SOUTH AFRICAN DRIVERS. 45 



The men who used to tool the overland stages to 

 California could drive : I thought in this specialty the 

 American beat all her gracious Majesty's subjects, but 

 this day I felt grateful to have, thus late in life, the 

 error removed from my mind, and more grateful still 

 when I considered that Uncle Sam's experts could be 

 beaten by our common niggers. Do not misunderstand 

 me. I love the American people for their courage, 

 endurance, and enterprise ; but that is the very reason 

 I like to beat them. What credit is there in winning 

 a race from a cart-horse, or beating an effete, worn-out 

 old man in a sparring- match ? From the distance the 

 view of Pieter-Maritzburg is very pretty, the red-tiled, 

 white houses contrasting beautifully with the brilliant 

 green poplar or willow trees ; and when we halted at 

 Mr. Prefer 's Hotel we found that the town, if possible, 

 improved on closer inspection. 



