"RARV WORK'S NOT EAST." 163 



even Morris, for he was now dangerously ill regularly 

 laid up. In the morning I had cauterised his throat ; 

 for some time after it appeared as if the operation had 

 given him relief, but in an hour or two he relapsed to 

 his distressed state. Without a dissel-boom we could 

 not proceed, with one we might be in Potschefstrom 

 by this time next day, so there was nothing for it but 

 to go to work ; so, stripping that is, retaining only 

 my trousers, shirt, and slippers the tool chest was 

 hauled from its place, and I commenced my labours. 



First the tree had to be hewn down to the proper 

 size, then the end fitted to the eye, the iron mounting 

 removed from the old dissel-boom and let in and bolted 

 on the new. By six o'clock the job was finished, and 

 never before had my American experience with the axe 

 stood me such good service. But it was fearfully warm 

 work and no light exercise, so that I was bathed in 

 a bath of perspiration ; what I dreaded most was the 

 effects of the sun coup de soleil, or some other of those 

 ills attributed to its power ; fortunately I suffered 

 from none of them. 



Soon after six the embarkation commenced, our 

 wagon, as usual, first ; in ten minutes after it was placed 

 on board the punt the ferryman's cattle drew it ashore on 

 the soil of the Transvaal ; when we halted on reaching 

 the summit of the bank I could have given a cheer, 

 with three times three, for we had now crossed Natal, 

 the Orange Free State, and had entered the ultima Tfiule 

 of Christendom, had there not been my friend lying in 

 the wagon ill, very ill. Throughout life bitter and 

 sweet go together ; sometimes the one predominates, 

 sometimes the other, but separate them you cannot ; 

 there is neither perfect happiness nor perfect misery 

 L 2 



