134 ^ Breath from the Veldt 



which I supposed that the old man was working gradually through his family 

 with his sjambok — a conclusion I afterwards found to be fairly correct. The 

 family, however, were always remarkably reticent on this point, so I never 

 heard the entire story. At any rate no cloud appeared next morning to mar the 

 pleasant associations of myself with his domestic circle, and when I ordered 

 Teenie to get my oxen, and inspan, expecting a disturbance of some sort in the 

 waggons opposite me, nothing of the sort occurred ; and I presently saw Clinboy 

 (Van Staden's Zulu boy) engaged in collecting his master's beasts, which were 

 presently inspanned and started in the wake of my waggon along the northward 

 road. 



This, I am thankful to say, was the last and only trouble I had with my 

 associates, whose spirits and friendliness towards myself increased greatly when 

 we entered Mashonaland and eventually got to the game ; and by the end of 

 our journey I am sure no happier party could have been found anywhere, in 

 spite of our little disagreements at starting. These little unpleasantnesses may 

 and do occur to all travellers and hunters when working with people of other 

 nations ; the man who has made several expeditions in foreign lands without 

 any such experience is indeed fortunate. As the home character of the 

 Boer is not as yet very widely known in England, I may perhaps be excused 

 a few remarks on him before finally leaving the subject. 



With few exceptions Dutchmen are what we English would call " im- 

 possible " people to get along with. Though possessing many good qualities, 

 they are lacking not only in humour but in that ready grasp of things in 

 general that we are accustomed to look upon as amongst the essentials of an 

 agreeable companion. An Englishman has hardly anything in common with 

 them. Their fun is either forced, in the hope of showing themselves smarter 

 than they really are, or is only such as may be found in mere coarseness and 

 obscenity. The associations, too, which any travelling Englishman has with 

 moving Dutchmen are necessarily of short duration, and he has little or no 

 opportunity for dispelling those mists of suspicion and dislike with which every 

 Dutchman is brought up to regard the Britisher. Conversation of a superficial 

 character and ordinary civilities are exchanged ; but with all this the Dutchman 

 keeps his shield arm up, and it is only after months of close association with 

 him, when he has learnt to feel himself at home with you, that you can see 

 his character in its true light. The younger he is, the more insulting and 

 objectionable is his attitude towards foreigners, but as he grows older he 

 becomes far less aggressively anti-English in action, if not in ideas. At twenty 



