54 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa. 



boundino-, joltiiio', creaking, straining over this 

 extraordinary route, the coach pursues the un- 

 even tenor of its ^Vi\Y, sometimes labouring and 

 pkmging Uke a ship at sea, constantly heeling 

 over at angles at which an upset seems unavoid- 

 able ; now descending into the deep bed of a 

 "spniit" (creek), now sticking fast in heavy 

 ground, now careering o\'er masses of rocks and 

 stones. The travellers, all shaken up inside like 

 an omelet in a frying-pan, never cease to wonder 

 that the human frame can endure such shaking, or 

 that Avood and iron can be so firndy riveted to- 

 gether as to stand such a strain. It may be men- 

 tioned that the life of a coach does not exceed two 

 years, that upsets are frequent, and casualties not 

 uncommon. In this latter respect, however, we 

 were fortunate, reaching our destination without 

 the sliglitest accident or misfortune, our (b'ivers 

 l)eing skilful and the teams on the wliole fairlv 

 good. AVhether Soutli Africa ^y\\\ ever j^ossess 

 proper coach i-oads is doubtful. Raili'oads will 

 soon supersede this antiquated method of travelling, 

 and the coach, with its long team of mules, the 

 ti'ansport I'idei- with lu's waggon, and his still 

 longer team of oxen, will soon become things of 

 the past, or l)e baiiislied to the remotest regions. 

 At present it is j^o^^^ihle for any one who cares 

 about the exjDcrience to realize most accurately the 

 mode so graphically described l-y Loi-d Macaulay, 

 in which our forefathers travelled in England 

 some two centuries ago. Along the i-oad but few 

 human beings are met, human habitations are 



