d of door which allows the upper half to open whilst the
lower remains shut, such as is used in stables in England. The flooring
is made of cow-dung, into which peach stones are trodden at the
threshold, in order to prevent its wearing away. The furniture consists
of a deal table and some chairs, rather nearly made of strips of hide
fastened to a wooden frame. There is no ceiling, but only beams, to
which are fastened strips of "biltong," or game's flesh, dried in the
sun. Out of this room open one or two more, in which the whole family
sleep, without much attempt at privacy.

Sitting about the room were two or three young mothers, without
stockings and nursing babies; in the corner, on a chair, made twice as
large as any of the others, reposed the mother of the family, a woman of
large size. The whole house was pervaded by a sickly odour, like that of
a vault, whilst the grime and filth of it baffle description. And this
was the place we had to eat and sleep in. However, there was no help for
it; the only thing to do was to light one's pipe, and smoke. After an
hour or so, supper was put upon the table, consisting of a bowl full of
boiled bones, a small stack of mealie cobs, and, be it added, some good
bread-and-butter. The eating arrangements of these people are certainly
very trying. The other day we had to eat our dinner in a Boer's house,
with a reeking ox-hide, just torn from the animal, lying on the floor
beside us, together with portions of the poor beast's head whose flesh
we were eating. However, on this occasion we were spared the ox-hide,
and, being very hungry, managed to put up with the other discomforts.
After a long grace our suppers were served out to us. I remember I got
an enormous bone with but little flesh on it, which, if I may form an
opinion from its great size and from a rapid anatomical survey, must
have been the tibia of an ox. A young Boer sat opposite to me--a
wonderful fellow. He got through several mealie cobs (and large ones
too) whilst I was eating half a one. His method was peculiar, and shows
what practice can do. He shoved a mealie cob into his mouth, gave it
a bite and a wrench, just like one of those patent American threshing
machines, brought the cob out perfectly clear of grain, and took
another. After the supper was over, we had another long grace ending
with: "voor spijze en drunk de Heer ik dank" (for food and drink the
Lord I thank).

After supper we went outside in order to