. She now rested her great hands on her
hips, and calmly surveyed the English party and the breakfast-table
for a few seconds. Then she spoke, in Dutch; but he understood--too
well:

'Have you finished?'

'Yes,' he replied in the 'lands taal'; 'but surely you are in a very
great hurry. I will pay you well for the food and shelter.'

'That's nothing,' continued the vrouw in a business-like tone; 'I only
want the tablecloth so that I can get the bed made.'

CHAPTER VIII

The Boer is a pious person, who prays to God when he wants rain, and
forgets to pray when his mealie crop proves a success. Unlike other
people, he does not believe in thanksgiving when he shells one hundred
bags of mealies where he only expected twenty. He has no 'harvest
home.' He simply stores his mealies until such time as he can bring
them to town and obtain the best possible price. But let the rain stop
away too long and the sun wither up his crops, and he is a very
different man. In every Boer house there is a large Bible, and that
Bible is systematically read and re-read when the fates are unkind.
The very low class Boer is, of course, unable to read his Bible, but
he takes it over to his nearest neighbour, whose education may not
have been neglected to the same extent.

[Illustration: BOERS OUTSPANNED FOR NACHTMAAL.]

The Boer journeys to town once every three months with his family in
order to attend Divine Service. These occasions are known as
Nachtmaal. He brings his waggon with him, and outspans on some open
space within the town. When he cannot arrange for a room or rooms
gratis, he sleeps in his tent waggon. He very seldom goes to a hotel,
unless this course is absolutely necessary. If he does go to a hotel,
he engages a room only, and dines alongside his waggon or else he goes
to his particular storekeeper and indulges in sardines and sweet
biscuits He is great on sardines, and his only regret perhaps, is that
the tin is not edible also.

A Dutch Nachtmaal in the olden days was a sight quite equal to any
Lord Mayor's show. The costumes were unique; but in the present day
the womenfolk in particular have learned to ape the English, and the
colours are therefore less conspicuous. Formerly the young ladies wore
short dresses of many colours, and the display of white stockings was
very general. The men appeared in black felt hats with huge brims,
and frock-coats (most of them bordering on green) were the order of
the day. Ve