The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1889-10-03

] am at last in Johannesburg
commonly called the Golden
City" and it was a fearful jour
ney from Kimberley and a rough
one, but / do not feel any bad
effects from the trip.
The coach which left Kim
berley on Wednesday morning
at 6: 30 o'clock is drawn by 12I
horses 2 abreast and is capable
of seating IL persons, when fold
ed up and packed in like sar-
dimes in a tin can, it is always
crowded, the seats often being
engaged Aor 3 weeks ahead they
charge $4,000 for passage from
Kimberley to Johannesburg and
one shilling (25c) per pound for
all excess baggage, only % lbs
being allowed to go free.
Twelve of us diminished our
selves as much as possible and
wedged our bodies and legs into
this coach on Wednesday morn
ing and tie big double jointed
dutch driver cracked his whip
oyer the horses and bawled out
in a sepulchra voice something
that sounded like ha! ha! ha
and the way we went in a
sweeping tlOt, sometimes in a
gallop running over stones as
large as water buckets. or any
thing else that came in the way,
stopping about every hour OF
hour and a half for 5 minutes
; where they have fresh horses
I stationed all along the road, al
/ which places IL fresh horses are
, impouned, when the driver
!, blows his horn with Vengeance
signifying that the passengers
t who have gotten out Of the coach
e to stretch and straighten ou
@ their cramped limbs, mus
O squeeze themselves into the
coach again at once, and herr
y we go again bouncing owe
9 stones and running into holes
l. leaving behind us a train o
n dust curling around in the sun
:, shine, like an over shot wbee
c at a water mill, the numerou
: transport bullock wagons whlc]
II We met along the road kept tn
'e dust thick in the air, and tn
IL flatness of the country made m
~ feel like we were on an In
meDse round wheel. every tim
W [ looked around the horizon.
was a beautiful sight to see tn
sun setting or rising throug
this dust which was similils
- scene to looking at the su
I'd through a smoked glass, as
re- gave every thing a reddish hu
- making the atmosphere fe'
soft and balmy.
o. This "break neck" speed
ne kept up day and night to Joha'
I'd nesberg. The first night v
n stopped 2 hours at count
hotel between II and 2 o'cloc
'" l went in the hotel, fell dow
ho on bed without undressil
be and ain sure that l slept ol
oy hour and fifty five minutes, al
IT, the balance of. the passenge
r did about the same thing, q
cepting one fellow who hi
ny been caressing a bottle a litt
lid too much, who spent his 2 hou
id in q sitting attitude in the coac
nv fast asleep, and said he enjoy
at it very much.
They gave us 20 minutes
'eh the meal stations during t
ole day, which was just long enou
eat to pay 3 shillings for a squs
all meal which we never ego
MT tits almost impossible to sle
=, while the coach is in mott
III without being in danger OF
ing ing thrown out of the coach
wn having your head severe
out bumped when you run over
,cb stone or in a hole; in con
quence of a crack on the ne
'oh' from the side of the coach.
opened my eyes several tin
dis and found ont that my head |
~. been bobbing around loose;
VIC second night we had 3 no
pu- sleep at Klerksdorf and arri'
The at johannesburg the Sd nii
n,t FRIDAY night at 8 o'clock C
cred with dust and minus
'sh hats which had fallen out OF
ons. coach Zone of which was Iii
ten and you may be very sure t
gly, none OF us we're sorry that
;cb Quincy was at an end. But "
all the hardships and trials
.'or. the trip, we made the best OF
last and 1 really enjoyed it; | ne
tenn laughed so much in my life
IS to the many protestations lin
IRON of the passengers and at
uncomfortableness which
rsei were enduring. One of our p
Q 90 engers was native OF
but north of Ireland but of sec
iuce descent and he was the '
!, T., soul of wit and humor wi
"a many times made US all TO
aho the hardships of the journe.
ion, The country between
7 re- and Kimberley is an imm'
lilies plane, with nothing on it
. to ceptinr a few email bu'
=. - Thorn bushes) scattered. alb
the ia ofton for miles there