106 THE OUT-STATION; OR, 



About five o'clock in the morning, three queer- 

 looking vehicles were drawn up at the door (some- 

 thing like our wains for carrying hay, only not so 

 large), each being a platform of board, without sides 

 of any description, mounted upon two wheels, from 

 which a pole, fitted into a light kind of yoke, was 

 attached to two bulls. 



Presently out walked three cheetahs, each in charge 

 of a keeper, and were forthwith severally located on 

 the platforms, to which they were secured by a small 

 dog chain. 



My host then mounted the second car, leaving me 

 to share the third with one of our feline companions, 

 whilst our horses were led slowly behind. 



In this way we proceeded about a mile, when I was 

 obliged, in self-defence, to yell out to halt, as the con- 

 tinual jolting of the vehicle (it having no springs) had 

 almost shaken my head off my shoulders ; in addition 

 to which, whenever I lay flat along the platform to ease 

 myself, the cheetah would at at once commence in- 

 flicting such a dose of licking on my face, to his 

 nigger-keeper's most ineffable gratification, as well 

 nigh suffocated me; so, to the " big man's" great 

 astonishment, who was quietly sitting on his cart 

 smoking his hookah all the while, I mounted the 

 Arab he had furnished for my use, and proceeded for- 

 wards a great deal more at home, and with a chance 

 of retaining my teeth in my head, and my head on 

 my shoulders. 



