Soon after our return to Grahamstown we put the finishing touches to
everything we had left undone toward making the wedding a joyous
occasion. The bride's white satin dress and veil were made by the hands
of a competent dressmaker. There was a dress for Eva, as chief
bridesmaid, which consisted of soft trailing drapery, and one for me,
who was to take a place in the organ loft, and sing on the occasion.
The day arrived, bright and smiling. The wedding bells pealed from the
tower of the cathedral. The "sympathising" and well-wishing friends
were gathered within when the bridal party arrived. The knot was tied,
and as the bells pealed forth the bride passed out on her husband's arm;
an old crone stood in the door and showered blessings on her.
As soon as congratulations were over, the wedding breakfast eaten, and
the usual rice and lucky slipper flung after them, they took the train
for a short vacation in a mountain hotel on the Zuurberg, whilst we bade
good-by to friends around us, and flew away the same night to the sea at
Port Elizabeth, five hours distant by rail.
Our rooms in the Hotel Palmerston overlooked the open bay and the long
pier or jetty, which runs out some two hundred yards into the sea, and
is a favourite promenade for the townspeople. This made an
ever-changing picture before us, and our hearts were stirred by the
sight of our Stars and Stripes floating at the peak of two barks lying
at anchor in Algoa Bay. Port Elizabeth, with its twenty-five thousand
inhabitants, seemed different in many respects from any of the towns we
had visited. It is a thriving, active, bustling town, with many
handsome stores and buildings, three or four banks, a public library,
which is in the Town Hall, a building that would grace any metropolis,
and several churches of various denominations.
A public park, built on the hill, is one of the especial prides of the
place, the original site having been a stony waste, and all the soil
having been brought from the valley back of the town. In fact, the
whole city stands on a barren, sandy cliff, the business portions lying
along the beach, and the residences stretching away up the face of the
cliff to "the hill." There is a strong rivalry existing between Port
Elizabeth and Cape Town as to which shall have the lion's share of the
importing trade of the colony. The former is more advantageously
situated for the interior trade, but unfortunately has no docks for
shipping, and is exposed to the prevailing southeast gales.
Great sums of money have been spent in the construction of a breakwater,
which it was fondly hoped would form a refuge for ships during the heavy
storms. But before it could be finished it proved itself useless, for
the sand would "silt up" on the lee side, until it threatened to form a
wide strip of beach between the landing place and the sea. All goods
are landed by means of lighters, which are either unloaded at the jetty,
or are driven on shore as near as practicable, and moored head and
stern, when their contents are taken out by Kafirs, who, stripped almost
naked, wade out in twos and threes, and carry the bales and cases on
their heads. Sometimes a heavy wave comes in, throwing them off their
feet, and causing precious freight to fall into the water and be broken
to fragments. The merchant who deals in perishable articles thus runs
great risks.
A number of large warehouses lie close to the water's edge, where all
goods, as soon as landed, are received, to be sent up the country by
ox-wagon or mule train. This will be done by the railway on its
completion. A sea wall has been built a mile along the shore southwest
of the jetty, and forms, in fine weather, a most delightful promenade,
but, being away from the fashionable quarter of the town, is seldom
patronised by the swells.
There are a large number of German residents representing foreign houses
in Port Elizabeth, who form a society of their own. They have built for
themselves a fine club-house in grey stone, costing many thousands of
dollars, which would do honour to any Continental city, and have some
handsome residences.
"Society" in Port Elizabeth endeavours to be very select. We attended
several social gatherings, and found the citizens, as a rule,
large-hearted, hospitable people, always glad to give a hearty and warm
reception to the stranger within their gates.