S. Africa. [a. Du. trekk-en to draw, pull, tug, tow, march, travel; MDu., MLG., MHG. trecken, OWFris. trekka; orig. an intensive derivative of MDu., MLG. trēken, MHG. trechen, OHG. trechan to draw.]
1. intr. To make a journey by ox-wagon; hence, to travel, migrate; also, to go, proceed; to go away, depart (slang). Also transf. of wild animals.
1844. Caledonian Mercury, 1 July, 3/3. The Graham’s Town papers state, that the farmers were preparing again to ‘trek,’ and leave the Natal territory.
1850. R. G. Cumming, Hunter’s Life S. Afr. (1902), 12/2. [The elephants] turned their faces to the north-east, and trekked or migrated from their ancestral jungles to lands unknown. Ibid., 74/2. At dawn of day, we inspanned, and trekked about five hours in a north-easterly course.
1863. W. C. Baldwin, Afr. Hunting, vi. 154. The wagons had been quietly treking along over an immense open country.
1891. Spectator, 25 April, 583/2. A large body of them [Boers]—five thousand, it is said—therefore resolved to ‘trek’ into Mashonaland and establish a Republic upon the great plateau.
1895. J. G. Millais, Breath fr. Veldt, ii. 25. The springbuck … were beginning to trek backwards and forwards uneasily.
1912. Standard, 20 Sept., 7/1. He [the King] met the whole of the Third Division, who were trekking to their rest camps from their overnight bivouac.
b. trans. To cover (ground, a distance) by ‘trekking.’
1890. Sir F. Young, Winter Tour S. Africa, 118. The ground which I have myself treked.
2. trans. To draw or drag (a vehicle): said of oxen and other beasts of draught. Also absol.
1863. W. C. Baldwin, Afr. Hunting, vi. 152. My oxen could not possibly trek my wagon through the heavy sands in their present condition. Ibid., viii. 309. We ultimately got the ox tied up to the wagon-wheel,… inspanned him next morning, and he treks well.
1893. H. M. Doughty, Wherry in Wendish L., 53. A farm horse … which trekked us for four or five miles.
Hence Trekking vbl. sb. and ppl. a.; also Trekker, one who ‘treks.’
1850. R. G. Cumming, Hunter’s Life S. Afr. (1902), 28/2. We … came upon an immense, compact herd of several thousand ‘trekking’ springboks.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, Trekking, a colonial term in the Cape colony, for departing or leaving to settle in another country.
1891. Times, 13 May, 5/3. The committee of trekkers are having a copy taken … of the original documentary, treaty.
1901. Scotsman, 7 March. Heavy rains made trekking almost impossible.
1905. Times, 4 Sept., 6/1. A score of trekkers [of the British Association] started in the morning in mule wagons for Kimberley.
