The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1900-04-13
THE OK IN WAR
IFS sirengih and Patience Make Him laval
liable In South Aries.

At the present moment, when the /
efficiency Of the British army In South /.
Africa largely depends on the stabil- /
ity Of is transport, Il may not De
amlss TO consider the capabilities Of
the trek, or transport, OK, who, after
all, despite mules and traction engines
Is the malnstny OF the South African
transport. The Imperial authorities In
the Cape Colony and Natal are now
buslly engaged in buying AL the
avallble OK transport they can, as Is
testified by their numerous advertise
ments in colonial papers.
Oxen are less expensive than mules.
They are slow but sure, never doing
more than three miles an hour, or
twenty miles a day. which IL consider.
ed a good trek The Zulu OK Is the
best-bred animal, but small and UNI
serviceable when compared to the
bastard Zulu or Natal or, which
thrives on both the "sour" veldt. Oxen,
however. require very careful hand
ling, and must on no account be over
driven; they must have at least six
hours a day for grazing purposes. In
the winter, which is coming on cow,
they can find a picking on the parehed
welt where a mule or horse would fall.
They are, naturally, In poor condition
till the green grass Of spring appears
in September They are very liable to
lung sickness and red water, and
whole spans sometimes perish from
the cold, and on no account should be
worked in the rain during that season,
for, among other things, the yoke,
when wet, gives them sore necks, thus
rendering them useless. me ox's best
work is done at night time, and moon
light tricks are the usual things with
the transport riders" after their teams
have been grazing all day. They are
never kept under the yoke for more
than eight hours during the day, two
stretches Of four hours each. From
four to eight in the morning and from
G to 10 at night are the faVorlte hours
for "trekking.
AS to their hauling capacity, a
"span" or team of eighteen oxen will
easily draw a buck wagon weighing a
little over a tom, loaded to 6,OOC
pounds over the South African roads
many Of which are little better than
tracks across the veldt. Twenty miles
a day for a heavy baggage column II
such a country as South Africa Is
really good going.
One Of the great merits Of the OK
wagon is the simplicity Of it's harness
The two beasts nearest the wager
draw from a pole (disselboom) OF
which the yoke is fastened, and thu
couples in front are attached to a wire
or hide rope, known as the trek-tOuw
to which the Jokes are fastened b!
riems, OF thongs of hide. Any break
age or deficiency in such a tackle cal
easily be made good, as 1t Is free from
the complexities Of a set of harness
Prudent transport riders invariabl
"outspan'' their teams at the approach
of a thunder storm, If their "trek
touw" be of wire or chain, as Who'll
spans have been destroyed by light
J ming through neglecting this precar
ton.
In the conveys to the troops nc
: more than fifty wagons are despatche
at one time, and, If the roads permi
six or even more are driven abreas
: The second division usually starts !
: half an hour after the first. Nearl
all the wagons used in the preser
, campaign are built locally, made {
strong colonial woods, and constructe
without springs. Only two men al
required to manage each wagon
driver and "vorlooper" or leader {
), the team-both of whom are nearly a
ways trained Kafirs.
At present large numbers Of thes
II wagons are being hired from the co
" onists at the rate Of SIS to $40 per da,
n the Imperial Government making GOO
J. any losses that may occur in the span
T. Pail Mall Gazette.
. GeInE to Bed Ia India.