215 
never thinks of shooting for amusement, but strictly con- 
- fines himself to such game as will repay him the expense of 
' his powder and shot. Partridges and pheasants are beneath 
his notice; nor will he burn powder even at wild geese, unless 
he falls in with a flock, from which he can bring down half 
adozenatashot. Excepting the ostrich, the only article of 
feathered game he will venture on singly is the Paaw, or wild 
peacock, which, weighing nearly a quarter of a hundred 
weight, furnishes a comfortable meal for his whole house- 
hold. Balls and buckshot are the only kinds of shot they 
ever use. The latter they call *Loupers? A boor to 
whom I once gave some charges of small shot to kill a 
Caffre Finch (Emberiza longicauda) for me, returned some 
days thereafter with a fine bird in his hand, which, on 
examination, I found perforated with eight or nine of his 
infernal loupers, the mangled carcase scarcely holding 
together. The barbarian told me, with infinite compla- 
cency, that he had fired away all my hagel, but could not 
hit anything with it, 
* This same boor was dining one day at our little mess, 
and had just been helped to a liberal allowance of salt fish 
and butter, which he was bolting down, when a roasted 
fowl was placed before our President, Captain Lawrence, 
With a request to carve and send it round. Finding some 
difficulty in fixing the fowl to his satisfaction, the boor, 
good-naturedly, made a long arm and stuck his fork, just 
extracted from his jaws, into its side. — * Now Mynheer 
Capitano, said he, «cut, ik sall hold it? Lawrence, with 
à rueful^politeness, thanked his officious guest, while the 
i-comic cast of his visage excited the risibility of every 
one present, : 
* Of the little learning diffused among this people, en 
Women possess the greater portion, though — that — 
extends beyond the first rude elements of reading and ip Ht 
ing. But, to their honour be it said, their ignorance 1s l 
om voluntary. On the contrary, they show ali "e T 
anxiety to procure for their children what share of education 
they can, In many of the more respectable families, you 
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