Milford chronicle., 1896-03-27

w. Pson:e rhink 8ta Always Torrid
,s-here. Yet Natives HAVE Been Frozen.
.In spite of all that has been written
mtey about the Transvaal republic,
most people have an utterly mistaken
idea about it," said Albert-Gerari
Theirs. the tenor. who is well aequaint
ed with it. the other day. Most people
that [ find think that any spot in Afri-
ca 10 torrid and terrihcally hot at all
times, whereas. in reality, many Of the
nights, and particularly IN june arc
very cold, ard it takes all the rugs and
blankets that one possesses TO keep
h'm warm.
Though the midday sun is almost
as warm as any summer day" the ten
or went on, tone needs to be well pro
yided with covering if he proposes 70
pass the night on the yeldt, To give
YOU some idea Of the cold of the plains
Mt night may tell you that few win
tiers ago several natives on their way to
the fields were frozen on the road from
Pretoria to Potchefstrom.
"Several Of our party one day started
from Bloemfoptein for Pretoria, where
the shooting was particularly good
and, as walking was cheap, we decided
to go on foot, taking with us couple
OF boys 10 carry our traps, which con
sisted Of a change of linen, or rather
nannels, a pair OF blankets each, the
cooking utensils and spare gun. We
had for our companion q young man
whom we had met few days previous
10 our DEPARTURE young Scotchman
but lately arrived in the country.
starting about two o'clock in the
afternoon. we walked briskly, with oe'
casional halts for coffee, until about
len o'clock at night, when the moon
,,hone out in full. and we decided to
turn in for the night, The wind was
already blowing pretty fresh and we
looked about for place in the veldi
where the ant hills were the thickest
so that we could set fire to two Of them
TO heat ourselves and keep us warm
during the bivouac. After having q
Gun of coffee and sitting around the fire
unLll thoroughly warmed our party
slipped of their boots and, putting
them under our heads for pillows
pulled our blankets over our heads ano
feet and were soon fast asleep, imagin
ing, of course, the Scotchman would
do the same.
about two o'clock, when the nigh
was the coolest, we were all awakened
hy a dreadful grooming and, pulling
cur heads from our coverings, wer'
astonished to see Mac huddled up or
the ground with nothing over him bui
q rubber overcoat, shivering, chatter
ing and moaning piteously The fire
was out. An icy wind was sweeping
around the veldt. Good gracious. Mae
what's the matter? Where are yow
blankets?' we cried. L did - didn't
bring any, chartered the unfortunate
youth. Didn't bring any? Then wha'
on earth was that big bundle the kaiii'
was carryng?' That was my b-bes'
clothes, moaned the sufferer.
I'VE were soon up and bundled the
poor fellow into our own blankets. and
waking the boys. we made up roaring
fire and thawed him back 20 life. Th'
next day, on arriving at Winberg, you
should have seen Mac rushing into tho
first store, and regardless of 'silier'
buy two of the thickesr blankets to be
had. This man had never slept before
outside of four walls, and had fondlA
imagined that in Africa he would neeC
no covering. He made common mis-
take about Africa. IN. Y. World.
M.lr.a TIM Rim, Oo1v
A company producing only one form
of one part of bicycle. the jointlesi
~im. covers two acres of ground will