Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-12-26
GLOBE,

BE SAINT PAUL Dali
SOUTH AFRICA.
The T,u,.spoyt Bmst,.ess IL TIE MS.tno
Region Graphic Description Of a Dust
Storm. s.
Through the courtesy Of Mr.. b. N. Car
doxo We are enabled to present the second
letter Of series he is receiving from rela-
tive in Kimberly, South Africa, descriptive
of that far of country, the first of which was
published in the GLOBE about two months
ago: s:.@i .s..-s. .;e5
Du To1rs PAN, South Africa, Oct. TO-
In my last letter, If ] RENE mber rightly,
gave You short description of the Kimber-
ley mine, and, az supplement to which,
must tell you that DeBeers, Bultfontein, and
Du Toits Pan mines are the same, almost,
with the exception that there are not so
many engines in use in the latter named
mines as tho former, but the succedaneum
for steam are whims which are in great use
and are generally worked with two and even
four horses, and with these diggers in some
instances get through as much work az
many with engines Of ton horse power. Our
transport here is done BY mule wagons, but
mostly by oxen. havo seen as many as
twenty four oxen in one span yoked two
abreast, but have never seen more than six
teen mules. Our passenger wagons use
horses, mules and oxen not at Ethe-sanne
time though; for instance, starting from
Kimberley horses are spanned In the wagon,
at another part of the journey
these are changed for mules, . they
being more sure-footed on a rocky
road, as right through the colony the roads
are awfully irregular. Some parts of the
journey are very sandy, the wheels sinking
as many as six inches in this beastly soil;
then the oxen come in use, as they pull bet
ter than any other animal on sandy road.
The names given to these brutes (horses,
mules, oxeD), are extremely funny. can
safely assert in every fresh span land there
are some twenty different spans used on the
Journey there is an animal called English
man, or, as the Koranas pronounce it, Ain
glisman. They invariably give the LATEST
brute this name and beat it most unmerci-
fully. Some other names are also very nota-
able, such as Disraeli, Gladstone, Molteno
(the last named was prime minister at the
Cape about three years ago., Solomon "a
member of the legislative council at Cape
TOWN., and mary others of similar signiti-
canoe. = .
To conclude my letter, I will give brief
description of dust storm in South Africa,
as experienced it on first coming to the
fields. Dust, dust, dust! Dust everywhere;
dust on tho house tops, dust In houses, and
houses full Of dust, walls of dust, streets of
dust; dust in tho nostrils, dust in the ears,
eyes, and mouth full of dust-nothing
but dust; everything is . full of
dust; dust for breakfast, dust for
tiffen, dust for dinner, and dust when you
go to bed; such is my experience of South
African dust storm. The storm was at its
commencement as hailed q cart to take me
to Du Toits Pan from Kimberley. When I
was seated, map of dust was blown in my
face as salutation; the cart starts, and at
every hundred yards the gale increases. By
the time had reached the halfway house
(between Kimberley and Du Toita PAM,
was covered and nearly blinded with the
dust; thought it marvellous how the driver
had contrived to find his way so far, for
had not seen an inch of the road the whole
distance. The storm was now at its highest,
and twas utterly impossible to proceed, 80
the driver turned his horses heads, bringing
our backs to front the storm; in this posi-
ton was reminded had a neck, for sharp
pebbles were blown against it, nearly lascer-
ating the flesh, which took as hint to
turn my coat collar up as protection from
the missiles. AS the dust rushed passed me
I turned my eyes upwards for the purpose
of seeing the sky, but ono might as we'll look
for the philosophers stone in Seven Dials,
or any London street, as expect to catch a
glimpse of the heavens through the dust
and storm, which was then at its worst. As
the storm decreased in violence, I ordered
the driver to proceed, and soon arrived at
my destination Du Toits PAM, looking like
red Indian, and feeling thoroughly worn
out. l clenched my teeth, and experienced a
feeling similar to what a person would have
on filling his or her mouth full of sand and
trying to chew it. 1t was in this condition
that arrived at the house of q married
couple ito whom I had an introduction" to
pay visit. The lady received mo kindly,
and in the following manner: $50 you have
found your way at last, have you? And
what weather you bring. If mistake not
this is your first dust storm, or rather the
first you have witnessed?" nodded affirm
atively, and she proceeded: "But you can
have no idea how disagreeable it really is;
nay, don't shake your head until you know
to what refer. For instance, look at this
room; it doesn't look as though it had been
cleaned twice to day, does tts'' Not giving
me time to answer this, che continued:
"Look at the piano, the carpet, the chairs,
tables, ornaments, bookshelves, books--all
fully an inch thick with beastly sand dust;
every, room is in the same condition as this
one, and were to sweep up hundred times
q day they would still be bad as ever; that ie
my reason for saying you have no idea how
disagreeable is South African dust storm. :"
Shortly after this left, and apologized for
making such an inopportune visit; and then
(as now am firmly convinced that if any
thing could make one tired Of life, it is this
self-same dust storm. ,,~s5. 81 .s5tE /
- In my next viii entertain You with an
account of our different institutions and 70.
rious forms of diamond fields, and, if space
don't forbid, some curious anecdotes In con-
1ection with the press here. .e<se B. II. a..
Dsnnellx's Introduction Of Il r.sts.
~. lst. Paul News.I an.
The story has often been repeated, since
Bill Erwin, himself, first told it in st. Paul,
but We believe it has never been printed, 1t
is appropos to the Donnelly Washburn con-
test now pending at Washington, and be-
sides, it is choice bit of personal and local
history which should not be trusted to tradi-
ton; hence We present it in the columns of
the N etcs. It dates back to the Congress