She Had A Child Of Two Years Old, Which Did
Not At All Disconcert Bill; But He Continues To Be Dignified, And
Won't Let Her Go And Wash Clothes In The River, Because The Hot Sun
Makes Her Ill, And It Is Not Fit Work For Women.
Sunday, 9th.
- Last night a dance took place in a house next door to
this, and a party of boers attempted to go in, but were repulsed by
a sortie of the young men within. Some of the more peaceable boers
came in here and wanted ale, which was refused, as they were
already very vinous; so they imbibed ginger-beer, whereof one drank
thirty-four bottles to his own share! Inspired by this drink, they
began to quarrel, and were summarily turned out. They spent the
whole night, till five this morning, scuffling and vociferating in
the street. The constables discreetly stayed in bed, displaying
the true Dogberry spirit, which leads them to take up Hottentots,
drunk or sober, to show their zeal, but carefully to avoid meddling
with stalwart boers, from six to six and a half feet high and
strong in proportion. The jabbering of Dutch brings to mind
Demosthenes trying to outroar a stormy sea with his mouth full of
pebbles. The hardest blows are those given with the tongue, though
much pulling of hair and scuffling takes place. 'Verdomde
Schmeerlap!' - 'Donder and Bliksem! am I a verdomde Schmeerlap?' -
'Ja, u is,' &c., &c. I could not help laughing heartily as I lay
in bed, at hearing the gambols of these Titan cubs; for this is a
boer's notion of enjoying himself.
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