Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1900-05-02
THE OK IN WAR
His Strength and Patience Make Him Inyal'
liable lr South Africa.

AT Tie plescuL AAoiAShkJ "ASh thS
efficiency Of the British army in South
Africa largely depends on the stabil.
ity Of It's transport, 1t may not be
atdiss to consider the capabilities Of
the trek, or transport, OK, who, after
all; despite mules and traction engines,
is the mainstay Of the South African
transport. The Imperial authorities In
the Cape Colony and Natal are now
busily engaged in buying all the
availble OK transport they can, as is
testified by their numerous advertise
nents in colonial papers.
Oxen ere less expensive than mules,
They are slow but sure, never doing
more than three miles an hour, or
twenty miles q day, which Is consider
ed a good trek. The Zulu OK is the
best-bred animal, but small and un-
serviceable when compared to the
bastard Zulu or Natal OK, 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 q day for grazing purposes. In
the winter; which Is coming on now,
they can find picking on the parched
velt where q 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. lne ox's best
work is done ut 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
6 to 10 ut night are the favorite hours
for "trekking. j.
AS to their hauling capacity, q
'sspan" or team Of eighteen oxen Will
easily draw buck wagon (weighing a
little over q tom, loaded to 5000
pounds over the South African roads,
many of which are little better than
tracks across the veldt. Twenty miles
q day for a heavy baggage column in
such a country as South Africa Is
really good going.
One of the great merits Of the OK
wagon Is the simplicity of its harness.
The two beasts nearest the wagon
draw from pole (disselbooml on
which the yoke is fastened, dnd the
couples in front are attached to wire
or hide rope, known as the trek-touw'
to which the yokes are fastened by
riems, or thongs Of hide. Any break
age or deficiency in such tackle can
easily be made good, as it Is free from
the complexities Of set Of harness.
Prudent transport riders invariably
"outspan" their teams at the approach
OF a thunder storm, If their "trek-
touw" be Of wire or chain, as whole
spans have been destroyed by light
ming through neglecting this precau-
ton.
In the conveys TO the troops not
more than fifty wagons are despatched
at one time, and, If the roads permit,
six or even more are driven abreast.
The second division usually starts IN
half an hour after the first. Nearly
all the wagons used in the present
campaign are built locally, made CT
stl ong colonial woods, and constructed
without springs. Only two men are
required to manage each wagon-a
driver and "vorlooper" or leader of
the team-both Of whom are nearly al
ways trained Kaffirs.
At present large numbers Of. these
wagons are being hired from the col
onists Mt the rate of SIS to $50 per day,
the Imperial Government making good
any losses that may occur in the span
Pail Mall Gazette.