GOOD-BYE, 283 



which has had horse-sickness — is very valuable, even if 

 abounding in all kinds of eciuine misfortunes or faults. 

 Such animals range in price from £25 to £100, accord- 

 ing to age and quality. Horse-sickness is most partial 

 in its operations ; and sometimes, in the case of two 

 adjoining farms, one will be severely attacked by the 

 disease, while the other remains perfectly free from it. 



And now, at length, the day of departure has come ; 

 and we leave Swaylands, though not in our own cosy 

 little American spider. That fairy chariot, alas ! is 

 hors de combat; its strono:, thouofh delicate-lookincr 

 wheels have succumbed at last to the rouofhness of 

 Karroo roads and the dryness of the South African 

 climate ; and as we pass out at the little gate we take 

 our last look at it as it lies there on the irround, a for- 

 lorn, sledge-like thing. What glorious drives we have 

 had in that once daintiest and prettiest of little 

 carriaores — travelling^ to hunts or dances, fetchino- our 

 mail, or sending off precious freights of feathers to the 

 Port Elizabeth market ! and how vividly the recollec- 

 tion of them comes back to us as we pass for the last 

 time along the familiar Mount Stewart road ! 



Even now, at this time and distance, we can still 

 conjure them up, and see and hear once more the well- 

 known and loved sights and sounds of the Karroo. 

 Animal and bird life start into quick motion all round 

 us : the little dwyher antelopes spring up from their 

 forms among the bush, and dart gracefully away; 

 the flights of pretty Naraaqua partridges run along 



the ground quite close to us ; the knorhaans, rending 

 19 



