1811. 
HOTTENTOTS' WAGGONS. 
385 
How he could become acquainted with the language of 
Horace, it is not easy to imagine ; since he never had the benefit 
of a residence at any of the universities. But so it was. — Sed ego 
Nunc itaque, et versus, et caetera ludicra, pono. 
We had travelled not more than a dozen miles, when an acci- 
dent happening to one of the wheels of the captain's waggon, we 
were obliged to halt, and unyoke ; while a man on horseback was 
sent back to the kraal, for some iron work to replace that which was 
broken. 
Most of the Hottentots' waggons were in so shattered and 
ricketty a state, as to occasion us to entertain serious apprehen- 
sions that some of them would drop to pieces in the attempt 
at passing the rocky places which traversed our course. Thongs 
of raw hide, bound about various parts, constituted their chief 
strength ; and on them, the owners placed their principal depen- 
dence, for keeping the crazy vehicle together. One waggon, 
however, was quite new, and the same which had been offered 
at the Asbestos mountains, in exchange for mine. Its pro- 
prietor often put the strength of it on trial, by driving with sur- 
prising heedlessness over rocks and holes and every thing that lay 
in his way. 
All around us, here, was barren and without water or pasture ; 
and thus to be delayed above three hours in such a spot, was suffi- 
ciently vexatious. I had not even the amusement of picking up a 
few flowers, but as we carried water in the waggons, a fire was 
lighted, and the teakettle soon made to boil : the heat of the day 
rendering this refreshing drink not only a luxury, but even a 
necessary. 
The want of water made it impossible to pass the night at this 
place ; and, though the evening was drawing fast upon us, before the 
accident was rectified, we set out again. The country was exceed- 
ingly rocky, but at intervals covered with bushes nearly eight feet 
high, with intervening spaces of grass. The surface, in many places, 
3 D 
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