VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA. 265 
ill winning the affections of the turbulent housewife. The dragoons, 
quartered here, had a miserable hole to sleep in, and described the 
Veldcornet's dislike of the English and of missionaries, to be very 
great. 
Oxen having been ordered at the next station, we employed our 
two spanns, both of which had arrived during the night, to con- 
vey us thither. The Hottentots had again some trouble to make 
our young oxen submit to the yoke, but managed it with their usu- 
al dexterity. When subdued, they behaved well, and notwithstand- 
ing the rain had made the road, which was a greasy clay, almost as 
slippery as ice, they brought us, about noon, to the farm of our old 
friend, Mr. P. DuPreez. By the way, we remembered our break- 
fast in the vale of vultures, and several pleasant and useful con- 
versations, which passed between us, about two months ago. We 
found a large party at the house, but not the worthy father of the 
family. His son received us kindly, and we were invited to dinner. 
The parents were gone to Zwellendam, to attend the sacrament. 
A report having been spread, that the rivers had swollen, we has- 
tened to cross the Duivenhoeks Revier, at Mr. Lombard's farm, 
which we did, without any trouble. Calling on our old friend, Mr 
Lombard, he and his family used all their eloquence to prevail upon 
us to spend the night at their house, but as it was yet early, and feel- 
ing impatient to get home, we made but a short stay; and passing 
by the next farm, reached a place on the Schlangen Revier after 
sunset, to which we repaired for lodgings, the night being cold. 
The master of the house, having purchased a quantity of arrack 
from the wreck of the Arniston East-Indiaman, stranded on the 
coast near Cape Aguillas, was about to set off in the morning, on 
a trip into the interior, and to Graaf Reynet, to dispose of it, 
in barter for oxen and other articles of trade. They call this, 
going op de tocht. Two waggons were ready packed, into which 
the family had retreated, to be ready to start early in the morn- 
ing. The house, therefore, was at our service, and indeed, but 
just large enough to hold us, without the family; for, besides a 
MM. 
