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this pittance they keep pouring hot water, until the leaves 

 are almost literally dissolved, and the fluid comes out in its 

 native purity. 



" The farms around Algoa Bay consist, as in the rest of 

 the Colony, of portions of land three miles square, on which 

 an annual and fixed rent of twenty Rix-dollars is imposed. 

 A trifling tax is also levied on every head of black cattle in 

 possession of the occupant, and on every hundred sheep. The 

 surplus of the live-stock is purchased at certain seasons of 

 the year by dealers from Swellendam and the districts near 

 the Cape, where they are pastured for some time, and 

 fattened for the supply of the market. 



" Every farmer goes once or twice a year to Capetown, to 

 exchange his salted butter for such articles as his household 

 may require, particularly clothing and iron. This journey 

 is a formidable undertaking, on account of the distance, in 

 some cases six hundred miles, as well as the badness of the 

 I'oads, and the danger of fording the rivers. They always 

 travel with their waggons, which are exceedingly strong, 

 heavy, and well adapted for bearing, without injury, the con- 

 stant jolting and twisting they are liable to in passing over 

 the broken ground. They are built long and narrow: a 

 construction that exposes them in a peculiar manner to the 

 risk of being overturned in going over the rocks and channels 

 with which the roads are intersected. On those emergencies, 

 a set of cords are attached to the upper works of the waggon, 

 and all hands pull at them to preserve the equilibrium of the 

 vehicle. There are seldom more than six pair of oxen yoked 

 at a time, except while passing through a defile, or ascending 

 a steep hill, when double that number is sometimes necessary ; 

 but they always travel with a pair or two in reserve for the 

 above purpose, and to supply the loss incurred from the 

 numerous casualties to which the oxen are exposed. 



" Every draught ox has a particular name, which he ac- 

 knowledges by quickening his pace whenever it is called. 

 The driver uses a whip, the stock of which is a Bamboo about 

 fifteen feet long. The whip itself, including the lash, is still 

 longer. He keeps smacking this unwieldy weapon to the 



