Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-01-08

hne can he seen playing in the shade
OF It's dropping trees, tropical gardens
magnificent villas and public buildings
AT its feet lay Il calm sunlit bay with
few scattered ships at anchor, and thel
yoa have perspective of Cape Towr
from the summit of Table Mountain
You can hardly imagine you,sel in
Africa as you promenade Adderly
street of an evening. Through its cen.
ter "a row of arc lights are placed which
makes night nearly day. The upper
portion of the street is beautiful
walk. Rustic seats are placed here and
there under the shady oaks where you
can sit and imbibe the perfumed at
mosphere of the sublime gardens and
listen to the melodious strains of the
British Military band or bagpipe
melody by the famous "Black Watch
Seapoint, a favorite spot on Sunday. is
a nice ride by electric car
1t was midnight when we left Cape
Town, consequently we were deprived
OF the scenic beauties of the grape dis.
trict with their endless vineyards.
When we awoke next morning we
were speeding across the "Great Karoo. ("
Cape Colony may have some eNquisi-
lively endowed spots. worthy of the
brush of the gifted artist, but it is not
the "karoo." Through several hun
dred miles of desert is the course of
the Cape government railroad which is
the only accessible means of transpor-
tation to the Randi. Onward we speed
through an almost naked landscape
With scarcelya sprig of vegetation In
the course of IL day Il muddy. tawny
torrent,which they call rivcr.is crossed.
Occasionally we pass an ostrich farm.
At the break OF day you are awaked
from your happy dream of home by
the stentorian voice of Boer porter
as he shouts something in Dutch the
name of the station" "Twenty minutes
for 'scoff'." You jump up with the
hope of finding some change for the
better in your surroundings only to
behold that same monotonous plain
which seems interchangeable. What a
wilderness! Not even the hut of a her
nit: nothing but the shrill whistle of
:: the African Lightning express speed
sometimes 15 miles an hour as she
steams over the burning sands. be.
speaks of civilization.
After entering the Orange Free State.
a rolling prairie, or 'veldt, lays before
you and continues beyond Johannes
berg. Nothing more of interest can be
said of the wild granduers of Cape
Colony us seen by us or the excellency
of its railroads, only we would advise
those contemplating this ardous jour
ney before boarding the train at Cape
Town to equip themselves with Il can
vas water bottle. IL pillow and plenty
of cover, as the cold night air bites very
keenly. also few grains of morphine
will be found very beneficial on this
weary and fatiguing ride.
Upon entering the Tlansvaal you go
under close surveillance by the gov
ernment officials. Every corner in
your trunk and satche. is searched
for firearms and dutible goods which
are as rule contiscated owing to the
excessive duties. You even have to go
under a personal examination after
which your car is transferred to the
! Netherlands railroad, a Dutch concern,
the equippage and accommodation of
which would disgrace the Deadwood
Central. Fifty miles is to be done on
this road and the speed of the Neither
land dummies almost decides you upon
walking it. 1t seems though to be es-
pecially adapted to this home of Rip
Van Wrinkles. the land of fogyism, as
the Beers are by no means fast race.
Once we were obliged to leave our
seats and put our shoulders to the
wheel believe that if you wilD. This
is the Trunsvaal railroad Ia govern.
ment concessiony declaring the hand
some dividends of f64.OOO monthly.
oh, the Beers have Il natural instinct
for finance AS you will perceive if you
are ever obliged to patronize them.
Johannesburg, the African Eldorado,
is indeed the London of South Africa.
1t may not be able to boast of it's smoke
and fog as does the capital of Great
Britain. but t he dust storms which are
nearly always prevalent even Offset
them for discomforture and unhealthi-
ness. Johannesburg is not a salutory
spot. Its sanitary condition is almost
II death warrant to its residents. The
sewerage system consists of carts and
tanks which are sent over the city at
midnight to collect the garbage and
filth contracted during the day. The
banks are as rule overloaded and the
result is, the streets are made the re.
ceptacle of the city slop and refuse
matter. The sun scorches down on
these deleterous and poisonous sub.
stances which soon take form in dust