e
substantial and homely character of the _menu_, which included cold
baked sucking pig among its delicacies. A favorite specimen of the
confectioner's art that day consisted of a sort of solid brick of plum
pudding, with, for legend, "The First Sod" tastefully picked out in
white almonds on its dark surface. But it was a capital luncheon, and
so soon as the mayor had succeeded in impressing on the band that they
were not expected to play all the time the speeches were being made,
everything went on very well. Some of the speeches were short, but oh!
far, far too many were long, terribly long, and the whole affair was
not over before five o'clock. The only real want of the entertainment
was ice. It seems so hard not to have it in a climate which
can produce such burning days, for those tiresome cheap little
ice-machines with crystals are of no use whatever. I got one which
made ice (under pressure of much turning) in the ship, but it has
never made any here, and my experience is that of everybody else. Why
there should not be an ice-making or an ice-importing company no one
knows, except that there is so little energy or enterprise here that
everything is dawdly and uncomfortable because it seems too much
trouble to take pains to supply wants. It is the same everywhere
throughout the colony: sandy roads with plenty of excellent materials
for hardening them close by; no fish to be bought because no one will
take the trouble of going out to catch them. But I had better stop
scribbling, for I am evidently getting tired after my long day of
unwonted festivity. It is partly the oppression of my best bonnet,
and partly the length of the speeches, which have wearied me out so
thoroughly.

MARITZBURG, January 6.

Nothing could afford a greater contrast than our return journey. It
was the other extreme of discomfort and misery, and must surely have
been sent to make us appreciate and long for the completion of this
very railway. We waited a day beyond that fixed for our return, in
order to give the effects of a most terrific thunderstorm time to pass
away, but it was succeeded by a perfect deluge of rain. Rain is not
supposed to last long at this season of the year, but all I can say is
that this rain did last. When the third day came and brought no sign
of clearing up with it, and very little down to speak of, we agreed to
delay no longer; besides which our places in the post-cart could not
be again exchanged, as had previ