22 
JOURNEY FROM 
[1820. 
Although the boy had been but a short time in his 
service, he waited at table and acted his part 
very well. A late exploit of the lad is worth 
recording. 
Mr. Storkenstrome, Landdrost of Graaf Reynet, 
and Mr. Baird were travelling in horse-waggons, 
when the rivers were swollen by the rains. On 
coming to the ford of a certain river, a. slave as- 
sured them it was not deep, on which Mr. Baird's 
waggon proceeded ; one of the fore horses fell, 
but the driver continued lashing the other horses 
till they dragged over both the fallen horse and 
the waggon. Those behind, observing this suc- 
cess, attempted to cross likewise, but five of the 
horses were drowned, and the v/aggon carried 
down the stream. Those in the waggon with dif- 
ficulty got out of it, and succeeded in reaching 
the shore. Noticing that Mr. Baird's Bush boy 
was missing, the two Landdrosts made haste to 
save him. About a mile and a half lower, down, 
they observed him mounted on the roof of the 
waggon, and holding up a little dog to prevent its 
being drowned. At length the waggon struck 
against a small island in the middle of the stream 
which was not yet covered by the water, when he 
immediately threw out the dog and jumped upon 
the shore himself. They instantly sent for reams^ 
or skin ropes used about the waggons, which they 
tied to each other till they had made a line long 
