July.] 
THEFT BY THE BUSHMEN. 
225 
on the side of the valley, appeared very beautiful ; 
a rising ground to the right was covered w^ith 
various kinds of timber ; several small hills also 
were decked with wood, while rocks, resembling 
monumental pillars, interspersed over the scenery, 
added much to the beauty of the view. Great 
part of the valley was covered with reeds from 
eight to twelve feet high, growing out of a black 
mould; and a fine lake of water, from which 
there always flows a pure stream, was on the east 
side of the reeds. 
On reaching the head of this lake, a Hottentot 
came running with tidings that the Bushmen, 
whose welfare we were then seeking, had sto- 
len three of our oxen, and one belonging to a 
Hottentot. We immediately returned to the 
waggons, and dispatched a party in pursuit of 
them. We saw, from the footmarks of the oxen, 
that they had first driven off" a great number, out 
of which they had selected four, judging it more 
probable that they should better succeed in car- 
rying off a few than many. Poor creatures ! 
they had perhaps no alternative between this 
theft and starvation ! 
In the forenoon a Bushmen fire was seen at a 
distance ; a signal to other Bushmen that a rob- 
bery had been committed, and that they ought 
to get out of the way. Some one had set fire to 
VOL. II. Q 
