The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-04-13
PHYSIQUE OF THE BOERS.
Conditions That Tend Towards Bodily
erfection-England's Lesson.

Conditions That Tend Towards Bodily
Perfection Englands Lesson
There can be no doubt that the Beers
have displayed much greater powess
4 and power as men of war than was ever
anticipated With but few exceptions,
the Beers live in the open country. IN
deed, it has been said that the ambition
of the Boer is to be surrounded by so
vast a tract of land that he cannot see
the dwelling of his nearest neighbor.
Then his occupations are outdoor occu-
nations, He must ride enormous dis
tances to go to church. to do his shop
ming. to fetch a medical man, or to pay
a visit. For his food supply he depends
to some extent on hunting, and here we
have again health-giving occupation,
to say nothing of the incidental fact
that this familiarizes him with the use
of a gun and enables him to become an
excellent marksman. But, over and
above all these considerations, there is
the all-important fact that he is ex-
empt from the hea1th-wearing trials
alike of wealth and Of poverty. Neither
surfeited by luxurious living nor starved
for want of the necessaries of existence,
the Boer leads a life of true temper
ance free from over-indulgence and
from the excess Of abstinence.
But what in the long run often proves
more fatal than, for instance, too much
or too little food, is that terrible strain
on the nervous system due to the want
of leisure, the want of freedom from
anxiety caused by our overwrought civ
iization and the acuteness of the strug-
gle for existence The Boer mind is not
torn and harassed by the ambitious
hope Of wealth or the constant dread of
bankruptcy, of poverty debt and star
walton His is an easy-going life. He
feels quite safe as to the morrow's ex-
istence. His land is not over populated,
but under-populated. There is plenty
of room for him and his family, how
ever numerous. He has no fear of the
bailiff or. of the debtors court. He does
not tremble at the thought that he may
be discharged from his employment or
that the formation of some big trust or
syndicate may ruin his business. He
has but little experience of the luxu-
ries and the extravagant modes of liv-
ing prevalent in our western civiliza-
ton, he knows nothing either of our
ordid poverty, of our overcrowding, and
of all the insalubrious and degrading
conditions bred of misery that accom-
pany and put to Shame our wealth. 1t
would not be possible to find Sub !
merged tenth among the Beers.
Therefore the Beers are free from those
nerve disorders that so largely contrib
ute to destroy the health of the popula-
tions in the great commercial centers.
In so far as they are of Dutch descent,
the Beers should be small. The French
blood which is mingled with that of the
Dutch would not tend very considerably |
to increase the height of the Boer. The |
French, though taller than the Dutch, |
are not so tall as the English. Yet the |
Beers of to-day are taller, stronger and |
possess a more powerful physique than !,
the English. 1t is quite a common &C.
currence to meet a Boer six feet six |
inches in height. Indeed, it has been
said that the average height of the Boer |
is six feet two inches. This is undoubt- |
eddy a gross exaggeration, but that such |
an exaggeration is possible tends to
show how striking is the impression
made by the tall stature of the Beers.
All travellers bear witness to their mag
nificent physique, especially those who |
have been among the real Beers that is
to say, those who live in the rural dis
tricts well away from the railway lines.
The Boer who has taken to town life
and acquired town vices may degene-
rate like other people but this is not of
frequent occurrence. Even those who
do live in towns often preserve their
primitive and simple methods of exist
ence. President Kruger himself is a
good example. He still keeps up the
pastoral habit of going to bed at eight
o'clock in the evening, and he is up by
five o'clock in the morning.
But apart from the flesh and bone, the
big, strong frames, and the hard mus
c1es developed by the healthy constant
outdoor exercise, the Beers have prac
teal freedom from the diseases due to
alcoholism and vice. They are not total
abstainers, but they are remarkably So