which good-breeding pays as readily to the inferior as to the equal.
This however the good old father-in-law would not allow, and though
the feebleness of seventy, might have excused his moving, he rose
from his chair, and fetching my hat, put it on my head, saying, he
feared that I should take cold ih the same maimer as they themselves
had dAofntee.r tea, I was required in my turn* to tell the wonders ot the
Bushmen’s country. My account of the treatment which I had
received amongst the savages, did not fail to interest and surprise
them. The old people, to whom more particularly, anecdotes of
Bushmen were subjects of a novel kind, listened with the greatest
attention ; and would have forgotten the hour of the night, if supper
had not put an end to the conversation, and brought me a respite:
for at last, the onus loqumdi rested entirely upon myself. Both before
and after supper, a pretty long grace was said, or rather sung, by one
o f the younger branches of the family. '
I now for the first time, had an opportunity of witnessing the old
colonial custom, of washing feet after supper. A maid-servant carried
round to each member of the family in turn, according to age, a small
tub of water, in which all washed in the same water. It must be
regarded as a proof of their good sense, that they showed respect to
the habits of a foreigner, by not pressing me to join in this ceremony:
the tub was merely offered to me, and theii passed on. Blit this
custom is, I believe, gradually wearing away, throughout the colony.
Its utility was more evident in former times, when the colonists went
without stockings, as indeed many do at the present tim e; but since
the country has become so much richer, that almost every person can
afford to clothe himself more completely, this practice is falling into
disuseT. he whole house formed but a single room; and m this a l.arge
fireplace atone e n d servedforkitchen,where slaves, and someHottentot
maids, sat within the chimney, cooking both for the company and for
themselves. At the other end a screen of mats parted off a bed-room
for the female part of the family ; while a few blankets spread upon
a row of mats on the floor, between the supper table and the fire,
formed the only sleeping-place for the two young men, and for any
casual visitors.
Here I was first informed that in the buiten districted, (out.-districts,
or those far from the Cape) it is the general custom, to sleep without
undressing, the coat excepted: but this custom has, I believe, many
exceptions ; especially at those houses where some degree of affluence
enables the owners to furnish them more perfectly in the European
style. Where there is nothing better to rest on, than a mat upon the
floor, the practice may not be quite unreasonable; but in any case, it
is not favorable either to personal cleanliness, or to health.
21sf. In front of this house, and commencing immediately on
the opposite side of the river, the mountains of Sneeuwberg (Sneeberg)
stand full in view, and present a grand and interesting landscape;
and which I was tempted to add to the number of my sketches..
On making an attempt to cross the river early in the morning,
its waters were found to have risen even higher than they were on
the day before; but by eleven in the forenoon, they had run off sufficiently
to admit of our fording. In doing this, we were indebted to
Nieukerk and his brothers, for pointing out the shallowest part; and
as soon as we were safely through, we were saluted by the whole
family, who stood on the opposite bank, with Goede reis, (A good
journey to you.)
Along the right bank of the Zeekoe river, I observed a road
much frequented, which led to the northernmost limits of the colony,
and, as I was informed, to the southern banks of the Nugariep,
whither the boors often go for the purpose of cutting timber. The mat-
rush * grows here in abundance; but not a tree was any where to be
seen: with this rush, all the houses in these parts of the Colony, are
thatched. The country was mountainous on all sides. We kept
gradually ascending, after having, at the distance of about four miles
from Nieukerk’s, recrossed the Seacow river, which takes its rise
amidst the high mountains on our left, and after flowing along the
* Of the sort called Hard matjes-goederen.- the Scirpus tegetalis, Vol. I. p. 263.
R 2