186 JOURNAL OF A 
immediately come to see and judge for himself. Brother Schmitfc 
promised, that if we discovered nothing to suit us in Uitenhagen 
district, we would, on our return, call and look at his place. 
As we could not procure the oxen we wanted, we proceeded 
with those we had brought with us, to a valley, whither Mr. 
Marcus had orderedstwo spanns to meet us. Here we turned the 
former adrift, leaving them to find their way home, which they are 
sure to do, though no driver be with them. We were very thank- 
ful to Mr. Marcus for his civility, especially as he had at first de- 
clared, that he would not furnish any oxen, except by command of 
his own Veldcornet. 
Our road lay through a narrow vale, with the Kromm Revier 
running in a deep bottom. This river rises in a barren glen, above 
Mr. Mey's farm, and must be often forded, as it winds from side to 
side, and truly deserves the appellation, of the Kromm, or crooked 
river. 
Our next station was Jagersbosch, a farm belonging to a Ger- 
man of the name of Akkerman, who received us very civilly, and 
promised to send us forward in the morning. A tyger had just 
been killed by one of his Hottentots, and two dragoons were help- 
ing him to skin the animal, the carcase being still warm. It was 
a beautiful young creature. The manner in which it was killed 
deserves notice. The Hottentot having discovered his haunt, went 
out with ten dogs, but without any other weapon than a club. As 
soon as the animal perceived the dogs advancing, he fixed his fiery 
eyes upon the man, and flew towards him. The Hottentot pre- 
sented his kaross as a shield, and succeeded in warding off the 
stroke and throwing the tyger upon his back, when the dogs, in- 
stantly falling upon him, kept him down, till the Hottentot had an 
opportunity of hitting him gome severe blows on the head with his 
club, by which he was stunned, and then stoned to death. The 
skin was not injured, and I promised the conqueror to purchase it 
on my return, if I found it well tanned. 
