ALONE IN THE. DESERT. 251 
bed, and sat all alone before the lire, I realised my 
situation—all alone in the desert, with a wagon and 
twenty oxen, not a soul that I knew of within reach, 
and I Avas wholly ignorant of the Maccateese language. 
I cursed my own pride and folly over and over again, 
m not acceding to anything my Kaffirs wished, rather 
than be left in this frightful predicament, for I was 
utterly helpless. The night I passed was horrible — 
fourteen hours of darkness, for the days were now at 
the shortest; I do not wish my worst enemy to spend 
such a one. I hoped against hope that Matakit and 
Inyous might return, though I could not blame the 
poor lads, as I knew' that scoundrel, Kaffler, had 
frightened them out of their senses, by saying that 
we were sure to be killed. When I got a few 
minutes’ restless, uneasy sleep, it was only to wake 
