332 
SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
distilled with too much rapidity, imbibes a strong 
empyreumatic taste. 
The Dutch peasant shews here more than the 
usual apathy which characterizes his nation. He 
has no idea of what an English farmer calls com- 
fort. His apartments are almost destitute of 
furniture ; the windows are without glass ; the 
floors are dirty, and swarm with insects. Even 
wine, milk, vegetables, and roots, though easily 
procured, are despised by him ; his sole enjoyment 
is in the pipe, which never quits his mouth, un- 
less to take his glass of brandy, or to eat his 
meals, served up three times a-day, and consist- 
ing of mutton swimming in fat. The mistress 
of the family, in like manner, remains a fixture 
in front of the table, on which stands her coffee- 
pot constantly boiling. She and her daughters 
continue seated the whole day, with their hands 
folded in the most listless apathy. They have no 
meetings for diversion, fairs, balls, or musical 
parties. The history of one day forms that of 
their whole lives. That such-a-one is going to 
town, to church, or to be married, or that the 
Bosjesmans have stolen some cattle, form the only 
incidents by which life is diversified. Though 
each occupies a farm several miles square, at the 
rate of a farthing an acre, no two neighbours can 
agree about the limits of their respective pos- 
sessions. This dissension is much promoted bj 
