224 
SPORT AND WAR. 
CHAP. XXIII. 
until they could be cut free; the leaders then went 
rolling down the precipice or declivity for some 
hundreds of feet. Luckily the parapet prevented the 
cart and wheel-horses from going over, and the latter 
were only bruised and cut against it. We never saw 
anything more of the leaders, and after a short delay 
passed on with the two horses only to the next relay stage. 
The mail-cart arrived at the Gamtoos Eiver about 
one o’clock in the morning. There were no other 
passengers, for we had secured the only two places before¬ 
hand. These carts are peculiar; the body is in the 
shape of a large box, into which the mails are packed 
till it is full, and the lid is then shut down; but there 
are many other large bags of letters and newspapers which 
cannot go inside; these are tied on the top of the cart. 
There is one tolerably fair seat next to the driver in 
front, but any other passenger must take his chance 
and either sit on the top of the bags or recline on them 
the best way he can. The night was pitch-dark and 
we were going along at a rattling pace towards 
Humans Dorp down an incline. I was sitting on the 
top of the bags, when all at once I felt the upper wheel 
of the cart strike a stone, and from the feeling and 
sound I knew that the cart was running on one wheel, 
and it must have continued so balanced for .at least 
fifty yards; then over it went with a crash. I thought 
there was a flash of lightning, but on coming to I 
