Page 129 - The Diary of A. H. W. Behrens

59
1880
To be stuck in Hermannsburg for three months was boring. When one day Missionary Witt approached me and asked whether I would accompany Missionary Wickert’s bride on a post wagon to Transvaal with him paying the travel expenses, and when Superintendent Hohls agreed, I soon left with her from Maritzburg on a two-wheeled post cart to Pretoria. That cost the Swedish Missionary Witt a full ₤ 30.
Witt had got on very well with Miss Wittrock during the sea travels and they were like a bride and bridegroom and caused quite a stir. That is why Witt and Superintendent Hohls wanted to get rid of her and in this way I returned home a few months earlier, completely unexpectedly and free of charge!!
From Maritzburg to Hilton we had a wonderful span of horses, then only donkeys, at times rather lean ones, but we then entered Pretoria again with beautiful horses. Sitting on a two- wheeled post cart was not exactly comfortable. On the front seat were the driver with the whip, the person holding the reigns on the streets that were still very poor at the time, and
a policeman. On the rear seat were Missionary John Moffat, brother of the famous Robert Moffat, Miss Wittrock and myself. Between the two rows all the post bags and luggage. Just think of all the stones, trenches and holes and all that we had to bear while travelling by darkness!