The Newtown bee., 1901-09-13
been the guest for few days of Select man and Mrs l.. c. Morris.
BENJAMIN MITCHELL IN SOUTH
 AFRICA.

BENJAMIN MITCHELL IN SOUTH
 AFRICA.
 | Durban, June 12, 1901. left Johannesburg last Saturday morning and arrived here Sunday evening. Have furlough of 10 days, so improved the opportunity to run down here on business. It is long ride, but part of the way a most inter- esting one, as we passed by daylight all the battletields of Natal. The journey from Joburg to Volkrust, which is all in the Transvaal, is tiresome one, as it is one continuous great rolling plain, with nothing to break the mOnOtOny. All along the line of the railway for the first 200 miles there are block houses, from 10 to 20 miles apart, in which live 24 or 30 soldiers, guarding the railway. But for their houses there is no sign of lie. The Veldt at this time of the year is dry and most of it has been burned over, leaving it as black as ink.
 Just at dusk on Saturday we reach ed Volkrust, on the border of the Transvaal, which is 5000 feet above sea level. The train stops here for half an hour, while we eat very bad dinner, then cross the line into Natal. Here we go through Laings Neck tun- nel, which the Boers blew up and stop ped all traffic for time. After this comes the famous Switch backs which is the only way of getting down the side of the mountain. The train stops and the engine comes back and couples to the rear of the tram and we go down the grade for mile, then the engine couples to the other end of the train again. We can look up and see four lines of track. The grade is TO feet to the mile. Next we pass old Majuba, which is famous both in this war and in that of 1881. Then we run along under the Drackenburg noun tains, which rise up on our right over 2,OOO feet. At midnight we reach New Castle and the train stops until morning, as even yet there is dis tance of 50 miles where it is not safe to run at night, so put on my army great coat, roll up in my blanket and sleep like a top until 6 a. nl., when we are off again. At we reach Glencoe, where we have breakfast. The coal mines are located here. All through this country the bridges were blown up by the Boers, and the old bent and twisted iron work lies in the bed of the streams. temporary bridges having been built which will later be replaced by iron ones.
 At 9.3O we reached Ladysmith and this little town of 2,00O people I ex- pect has been more talked about the past year than any in the world. town we see the earthworks thrown up by the Boers, behind which they had their long toms and held the town so long. The town has a dilap- dated look, many of the houses hav- ing great holes made by the guns. On both sides of the track are hundreds of scattered graves, marked only by a white stake, and often only by the little mound of earth, showing where so many poor fellows fell on the dis astrous advance up through Natal. Next in importance is ColensO, where one of the hardest fights of the whole war took place. Only few houses are standing. On the right is the famous Spion Kop, which nearly ruined t Buffers reputation, and which he tried so many times to get over. All the
 way down we see the blackened and , charred remains of farm houses, which , the British were obliged to burn, as the Boers continued to blow up the railway after Lord Roberts first ] proclamation.
 l From here down to Durban the ride
 is most interesting on account of the q beautiful scenery, especially as we come into PietermaritZburg, when we
 look down on the town almost 2,0O(
 feet below us. Reached Durban ir t time to hear part of a sacred concert j, Sunday evening. Didn't realize unti
 I reached the hall that was the only n one in uniform. The uniform seems l. to make difference, as at the hote 1 Qdl1 q uOZoIl COOlIcS are dIUcT He u1uCl
 of the time, offering their services
 Found one of the Johannesburg mine
 managers here, with his family, ant
 they have been most kind in asking d me to dine with them. Although thu 5 middle of winter, it is as warm as ou
 June at home. Will seem very cold t. e go back to the high Veldt again s Leave tonight by the ''Kaffir mail, N and if there are no hold-ups will sool
 be back in Johannesburg again. An g obliged to wear my vandolier with 15
 rounds in it, which is heavy and un IS comfortable. Expect to write agai rs from Begerdenhout valley, as usual
 next week.-[ Benjamin Mitchell. N MT and Mrs Edwin Hook of Botsfor n Hill welcomed a son to their home o N Saturday morning last.
 H. A. Beardsley moved his family, tn of week, from Berkshire to Zoar into M