240 A ROGGEVELD BOOR.— SOIL OF THE KARRO. 24—SO J u ly ,
being an Englishman: this I thought very moderate for such a
privilege.
In common with all the boors of the Roggeveld, Snyman’s
whole property consisted in sheep and horses. Of the former, he
possessed a flock of twenty-five hundred, exclusive of the lambs.
This, he told me, was considered a small number; as a boor with
five thousand could scarcely be called affluent.
Very little corn being grown in that district, they are accustomed
to live almost entirely on mutton. While 1 remained at
Snyman’s, they had three meals of mutton every day; at half-past
eight in the morning, at half-past one, arid at eight o’clock in the
evening. During the latter part of this time, they had no bread;
yet, as a substitute, and by him regarded as a rarity, he produced
some potatoes grown on his farm in the Roggeveld, which were as
good as any I had seen in Europe. At this time the family had no
other drink than water or coffee.
Jt seems to be the custom, more particularly in this part of the
colony, for every one to use at dinner the knife which he always
carries about him. Consequently, the first day, nothing was laid for
me but a fork; and as soon as he perceived that I was not equipped
with a.knife of my own, I was accommodated with a small one not
much bigger than a penknife, which he pulled mit of his pocket.
His fork served for a variety of purposes, and I now had an opportunity
of seeing how dexterously it may be used as a tooth-pick.
In the evening the air began to feel cold, and, there being no
fire-place in the house, a large iron pot full of wood embers brought
in and placed in the middle of the room, soon afforded a comfortable
warmth. In conversing on the nature of the Karro, lie was pleased
at finding that my opinion agreed with his, that the soil was of a
fertile kind, and “that nothing but the great want of water and rain
prevented its being a productive district. This is confirmed by the
fruitful appearance it assumes during, the short continuance of the
rains; but he told me,.as a proof of the precarious nature of this
fertility, that no rain had fallen in the Karro during the last two
months.
1311. BOORS’ RESPECT FOR GOVERNMENT ORDERS. 241
25th. From two altitudes of the sun, I computed the latitude
of this place to be 32° 46' 45". *
Gerrit Maritz, the field-cornet of the division next to Snyman’s,
had also received orders from the Drostdy to render me his official
aid in proceeding on the journey ; and, having heard of my arrival
in the Karro, came to learn what assistance was required. He
offered his services with great civility and readiness, and concerted
the order for. the voorspans, with Snyman, who was equally ready to
fulfil his duty. I mention this with pleasure, because I experienced
on other occasions, afterwards, a very different treatment; and ascertained,
to my mortification, that an order from the government will
not always procure for an Englishman the necessary assistance from
the boors; nor, though they receive a remuneration, ensure even
their civility to him, or their respect for a higher authority.
28th. Early this morning, one of my Hottentots was sent
with a packet of letters to a farm-house at the distance of eight
miles, where the Tulbagh Boode, who was to forward them to Cape
Town, was expected to arrive in his way from the Hantam.
29th. Having, in the course of travelling, learnt by experience,
what alterations in the internal arrangement of my waggon would
render it more convenient, I here changed the place of one of the
chests; and, by moving it backwards to the extremity of the
buik-plank, a vacant space of nearly three feet, was left between that
and the next, forming a very commodious sitting-room, well enclosed
and barricaded by the after-chest. This arrangement proved
so convenient in every respect, and so well adapted for personal
safety, that it was never afterwards found necessary to make any
change in it during the whole of my travels.
30^. A letter, brought by a Hottentot from the missionaries,
informed me that no flour was to be purchased any where, as I had
requested them to make enquiry for me in the quarter where they
* 25 th July, 1811, at 8 h. 44? m. 30sec. A.M., the observed altitude of the sun’s centre
was 19° 33' 29"; and at 1,Oh.,86m. 15sec., 38° 35'.44".