n the rocky top or along the
northern slope of the same ridge. These have a noble prospect over
thirty or forty miles of rolling country to the distant Magaliesberg.
East and west the horizon is closed by long ranges of blue hills, while
beneath, some large plantations of trees, and fields cultivated by
irrigation, give to the landscape a greenness rare in this arid land.
Standing on this lonely height and looking far away towards the Limpopo
and Bechuanaland, it is hard to believe that such a centre of restless
and strenuous life as Johannesburg is so near at hand. The prospect is
one of the finest in this part of Africa; and it is to be hoped that a
tract on these breezy heights will, before building has spread further,
be acquired by the town as a public park.

Though in its general aspect Johannesburg comes nearer to one of the new
mining cities of Western America than to any place in Europe, yet in
many points it is more English than American, as it is far more English
than Dutch. Indeed, there is nothing to remind the traveller that he is
in a Dutch country except the Dutch names of the streets on some of the
street corners. The population--very mixed, for there are Germans,
Italians, and French, as well as some natives of India--is practically
English-speaking, for next in number to the colonial English and the
recent immigrants from Great Britain come the Australians and Americans,
who are for all social purposes practically English. It is a busy,
eager, restless, pleasure-loving town, making money fast and spending it
lavishly, filled from end to end with the fever of mining speculation.
This pursuit concentrates itself in one spot where two of the principal
streets meet, and where a part of one of them is inclosed within low
chains, so as to make a sort of inclosure, in which those who traffic in
gold shares meet to buy and sell. "Between the chains" is the local
expression for the mining exchange, or share market, and a sensitive and
unstable market it is. It had been "booming" for most of the year, and
many stocks stood far too high. But while we were there what is called a
"slump" occurred, and it was pretty to study the phenomenon on the
countenances between the chains.

The passion of the people for sport, and especially for racing, is
characteristically English. The gambling-saloon is less conspicuous than
in Transatlantic mining-camps, and there are fewer breaches of public
order. Decorum is not always