s8S TRAVELS IN 
My greateft difficulty was to contrive a mode 
of carrying it away. Without a waggon, or 
even the poffibility of getting one to the place 
where we were, I had nothing for this expe- 
dition except my oxen : and, not to mention 
the delays and inconvenience we muft expe- 
rience on our journey from fuch a bulky pack. 
Its vaft weight was too much for the ftrength 
of a common ox, and the animal muft have 
funk under it. It occurred to me, therefore, 
to hire the two ftrongeft oxen belonging to 
the horde, and to conftrudt a litter, which 
being fitted to their flioulders, and obliging 
them to go fide by fide, might divide the bur- 
den between them. When the machine was 
finlfhed, I tried it ; and It anfwered the pur- 
pofe perfectly, to the great aftonifhment of the 
Caminouquas, who had never feen any thing 
of the kind before ; and, on my departure, all 
the horde ran out to admire It. In the eyes 
of a favage, the moft fimple Invention Is con- 
fidered as almoft a prodigy. What pre-emi- 
nence over them do we derive from induftry 
improved by pradlce ! But on the other hand, 
what fuperiority have they over us. In being 
able to do without the advantages It procures ! 
On 
