KLOOF AND KARROO. 



moments, turned short round, and before any one 

 could reach them, bolted off down the steep hill 

 as hard as they could pelt. As we saw them 

 careering in the distance it seemed as if nothing 

 could avert a catastrophe, and we abandoned 

 all hope of seeing the cart again in any other 

 shape than pieces. The buggy, with two of us in 

 it, tore after the fugitives instantly, and after a chase 

 of fifteen minutes we discovered the cart and horses 

 round a corner of the road in charge of a Hottentot, 

 who had most providentially managed to stop them. 

 Giving the man a "tip," and congratulating our- 

 selves on a lucky escape, we resumed our journey. 

 The dust and wind were simply indescribable, and 

 we began to think that if South African life was to 

 be judged by this first day's sample, we should 

 hardly enjoy it as we had expected. Happily our 

 fears were not thus realised, and many a lovely 

 day of perfect weather afterwards compensated us 

 for that miserable first day's trek. Occasionally, 

 however, the colonists are treated to these gentle 

 reminders. 



When the soft breezes of South African spring- 

 time blow gently through the deep kloofs, where the 

 wild geranium, the heath, the iris, the lily, and 

 the yellow acacia, and many another fragrant flower 

 and bush bless the sunshine, and over the wild 

 mountain tops, where the long grasses wave hither 

 and thither at the zephyrs' bidding, or across the 

 Karroo's broad bosom, when, after the thunder 

 rains, the parched veldt springs, as if by magic, into 

 a carpet of dazzling colours, then, I grant you, 

 Africa is charming indeed, and you bless the days 

 and extol the climate in no measured strain. But 



