The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-26
BOER FARMS ON VELDT
SOUTH AFRICANS AS A RULE
LEAD A PURELY PASTORAL
EXISTENCE
BAD SYSTEM EVERYWHERE

Throughout the TrnnsvaaI Dutch
Thrift Is Sometimes Lacking-op-
pOrtunities for Profit Seem to
Have Been IgnOred-La bOr-SavIng
Methods Find No Favor in That
|. Parkway Region.
Let me introduce you to q Dutch farm
house in the Transvaal as 1 saw 1t one
one fine afternoon two or three years
since. 1t was situated some miles from
any town or village; the typical Boer does
not desire near neighbors. The way to
1t lay over the high veldt, along vast
plains, with here and there a range Of
hills presenting the appearance of huge
pudding molds turned upside down, only
slightly more rugged of surface, but
scarcely less bare, says the London
Graphic.
Our vehicle was kind Of buggy,a hybrid
! between Cape cart and an old-fashion-
ed gig. Winding around the base of one
| OIL the Dig pudding basins, we came upon
a little valley in which two or three
| green trees of the willow species showed
the presence OF water, and soon after
! ward arrived at the house. 1t was a low
building of stone with a corrugated iron
| roof; along the front ran the steop, which
Is raised causeway or Veranda, built
| also of stones, laid one upon another. and
| covered with earth beaten down hard.
Ahls is the place whereon a Boer loves
to lounge, smoking his eternal pipe and
Illuminating, When he is not laying down.
the law with regard to Rooineks English
mem or uitlanders generally. At the back
were two little paddocks inclosed by
stone walls loosely put together, and a
cattle kraal, also of stone, but partly
matched. Two mules were standing in the
afternoon sun, winking their long ears
IN futile attempts to scare the flies which
were exploring every portion of their
lean bodies A yoke Of oxen browsing
at some distance completed the pro4ni-
nent features Of the landscape, until at
the sound Of wheels q couple Of dogs of
the lurcher kind appeared and greeted
US with furious banks. Two black boys
called Sunday and Shilling, came to take
charge of our horses and CONVEYANCE
and we were ushered in by the back en-
trance through the kitchen.
WANT OF THRIFT.
The distinguishing feature of the apart
ment, after the general squaIor Of the
whole, was a stout cord stretched across
one end, with strips Of meat hanging over
and tied to it; this was the greater part
OF a sheep, which afterward understood
was killed the day before. The practice is
to cut 1t all up, without any apparent re-
gard to joints, In various shapes and sizes.
and to hang 1t in the air or often in the
sun to dry; this constitutes the biItong
winch they use on their journeys or in
war time, and which Is said to be most
nour1sh1ng and sustaining food. We pass
| ed on into the inner room, which was
breakfast room, dining room and draw
| ing room combined; 1t was rather long
| and narrow, with deal table, also mar
row, and a few wooden chairs. Against
one wall was wooden box, which, with
| two or three cushions on it. posed as a.
corch. A small harmonium stood at one
! END ana IN two corners were little cup
boards, or Whatnots, draped with ere
| tonne or colored print The floor was
| composed of mixture of clay and cow
! dung, beaten down hard and firm I was
Informed that this kind of floor was con-
sidered very good for health. was in
| troduced to my bedroom, leading out Of
| the dining room, and found 1t simply but
little more comfortably, furnished, mus
| lin curtains to the windows, but no
| blinds! AS / stood on the stoop later
| there came to me a fairy vision of farm
| houses in dear old England, with their
| trim, smooth lawns, vegetables and flower
| gardens, and I thought, Oh, for a little
| industry and enterprise IN this desert,
| which could be made to blossom as rose!
| The soil is so fertile that 1t is commonly
| said If you throw a plant at the ground
| and water 1t 1t will grow. Here all around
| 1t was little better than q Wilderness;
pool lay at the bottom OF the bare patch,
which should have been garden, and
q few ducks stood among the reeds or
disported themselves on the water. No
green fields Of wheat or barley waved in
| the soft, sweet air. The Boer does not
seem to believe in cultivation save for
little ground roughly scratched over for
patches of Indian corn, here called
mealies, Of which, when finely ground and
sifted, they make their bread; very good
1t is when quite fresh, but after day
or two 1t becomes hard and sour.
NEGLECTED OPPORTUNITIES.
Through all the years in which the
Beers have held the Transvaal it seems
never to have occurred to them that, with
some labor and care, they could have
| made this country both profitable and fair
to look upon. Water Is to be found gen.
eraly at depth of thirty feet; cert ainly
lOcuStS and drought are formidable foes
but in Natal where these drawbacks are
also known, and the climate much hotter
| a good deal of land is under cultivation.
1t is not that the Beers bestoW much time
on mental attainments or the study of
books, on esthetic culture or care of per-
sonal appearance; his only book usually,
IS the Bible, his letters are never written,
his toilet accessories are of the most
primitive kind and those not often used.
The average Boer does not undress when
he retires to rest, consequently his whole
attire is of the froWsiest; he is unshorn
unWashed, unbrushed, his skin, hair and
clothing are all of the same hue, in close
affinity with the color of the ground
thence, we may conclude, arises their IA
forte appellation, sons of the soiI'' AS
the sun sank behind the hills and the
short twilight faded into darkness a dis
nal sound arose from the aforemention-
| ed pool and it's neighborhood-the loud
croaking of many frogs, resembling the
| distant lowing of cattle. Supper over
went to bed. Though wearied with my
| journey, sleep did not visit my eyelidS;
| a restless feeling came over me and soon
I became aware that the blanket cover
| Ing me was apparently the camp of ar
| mics Of insects of the sprightly kind
| tackled me at every vulnerable point
Added to this misery, a heavy thunder
| storm, with rain dashing against nv win
| dow, came on, so l was fain to light my
| candle and while away the greater part