The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-01-18
BOERS And UITLANDERS.
Facts About the People Who Live
in the TransvaaI.
PAST AND PRESENT IN CONFLICT.
Superstition and Ignorance Disturbed and
Angered by the Arrival of Modern
transformations that Have Become
UnendurabIe.
{ From the London Times. }

1ueae-CoHuIIiOnS thaC Have Become
Uncomfortable.
(From the London Ti,nes)
IheT ransvaal Boer of the present day
is, like his brethren all over South Africa
usually big heavy man, strongly built,
but ungainly, full Eof rude health and
vigor. The South African climate, in
| deed, see ms fitted to produce an even
finer race of white men than that of Eu-
rope itself. But the Boer, except while
hunting, when he is active enough, is not
accustomed to use his strength in the
quick and vigorous manner of the Briton.
| His easy pastoral existence predisposes
him to a somewhat slow-moving habit.
| He is quick with his rifle, indeed, but in
an affair Of fists an Englishman will
knock a Boer into what in sporting cir
cles is known as Cooked hat.''
| Here and there you will see among these
people strong traces of the French Hugue-
not blood, which came to reinforce the
Dutch settlers at the Cape after the reYo-
cation of the Ediot of Nantes. Dark eyes
and complexion, brisker manners, and
livelier features often recall theLatin type.
SO vigorously was the language Of these
Hunguenot refugees crushed out by
Batavian enactnents, however, that
hundred years after their landingl in
Table Bay not single person could be
found to speak it. The Huguenot ele-
ment has blended wonderfully with the
Dutch. You will find French names all
over South Africa. yet the owners them
selves are Dutch, and nothing else. Du
Plessis, De Viliers, usually pronounced
"Filyee') Joubert, Marais, Hugo, NAL
herbe, Vatican (now always spelt
! ssViljnen' and pronounced "Filyune")
Retiet, are some of the surnames of the
descendants of Huguenot forefathers, now
spread universally from Cape Town te
Delagoa Bay, from Natal to Mossamedes s,
whose owners are as completely Dutch
rs the most thorough going Cooper O
the Transvaal
In rem ote places and upon the frontier,
the Transvaal Boer lives much as hi
fathers did hundred-nay, two hundred
years ago. You may still find here ant
there the ancient evening custom O
washing the feeu-a black servant per
forming the office; the great Bible Ii
solemnly read night and morning, ant
prayer offered up; corn is still trodder
out among the smaller farmers by means
of horses and mules, and winnowed BY
casting in the air on windy day; tn,
good man still banks his money in tn,
great chest, and keeps it under his bed
He has heard Of banks, but he doesn'
believe in them. and laughs at the ides
!. Of man paying you to let him tax,
charge of yodr money.
!, You will sometimes find Boer wht
, still believes,as did his great-great-grand
father before him, that dried TORTOISE
J blood is good for snake-bite Many wild
beliefs and superstitions, indeed, have thu
more Ignorant Beers have been assured
by some Of them that fabulous GREAT
ure, with the head of rock rabbit ant
, the body Of huge serpent, lived in the
mountains. This dragon-like belief is
!, curiously enough very widespread.
In the smaller farmhouses you will
find the Boer, his vrouw, and family still
sleeping always in their clothes, as theil
: fathers did in the days when moot urna
! alarm constantly threatened. And yor
will find. too, that the family additions
; are of the scantiest Yet additions are MOI
, too generously resorted to even in many
parts of Britain, ana water lis often .
, scarce commodity IN South Africa.
Big, brawny and strong as are thes,
people. one cannot call them handsom,
J race. There is too often lack of expires
sion, dull vacancy in their faces, suol
as one sees elsewhere among people wht
live in solitudes far apart from their fell
lows. Such look you may often Sc,
among the Norwegians living in gloom!
and remote "dals." Indeed, there is {
strong resemblance between many OF tn,
Norwegian peasant proprietors and tn,
Beers of South Africa. The Boer is, how
! ever, much wealthier man than tn,
Scandinavian. Now and then one sees
, really good-looking Dutohman. Pau
, Kruger, the Transvaal President. is 9
very good type of the shrewd, slow, yet
logged and determined South African
Dutohman. Broad, homely features sucl
as his are to be seen everywhere
The women, as rule, do not approach
the fresh and simple beauty SO often t,
be found among the girls and youns
women Of Norway. Here and there 70,
will find handsome Dutch girl, bu
not often. Their dress, usually plail
stuff or print, and the hideous poke sun
bonnets they affect, are not calculated t,
add to their attractions. They are, too
curiously afraid of exposing their com
plexions to the bright sunshine of th eli
splendid climate, and are often pale an,
pasty in appearance. 1t is amusing to se
the care with which plain Boer Woma,
on trek, living in her wagon. will guar,
her complexion, and carefully keep he
hands beneath her black apron upon ever,
available opportunity
Yet, despite their somewhat plain ap
pearance, the Boer vrouws of Soutl
Africa are excellent women, sharp il
business matters, full Of the stronges
affection for their land and people, abb