358 TRAVELS IN 
the other journies, and an additional Hottentot to attend the 
oxen for relays : for it muft not be fuppofed, that the fame team 
of oxen fhould be able to draw daily for a length of time. The 
farmers, who live only at the diftance of ten days' journey from 
the Cape, feldom come up with lefs than a couple of teams of 
bullocks to ufe alternately. They alfo travel at nights, for the 
fake of coolnefs, and that their cattle may graze or browfe 
during the day. 
But for the better convenience of thofe who travelled on the 
public fervice, government impofed a kind of tax on the farmers, 
by obliging them to furnifh Voorfpans, or gratuitous teams of 
oxen, whenever they fhould be demanded. It was confidered 
as a fufficient recompenfe for this fervice, that they were fupplied 
by the government, without any expence to themfelves, with 
powder and ball, to carry on their expeditions againft their 
enemies, the Bosjefmans. In the prefent, as well as on the 
former tour, I availed myfelf of this privilege of ancient ufage 
in the colony, and never met with a refufal, or even a reludant 
compliance with the demand, which, indeed, was always 
requefted not as a matter of right, but of favor. 
None of my Hottentots being acquainted with one ftep of the 
northern tour I was about to undertake, we had to depend en- 
tirely on the information of the farmers as to the road and moft 
convenient halting places. The firft day brought us to Koeberg^ 
about eighteen miles from the Gape ; and the fecond to Groene 
kloof, about fixteen miles farther of deep fandy road, a hard 
day's drag for a dozen oxen. 
Groene 
