They had wild onions and garlic too; and in the white flower-tops of a beautiful floating plant (_Aponogeton distachys_), they found a substitute for asparagus.
All these roots and fruits were to be obtained in the neighbourhood, and no man knew better how to find them, and "crow" them up when found, than did Swartboy the Bushman.

Well might he, for in Swartboy's early days he had often been compelled to subsist for weeks, and even months, on roots alone! But although they could procure a constant supply of these natural productions, they considered them but a poor substitute for bread; and all of them longed to eat once more what is usually termed the "staff of life"-- though in South Africa, where so many people live exclusively upon the flesh of animals, bread is hardly entitled to that appellation.
Bread they were likely to have, and soon.

When trekking from the old kraal, they had brought with them a small bag of maize.

It was the last of their previous year's stock; and there was not in all over a bushel of it.

But that was enough for seed, and would produce many bushels if properly planted, and carefully tended.
This had been done shortly after their arrival at their present home.