1776. the fuperior degree of fertility occafioned by thefe circum- fiances, invited not only the antilopes and other animals of the chafe to this fide o f the country, but likewife induced various kinds o f beautiful birds to reibrt to it, and build their nefts in the trees that grew on the banks of the riven What contributes not a little to this fertility is, that the land is freih, that is to fay, not yet worn out by being too' frequently and too clofely grazed off by the numerous flocks and herds o f the Chriftians, vide Vol. p. 251, 252. All the colonifts who follow the grazing bufinefs, and particularly thofe at Agter Bruntjes-hoogte, lead an eafy and pleafant life. One of thefe boors ufually puts to his plough eight or ten of his fat, or rather pampered oxen; and it is hardly to be conceived, with what little trouble he gets info order a field o f a moderate fize; and in confequence of his feeding fo great a number of cattle, how eafily he can render it in the higheft degree fertile. So that, always fure of a rich harveft from a foil not yet worn out, and ever grateful to the culture bellowed upon it, he may be almoit faid merely to amufe himfelf with the cultivation of it, for the bread he wants for himfelf and his family; while many other hufbandmen mull fweat Mid toil themfelves almoit to death, both for what they ufe themfelves, and for that which is cqnfumed by others, who frequently live in eafe and indolence. By his extenlive paftures', and by throwing a fufficient quantity of land into tillage, he rears a confider- able numberof horfes, which frequently are ufed only a few days in a year, for the purpofe of treading out and threih- ing his corn. With pleafure, but without the leaft trouble to himfelf, he fees, the herds and flocks, which, conftitute his riches,. riches, daily and confiderably increaling. Thefe are driven to paiture and home again by a few Hottentots or flaves, who likewife make the butter;, fo-that it is almoit only with the milking, that the farmer, together with his wife and children,’concern themfelves at all. To do this bufinefs-, however, he has no occafion to riie before ieven or eight o’clock in the morning; and notwithftanding his having enjoyed his bed fo long in the morning, he can afford,, without neglecting any thing of confequence, to allow himfelf an afternoon’s nap, which the heat of the climate renders more agreeable than it is in our northern regions. That they might not put their arms and bodies out of the eafy and commodious pofture in which they had laid them on the couch, they have been known to receive travellers lying quite ftill and motionlefs, excepting that they have very civilly pointed out the road, by moving their foot to the right or left. Profeffor T h u n b e r g , who has had greater opportunities than I had of exploring the warmer Carrow diftriCts, (vide Vol. I. page 2 4 6 ) where the inhabitants were ftill more indolent, has, given me an account- much to the fame purpofc. The leaning of their arms on the table at meal times, is- a cuftom very common with the colonifts, and confidered- by them as a very laudable one, and in this particularly I: followed my hoft’s example,; but I could not fufficiently admire the inventive fpirit of idlenefs, exhibited in the voluptuous pofture in which they univerfally indulge them- lelves when they fmoke their pipes. Sitting on a bench- or a chair without elbows, with their backs moderately bent, they lay their left leg over their right knee, and.upon, the: 17 76. January. U ynJ
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