20 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



a great advantage over the cap tent, inasmuch as, in 

 the first place, it is cheaper by £10, and, secondly, if 

 broken in a capsize, which in Cape traveling is an affair 

 of common occurrence, it is easily repaired on the spot; 

 whereas the cap-tent wagon, if once upset, is irretriev- 

 ahly ruined. 



When a trader arrives on a Boer's farm, he halts and 

 walks up to the door to inquire where he is to " out- 

 span," or unyoke the oxen, and also in what direction 

 the oxen are to be driven to graze. At the door he is 

 met by the baas, or master, generally pipe in mouth, 

 w^ho, cordially greeting him with one hand, raises his 

 hat from his head with the other. The Boers lay great 

 stress on this piece of etiquette, which has to be gone 

 through with a whole string of juvenile Boers follow- 

 ing in the rear, each incased in a very roomy pair of 

 inexpressibles, and crowned with an immense broad- 

 rimmed tile, nearly half the size of its wearer. Per- 

 mission to outspan being obtained, and a few compli- 

 mentary speeches interchanged, the trader inquires of 

 the Boer if he has any fat oxen to handle or barter, to 

 which the Boer either at once replies in the negative, 

 or more commonly says, " I do not know. What have 

 you got on your wagon ?" The trader answers, " I 

 have got a little of every thing, and all of the very best 

 quality, and you shall have any thing you require as 

 low as a trader can possibly sell it. I shall presently 

 unload a little for your inspection." The Boer politely 

 says, " No, no, mynheer, you must not offload ; it would 

 grieve me that mynheer should exert himself so much ;" 

 to which the trader replies, "It is no trouble; we are 

 accustomed to do it, and it is our business." The 

 trader then instructs his knccht, or head servant, to 

 make a parade of the goods, and he then accompanies 



