468 
JOURNEY IN THE COLONY. 
[1813, 
ance than the ground immediately beyond the range of 
those trees. It was painful to see the oxen standing 
still most part of the day for want of something to eat, 
while they looked like spectres for want of food. 
Learning from a boor who lay at the ford a little 
higher up, that we might obtain grass about four hours' 
journey up the river, we moved at four P.M. crossed 
the river without any accident, and travelled over deep 
sand for some miles, after which the road became 
harder, and we arrived about nine P.M. at the boor's 
place where there was grass, and we ourselves were 
kindly entertained by him. Having again walked the 
whole journey, rest was sweet. 
11th. At seven in the morning Mynheer Vanzails 
invited us to coftee, and at eight o'clock to a breakfast 
of tea and plenty of milk, and then at eleven A.M. to 
dinner, which was three meals in four hours ; but this 
was the usual custom of the house. His two sons, of 
fourteen and eighteen years of age, sat at a side table, 
though there was plenty of room at ours ; but perhaps, 
owing to being unaccustomed to company, they could 
eat more pleasantly alone. The boor at the head of 
the table wore his broad brimmed hat, and described 
with much spirit encounters with lions and tigers, 
which are the principal events which happen in that 
dreary corner of I he earth. His wife was absent on a 
journey to the Cape, and the other end of the table 
was occupied by a girl clothed with little more than 
her own skin, holding in her hand a long stick, at the 
