about ten o'clock
I suppose it is hardly necessary to state that , when discussing the forthcoming expedition with my various friends , I carefully abstained from all mention of the word `` gold '' . The major and I let it be understood that I was going to try my hand at elephant hunting as a business , and many were the valuable hints which I received from one and another as to the spots where I should be most likely to find the biggest herds . The last embers of the war were still smouldering in the north-eastern districts of the colony when I was ready to start , but everybody was of opinion that all was quite quiet in the north ; therefore , instead of striking eastward and working north along the low land between the Drakensberg range and the sea , as I had at first intended , I decided to strike right away north at once between the Tandjes Berg and Great Winter Berg mountains , across the Zour Bergen , and so over the Orange River and right through the very heart of what is now known as the Orange River Colony and the Transvaal , but was then a practically unknown wilderness . Behold me , then , trekking out from Somerset East about ten o'clock on a certain glorious mid-October morning , accompanied by a brand-new , well-loaded wagon drawn by a team of sixteen `` salted '' oxen -- that is to say , oxen immune to the terrible lung sickness which is the bane of South Africa -- driven by Jan , my former Hottentot driver , who , with Piet , my former after-rider , had contrived to pick up a living in Somerset East during the war , and now -- also with Piet -- was more than willing to re-enter my service and accompany me to the uttermost parts of the earth , if so it might please me . The dogs , Thunder and Juno , also formed part of my train , having found a home with Piet during my absence at the war . Also , in addition to Prince , there were two other horses , one being a fine , sturdy iron-grey Basuto cob named Tempest , and the other a very useful chestnut named Punch , which I had purchased chiefly for Piet 's use when we should arrive in the elephant country . The remaining member of my retinue was a Bantu boy named ` Ngulubi , about sixteen years of age , who acted as voorlouper , or leader of the front span of oxen of the team .