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 previously been done, for the stream of returning visitors was setting strongly toward Maritzburg, and we might be detained for a week longer if we did not go at once.  Accordingly, we presented ourselves at the D’Urban post-office a few minutes before noon and took our places in the post-cart.  My seat was on the box, and as I flattered myself that I was well wrapped up, I did not feel at all alarmed at the prospect of a cold, wet drive.  Who would believe that twenty-four hours ago one could hardly endure a white muslin dressing-gown?  Who would believe that twenty-four hours ago a lace shawl was an oppressive wrap, and that the serious object of my envy and admiration all these hot days on the Berea has been a fat Abyssinian baby, as black as a coal, and the strongest and biggest child one ever saw.  That sleek and grinning infant’s toilette consisted of a string of blue beads round its neck, and in this cool and airy costume it used to pervade the house, walking about on all fours exactly like a monkey, for of course it could not stand.  Yet, how cold that baby must be to-day!  But if it is, its mother has probably tied it behind her in an old shawl, and it is nestling close to her fat broad back fast asleep.

But the baby is certainly a most unwarrantable digression, and we must return to our post-cart.  The discouraging part of it was that the vehicle itself had been in all the storm and rain of yesterday.  Of course no one had dreamed of washing or wiping it out in any fashion, so we had to sit upon wet cushions and put our feet into a pool of red mud and water.  Now, if I must confess the truth, I, an old traveler, had done a very stupid thing.  I had been lured by the deceitful beauty of the weather when we started into leaving behind me everything except the thinnest and coolest garments I possessed, and I therefore had to set out on this journey in the teeth of a cold wind and driving rain clad in a white gown.  It is true, I had my beloved and most useful ulster, but it was a light waterproof one, and just about half enough in the way of warmth.  Still, as I had another wrap, a big Scotch plaid, I should have got along very well if it had not been for the still greater stupidity of the only other female fellow-passenger,