VISIT TO THE PATRIARCHAL DOPPER. 277 



The old man who delivered the address and offered 

 up prayer last night is a fine specimen of the genus homo. 

 Over six feet in height, well-formed, and straight as a 

 lath, with a great profusion of white beard and hair, 

 he speaks sufficient English to be intelligible, and is 

 remarkable among his comrades for cleanliness. 



I went over in the morning to pay him a visit. He 

 was seated on a chair, shaving down strips of giraffe 

 hide for wagon-whips ; underneath his foot was a yoke- 

 key, on which he constantly stropped his knife. At his 

 task he was evidently an expert, for the keen knife in 

 his hands shaved off the edges with the precision of a 

 plane. His granddaughter, a bonnie blooming lass of 

 fifteen, brought me a chair and set it down close to the 

 old man's, who expressed himself particularly pleased at 

 my visit. Again the young lady returned, and pre- 

 sented both of us with a pipe, already carefully filled 

 with tobacco ; on the top of the bowl of each was a 

 glowing coal. Several large trees grew near, affording 

 a grateful shade, for the sun was commencing to get 

 warm. Surmising that I was in for a long pow-wow, 

 I resolved to make a virtue of necessity, and submit. 

 The surroundings were very pretty numerous bril- 

 liantly-painted wagons for such the Boer loves with 

 snow-white tents, several horses picketed close by, cattle, 

 goats, and sheep a little way off ; while quite a number 

 of large yellow dogs walked restlessly about to avoid 

 the persecuting flies. A tame wildebeest and young 

 quagga were so much at home that they became a bore, 

 and although driven by the children repeatedly off, 

 returned in a few minutes to nibble the edge of your 

 cap, or besmear your shoulder with the saliva that hung 

 from their lips. 



