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sediment, which is collected by the boors and employed to 

 paint their waggons. 



" As it was too late to return to the cantonment, we 

 agreed to throw ourselves for the night on the hospitality of 

 a boor, who lived at a short distance from the spring. When 

 we expressed our intention to Van Royen, he signified his 

 satisfaction, in the homely but hearty language of welcome, 

 in which few of the boors are deficient. He sent instantly to 

 the Kraal, to fetch a lamb, which was slaughtered before our 

 eyes : the operator, a female, one of his Hottentot domestics. 

 After we had sate for some time conversing, a servant came 

 round with a bucket of water to wash our feet: on our 

 declining her services, she went to our host, his wife, and 

 children, and washed their feet in succession. This circum- 

 stance, together with the killing of the lamb, brought to my 

 recollection the history of Abraham entertaining the three 

 angels. The African boors are as strictly in the pastoral 

 state of society as the patriarchs were of old. 



" The supper-table was set out in much neater style than 

 is usual among the boors. Each of us had a plate, a knife 

 and fork, a spoon, and a clean white napkin placed before us. 

 The lamb, stewed to rags, occupied the middle, and a dish 

 of sweet potatoes, with a tureen, full of milk, and a salad, 

 garnished the corners. 



" We had provided ourselves with some brandy, which 

 we contrived to manufacture into punch after supper. The 

 old Vrow seemed to relish this mixture amazingly. After 

 swallowing a few glasses she got merry, and her tongue never 

 rested. But Van Royen himself could not be prevailed upon 

 to touch it ; and, if what he told us be true, he is a rara avis 

 among the boors of the Cape. He declared solemnly that 

 he never in his life tasted either wine, brandy, tea, or coffee; 

 nor did he recollect ever having used tobacco in any shape; 

 to all which luxuries the boors in general are passionately 

 addicted. They seldom use sugar to their tea or coffee. 

 The former they call tea-water ; and no beverage was ever 

 more aptly denominated. The quantity oi'iginally infused 

 would scarcely make one cupful of ordinary strength; and on 



