Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1910-03-11
LETTER FROM AFRICA.

To readers of Highland Recorder
1t has been my privilege to take
trip recently, a brief account of
which am certain will be of in
terest to you. | have often heard
of the sun-burnt hills and sandy
deserts of Africa, but never remem-
Der hearing the beauties of nature,
| have seen, described.
Bubbling springs, babbling brooks,
waving bluegrass and corn, lowing
herds Of cattle and blating sheep
and goats, almost made us feel we
had gotten back to dear old High
land, " e. i. when ne took no notice
Of the scarcity of farm houses.
On Christmas eve l left Port
Elizabeth, with a party of six, for
the wilds of Africa We had the
disagreea5le experience of travel
ing on stormy sea to Durham Ma
tai. We enjoyed a pleasant holi-
day with friends in Durham. This
is the most modern town we have
seen since leaving New York. 1t
is sometimes called the Gardens
of South Africa" We crossed Ma
tai by rail. The most of the jour
ney was made at night, but so long
as we could see our eyes were met
at every turn by fields of corn or
groves of fruit trees. We met on
the train some American mission
aries who are working for the Free
Methodist Church in the Transvaal.
1t seemed to us very strange to be
recognized as Americans every
where we went when we first came
to this country, but we now
find no difficulty III recognizing
them ourselves.
We had a weeks wait in Volks-
rust Transvanl for our transport
wagon which was to carry us into
Swaziland. Here we met another
American who entertained US in his
nome, and gave us much needed
Information about the country and
tribe to which we were going, Here
began the part of our journey
which was most interesting and so
new to most foreigners. A large
wagon drawn by ten mules and
driven by two natives became our
means of travel The first night as
we lay down On natures carpet al
most exhausted by the jar and
jerk OF the wagon, for our first
nights rest on the open veltd OF
Africa, we felt we were indeed a
foreign missionary. The buzz of
the mosquitoes about our head min
gled with the recollectin that their
bite caused the much dreaded Afri'
ca fever kept US from getting much
sleep. We travelled for five days
through as beautiful country as |
ever saw. Mrs. Slater and often
spoke of how itremindedus cfCrab-
bottom Valley, although at times we
would not see a human being for
hours at a time.
An occasional rustic farmer,
who evidently did not know how
to use a razor if he owned one,
would pass us, lifting his hat with
a polite bow. We stopped at one
farm house where we were royalty
entertained for two hours and pre-
sented with a ham of meat and
some potatoes on leaving.
Our most novel experience was
swimming the Imkwempisi River. |
1t threatened rain all the fifth |
day, but we hoped to cross before
dark. When we reached the river
it was too dark to 60 into such a
dangerous ford, and by morning
the stream had swollen several
feet. We waited for three days
when another storm was brewing,
and some natives came over from
the station to which we were going |
and begged to swim us over warn
ing us that delay might mean two
to three months wait by the river.
This is the first time that | knew it
was possible to swim erect. Two
natives would take a heavy trunk
or box on their heads and 60 dane
ing through the water as if on dry
land. When all the baggage was
over they made the mules swim and
then drow the wagon through byl
means of a long chain. All was so
nicely done that our fears were
about allayed, but they had quite
a different process for us. A native
took me by each arm and cried
'Hanba, hamba" (walk) and by
he time we were over we almost
'ancied ourselves erect swimmers.
We are now in S. A. G. M. Sta
ion studying a strange language
awaiting the close of the fever sea- {
son. We shall then cross a very
leadly district of country and open t
/ new station on an elevated, +
healthy plane about 80 miles from
my other station. c
The heather natives here dress
n a short skirt of skins or cid y
acks. The children wear nothing /
,ut beads. The darkness of their
minds seems awful but the great !
hange that is visible in the lives :
f those who have embraced the y