A SOUTH AFRICAN ARCADIA. 653 



strong that, when shooting-parties are made up, the right to the first 

 shot passes from one to another by turns, so that it may be possible 

 for each one to get a piece of game. The hunter who has to make the 

 first shot is in that case the real hunter, and the others are only his 

 helpers ; but, if he misses, the right passes over to the next one. 



Any one can cut down a tree who wishes to, but another is not 

 allowed to appropriate the wood after it has been taken possession of. 

 Any one may dig a well for his cattle wherever there is hope of find- 

 ing water, but no one can drink out of the well which another has dug 

 without the permission of the owner. The lord of the well, when he 

 is asked for water, will generally order his people to wait upon the 

 one making the request, so that he does not get paid for the water, 

 but for the attendance ; and, if he does not choose to permit the well 

 to be used for another man's cattle, the argument that he did not 

 create the water has no effect upon him. When any one finds a piece 

 of land suitable for a garden, he can fence it and till it, and the crop 

 will belong to him ; and it is generally considered wrong for any one 

 to enter upon land that has been put under cultivation by another and 

 till it for himself. But it would be contrary to custom, and provoke 

 resistance, if any one, leaving the place and abandoning his garden, 

 should attempt to sell any right in it. The tract again becomes free 

 for the first comer to occupy. 



A kind of property in personal goods is theoretically recognized, 

 but the right is, in practice, one that rather appertains to the family 

 than to the individual. A general principle seems to prevail that it is 

 not right to refuse a gift to one who asks it, particularly if he is a 

 relative or a friend, or is powerful or rich. People of this class have 

 no hesitation in begging, and the stranger may be sure that the ragged 

 fellow who asks him for a new shirt in place of his worn-out one is a 

 person of wealth who thinks he is doing him honor, and is according 

 him the recognition he would give to his lord or his father. The de- 

 nial of the first request does not generally give offense ; but, if the 

 request is granted, the asker will demand more and greater things, 

 and will expect to get them ; and, if a person gives to one of a number 

 of beggars, he must give to all the rest, or they will think he is dis- 

 honoring them. 



The people, however, exercise without scruple the right to appro- 

 priate their relative's goods to their own use, if he is not there to pre- 

 vent it ; and this state of public opinion leads to some comical scenes. 

 A wealthy old chief, who had hundreds of dependents, possessed nu- 

 merous articles of European clothing, without owning a complete 

 suit ; but, whenever he went out, he had to put his clothes all on, 

 however hot the weather. He came to me to be photographed one 

 day, having on a pair of shoes, three pairs of thick moleskin trousers, 

 a waistcoat over an indefinite number of shirts, a large shawl around 

 his body, a thick jacket, a shawl around his neck, with a large 



