There
Is Nothing Like A Caffre For Power And Grace; And The Face, Though
Very African, Has A Sort Of Grandeur Which Makes It Utterly Unlike
That Of The Negro.
That woman's bust and waist were beauty itself.
The Caffres are also very clean and very clever as servants, I
hear, learning cookery, &c., in a wonderfully short time.
When
they have saved money enough to buy cattle in Kaffraria, off they
go, cast aside civilization and clothes, and enjoy life in naked
luxury.
I can't tell you how I longed for you in my journey. You would
have been so delighted with the country and the queer turn-out - the
wild little horses, and the polite and delicately-clean Moslem
driver. His description of his sufferings from 'louses', when he
slept in a Dutch farm, were pathetic, and ever since, he sleeps in
his cart, with the little boy; and they bathe in the nearest river,
and eat their lawful food and drink their water out of doors. They
declined beer, or meat which had been unlawfully killed. In
Capetown ALL meat is killed by Malays, and has the proper prayer
spoken over it, and they will eat no other. I was offered a fowl
at a farm, but Choslullah thought it 'too much money for Missus',
and only accepted some eggs. He was gratified at my recognising
the propriety of his saying 'Bismillah' over any animal killed for
food. Some drink beer, and drink a good deal, but Choslullah
thought it 'very wrong for Malay people, and not good for Christian
people, to be drunk beasties; - little wine or beer good for
Christians, but not too plenty much.' I gave him ten shillings for
himself, at which he was enchanted, and again begged me to write to
his master for him when I wanted to leave Caledon, and to be sure
to say, 'Mind send same coachman.' He planned to drive me back
through Worcester, Burnt Vley, Paarl, and Stellenbosch - a longer
round; but he could do it in three days well, so as 'not cost
Missus more money', and see a different country.
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