On leaving Mafeking we were in the Bechuanaland Protectorate, a country
of even greater promise than the Crown Colony. The next morning
(November 3) we were well into Khama's country, 1071 miles from Cape
Town. A thin forest of acacia trees, about 20 feet in height, covered
the face of the land. The soil was richly ochreous in colour. The
grass was young and of a tender green, and the air cool and refreshing.
The railway constructors must have rejoiced on finding so little labour
required to perform their contract in this section. By skilfully chosen
curves they were enabled to easily surmount any unevenness on the
surface, and nothing more was required than to lay the steel sleepers on
the ground, cross them with the rails, and add a few spadefuls of earth
to complete the railway. The train runs wonderfully smooth and steady,
and we experienced less discomfort than on some English trains I know.
This is naturally due in a great measure to the slower and safer rate of
speed we travel, and the newness of the rolling stock. During the whole
day we were not once reminded by any jolt, jar, or swaying, of any
imperfections, and our nights were undisturbed by loose play of rails or
jumping.
At Three Sisters, 388 miles from Cape Town, we were at the highest
altitude of the line, being 4518 feet above the sea. Thence to
Bulawayo, a thousand miles, the greatest variation in altitude is 1500
feet; but were it not for the Railway Guide we should never have
supposed that the variation was over 100 feet, so imperceptible are the
ascents and descents of the line.
Magalapye Station (1088 miles) consisted of a third-class carriage and a
goods van laid on three lengths of rail. We were halted nearly an hour
near the Magalapye River, and learned that we were sixty miles inside of
Khama's country. Improvements are proceeding to make the line more
secure during the torrential season. At present it descends into the
bed of the broad stream of sand, and here, if anywhere, a smart rainfall
would destroy the line. Consequently, a high embankment has been made,
stone piers have been built, and an iron bridge will span the river at a
sufficient height. Here we heard also that one of the special trains
ahead of us had suffered an accident from the explosion of an oil
engine, which generated the electric light, resulting in the burning of
two men, one of them badly.
The Magalapye River is one of those sandy watercourses so common in
South Africa. To provide water for the station a broad ditch was cut
across the sandy course, which was soon filled with clear and excellent
water--enough, in fact to supply a small township. It is to be hoped
that all the guests noted this and carried away with them the object
lesson.