er of a ship for foulness, but
both men and oxen drank of it with avidity.

[Illustration: WAGGON TRAVELLING IN SOUTH AFRICA.]

In the evening, when about to yoke the oxen to the waggon, it was found
that most of them had run off towards Bysondermeid. No time was to be
lost, so Moffat instantly sent off the remaining oxen with two men to
solicit assistance from Mr. Bartlett at Pella, while he remained
behind with his goods. "Three days," said he afterwards, "I remained
with my waggon-driver on this burning plain, with scarcely a breath of
wind, and what there was felt as if coming from the mouth of an oven. We
had only tufts of dry grass to make a small fire or rather flame; and
little was needed as we had scarcely any food to prepare. We saw no
human being, not a single antelope or beast of prey made its appearance,
but in the dead of night we sometimes heard the roar of the lion on the
mountain. At last when we were beginning to fear that the men had either
perished or wandered, Mr. Bartlett arrived on horseback, with two men
having a quantity of mutton tied to their saddles. I cannot conceive of
an epicure gazing on a table groaning under the weight of viands, with
half the delight that I did on the mutton."

[Illustration]

Fresh oxen, accustomed to deep sand, conveyed the weary travellers to
Pella, where Moffat remained a few days, being greatly invigorated in
mind and body by the Christian kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett and the
friendly attentions of the heathen converts.

Starting again, he came to the Orange River, crossing which was
generally a work of difficulty at that time. The native teacher from
Warm Bath, who had come to Pella to conduct Moffat to his village, led
the missionary to a ford opposite to that place. The waggon and its
contents were swam over on a fragile raft of dry willow logs--a
laborious and tedious operation, the raft having to be taken to pieces
after each journey, and the separate logs conveyed back again by
swimmers. All the goods being over, Robert was asked to place himself
upon the raft. Not altogether liking its appearance, and also wishing
to save the natives trouble, he took off his clothes and, leaving them
to be conveyed across, plunged into the stream. The natives were afraid
as they saw him approach the middle of the current, and some of their
most expert swimmers sprang in to overtake him, but in vain. When he
emerged on the northern bank, one of them came up out of