for six months, could do no more, but laid 
himself down on the road to die. We gave him a 
little water which we had with us, on which he revived 
and rose, then looked for something to eat, but looked 
in vain, for there was not a blade of grass to be seen. 
We tried all we could to get him forward, but he could 
hardly move, of course we were obliged to leave him 
behind and push forward to water. With great pity 
and regret I looked back to him as long as he could 
be seen. 
At midnight, with much pleasure, we came in sight 
of the long looked for Elephant's River, and halted on 
its banks. Men and beasts drank plentifully of its pure 
stream. Having walked on foot the whole jouraey, 
we were glad, about two in the morning, to lie down 
and rest our weary limbs, for an eight hours' walk in 
deep sand requires no trifling exertion. 
10th. In the morning I preached to the people from 
the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch to the faith of 
Christ, and his baptism by Philip. Mr. Read baptized 
Slinger, one of our Hottentots, in the Elephant River, 
after he had given a satisfactory account of his faith. 
Thermometer at noon, 78. 
The Elephant River is a considerable stream, though 
much inferior to the Great River. Its banks are beau- 
tifully lined with the willow, thorn, and other trees, but 
it is hardly possible to conceive a more barren appear- 
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