A Breath from the Veldt 177 



presentments of Nature ; but drawing in the open air in Africa is a very 

 different thing ! Your work there seems far more laborious, and no idea of 

 fudging must be entertained if the stuff is to be of any good. You have not 

 even the consolation of the camera fiend, who shuts up his plate or rolls of 

 film in a dark box and trusts to Providence that the light won't get in till he 

 gives them to the Stereoscopic Company to print for him. Then, too, there 

 is the constant inspection of visitors, Dutch and black, who press round you 

 as full of information, and as ready to impart it, as that old New Zealand chief 

 whose friends, in reply to an inquiry after him, explained his absence by 

 saying that he gave them so much good advice that they were obliged to put 

 him out of the way. Of either art or nature the Dutchman knows nothing, 

 but he does wash himself now and then ; whilst the blacks make intelligent 

 observations but smell badly. So you see, your choice of companions 

 depends to some extent upon the sensitiveness of your nasal organ. The 

 ignorance of the Dutchman is both proverbial and astounding. I give the 

 following as a common example of Dutch criticism. 



Scene : The waggon. Enter Oom Roelef, his two fat sons, and two 

 strange Dutchmen going down country. Introduction, followed by raising 

 of hat with left hand, shaking hands with right. Interchange of tobaccos and 

 prolonged stares. After which the following conversation (literal translation) : — 



Oom Roelef : " Will Jan be pleased that he shall show to my friends the 

 prints that he has made of the game and myself .? " 



Jan replies in bad Dutch that he will be delighted. Sketch produced — 

 Oom Roelef's head. 



Ques. " Well, I'm damned ! Who is the man ? " 



Ans. " It's Oom Roelef's head." 



Ques. " Oom Roelef's head ? Where's his rifle ? " 



Ans. " Oh, it is not in the picture." 



Ques. " Why have you not made the waggon and the oxen too ? " 



Ans. " There was not space for that." 



Ques. " How do you make that ? do you make it with the hand .? " 



Ans. " Yes " (he would have been equally satisfied if I had said I had done 

 it with my foot). Some minutes afterwards I heard one saying to the other 

 that I was a big liar, as I could not possibly do these things without a machine 

 of some sort. 



Next sketch : Study of some lions attacking a buffalo bull, and trying to 

 disable it by hamstringing. I thought this a rather interesting picture, and 



2 A 



