WATCH FOR THE NATIVE BOYS. 21 
other two natives, and at night, after watering the 
horses and concealing the saddles, we took our pro- 
visions and arms up among the sand-hills, and slept 
there at some distance from the water : that if they 
travelled onwards by moon-light, they might not 
come upon us unawares whilst sleeping. If they 
had continued their route to the westward, they 
would, I knew, both have a severe task to reach the 
water, and be unable to go to it without our know- 
ledge ; the youngest boy I did not think would 
prove equal to so arduous a task, but the elder one 
I thought might, if his courage and perseverance 
did not fail him in travelling so far, without any in- 
dications to lead him to hope for final success, save 
the fact of our having gone on before. Upon the 
whole, however, I thought it more than probable 
that on finding they could not get Wylie to join 
them, and that they could not keep pace with us, 
they would turn back, and endeavour to put in 
practice their original intention of trying to reach 
Fowler’s Bay. Still it was necessary to be cautious 
and vigilant. A few days at most would decide 
whether they were advancing this way or not, and 
until satisfied upon this point, I determined to take 
every precaution in my power to guard against a 
surprise. My hand was dreadfully painful at night, 
and quite deprived me of all rest, 
May 5. — Up before day-break, and moved down 
to the water to breakfast, then examined carefully 
round the wells, and between the sand -drifts and 
