BOERS AND THEIR WAGGONS. 221 
as much at home at their waggons as in a house. 
They have httle primitive camp-stools, on which 
they sit round the hre, and the women go about 
their household duties, and the children play about, 
and they seem quite at home. Of course when 
it rains they sit in the waggons like rats in holes 
— as I have already done myself, and shall now 
begin to do again. You have no idea how much 
a home a waggon becomes. I have my books 
and all my et ceteras within reach ; and, though 
it is a little cramping, the pleasure of stretching 
the limbs when you do get out repays you to a 
certain extent. 
" I expect in a day or two a reply from the king, 
giving me permission to hunt in his veldt. I only 
wish to go a short distance from here, to the Rama- 
queban, and Shashani, and thereabouts — a tract of 
country that I know pretty well, and for which I 
have a real affection, so often have I roamed through 
its wilds. Rivers that I know well I look upon as 
friends. I wish, indeed, I could be set down now 
where I was last year, when I was sent by the king 
into his favourite veldt on failing to reach the Zam- 
besi, but it is too far, and I should have to traverse 
the thickly-populated part of the country to reach it. 
The loathing with which I regard this people is in 
itself sufficient to deter me. The king himself is 
well enough, and rules the Kafirs with a rod of iron, 
but the Kafirs, as a nation, I abominate, and not 
without good reason. The amount of pride you 
must pocket when sojourning amongst these 
