Копи царя Соломона

           Therewassomedifficultyaboutitslegalexecution,asSirHenrywasastrangerhere,andthepropertytobechargedisoverthewater;butitwasultimatelygotoverwiththehelpofalawyer,whocharged£20forthejob—apricethatIthoughtoutrageous. ThenIpocketedmychequefor£500. 

           Havingpaidthistributetomybumpofcaution,IpurchasedawagonandaspanofoxenonSirHenry’sbehalf,andbeautiestheywere. Itwasatwenty-two-footwagonwithironaxles,verystrong,verylight,andbuiltthroughoutofstinkwood;notquiteanewone, havingbeentotheDiamondFieldsandback,but,inmyopinion,allthebetterforthat,forIcouldseethatthewoodwaswellseasoned. Ifanythingisgoingtogiveinawagon,orifthereisgreenwoodinit,itwillshowoutonthefirsttrip. Thisparticularvehiclewaswhatwecalla"half-tented"wagon,thatistosay,onlycoveredinovertheaftertwelvefeet,leavingallthefrontpartfreeforthenecessarieswehadtocarrywithus. Inthisafterpartwereahide"cartle,"orbed,onwhichtwopeoplecouldsleep,alsoracksforrifles,andmanyotherlittleconveniences.Igave£125forit,andthinkthatitwascheapattheprice. 

           ThenIboughtabeautifulteamoftwentyZuluoxen,whichIhadkeptmyeyeonforayearortwo. Sixteenoxenistheusualnumberforateam,butItookfourextratoallowforcasualties. TheseZulucattlearesmallandlight,notmorethanhalfthesizeoftheAfricanderoxen,whicharegenerallyusedfortransportpurposes; buttheywilllivewheretheAfricanderswouldstarve,andwithamoderateloadcanmakefivemilesadaybettergoing,beingquickerandnotsoliabletobecomefootsore.