372 RETURN OF THE OVERSEER. 
mild and soft, with the appearance of rain, but none 
fell. I was becoming anxious about the return of 
my overseer and native boy, who had been absent 
nine tides, when they ought to have returned in 
eight, and I could not help fearing some mischance 
had befallen them, and frequently went backwards and 
forwards to the beach, to look for them. The tenth 
tide found me anxiously at my post on the look out, 
and after watching for a long time 1 thought I dis- 
cerned some dark objects in the distance, slowly 
advancing; gradually I made out a single horse, 
driven by two people, and at once descended to meet 
them. Their dismal tale was soon told. After 
leaving us on the 5th, they reached their destination 
on the 7th; but in returning one of the horses 
became blind, and was too weak to advance further, 
when they had barely advanced thirteen miles ; they 
were consequently obliged to abandon him, and 
leave behind the things he had been carrying. 
With the other two horses they got to within five 
miles of the place we first procured water at on the 
30th March. Here a second horse had become 
unable to proceed, and the things he had carried 
were also obliged to be left behind. They then got 
both horses to the first well at the sand-hills and 
watered them, and after resting a couple of hours 
came on to join me. Short as this distance was, the 
jaded horse could not travel it, and was left behind 
a mile and a half back. Having shewn the over- 
seer and boy the camp, I sent the other two natives 
