146 A VEI BOOR. 



yoked to the waggon, and we left Fisher's place for 

 the next farm in our route, which was occupied by 

 C. Van der Waldt. 



On our way we met with one of those graziers 

 called by the Dutch a Vei Boor, who was removing 

 with his flocks from the winter-veld to his summer 

 residence in Sneeuwberg, taking with him a flock of 

 near six thousand sheep. He had pitched his tent 

 in the midst of them, surrounded by several travel- 

 ling waggons belonging to the various branches of 

 his family, presenting altogether a most patriarchal 

 appearance. Two of his brothers came up to in- 

 quire who we were ; their mother likewise, the 

 largest woman I ever remember to have seen, also 

 approached to ascertain if I had any black goods to 

 dispose of, imagining I was a trader, or a smouse, 

 as they usually denominate the class of men who 

 go about the country selling goods to the farmers 

 and taking sheep in exchange, — as the boors have 

 seldom many rix dollars, and make their principal 

 payments out of the produce of their farms. It 

 appeared that she had recently lost her husband, 

 and required some articles of mourning for herself 

 and family. 



We crossed the Sea-Cow River, and uitspanned, 

 as it had now become dark ; and early on the follow- 

 ing morning having sent a Hottentot with our oxen 

 to the water, he observed the spur of four lions, 

 which had evidently passed us during the night, 



