Excursion to Stellenbosch. 215 



oxen, embraces not less than from 120 to 180 feet. It may 

 readily be imagined how such a custom impedes speedy inter- 

 course, and how much more usefully a great part of the animal 

 power might be employed. On the excursion from Cape Town 

 to Stellenbosch, a small place only ten miles distant, we met 

 more than 100 waggons, of which not one had less than ten, 

 and many double that number of oxen, so that at least 1500 

 heads of cattle were employed in a work which might easily 

 have been performed by a third part of the number. 



The coachman was a Malay, and wore that singular screen- 

 formed straw hat, which so peculiarly distinguishes the male 

 population of his race. These men have the reputation of 

 being particularly skilful drivers, and thus form a considerable 

 portion of the coachmen of the place. The Malay driver had 

 an assistant by his side, who seemed, however, chiefly to serve 

 as ballast, in order that our two-wheeled vehicle might not lose 

 its equilibrium ; for the disconsolate condition of the horses 

 rendered the fear of their running away quite superfluous. 

 Our charioteer drove his horses, which now and then were 

 rather restive, with so much adroitness, that we arrived as early 

 as nine o'clock in that charming settlement Stellenbosch, which 

 Wilkes, the American Commodore, even in 1839, designated 

 as the loveliest and most beautiful in the whole colony. It has 

 completely preserved the aspect of a little Dutch town ; the 

 streets are straight and wide, adorned with avenues of oaks, many 

 centuries old ; the houses are extremely tidy and clean, and are 

 built in the genuine Dutch style. There is no trace of English 



