Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1893-03-02

sea by the passengers, always catch
ing them few feet under the surface
of the water. There was a large num-
ber OF deformed people begging on the
shore. Soldiers took care we were not
molested in any way. Reached Tener
life, Santa Cruz, on the Goth. In the
morning went ashore and through the
market, finding all kinds of fruits, to-
bacco and wines very cheap; one equart
bottles of Madeira for shilling, two
dozen oranges for the. same. Visited
st. Francis cathedral; all were Roman
Catholics here. We were shown
through hospital and orphanage for
women and children by sister of
mercy and found all departments an
example of cleanliness. Our party
desired to look over the Spanish for
tress but were not permitted. The
ship coaled and provisioned here. On
Sunday had service for the first time,
conducted by Captain Jones, and a
sacred concert on deck at night among
the passengers. We were now out of
sight OF land and remained so for
fifteen days. Porpoises and flying
fish we're plenty, one of the latter be-
ing caught on deck. About noon one
day the fire alarm bell was rung and
the pumps and life boats were manned
in about three minutes and ready for
use, all the ships crew going to their
different stations like clock work.
Some OF the women were badly fright
ened, but soon found it was only fire
practice. Until now cards, checkers
and reading had been our only amuse-
ment, but one of the sailors made
some rope quoits for pitching in buck
cts, which proved to be quite ource
of amusement throughout the voyage.
We were now getting accustomed to
lazy life and time was consumed in de-
bates. mock divorce cases etc. Decem-
Der 3rd we crossed the equator and
passed a boat homeward bound. The
boats always salute by firing rockets
and by the number fired they can tell
what boat it is. The 18th and weather
being fine passengers prepared to leave
he ship; next morning sighted Table
Mountain and arrived at the Cape
Town docks at IL a. m.
Remained In Cape Town two days.
The city is rather ancient in appear
ance, but the view is a beautiful one,
Table Mountain lying just back and
the harbor in front of the city, whose
population is about 10000. Here
botanical gardens are such as could
| only be eoualed in a similar climate
and comprise all species from the
Norway pine and English oak down to
the palms and ferns of the tropics, be-
sides all kinds. of flowers and fruits in
which Cape Colony and all Of South
Africa abound. Left for johannesburg
on the 18th and after four hours trav-
cling in thunder storm came to
halt and were delayed several hours,
the heavy rains shavingwashed out the
| track. The ecountry We passed through
was very poor, all hills and rocks and
almost destitute of vegetation, but
where ever there was bit OF valley it
was settled by farmers and ranchmen.
We passed two or three ostrich farms,
a number of small sheep ranches and
saw fifty or sixty babboons within 100
yards of the railroad, some larger
than coyotes. December 10th we en-
tered the Orange Free State. This be-
longs to the Dutch Doors and is q
much finer country than that of Cape
Colony, there being many beautiful
farms and fine towns along the line of
| the railroad
We got into the Trans-vaal or South
African Republic on the 18th. This
state is also under the control of the
Dutch Doors, who believe in a high
tariff as well as the United States, |
having to pay FL Is. (S5.11 on a re-
volver. Shortly after we reached Jo-
harrisburg We were much surprised to
see twenty bicycle riders start on
| twenty-eight mile race. Sunday spent
quiet day, attended Presbyterian
church, hearing a splendid sermon by
an American preacher. On the 10Th
the city was visited by a phenomenal
plague of locust, which in the absence
of wild honey with which succulent
dainty locust are always associated in
my mind) is a decided nuisance. 1t
was almost impossible to walk the
streets and the winged beasts would
fall in at doors and windows with
disgusting familiarity. johannesburg
has a population of over 10000 OF
which over one-half are black, about
| 900 Culys or Indians from India
and a few hundred Cinnamon and
Arabs. The remainder comprise all
| the nations OF the earth the majority
of whom are English speaking. We
are informed by the press that this is
by far the greatest gold producing dis
trict on earth. The reef has been
traced for sixty miles of which thirty
miles are being worked. 1t is a con-
tinual town all the way, each camp
having a different name, the railroad
following the reef the entire distance.
Most of the machinery used here is
American and many OF the forenen in
the mines are Yankees. Thousands
of oxen, horses and mules are used in
I be mines, from ten to twenty head
| being hitched to one wagon. The city
| is overst ocked with the finest offruitS,
all very cheap. This has been one OF
| the grandest Christmas times L ever
| Witnessed, the sporting lasted nearly
two weeks, the fireworks seve.' al nights
and were magnificent, the fireworks
alone costing the sporting club over
81 900. Horse racing was going on
almost every day. The principal
topic of conversation since January
1st has been the carting away OF a
safe weighing six to seven hundred
pounds. The burglars backed large
truck up to the back OF an Office, and
hauling the safe about half a mile
placed a charge of dynamite under it,
splitting the door completely and Sc
curing "a 900 that was to have been
paid on the last races, beside several
thousand pounds worth of diamonds,
which had been placed there for safety.
Eight Kaffirs and two white men have
been murdered within two weeks. We
have had several hard rains, making
the streets like erivers. They were wei
coined by all save the picnicers, who
were obliged to postpone their good
times until better weather.
| We expect to make a trip about
L 800 miles inland in about three
months or as soon as the weather
gets cooler. This will be slow trip