OUR NEIGHBOURS. 269 



violent draughts and clouds of dust blowing in through 

 two or three broken windows at once ; or with a glass 

 outer door whose handle has been off for months, and 

 which continually flaps noisily backwards and forwards, 

 admitting gusts of cold wind and flocks of turkeys 

 and fowls into the room ; as if all things were in per- 

 fect order. Poultry and domestic animals, indeed, have 

 it all their own way on Karroo farms with the 

 delightful freedom enjoyed by their brethren in Irish 

 cabins. At one house, for instance, if the dining- 

 room was left for a moment when the cloth was laid 

 for a meal, half a dozen fowls would be on the table, 

 picking the bread to pieces ; while in another I have 

 several times assisted our hosts in ejecting a too- 

 friendly pig from the bedroom. To give South African 

 pigs their due, I must say that in that driest of climates 

 they are less uncleanly in their persons, and hence 

 rather less objectionable indoors, than they would be 

 in Europe. But we had English prejudices, and dis- 

 countenanced the visits of members of the farm-yard ; 

 and Toto had standing orders, which he faithfully 

 obeyed, to keep the rooms clear of live stock of all 

 kinds, with the exception of privileged pets. 



Even more terrible than the intrusive animals are the 

 spoilt children. During their earlier years the little 

 colonists are left very much to themselves: they run 

 wild, like young colts, about their native farm, no one 

 takes the trouble to interfere with them, and they are 

 allowed to retain, unchecked, all the rude, rough habits 

 which they have acquired from their uncivilized Hot- 



s 



