The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1881-03-16
From the N. Y. Star.
DOMESTIC LIFE AMONG THE
BOERS.

DOMESIlC LIFE AMONG THE
B0ERS.
The power of words over the imagi-
nation is so great that it requires a
splendid victory, like that OF Majela
Mountain. to overcome the peoples
feeling Of distaste for men with such a
name as Beers. Boer is, however,
nothing more than the Dutch name for
farmer. Their success Is far from sur
prising to one who knows of what ma
terial they are composed. Most OF
them are descendants of that country
whose history contains not only the
earliest, but the most brilliant and
well sustained record ofheoric achieve
ment of the nations OF modern Europe.
The Indomitabl courage of the am
phibious Hollanders, from whom most
of the Beers are descended, brought
Rome herself, in The zenith Of her
power, TO terms successfully resisted
the matchless courage of the Spanish
infantry, when Spain was mistress of
two worlds, and brought the haughri-
est monarch of France to his knees.
Tho Dutch settled at the Cape of Good
Hope in 1862, and the blood of the i'm
migrants was net weakened by their
mixture with noble part Of the
French nation-the Hugenots-a num-
Der of whom followed the Dutch in
1889.
The social life OF the Beers carries us
back with startling similitude to the first
settlers In New Amsterdam, who formed
so fruitful a subject for Irvlng's pen.
We have cause to thank the selfish poll
cy OF the Dutch company that governed
this country for alternating the Dutch
settlers here, or England would not
have Lad so iacile a conquest. New
countries, sinsularly enough, are usually
older than their parents. Just as some
OF our New England Villages resemble
In sentiment and custom the England
of Crenwell's day, SO In the Transyaal
and The Orange Free State Q Hollandor
OF the time of Van Tromp would find
himself mole at home than a modern
Dutchman. The chief literature of the
Boer, as of our knlckerDockers, is the
Bible. Their rooms are naturally scan
lily furnished. A hollow foot-stove
filed with Goals takes the place Of the
more generous fireplace OF the old Dutch
homesteads Of the Bauerie. Numerous
with 6axen hair and blue eyes,
gather round stranger. On entering
he Is at once saluted In style common
to classic Rome and TO the Transvaal-
"Unde vents? ct quo tends ?" "Where
do you come from7 whittier are You
going ?" "What is your business ?" asks
The patriarch of the numerous family. |
care you married?" timidly inquiries
the young Boeress. As IN all frontier
society, the charms of the girls soon de. |
velop into utilities. This is fortunate,
as they are not unfrequently called upon
TO aid In defending their honor and |
their homes against bands of murderous
ksffirs. Marriages are contracted early,
as in all those happy regions where there |
Is no lack OF land aud where |
are a blessing.
From ten TO twelve children to mo
Their is the average, and fifteen or eight
Teen are not at all rare. The case OF |
Dne venerable Boer is mentioned whose
including sons aud daugh-
sers in-law, grandchildren and grea
grandchildren, amount TO $50 Large
farms are the rule, and the Beers, like
our Texan and KaRsas settlers, are per-
petually pushing their frontier forward |
10 supply the increased demand for |
room consequent on the increased popu-
ation. Farms of 5000 to 5000 acres
are the rule, and there are some farmers
he area of whose land Is equal to that
of little German prlneipality. Next |
20 the land, the cattle constitute the
chief wealth of the Boers-great long
horned, neat herds, together with
menno sheep and Angora goats. As
with all pioneer communities, the physi-
al development among the Beers is of
he highest and most ragged type. Tie
men are remarkably robust, and are
generally six feet high or more, with
broad shoulders and hardy muscles.
They are excellent horsemen, noun
aineers, foresters and rifiemen. They
ire Intelligent; enough 10 submit to
needed discipline in case of war like
Lat which they are now engaged, and
probably their determined little army
will show the smallest ratio of sickness