214 THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



what it is. For many years he had fearful uphill work, 

 for the Boers threw every obstacle in his way ; but his 

 resolution and faith never failed him, and now he is 

 reaping his reward. Still, thirty years have not obliter- 

 ated the characteristics of the sailor. On the quarter- 

 deck with speaking-trumpet under his arm you could 

 well believe that he was thoroughly in his place ; a 

 bad-weather sailor, not one that has never known 

 otherwise than to cruise in sunny seas. 



His house is very pretty, and fronted by a wide 

 veranda, flanked on either side by substantial offices. 

 Pacing it is a grove of blue gum-trees, now sixty or 

 more feet high ; while in rear of his residence is a 

 beautiful garden and fine orchard. Irrigation he has 

 taught the inhabitants, and to irrigation is due his 

 success as an agriculturist. The hospitality of Mr. 

 Jansen is well known to the very few white men who 

 penetrate so far ; to me he extended it, and so excellent 

 was everything that I really commenced to think I was 

 in an English farm-house instead of a heathen land. 

 When I bid him good-bye, the church-bell was ringing 

 to summon the faithful to worship ; and so large was 

 the congregation that many a clergyman at home is 

 without its equal numerically. 



The four or five British subjects who reside at 

 Zeerust have all married Boer wives ; in the selections 

 they have made they have shown such good taste, that 

 I am really surprised to learn that such comely matrons 

 are to be found of this race. We know that women, 

 much more easily than men, adapt themselves to 

 elevation in their social position of life, and an instance 

 of it is here met with, for these ladies are as tidy, clean, 

 and natty as their sisters in the old country. An 



