Flying Jordans

The mail has been delivered but there is no letter from either you or Raymond. How's that?
FM

De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited.

Kimberley June 17 1898

My Dear Joe

I have not received this week's letter yet. The mail arrived yesterday late, so I have not received my portion of it yet. I am at the convict station, and as I have a few moments leisure I thought I could not employ them better than in writing a letter to you.

I suppose Mother is back from her long jaunt on the continent. Has she been to see you? If she has tell me how she looks, and whether you think her travels have done her good.


With you in England, it is mid-summer, and the world is looking its best. Bird-nesting must be pretty well over now, all the young ones hatched, and flown away to look after themselves. Strawberries are ripe too the season must be at its height. Don't eat too many, and upset your system. Remember that boy who ate himself full of strawberries and went to bathe in the sea, and was drowned. I hope you are working hard and improving yourself in every way. How beautiful the country round Seafield must be looking now with the hay ready to cut, the fields full of purple clover, and the blossoms still on the horse chestnut trees.

Here, it is midwinter, and although the weather has been perfect, the air clear and brilliant - beautiful bright sunny days - yet the fruit trees and vines, look naked, and uncomfortable, stripped of all their leaves. Of course winter here never looks so mournful as in England. As you know, it is only fruit trees that shed their leaves; almost all the other trees are evergreens. The veldt looks dismal enough with its sparse covering of yellow grass. But then, the country round Kimberley never has much grass - let alone green grass to boast of.

Flying Jordans: Jordan Family circa 1896. (left to right) Mamie, Lena, Nellie, Oscar, Lew. Courtesy of the Circus World Museum

Night before last I went to see the "Flying Jordans". They sent me tickets, because they want to give a show in the compound. I took Mr. Nichol with me, and we thoroughly enjoyed the exhibition. It is not a circus show, but on a small scale, it is what you see at the Aquarium in London. Their huge tent is fitted up like a theatre, with stage, and scenery. In front of the stage, is the space where acrobatic and gymnastic performances are carried on. The gymnastics were grand, and it would have astonished a country boy like you, to have seen the wonderful, and graceful display of skill, and strength on the horizontal bars. Then the Flying Jordans themselves, on the trapezes would have made you open your eyes. (But I forgot you have been to London) But the most wonderful performance of all, was a girl on the tight wire. She seemed to dfy all the laws of balance. Seemed I said - because she must have adhered faithfully to them, or she would have tumbled from the giddy height at which she was poised. Then besides all this, they acted little plays on the stage, and sang songs. These were very well done intensely funny, with only a slight tinge of vulgarity. How I laughed! During the performance a little tot of a girl suddenly squeezed herself past and stood admiring the show just in front of me. My seat was in front of it all. There was a vacant chair next to me so I lifted the little midge and seated her on it. She was smaller than little Helen, dressed in a pale blue cloak, with a pale blue hood upon her head. She was a jolly little thing, and in the prettiest way, sat and enjoyed the performance, chatting with me and Mr. Nichol during the intervals. She was so much at home we thought she was the child of some one belonging to the show. There she sat, entertaining us with all sorts of interesting prattle until the end, when she jumped of her chair and made her way through the crowd to her father and mother, who had been sitting a long way off. As she was being carried out she waved her hand and bid us good night.

Your loving father Frank Mandy