166 
AFRICAN HUNTING. 
every prospect before them of eventually becoming 
rich in stock, which is money; for they have a good 
custom likewise, when a child is born, of making 
over a cow, a ewe, and a goat ewe, which are never 
parted with, and, by the time he or she is married, 
they have the increase of this lot to start life with 
for themselves. They have, however, previously 
sold more or less to provide themselves with luxu¬ 
ries, a good rifle, riding horse, and wagon for the 
men — dress, bonnets, and knicknacks for the 
women ; and they buy all the most expensive things 
that can be procured from the Cape or elsewhere. 
And a 4 kop-spuiling ’ horse, a brute that is always 
tossing his head, being sharply bitted and curbed for 
the purpose, is indispensable for a dandy young Boer 
in his courting days, and eagerly enquired for. 
September 1st. — I have been doing all sorts of 
things the last fortnight, endeavouring to expedite 
our departure — tent and sail-maker, painter, shoe¬ 
maker, doctor, &c., by turns ; and we have still 
a good week’s work before us, partly owing to the 
sickness of a baby, which I have been expecting 
to die every day. 
The wild dogs got amongst my oxen the other 
night, biting three (one severely), and killing one. 
It was a pitch dark, cold, rainy night; and last 
night the wolves killed one of Swartz’s, and bit two 
more. 
I sold Jack for six yellow inoculated oxen, as he 
was too blind to do any good in the bush, though in 
