The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-08
CROSSING THE OCEAN
Dick and His Chum Bound for South
Africa.
TRAVELS ON LAND AND SEA
They Painted London Fed. FlIrted
With Canary .sland Girls, and
Now Are Hunting Fortunes and
Elephants In the Jungles.

merry conductor on the NOrtnern Ia
cific railroad. and others, will be inter
ested in his description of the journey
from San Francisco to johannesburg
as he wrote IL to Murray b. Miles OF
this city, under date of Feb. Z, 1896
The letter arrived in this city just two
months later, April 6. This is his story
Here l am in Darkest Africa where
the North star cannot be seen; but
many are visible. including the beauti-
full Southern Cross, that cannot be OBJ
served in Montana. To feel the sun at
midday we look to the north. l shall
not dwell upon astronomical observa-
tons. but push on TO something of more
import to you. Probably a little descrip-
ton of my trip from San Francisco will
interest you.
Joe Murphy and l left San Francisco
Oct %: arrived in New York eight days
later. stopping over at Chicago and Nj
agara Falls for a short time. We were
fortunate enough to catch the steamer
St Paul on her maiden trip to South
ampton. She is one of the latest addi-
lions to the American line of passenger
steamers and without doubt she is one
of the fastest and most magnificent
boats afioat to-day. After two days out
from New York heavy sea struck us,
with terrific gale blowing. The ship
rible storm. Those of us who were not
sick were allowed to remain on deck,
and i never enjoyed anything so much
in all my experience. We ran into a
school of whales just off the banks of
New Foundland and to see them spout
ing water in the air reminded one of
the geysers in Yellowstone park. We
reached Southampton Nov. 6 and run
up to London by train. After getting
settled at the Metropole hotel we, with
two other gentlemen from Frisco, start
ed out to see London town. For five
days and nights we were plunged into
sightseeing and dissipation. We visited
all the places of note, viz old Tower
of London. Westminster abbey, St.
Pauls cathedral, British museum, New
Tower Bridge, royal building and parks,
Whitechapel and many other places of
note, including theaters. Talk about a
butterfly life and all for a penny, Lon
don takes the cake.
II must hasten on TO my destination.
We shipped again from Southampton to
Cape Town, stopping at Las Palmas,
Canary Islands, for coal and provi-
sions. The noted Bay of Biscay gave
us'a tremendous shaking up Our little
boat turned summersaults, flipfiops and
back handsprings, but always came
right side up and most of the passen-
gers wrong side up. After four days
of this kind of gymnasium work we
finally struck a calm and the ocean as
far as you could see was as smooth as
glass. At Las Palmas we went on shore
for most Of the day to see the old city
which is a rare sight for a person who
had never seen one of these old towns.
1t Is quaint old place, very much re-
sembling cemetery with less bust
ness. An old Spanish fort commands
the town. The islands are noted for
their pretty girls. Some of them
seemed to have weakness for railroad !
men.
Sailing again for Cape Town, we all
settled down for a long tedious journey |
but the monotony was soon broken by |
the rumor that several large sharks |
are following our boat. We were all |
looking for excitement of some kind, |
but the sailors said IL was a sure sign |
that some one on board was going to |
die. There was a good deal of specu- |
lation among our crowd as TO who ii |
was going to be. We didn't know but |
what 1t might be one of us. The next |
day at o'clock we had a funeral at
sea, that of a child about years old.
IL was very sad sight to see
the heartbroken parents and brothers
and sisters OF the child as il was low
cred from the side of the ship to its
watery grave in the deep blue sea- The
body was wrapped up in a blanket then
canvas and bound tightly with wire
They put heavy slug of lead, one at
the head and one at the foot to sink
the body. A preacher on board shin
held the regular service before consign-
ing the little one to the sea and the
waiting monsters of the deep
I'VE experienced very hot weather
crossing the equator and several nights
we slept on deck in a hammock. We
reached Cape Town Dec. 3, and 1 can
assure you we were glad to get off the
water after such a long trip. The
Cape is a very nice city of about 40 900
Inhabitants. We stayed there for three
days looking around. We then got
away for the gold fields 1000 miles
north. 1t is verySintersting ride TO
johannesburg. One can see thousands
OF ostrichs on farms and several kinds
OF wild game along the route We ar
rived in this city Dec. 9Th, and TO our
great surprise find a fairly modern city
or 100000 souls, all colors, creeds and
The town is nicely laid
eral lines of street cars.
These are the greatest gold fields the
world has ever known. Here one can
see and talk with the best mining ex-
perts OF all countries and see more life
and activity in that line than anywhere
else on earth. The output is about 200.
900 ounces per month, and increasing
very rapidly. There is plenty OF life
here. but IL costs money TO see n.
Pounds here go like dollars at home
There is an abundance of game of ali
kinds In the jungles just a few miles
from town.
The late war has been a great draw
back 10 this republic. and II will be
some time before business is as good
rs IL was again. We all had a good
time during the trouble and saw bodies ,
of armed men marching the streets all ,
the time. No one was forced TO Join.
30 thought that as ! did not have any
grievance with the government that /
had better stay out. IL was Just such
thing In principle as the A r. L. {
strike. Some of the men who own the I
yold mines got rich. but wasn't salts {
led unless they owned the country /
hope / will not have to stay in the