hard and expectorate all over the floor without giving a definite
reply. He wants to handle the money first, and then he will arrange
about his purchases. Within half an hour he will probably have in his
pocket two or three hundred golden sovereigns (he does not look upon
bank-notes with favour; he wants something hard and substantial), and
he will at once proceed to the matter of buying. At the end of the day
his waggon is loaded up with a variety of household and agricultural
necessities, for which he has paid, say, L150 of the money received
for his wool. This is his way of doing things, and he thinks it is the
right one.

During the Boer War of 1880 merchants in the Free State had a bad time
of it. The Boers were, of course, very much excited, and the English
merchant was looked upon scornfully and contemptuously. One Boer had
already drawn up a memorandum of what he considered should be the
_modus operandi_ in dealing with the storekeepers. Two or three were
to be hanged, and the others were to be tied up in front of their own
buildings and shot down like crows. That was in Harrismith.

The Boer has not much to boast of in the matter of brains, but what he
does possess he is careful not to abuse. A man can abuse his brains in
many ways--by taking to strong drink, for instance. I have been among
Boers for some years, and I can honestly say that I never yet saw a
Boer the worse for drink. He may indulge occasionally, but he very
seldom carries the practice to excess. When he does take it he likes
it strong--as strong as he can get it. He scorns the idea of mixing it
in water. He reckons that he did not go to the canteen or hotel to pay
for water. He wants the full value of his money, and he takes it.

I have said that the Boer is suspicious; he is likewise jealous by
nature. If there happens to be rinderpest on the next farm to his, he
is never contented until he gets his full share. He does not mind if
the visitation plays extreme havoc among his stock so long as he is
not left in the lurch. I remember some time ago hearing of a Boer who
had decided to build a large dwelling-house on his farm in place of
the wretched little building he and his family had hitherto occupied.
This Boer had made some money, and contact with English people in the
towns had resulted in more advanced ideas. He determined, therefore,
to spare no expense on this new project--he even included a bath-room.
The building was scarcely completed