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wheel had broken loose where it joined the wood, from the heat of the weather having warped the wooden wedges which surrounded it, and kept it firm; so we had to outspan again, and set to work and mend it. Just as we had finished it to our satisfaction, Jantze took it into his head to put a few finishing touches, and while our backs were turned, in his efforts to make it fit closer to the cap, hammered the box too far through the hubb, and we had to undo all our previous work, and take out all the wedges we had put in, before we were again ready to trek off.

Kaffirs have a most ingenious habit of fully acknowledging that they are to blame, without having a shadow of an excuse to offer for their conduct, yet not being in the least degree ashamed of themselves. After we had been remonstrating more firmly than mildly with Jantze, for his stupidity in touching the wheel, he waited till we had finished, and then answered, "Yes, Misare, me am stupid; all right!" and without a notion of his impudence, evidently thought he had heard enough of the matter.

As we were so short-handed we had to do all the forelouping ourselves, and also the greater part of the inspanning and outspanning; but luckily the oxen were now so well broken in, that they followed the track as well by themselves as when led. We had a very long tiring second trek before we came to water in the evening; but as the grass was wretchedly poor, and barely enough to give the oxen a mouthful apiece, it was necessary to let them have plenty of water to fill themselves out with it, as there was nothing else.

disturbed his arrangements to the extent we had, did not appease him half as much as our promise that, if ever we should again come back his way, we would live entirely upon him; and when once he was convinced of the honesty of our intention, his good temper returned.

On our last evening we had our supper at the farmhouse, and also accepted their invitation to have breakfast with them before starting in the morning. As we went away Mr. Hartogh said, "When you come back you will not use me well unless you come and eat with us two or three times every day, and send your boys oftener to say you want some meal, or some butter, or have a dinner ready for you and your friends at such and such an hour."

Next morning Mrs. Hartogh had a most sumptuous breakfast prepared for us before our departure. She said that we should not have time to cook our own in the confusion of making a start. Pork-pies, hams, chickens, sausages, eggs, cold meats, and sweets, and preserves in great variety, were all upon the table but although we made superhuman efforts, I fear our appetites did not satisfy her. She insisted on our carrying away with us supplies of eggs, sausages, larded meats, bread, rusks, milk, and butter, sufficient to keep the whole party for a month; and the only thing we could persuade them to accept from us in return was a photograph of ourselves and the waggons, which had been taken as we were leaving Pretoria.

The first movement of the waggon, much to our disgust, showed us that the iron box of the hind

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wheel had broken loose where it joined the wood, from the heat of the weather having warped the wooden wedges which surrounded it, and kept it firm; so we had to outspan again, and set to work and mend it. Just as we had finished it to our satisfaction, Jantze took it into his head to put a few finishing touches, and while our backs were turned, in his efforts to make it fit closer to the cap, hammered the box too far through the hubb, and we had to undo all our previous work, and take out all the wedges we had put in, before we were again ready to trek off.

Kaffirs have a most ingenious habit of fully acknowledging that they are to blame, without having a shadow of an excuse to offer for their conduct, yet not being in the least degree ashamed of themselves. After we had been remonstrating more firmly than mildly with Jantze, for his stupidity in touching the wheel, he waited till we had finished, and then answered, “Yes, Misare, me am stupid; all right!" and without a notion of his impudence, evidently thought he had heard enough of the matter.

As we were so short-handed we had to do all the forelouping ourselves, and also the greater part of the inspanning and outspanning; but luckily the oxen were now so well broken in, that they followed the track as well by themselves as when led. We had a very long tiring second trek before we came to water in the evening; but as the grass was wretchedly poor, and barely enough to give the oxen a mouthful apiece, it was necessary to let them have plenty of water to fill themselves out with it, as there was nothing else.

N

CHAPTER XX.

Water scarce-Ammunition runs short-Laziness-"One over"No Market Our Roads divide-Stalking a Donkey-Oxen begin to fail-A bad Stick-Ugly Country-A Boer's FarmObtain a Guide.

NEXT morning, Tuesday, 25th, after we had treked about half a mile, we came to a patch of fairly good grass, which had escaped the general burning, so we at once outspanned to give the oxen a feed; but we had to go without our own breakfast in consequence, for there was no water to make our coffee, and if there had been, there was no mess about to make a fire to boil it at, or cook our meat; so we had to content ourselves with bread and butter, and were thankful enough to have such an unusual luxury to indulge in.

We treked off again at twelve o'clock, although the sun was beating down fiercely, and made it very trying work for the oxen; but water was necessary, and we had unwillingly to give them the extra labour. I had a long ride after a blesse-bôk in the afternoon. With my first shot I had wounded it slightly, and as my horse was fresh I soon rode into it; but on putting my hand into my pouch for a cartridge, I found it was empty. I then rode right alongside, but my horse took fright and sheered off each time I attempted to hit the bôk's head with the butt end of

A fruitless Chase.

179

my carbine. At last the bôk laid down, and I got off to try and compass its death with carbine and knife combined; but the instant I dismounted, the bôk rose up and limped slowly, but still faster than I could keep up with on foot. A dozen times I attempted to hit it from the saddle, but with no success, and a dozen times the bôk laid down and got up again before I was near enough to touch it on foot. There was not a stone far or near; and at last, much disgusted at my carelessness in leaving the waggon with an empty pouch, I had to leave the bôk, for darkness was coming on. I sincerely hope the poor beast recovered from his wound, but most probably the vultures benefited by my loss. Every night the cold grew more intense, and we congratulated ourselves on having brought our ulsters with us, in addition to a plentiful supply of blankets. Of a morning every liquid, from water to oil, is frozen, even inside the waggon, and the edges of the blankets which covered our mouths were stiff from the frozen moisture of our breaths upon them. The sun, during the day, made it just as hot as it was cold at night, and the thermometer inside the waggon registered on an average 90°; but there was usually a fresh breeze, which made the heat not only easily endurable but very pleasant. Both cold and heat are of such a dry character, that even a delicate invalid is not injuredby the sudden changes, provided he takes ordinary precautions, such as changing into very warm clothes as the sun goes down, and always wearing flannel to prevent any chance of a sudden chill. The aspect of the country we were now travelling through was dark, dreary, and desolate beyond descrip

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