The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1897-04-23
4 WALL FROM AFRICA
Sam Braund, the Well Known Mill
wright, Among the Niggers.
HE IS LOSING FLESH AND FORM
The Trip Sam Enjoyed Very Much.
But He Says Fellow Can Live In
the Rocky Mountains on "Sow
Belly and Enjoy Better Health
Than in the Dark Continent.

Sam Braund the nillwright who
for many years was resident of Phil
ipsburg, is now in South Africa A
letter received a few days ago from
Sam by Mayor G. f. Jacky brought the
news of Sans whereabouts and gives
his experience on the trip to the dark
continent. Sam is ali interesting char
acter and his narratives are interesting
too. The steamer he shipped on met
with an accident, but Sam, being an
old sea -faring man. paid very little at
tention to such trifing incidents as the
breaking of a rod or the steamers S hold
filing up with water. Sam landed on
Africa s terra firma safely and in good
health, but failed rapidly after being
there short time. Sam is now as fat
/ as a goose quill, and he don care who
knows it,
"Sixteen days from Southampton to
Cape Town on the mail steamer Nor
man with nearly nine hundred passen-
gers-some from every part of the
world-a nigger going where niggers
are SO PLENTIFUL, writes Sam. "The
accommodations Oh these Cape steam
ers are urpassed--especially third
class They are as far ahead of the
trans Atlantic liners as parlor is to a
hog pen-both as to comfort and grub.
Should l be fortunate enough ever to
return l never want to cross the west
ern ocean in the steerage-es sDecially on
an American liner.
1.-Two days before crossing the equa-
tor it was fearfully hot-the paint on
the ship blistered (awnings We're spread
all over the ship and your humble SER
want got the skin OF his swan like neck
blistered too We crossed the equator
in gale and a heavy head sea and
tumbled around lively, but we had a
good time-plenty of amusement. Had
position of prima donna, and l washed
down the honor with two bottles of
Dublin Stout at six pence per bottle.
On these ships third class passengers
have access to the library, and when
they want any music they can have the
use of the ships organ, and the band
plays three times week. There is
some pleasure in travelling that way.
1.-The journey from Cape Town to
Johannesburg is the worst-1O14 miles,
three nights and nearly three days
through mountainous and dry coun-
try-sOmewhat like crossing our
plains, only a darned sight worse, with
no better accommodation than any
European railroad affords.
And now a word about the country
generally: 1t might be worse and then
again there is room for plenty of i'm
provement. That it is badly governed
and heavily taxed no one can deny, and
the Uitlander pays for It, A distillery
pays no tax and bottle of Canada
Club or any of our good case liquors
can be had the same as in Montana.
That gold is here there is no doubt,
and 'me of the properties ara i'm
mense, but everything has been over
done by speculation, and now the re-
action is taking place. A camp like
this in America would scare the
strongest t-hearted Yankee. Some mines
pay large dividends, but the majority
are like any other camp. The COM
pany for which am working has al
ready expended $40, 900, 900, and expect
to spend as much more. They have
nine hundred claims. They have a
hundred stamps running and taking
five hundred stamp mill, 2SO being
| 'A"oA way, anu OApOOo w w AuAA1uS
in six or eight months.
Among the burg boys here is
Archie McGregor and Herman Kamis-
kie Herman has been to Madagascar
and doesn't want any more of that
country. That is the verdict of all
who have been there.
"When arrived here my weight
was 1870 pounds-looked like an alder
man-but I have lost the symmetry of
my Galatea-like form and also my ala
baster complexion nv clothes hang to
me like gunny sack on bean pole
and all this the effects of Africa's sun
ny cline and the hellish grub we get !!
A fellow can live better in the Rocky
mountains on SOW belly etc., and en-
JOY better health than here.
Remember me to all the boys.
"Yours in sorrow,
"-Sam Braund.'