Yankee Girls in Zulu LandSheldon, Louise Vescelius
History
Yankee Girls in Zulu Land
Sheldon, Louise Vescelius
South Africa -- Description and travel
After enjoying a refreshing season of home life, we said good-by to our
new found friends and then left Queenstown by rail. Travelling by rail
seemed to us almost a novelty after our late ox-wagon trip, and we could
not help contrasting the new style with the old, not _all_ to the
disadvantage of the latter, for we could not forget the delightful
sleepiness of our inland voyage. We had a twelve hours' ride before we
arrived at King Williamstown, the road passing through a very pretty
country, pleasantly wooded, and varied by many deep and romantic kloofs.
We were thoroughly tired of the stuffy "compartment" before we reached
our destination.
We went to an hotel, where our wants were well cared for by a pretty
little landlady whose husband was of a most jealous disposition. The
town is in a region of country where there have been many Kafir wars.
The military stationed there keep the place awake. It is the fifth town
in point of importance in the colony.
During our stay in Africa we had taken many opportunities to practice
horseback riding, and had learned the supreme delight there is in a firm
seat in the saddle on the back of a well-trained, swift-footed horse.
This exercise is especially enjoyable in Africa, where walking is
unpleasant in the hot sun. One day we were invited to join in a paper
chase, to a spot distant ten or twelve miles from town.
We were assured of being furnished with suitable "mounts," so we
accepted without hesitation. There was a sprinkling of uniforms and a
few civilians, and there were several ladies besides ourselves. There
were also parties in Cape carts who followed the hunt by road. A cart
driven by a rifleman in uniform was to convey refreshments for our party
to the place of rendezvous. Presently the fox rode off well mounted.
The "scent" was slung over his shoulder in a capacious canvas bag. Time
was taken and he was soon clattering down the road, the music of the
horse's hoofs being accompanied by a ringing bugle blast sounded by one
of our enthusiastic huntsmen. He was to have ten minutes start, and the
interval was taken advantage of by most of our party to see that girths
were tight and bridle reins in order. Our escort had placed us in good
position to get away with the first rush, and when "time" was called, we
were well down the road in front of the ruck. It had been arranged
beforehand that the fox should keep to the road for a mile before making
across the country; so at first the whole field were well together
clattering and rattling down the hill at a pace so swift that good care
was demanded on the part of the riders to keep the horses from coming
into collision.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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