THE TRANSVAAL IN SUMMER. 39 
" The country is much prettier now than it was 
when we went up. The grass has sprung up and is 
quite green, and all the trees are in leaf. The 
Transvaal, from the Crocodile River here, is beau- 
tiful. All along the banks of the river are farms, 
belonging to the Dutch Boers, surrounded with 
orange and peach trees. At most of these you can 
now get milk, butter, and eggs. We have had 
heavy thunderstorms, which, seen at night, are most 
gorgeous ; lightning all round, all colours, and darting 
in all directions at the same moment. It is just like 
a display of fireworks. It is much cooler now than 
we have lately had it, the thermometer seldom being 
above 90° in the shade, and the last few days there 
has been a nice breeze. 
" My Kafir driver, who came up with me from 
Maritzburg, ran away when we were staying at the 
Meriko, and Bell and I had to drive the waggon 
down here. Fortunately they are very good oxen, 
so there has been no difficulty, and I have managed 
to get another driver here. Bullock-driving is quite 
a business in itself, and a very difficult thing in the 
bush with refractory beasts. This fellow, Solomon, 
stole a horse which we had found straying. It be- 
longed to the old chief at Mungwato, and when I 
was going to hand the horse over to a Dutchman, 
whom Sekomi had authorised to take charge of the 
horse if he found him, Solomon went to the waggon 
where he was tied up, jumped on him, and galloped 
away. He will probably be caught, as the horse is 
well known. 
