132 
STRAYING OF THE OXEN. 
[1820. 
As we went forward over the sand, the fore 
wheel of one of the waggons stuck fast in a bush. 
This made the oxen run quickly to one side, by 
which the pole was snapped in two. After it 
was repaired, we proceeded forward in an 
easterly direction. The land seemed deserted by 
all kinds of animals ; every thing was still, even 
the motion of the waggons could hardly be heard, 
in consequence of the soft, dry sand over which 
they moved. The sun went down, and left us in 
the dark, when the Bushmen pits, and holes ex- 
cavated by animals became so numerous as to 
endanger waggons, oxen, and pedestrians ; upon 
coming therefore to a few trees, at seven p. m., 
we judged it best to halt till the return of day- 
light. Our course was east.. 
3rd. We halted in a spot near twelve 
trees, the only ones to be seen j some of them, 
which were decayed by age, afforded us a good 
supply of fuel for our fires during the night ; but 
our oxen were not to be found, having gone off 
in search of water, and from their footmarks they 
appeared to have proceeded to the south, a direc- 
tion in which they were not likely to obtain 
it. Part of our Hottentots at sunrise went in 
pursuit of them. It being the Sabbath, we had 
our usual worship at eleven a.m. Therm, at 
noon 70. 
