SOUTHERN AFRICA. 8^ 
by an aflemblage of the whole family. In their attendance at 
church they are fcrupuloufly exaft, though the performance of 
this duty cofts many of them a journey of feveral days. Thofe 
who live at the diftance of a fortnight or three weeks from the 
neareft church generally go with their families once a-year. 
Rude and uncultivated as are their minds, there is one vir- 
tue in which they eminently excel — hofpitality to ftrangers. 
A countryman, a foreigner, a relation, a friend, are all equally 
welcome to whatfoever the houfe will afford. A Dutch farmer 
never pafles a houfe on the road without alighting, except in- 
deed his next neighbour's, with whom it is ten to one he is at 
variance. It is not enough to inquire after the health of the 
family in paffing : even on the road, if two peafants fhould 
meet they inftantly difmount to fhake hands, whether ftrangers 
or friends. When a traveller arrives at a habitation, he alights 
from his horfe, enters the houfe, fhakes hands with the men, 
kiffes the women, and fits down without farther ceremony. 
When the table is ferved he takes his place among the family 
without waiting for an invitation. This is never given, on the 
fuppofition that a traveller in a country fo thinly inhabited 
muft always have an appetite for fomething. Accordingly, 
" What will you make ufe of?" is generally the firft queftion. 
If there be a bed in the houfe it is given to the ftranger ; if 
none, which is frequently the cafe among the graziers of the 
diftant diftrid of Graaff Reynet, he muft take his chance for a 
form, or bench, or a heap of flieep fKins, among the reft of the 
family. In the morning after a folid breakfaft he takes his 
fopie^ or glafs of brandy, orders his flave or Hottentot to faddle 
M 2 the 
