46 
FAST CATTLE. 
Talking of hauling the wliale up with oxeu reminds 
me that I there saw as many as sixteen of the latter yoked 
to a single cart; and we were subsequently informed by 
the consul that they could travel without difficulty as far 
as forty or fifty miles a day before a heavy load. They 
are yoked like those of South Americaj the yoke being 
lashed on in front of the horns. 
Shortly after leaving the whale-rib fences behind us, 
we began to find a more elevated country; and soon after 
this we pulled up in front of the ‘‘Half-way House,” 
where wo exchanged our “ piles of bones” for four others, 
that looked even more unpromising than the first, but 
which astonished us by getting over the beautiful road 
with a very fair speed. We now' began to see rich, taste- 
ful, and romantic-looking country-seats peering through 
the planted woods on citlier side of our avenue, also two 
or three small villages, and as many brick-kilns. These 
latter produce a very inferior brick, however, if I may 
judge from those which came under my inspection. The 
countiy-seats belong to the more wealthy residents of 
Cape Town, are of the English style, and are generally 
surrounded by extensive groves of pine-trees, planted in 
row's like Indian corn. As w'e drove along betw'cen those 
beautifully laid-oiit grounds, we W'cre more than ever 
struck with the absence of natural foliage. 
o 
At last wm began to enter Cape Towm, after a drive of 
throe hours and twelve minutes, and, having taken rooms 
at the “Masonic,” commenced preparing for an official 
visit to Mr. Holmes, the consul. He received us wnth 
great politeness, and, as is usual on such occasions, the 
visit terminated with an iiivitation to dinner, at “six 
