The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-03-18
A Little Adventure.


summer resort, it may appear somewhat
wonderful that in many parts of Southern
Africa, more especially the Orange Free
State, the rivers, during the dry season,
wiz, the winter months) are absolutely
dry beds, without one drop of even the
muddiest water in them. In crossing
these the long string of sixteen oxen, two
abreast, plunge down the steep bank of
the. river, and the heavy wagon slides
down after them, the brake groaning and
shrieking, they plow across the deep sand
of the river bed and toll up the opposite
bank, hight of perhaps twenty feet, al
most perpendicular, save in in the spot
they have chosen which is somewhat worn
down and the angle reduced by previous
teams.
For months this remains in the same
state. But wait till the spring rains come.
A single "a hours rain causes as great a
change as magician's wand; aye, and
greater, for greater power than man is
able to conceive, has been at work. The
parched and burnt appearance of the land.
scape is gone; instead, the tips of green
blades of grass are appearing, and the
river is now deep and rushing stream,
swirling along at a tremendous speed, and
yet so silently, no fierce torrent, but a
mighty, irresistible power, carrying all
before it. After while it settles down
into steady, deep. flowing, but still rapid
current.
1t is no longer possible to drive across
it. There are no bridges, but there is
ierry not such ferry as we understand
by the word, but big, heavy, fat-bottomed
boat, 25 or 80 feet long, more like raft
than anything else. The river would
sweep loose boat down the stream like
straw and therefore oars are useless, but
the "modus operandi" is as follows:
A stout'post is erected on each side of the
river, and wire cable stretched from one
to the other. This cable is threaded
through iron stanchions set up in the boat
on the weather side, an ordinary hempen
rope being also fastened between the posts
on the banks and allowed to hang loose.
The wagon, oxen and passengers are got
on board, and then "All hands to the rope"
is the cry, and away we 60 TO the other
side, the cable preventing the punt from
being affected by the rapidity Of the
current. Sometimes It happens that II the
current is not to strong, wagon-driver, or
to give him his proper name, transport
rider will make his oxen swim across, to
save the cost of carriage, as they are
80 much head.
remember laughable, yet dangerous,
escapade which | had on an occasion such
as have described. was travelling with
a transportrider from Harrismith to Beth.
lehem in the Orange Free State, and ar
rived at river one afternoon TO find the
punt on the other side The hauling rope
was hanging loosely about foot above
the water. The owner Of the wagon on
the other side had just determined TO swim
his oxen across and was driving them
down the bank into the river. The day
was very hot, the sun shining as 1t can in
those regions.
My companions and myself voted for a
bath, and walked little way up the river
where we found nice and sheltered inlet.
Being a good swimmer / declared my
intention OF going down the current, and
by catching the rope at the ferry TO pull
myself on shore. Despite my companions
warnings away went. The motion was
glorious. The banks appeared TO fly past
me, and I prepared myself TO catch at the
rope. Alas! at the very moment when |
leaped up at the rope, some motion Of the
boat at the shore caused It to swing far
out Of my reach, and away l went down
the stream among the herd Of oxen which
were swimming across.
made desperate attempts to get hold
Of any of them and at last succeeded in
catching one by the tail just as he was
getting out Of the current The unex.
pected advent Of such extra weight swung
him clear round into the current again
and he headed up stream, struggling
furiously but all to no purpose, for as
was hanging on like grim Death
behind, unable to assist the poor animal
in any way, stood good chance of be-
coming, If not q siren, something equiva.
lent, at least, to him. But luckily deliv.
erance was at hand. Two Of our Kahr
boys quickly fastened together several
long strips Of ox-hide, commonly called
reims and used for tying up the cattle, and
threw the slip.knot to me. then let 90
Of the struggling animal and was drawn
safely to shore whittier the poor brute soon
followed, though in q sadly exhausted
condition.
This little adventure furnished US with
materials for laughter for a long time
afterwards, and even now as write ] can
hear the Kafr boy shout as he threw me
tho ram apaaa nm hans ~ N ,ook out cir "A