SOUTHERN AFRICA. 45 
bited by a ftlll more mlferable race of mortals ! How many 
fleeplefs nights, and naufeous fcenes, have I not avoided by 
adopting fuch a plan ! 
To add to our prefent uncomfortable fituation, the guefts 
were perpetually interrupting us in their application to the wine 
cafk, or the brandy bottle. Our patience, at length, being quite 
exhaufted, we refolved to barricade the door. This, however, 
failed of fuccefs. The votaries of Bacchus were not fo eafily to 
be difappointed of their weekly libations. After feveral fruit- 
lefs attempts to force the door, they thought of trying the win- 
dow ; but this fmall pigeon-hole, being much too narrow in 
its dimenfions to admit the huge carcafe of an African boor, 
obliged them to have recourfe to the expedient of fending in a 
thin Hottentot girl ; but, on account of the peculiar fhape of 
the women of this nation, the lower part of the body refufed 
to follow where the head had palTed, and fhe (luck faft in the 
window. This produced a prodigious burft of boifterous mirth; 
the girl, however, after a great deal of fqueezing and puftiing, 
effected the purpofe, and procured for the tumultuous boors a 
fupply of their favourite liquors. To prevent a return we 
barred in the window, and having thus completely made our- 
felves matters of the cellar, the boors, after feveral vollies of 
imprecations, accompanied with thundering alTaults, fometimes 
at the door, and then at the window, thought fit about mid- 
night to leave the houfe, in fearch of another jovial neighbour 
at the diftance, perhaps, of eight or ten miles. This fcene 
would have afforded an excellent fubjedl for the pencil of 
Oftade, 
