260 DOMESTIC ANIMALS. at the expense of our peace of mind-exhibited at King Nangoro's court ball. They understand and practice the art of distilling spirits. When a certain kind of berry, of a sweet and agreeable taste, is ripe, large quantities are collected and put into a skin-bag to ferment. On being sufficiently advanced, they are deposited in a large pot and boiled, and the steam drawn off into another vessel joined to it by an old gun-barrel. The liquor is then allowed to settle for a few days, and becomes so strong and intoxicating that a small glass or two is sufficient to upset any man's reason not previously accustomed to it. I have seen the natives become perfectly maddened by its effect. They also make a kind of mead (a favorite drink with the ancient Northmen) which is a pleasant and refreshing beverage, and, unless partaken of to excess, is comparatively harmless. The domestic animals of the country, are the cow, the sheep, the goat, and the dog. The sheep is highly prized by them, so much so that at one time (before the introduction of tobacco) it was more thought of than anything else-even than women! The original breed of Namaqua cattle is nearly extinct. The southern tribes still possess it, though more or less mixed with that of the colony and Damara-land. In shape and size the Namaqua cattle approach nearer the European breed than to that indigenous to the countries north of them. They are of moderate size, very compact, and have short, but stout horns (usually curved inwards), with rather large hoofs. CHAPTER XXVII. AND LEAVE THE ORANGE RIVER-ARRIVAL AT KOMAGGAS-GARDENING On the 25th of August, we left the inhospitable banks of the Orange river. After rather more than a week's slow travel, through dreary and uninteresting tracts of land covered by a deep, yielding, sandy-soil, bearing a dwarfish vegetation, we arrived at Komaggas, also a Rhenish missionary station. The Rev. Mr. Weich now officiated here. The congregation consists of a promiscuous collection of Hottentots, and the offspring of other dark-colored natives. Komaggas is picturesquely situated, and well supplied with water. Gardening is brought almost to perfection; and, notwithstanding the dryness of the atmosphere, corn is cultivated with success in the neighborhood. Indeed, the best wheat in the west part of the colony, I am informed, is grown here. But its cultivation is attended with much labor, since it can 1 This institution was founded by the Rev. Mr. Schmelen. In 1830, during the administration of Sir Lowry Cole, it received, by charter, an extensive grant of territory from the British government at the Cape. On that memorable occasion, the zealous missionary presented to the governor a translation of the four Gospels in the Namaqua tongue. 262 THE CAPE-COLONY HORSE. only be raised on the summit of hills (which retain moisture longer than the lowlands), rising not unfrequently several thousand feet above the sea. Except at the station, and one or two other spots, the extensive grounds are scantily watered, and ill-adapted for grazing. During our visit, numbers of cattle were dying from starvation. The region is, moreover, in some seasons infected by diseases fatal to beasts of pasture, and these maladies, of late years, have been of so destructive a character as nearly to exterminate the cattle. Indeed, many of the Bastards and Hottentots, who chiefly inhabit these parts, and who were formerly living in great abundance, are reduced to beggary from this cause. I now determined to leave Hans, and proceed in advance to Cape-Town, with a view of making arrangements about the sale of the cattle, and the intended expedition to the Ngami. As we were now in a locality where horses might be obtained, I procured three or four of these animals without delay, partly for cash and partly for cattle. The rate of exchange was from five to ten oxen, according to the qualities of the horse; or, if money, 100 rixd. (£7 10). A first-rate hack might be purchased for £10, though, of course, high-bred horses were more expensive. The Cape-Colony horse is a wonderful beast. He is supposed to be of Spanish descent, but, of late years, has been much crossed by various breeds. Without any pretension to beauty, he is, perhaps, unrivaled in docility, hardiness, and endurance. In eight days (one of which was devoted to rest) I rode, accompanied by a Hottentot servant, from near Komaggas to Cape-Town-a distance of upwards of four hundred miles by road-thus averaging fifty miles per day. On an after occasion, I remember to have performed upwards of ninety miles at a very great pace, only once or twice removing the saddle for a few minutes. And be it borne in mind that the animals were young, indifferently broken in, unshod, and had never been stall-fed. A most striking instance of the extraordinary endurance of Colony horses occurred a few years ago, in Great Namaqua-land. The animal in question belonged to a son of the Hottentot chief, Zwartbooi, who one day, whilst hunting in an open tract of country, fell in with a troop of eleven giraffes, to which he immediately gave chase, and the whole of which he rode down and shot in succession. But the immense exertion was too much. for the gallant creature, whose life was thus sacrificed. This remarkable horse was well known throughout Great DUTCH WELCOME. 263 Namaqua-land, and is said to have been quite mad with excitement when he observed a wild animal. He only ceased to pursue when the game was either killed, or no longer in sight. The Colony horses, with a little training, answer admirably for either hunting or shooting. They may be taught to remain stationary for hours together by merely turning the bridle over their heads, resting the extremities of the reins on the ground. They seldom trot; the usual pace is a canter, and occasionally an amble. So much has already been said and written on the Cape-Colony, its sturdy boers, its soil, its production, and soforth, that it would be superfluous to add anything further. Suffice it to mention a few of the most remarkable incidents of my journey. Soon after leaving Komaggas, my horse-a young, halftrained stallion which had only been ridden thrice-shied, and, rearing on his hind legs, came to the ground on his back with sudden violence. Providentially, the soil was soft and yielding, and although I sustained his whole weight for a few seconds, I escaped with no worse consequence than a tight squeezing. After leaving Komaggas, the homesteads of the boer became daily more numerous. Riding up, one morning, to a house, with a view of procuring some bread and flour, I was greeted with the following civil address-"Daar komt weder die verdoomde Engelsman,"—that is, "There comes again the cursed Englishman." Though I had heard much of the aversion these men entertain for all that is British, and their coarse language in general, I certainly had not expected that they would have carried their animosity so far. Walking straight up to the individual that had thus accosted me, I said in as good Dutch as I could muster" My good friend, in my country, when a stranger does us the honor to pay us a visit, before even asking his errand or his name, much less abusing him, we invite him to our table; and, when he has quenched his thirst and satisfied his hunger, we may probably inquire whence he comes or where he goes." And with this I leapt into the saddle. The fellow clearly felt the rebuke; for, on seeing me turn my horse's head away, he endeavored to persuade me to stop. But his rude salutation had quite spoilt my appetite. As a rule, however, though frequently coarse and abrupt in their language and conversation, they are undeniably hospitable; and when a person can converse with them in their own language, and accommodate himself to their manners and peculiarities, they are excellent fellows, as I have often since experi 264 CONSEQUENCE OF SPEAKING DUTCH. enced. To several of their customs, nevertheless, the stranger will find some difficulty in reconciling himself. In these localities, on meeting a wayfaring man, the Dutch boer invariably thus accosts him :-"Good-day! Where do you come from? Where are you going? Are you married? How many children have you?"-and so forth. If you should be so unfortunate as not to have entered into the marriage state, he is astonished beyond measure, and looks upon you with something like contempt. Like most people who are novices in a foreign language, I committed, at first, sad mistakes, and many a joke and laugh originated at my expense. Once, indeed, my awkwardness cost me the loss of a supper, of which I stood greatly in need, having ridden some fifty miles in the course of the day, without tasting food of any description. In the Dutch language, "danken" signifies a direct refusal; but, not being aware of this, I interpreted it in the very reverse sense, as meaning, "If you please. As often, therefore, as I repeated the ominous word, so often had I the mortification of seeing the smoking dishes pass by me! Refreshing myself, one afternoon, at a comfortable farmhouse, the worthy host inquired whence, and how far I had journeyed. Having made a rough calculation in my own mind, I told him the approximate distance. No sooner had I done so, than he clasped his hands together, and turning to his wife, exclaimed, in the utmost amazement-" Gracious heavens! the man has been in Timbuctoo!" "No, my good friend, not quite so far," I remarked. But he became too much absorbed in the novel idea, and without attending to me, he went on to say"Yes, indeed, the man has been at Timbuctoo." I again took the liberty to remonstrate, when his brother, who was also present, ejaculated-"Yes, brother, you are right. Timbuctoo!-ah! eh?-yes! Let me see, Timbuctoo. Ah, I remember to have read that it is situated at the end of Africa, in a place where you can see nothing but sand." Once more I attempted to explain, but to no purpose. Right or wrong, I must have been at Timbuctoo. I secretly wished I had been there. Finding they apparently knew more about my travels than I did, I left them to themselves to discuss the merit of the journey; and, diving into the eatables which had been liberally spread before me, I did ample justice to their hospitality. On the 22nd of September I reached Cape-Town, where my appearance afforded no little delight and amusement to the mob, who shouted merrily after me, "Look at the jockey! ha! ha! |