54 



cross the stream, near its source, the poor animal was scalded 

 to death. 



" On the 17th we resumed our journey, leaving the Branaa 

 Valley early in the morning, and passed through an exten- 

 sive, well-watered, and fertile plain, called the Goudinie. 

 This plain is crossed by a river of the same name, by the Breede 

 River, and by several less considerable streams, all of them 

 flowing on a level with the surface, and capable of being 

 turned with ease over the interjacent grounds. After a ride 

 of three hours, we arrived at the habitation of Feld Cornet 

 Gabriel Hugo. During our journey, we met numbers on 

 their way to a Vendutie, which was to take place in the 

 Goudinie. These sales afford the only opportunity the 

 Colonists have of assembling from distant parts of the coun- 

 try, and are therefore attended by ten times the number that 

 have any idea of making purchases. On such occasions, it 

 is the usual custom to provide a sumptuous dinner for the 

 crowd, followed by a copious libation of wine and strong 

 liquors; the latter sometimes with an eye to a brisker 

 competition among the bidders, as was probably the 

 case here, in one instance at least that came to our know- 

 ledge, where a common slave, with his wife and one infant, 

 were purchased at the enoi'mous sum of nineteen thousand 

 guilders. 



" Within half a mile of the Cornet's house, our cart broke 

 down, and one of its wheels was shattered to pieces. At 

 any other stage of our journey, such an accident would have 

 left us in an awkward predicament. Fortunately there was a 

 waggon-maker settled in the neighbourhood, who undertook 

 to repair our vehicle, and effected it in two days. This man 

 affords a striking proof that the boors do not all merit the 

 sweeping charge of idleness and want of industry that has 

 been preferred against them. He is himself an expert black- 

 smith, and has brought up his two sons as carpenters. With 

 very little assistance from a few slaves in the simpler and 

 subordinate parts, they make the best waggons perhaps in the 

 Colony, for which there is a much gi'eater demand than they 

 can supply. He showed us a horse-waggon which he built 



