an into the inner room and brought out an immense volume
bound in gemsbok skin, with a couple of strong brass clasps upon it to
keep it closed. This was the family Bible; and here let me observe,
that a similar book may be found in the house of nearly every boor, for
these Dutch colonists are a Protestant and Bible-loving people--so much
so, that they think nothing of going a hundred miles, _four times in the
year_, to attend the _nacht-maal_, or sacramental supper! What do you
think of that?

Hans opened the volume, and turned at once to the book of the prophet
Joel. From the readiness with which he found the passage, it was
evident he was well acquainted with the book he held in his hands.

He read as follows:--

"A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick
darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains; a great people and a
strong: there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more
after it, even to the years of many generations. A fire devoureth
before them, and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden
of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and
nothing shall escape them. The appearance of them is as the appearance
of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. Like the noise of
chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a
flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in
battle array."

"The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble; the sun
and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining."

"How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because
they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate."

Even the rude Swartboy could perceive the poetic beauty of this
description.

But Swartboy had much to say about the locusts, as well as the inspired
Joel.

Thus spoke Swartboy:--

"Bushman no fear da springhaan. Bushman hab no garden--no maize--no
buckwheat--no nothing for da springhaan to eat. Bushman eat locust
himself--he grow fat on da locust. Ebery thing eat dem dar springhaan.
Ebery thing grow fat in da locust season. Ho! den for dem springhaan!"

These remarks of Swartboy were true enough. The locusts are eaten by
almost every species of animal known in South Africa. Not only do the
_carnivora_ greedily devour them, but also animals and birds of the game
kind--such as antelopes, partridges, guinea-fowls, bus