1811. 
A DILEMMA. 
421 
SO, a larger stock of dried meat might have been saved for my future 
journey. 
Our guide led us along the side of the river, over ground the 
most rugged and uneven, where thorny bushes, deep ditches and 
ravines, every minute impeded our progress ; and such as in England 
I believe no person would be venturesome enough to drive a 
waggon through. The axletrees were strained in opposite direc- 
tions, so that frequently one or other of the wheels was lifted from 
the ground ; and, but for the peculiar construction of Cape waggons, 
allowing a free motion to every part, we must most certainly have 
been several times overturned. 
At last we ventured too much, and were on the point of being- 
upset in an exceedingly deep ravine, which proved really impass- 
able. At this moment, conceiving that the waggon was falling- 
over, we fortunately sprang from our seat, and thus preserved the 
equilibrium, without, in fact, having calculated upon producing so 
seasonable an effect. To advance was impossible ; to retreat seemed 
nearly so : and as the guide assured us that Speelman could not be 
beyond hearing, we clapped the whip with all our might, in hopes of 
calling him to our assistance. But in the mean time, on recon- 
noitring the ground, it was thought that the waggon might be 
dragged up the steep bank on our left, although, indeed, there was 
scarcely room for it to turn. This, however, after a delay of half an 
hour, was at last effected without accident ; but the enormous large 
stones and rocks that we were afterwards obliged to drive over, 
threatened destruction to the wheels : and, even on gaining the 
level above the ravines, we had nothing better than rocks for nearly 
half a mile. As soon as these difficulties were passed, I reprimanded 
the guide for bringing us so near to the river, while he knew that, 
at a proper distance from the banks, we should have found a safe 
and smooth road over the plain. He had, he confessed, mistaken 
the spot where he expected to find Speelman ; and thought that, 
by approaching the water at the place where we did, we should 
the sooner come upon him. 
We had not proceeded a mile, before we were met by a Bush- 
