The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1900-04-05
BOER FARMER AT HOME.
HIS MANNERS, CUSTOMS AND CHEF
CHARACTERISTICS.

A traveller who recently returned
from South Africa, in describing some
of -he characterlsli Of the Boets and
their hone lie, said: II am surprised
at the ignorance displayed regarding
these psop e. Many of the de-
scriptions OF their life and character
which I ha Q seen since my re urn
are extremely absurd. The boe:s
when properly approached and treated
are fully as Courteous and obiigiug as
the average New England ia me-.
lhe.r in4uisitiveness, which has been
so largely dwelt upon, while no doubt
annoying to fore gner, IS due more
10 their isolated life, in most cases,
than to any Unborn rudeuess.
"The men are, as rule, magnla'
cent specim ms OF manhood. l have
known families where the father
and from six to eight sous would all
exceel 6 feet 2 in hes in height and
ary in weight from lou to 24Opouuds:
Wuile they are often what we would
term clumsy, in many respects, they
are most i'm pervious to fatigue and
the b azipg sun and chilling nights OF
South Africa appear to make but little
Impression upon them. They are not
easily amenaDle to the rig .dness OF
mil arv life, and for that reason make
poor soldiers from a European stand
point. But they a"e, without excep'
ton, taken as a body, the best rlle
shot, 1 have ever met in my travels.
ga traveller approaching the home
of fairly well-to-do Boer farmer Will
at once be impressed with the unpre-
tentiousness OF the surroundln 5s.
| sually two or three thatched houses
for the master or his married sons or
daughters and few reed huts for the
servants - mostly Hottento's - to-
sether with the barns and outhous $,
comprise all the buildings in sight
HIS arrival will he heralded by the
yelping of pack of dogs Of all kinds
aud degrees and seemingly without
end A few kicks heartily bestowed
causes the howliag pax to lose all
interest in the new arrival. A mutual
introduction, and perhaps few ques-
tions, will be followed by the cour-
teous query, will mvnheer off-zadel?'
! will the gentleman unsaddle9
The ad vent of a stranger canses the
entire family to assemble, and VII
greeting may beGgru6, yet it hs19
ring of genuine hea tiness ipc a.
soon puts the. tsave!er.ass-ease: II tn
: ava1esF Is -uutsii,1ttfded ii,1tttfded to drink spirits
he is urssd to take cup Of tea
Is water in place of the 'brandiwyn.
lFhis 'tea-water' is decoction rathe
Z than an infusion of the Chinese leaf
;. being di uted with boiling water with
out the addition of milk and sugar.
, "During this refreshment the Wis
: itor will be piled with questions re
, garding his age, occupation, the Oh
iect and extent of his present journey
, the nu nber and names of his family
/, and particularly about the polltlca
, conditions of the outside world au'
its bear .ng on their .republic-some
S thiag the Boer neve- loses sight OF
s While he is busy answering thes
4 questions, he will notice that the mel
: wear loose trousers of sheep or goat
: skin, probably home made, 2 checl
/, shirt of coarse frieze or cotton, &C
}. CO; ding to the severity OF the weather
!, These, with the broad-brim hat, com
|, plete their costume. Shoes and stock
!, ings a:e seldom worn, except wbe!
}, thev 20 to church or to 'rolykheid
, (merry .uakingsl. During the colde
season sandals of coarse country max
are sometimes worn. They are mad
Z from raw bullock's hide with an uE
$ Der of dressed sheep or goat skin
e These are not very substantial, bnt
s every man can make his own sanda!
|, and the leathercosts little or nothing
8 they hold their own against the NOR
e modern She store, especially a
q economy is one of the chief character
), istics Of the Beers.
), "To~,a foreigner the house Wi
;: hardly appear as the embodiment
:: comfort. In size and shape it II
' sembles q substantial barn. The wal
): are thick and built of adhesive ella!
!, which, when well prepared in tt
J, manner of mortar, soon acquires
1t the dry climate the hardness and COZ
sistency Of brick. These walls al
about eight or niue feet high al
fairly smooth and straight, and al
,, plastered with a combination OF san
IS and then whitewashed with a sort {
r white clay. This gives the house a
.e exceedingly cool and pleasant a
!. pearance upon entering it upon a h
II dav. The roof is -thatched witk
r. species of rush and from the raftel
d are suspended a numerous assortmel
81 of supplies and farm implement
" The house is divided into three apar
= ments. One, opening directly int
70 the air, is called the voor huls ar
&c corresponds to our sitting room. He
j. the family sit, eat and receive visitor
q A room at either end OF the hall
sr formed by walls of the same heigl
ID and construction as the outer wal
IS and is called sloap kamer, or priva
- room. The latter are used for slee
T. ing purposes mostly. The foo
which is made of clay from ant-heap
pounded into dust and then water
and then well stamped, is hard al
N smooth. .....
~ Little furniture is found in Il
e. average Boer house, Perhaps a doz'
II stools and chairs, roughly made al
1e with bottoms of thongs, are scatter
1e throughout the three rooms Of t
I'd house. Two tables, one large al
er of rough plank, and the other small
It. and with some attempt at fnishin
be will be found in the voor huis. I.