mountains on our left.

Our first night was spent at a farm called "Polonia," belonging to a
Russian Missionary who has been for many years in the Transvaal. He
unites the pursuits of spiritual instruction according to the tenets of
the Greek Church, with farming on a large scale. On leaving "Polonia" we
passed the large and picturesque German Mission Station of "Hebron,"
which is situated in the midst of a rich and fertile valley. One night
we outspanned at a spot called the "Salt Pans." While breakfast was
being prepared the next morning, I walked to see those wonderful "Salt
Pans," which were close to our camping ground. I descended by a steep
path some six hundred or seven hundred feet to the bottom. It is an
immense amphitheatre at the base of thickly wooded hills. It is larger
in extent than the vast open excavation formed by the "Kimberley" Mine
at Kimberley. The salt and soda brine is perpetually oosing from the
bottom, and is continually being scraped up with a sort of wooden
scraper into heaps, where, after a time, by the action of the
atmosphere, it becomes crystallised. I picked up and brought away with
me several crystals of pure salt. This is another of the marvels of the
Transvaal, a country which abounds in natural wealth of all kinds,
fitted for the service of man. These Salt Pans are the property of the
Transvaal Government, which derives a considerable income from the tax
imposed for taking away the salt, and soda, from them.

Frequently during our journey we outspanned just outside the Kafir
kraals, and often entered into them; one of my companions speaking the
native, as well as the Dutch languages very fluently. We were always
received by both Boers, and Kafirs, very kindly. Sometimes we were
accompanied by a large number of Kafirs for days. I remember once,
counting as many as forty Kafirs sitting round our camp fire, clothed