84 HOME LIFE ON AN OSTRICH FARM. 



has more than once had to be sacrificed and allowed to 

 dry up the water necessary for its irrigation being 

 more than we could venture to spare. 



In some parts of the country the inhabitants are 

 occasionally in terrible straits for want of water ; and 

 during one severe drought some passing strangers, who 

 rested a few hours at our house, told us a horrid story 

 of how, at one of the " cantines " (combinations of inn 

 and general store) along their road, they had asked for 

 water to wash their hands, and a scanty supply was 

 brought, with the request that no soap might be used, 

 that same water being ultimately destined to make the 

 tea ! It sounds incredible, but I fear it is more likely 

 to be truth than fiction, for the Dutch at the Cape are 

 dirty enough for anything. 



The partiality of the thunder-storms is surprising ; 

 sometimes one farm will have all its dams filled, while 

 another near it does not get a drop of rain. Often, 

 during a whole season, the thunder-clouds will follow 

 the same course ; one unlucky place being repeatedly 

 left out. Swaylands was once for months passed over 

 in this manner ; our neighbours on both sides having 

 an abundance of water, while we, like the unhappy 

 little pig of nursery fame, " had none," and found it 

 difficult to restrain envy, hatred, and malice. 



Then, too, the clouds have such a deceitful and 

 tantalizing way of collecting in magnificent masses, 

 and coming rolling grandly up as if they really meant 

 business at last only to disperse quietly in a few 

 hours, disappointing all the hopes they have raised. 



