This is the correct method.
It is more often done with the “ reim ” alone (dispensing
with the strap and ring), and in this case the “ reim ” is
simply tied round the leg in such a tvay as not to tighten,
but no particular knot is used— it is merely a “ knack.”
This is useful to know for picnics or any camping-out.
Cape horses, if tired, always enjoy a roll in the sand, and
are so eager for it as soon as they come to their journey s
end, that I have known the pommels of a saddle broken
which had not at once been taken off.
December 23. — About travelling picnics. — Now that rail-
ways connect the different parts of the country, travelling
by ox-wagon or cart and horses will soon be things of the
past ; but still there are places that even now can only be
reached by roads. From Malmesbury to Darling, and then
on to Hopefield and Saldanah Bay, people travel by cart-
and-four, and send all produce to the station by wagons.
I have vivid recollections of a delightful picnic we had
travelling for a week from one place to another in a wagon
drawn by eight horses. Our paity consisted of eight or
239
Dec. TRAVELLING PICNICS. WILD FLOWERS
nine, besides the coachman, who with my brother had the
reins and whip. There were, besides, two ladies’ horses,
which some of us rode alternately. It was in the lovely
September month, when most of the wild flowers were out.
Starting from Groote Poste the drive goes up a steep hill.
All along the roadside grew the red “Africander” (gladiolus),
and “ evening flower,” and the other sweet-scented shrubs,
such as rosemary bushes with white blossoms — something
like French May, only poorer ; the leaves are very fragrant
if crushed, and are much appreciated as food by sheep and
goats. Then there was the Buchu plant, also smelling very
fragrant.
When the top of the hill was reached the view looking
back was very lovely ; Groote Poste down on the slope
nestling comfortably among the trees, and surrounded
by gardens, farm-buildings, fields of waving corn and rye ;
beyond that the wide ocean ; and to the south. Table
Mountain and Robben Island. But we must go on. As we
descended the hill we saw all along the opposite hillside
lovely vineyards, just showing the fresh green leaves, fenced
in by hedges of dog-roses white with blossoms, the beauti-
ful rose brought by Lord Macartney from China, and
named after him the “ Macartney ” ; and low down in
the valley “Orange fountain,” where a widowed sister-in-
law and her sons and daughters lived. Here again
roses in abundance and loquat trees with golden fruit.
Stretches of cultivated fields everyv/here meet the eye ;
droves of sheep, horses, and cows. Ostriches were not kept
here, the ground being too hard and hilly. On we drove
over another hill, and then there is a long stretch of plain,
about fifty miles ; and beyond that a long range of mountains.
We drove oh to Darling, leaving Waylands to the right, and
240
HORSES ENJOY A ROLL IN SAND
Dec:
here again the wild flowers are perfectly lovely — bavianas,
dark blue with crimson centre ; kalossies, from pale yellow
to bright orange with black centre, or whole flowers metallic-
blue ; bright crimson mesembryanthemums.
Page 94
Presented as published in 1902. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
This is the correct method.
It is more often done with the “ reim ” alone (dispensing with the strap and ring), and in this case the “ reim ” is simply tied round the leg in such a tvay as not to tighten, but no particular knot is used— it is merely a “ knack.”
This is useful to know for picnics or any camping-out.
Cape horses, if tired, always enjoy a roll in the sand, and are so eager for it as soon as they come to their journey's end, that I have known the pommels of a saddle broken
which had not at once been taken off.
December 23. — About travelling picnics. — Now that railways connect the different parts of the country, travelling by ox-wagon or cart and horses will soon be things of the past ; but still there are places that even now can only be reached by roads. From Malmesbury to Darling, and then on to Hopefield and Saldanah Bay, people travel by cart-and-four, and send all produce to the station by wagons. I have vivid recollections of a delightful picnic we had travelling for a week from one place to another in a wagon drawn by eight horses. Our paity consisted of eight or
Dec. TRAVELLING PICNICS. WILD FLOWERS
nine, besides the coachman, who with my brother had the reins and whip. There were, besides, two ladies’ horses, which some of us rode alternately. It was in the lovely September month, when most of the wild flowers were out. Starting from Groote Poste the drive goes up a steep hill. All along the roadside grew the red “Africander” (gladiolus), and “ evening flower,” and the other sweet-scented shrubs, such as rosemary bushes with white blossoms — something like French May, only poorer ; the leaves are very fragrant if crushed, and are much appreciated as food by sheep and goats. Then there was the Buchu plant, also smelling very fragrant.
When the top of the hill was reached the view looking back was very lovely ; Groote Poste down on the slope nestling comfortably among the trees, and surrounded by gardens, farm-buildings, fields of waving corn and rye ; beyond that the wide ocean ; and to the south. Table Mountain and Robben Island. But we must go on. As we descended the hill we saw all along the opposite hillside lovely vineyards, just showing the fresh green leaves, fenced in by hedges of dog-roses white with blossoms, the beautiful rose brought by Lord Macartney from China, and named after him the “ Macartney ” ; and low down in the valley “Orange fountain,” where a widowed sister-inlaw and her sons and daughters lived. Here again roses in abundance and loquat trees with golden fruit. Stretches of cultivated fields everywhere meet the eye ; droves of sheep, horses, and cows. Ostriches were not kept here, the ground being too hard and hilly. On we drove over another hill, and then there is a long stretch of plain, about fifty miles ; and beyond that a long range of mountains.
We drove oh to Darling, leaving Waylands to the right, and
HORSES ENJOY A ROLL IN SAND
Dec:
here again the wild flowers are perfectly lovely — bavianas, dark blue with crimson centre ; kalossies, from pale yellow to bright orange with black centre, or whole flowers metallicblue ; bright crimson mesembryanthemums.