第30部分(第4/7 頁)

r　Mooi　River　（a　distance　of　thirty　miles）；　which　we　did　not　reach　until　about　8　o’clock　in　the　evening。　The　roads　were　in　a　positively　fearful　state：　we　could　only　go　very　carefully　at　a　foot’s　pace　the　whole　way；　and　even　then　we　got　into　some　very　nasty　places。　I　walked　a　good　part　of　the　way；　in　fact　we　all　did；　as　it　was　quite　as　hard　work　hanging　on　driving　as　walking。　Yesterday　we　came　on　here；　which　was　not　half　such　a　tiring　day；　as　the　roads　were　paratively　very　good；　and　we　are　told　that　they　will　be　so　now　for　the　rest　of　the　way；　which　is　a　fort。　If　we　are　not　detained　by　rain　or　other　mishaps　we　expect　to　get　to　Newcastle　next　Saturday。　I　quite　forgot　to　tell　you　that　the　unhappy　Gibbs　came　to　sad　grief　on　the　way　from　Maritzburg　to　Howick；　and　all　on　account　of　her　devotion　to　Bob。　She　was　nursing　the　said　spoilt　animal　on　her　knee　when　suddenly　the　carriage　went　into　a　hole；　gave　a　lurch　and　nearly　sent　Bob　flying。　In　her　efforts　to　save　him　out　fell　Gibbs　right　between　the　wheels；　but　marvellous　to　relate　she　was　not　a　bit　hurt；　only　bruised　her　arm　a　little　and　got　a　good　shaking。　。　。　。　At　almost　every　stage　we　meet　fugitives　from　the　Transvaal；　but　they　all　seem　to　look　upon　Newcastle　as　safe。　。　。　。　With　much　love　from　us　both　to　you　all；

Your　affectionate　daughter…inlaw；

M。　L。　Haggard。

Truly　this　was　an　awful　journey；　especially　as　my　wife　was　in　a　state　in　which　great　exertion　was　undesirable。　The　roads；　as　she　says；　were　terrible；　being　cut　up　by　the　passage　of　guns　and　troops。　Indeed；　there　were　no　roads　—　simply；　in　that　wet　season；　breadths　of　mud…holes　sometimes　a　hundred　yards　wide；　of　which　holes　you　might　take　your　choice。　It　was　into　one　of　these　that　poor　Gibbs　fell　with　the　beloved　terrier；　Bob。　Never　shall　I　forget　th