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JOURNAL OF A 
lierc, the superior courage and skill of Hottentots, in the treatment 
of oxen, were inani [est. They would not hear of permitting the 
unruly beasts quieth' to follow, but by dint of perseverance, at length 
brought them all to the yoke. Herein, they were assisted by the ha- 
bits of the oxen themselves. Though they ran about, tossing their 
heads, and kicking furiously, and it sometimes seemed, as if they 
would escape altogether, yet they were made to return, by driving 
two or three tame ones after them, whom they immediately joined ; 
when, taking no particular notice of the wild, and the tame ones 
being easily driven back to the waggon, the wild followed quietly, 
and were again caught, by passing a thong with a loop round their 
horns. Though they now threatened to run upon the person hold- 
ing them, and more than once got loose, yet, by a repetition of 
the same stratagem, they Avere at length subdued, and stood still. 
When urged forward, feeling the yoke, they resisted so much, that 
the other spann was sent down to assist their refractory companions, 
and after much hallooing, cracking of whips, and lashing, the wag- 
gons were at length brought to the top of the hill. 
By this delay, we did not reach Ellandsfonteyn, till long after 
sunset, but were received with civility by Mr. Piet Fereira and his 
wife, and permitted to spread our bedding on the floor of the vor- 
haus, or hall. 
i28th. The poor German farmer, Mey, having witnessed the 
trouble we had with our oxen yesterday evening, of his own accord 
sent four tame, and, as they are here called, learned oxen, to our 
assistance, with which we proceeded, passing over the spot, where, 
on the 29th of March, one of our waggons overturned. We re- 
membered, with thankfulness, the merciful preservation then expe- 
rienced, and rejoiced with Brother Stein, that, except in some degree 
of weakness, he no longer felt the injury done to his arm. When 
we reached Olivier's farm, it was with difficulty, that we prevailed 
on Mr. Mey, to accept of some remuneration for the loan of his 
beasts. I gave him a certificate for two spanns, which he justly de- 
served, for without his assistance, we should not have been able to 
