"
Then the daily damper was to be made, and I took the dish without a
misgiving. I felt at home there, for bushmen have long since discarded
the old-fashioned damper, and use soda and cream-of-tartar in the
mixture. But ours was an immense camp, and I had reckoned without any
thought. An immense camp requires an immense damper; and, the dish
containing pounds and pounds of flour, when the mixture was ready for
kneading the kneading was beyond a woman's hands--a fact that provided
much amusement to the bushmen.
"Hit him again, little 'un," the Maluka cried encouragingly, as I punched
and pummelled at the unwieldy mass.
"Give it to him, missus," Dan chuckled. "That's the style! Now you've got
him down."
Kneeling in front of the dish, I pounded obediently at the mixture; and
as they alternately cheered and advised and I wrestled with
circumstances, digging my fists vigorously into the spongy, doughy depths
of the damper, a traveller rode right into the camp.
"Good evening, mates," he said, dismounting. "Saw your fires, and thought
I'd camp near for company.
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