10 HOME LIFE ON AN OSTRICH FARM. 



looking back now on our life in South Africa, I can 

 truthfully say that, though certainly lacking in ad- 

 venture, it has — unlike many things long wished for 

 and attained at last — in no way fallen short of my 

 expectations. 



The few hours we spent at Madeira were unfortu- 

 nately during the night; and the beautiful island I 

 was so lonarincr to see remained hidden from view 

 in a most tantalizing manner, without even the moon- 

 light to give us some faint outline of its far-famed 

 loveliness. 



After a safe, but most uneventful voyage, enlivened 

 by no more stirring incidents than the occasional 

 breaking down of the engines, we at last looked up 

 at the glories of Table Mountain, and came suddenly 

 into summer ; enjoying the flowers and bright sunshine 

 of Cape Town all the more after the dreary weather 

 we had left in England. We landed, and spent a few 

 very pleasant days at the pretty suburb of Wynberg, 

 from whence we took several beautiful drives. On 

 one occasion we left the carriage, and walked over such 

 a carpet of lovely and bright-coloured wild flowers 

 as I have only once seen equalled, when riding some 

 years before through Palestine and Syria. At the end 

 of five minutes we stopped, and counted all the different 

 sorts we had gathered, finding twenty-eiorht. 



Another day we collected a number of leaves of the 

 silver tree, which is found only on Table Mountain. 

 The long, pointed leaves seem made of the glossiest 

 pale-grey satin; you can write and paint on their soft 



