“Besides, the creaking of the wheels will by and by be of service; when we are traveling through grass higher than our heads, we shall not be able to stop behind a minute, if we have not the creaking of the wheels to direct us how to follow.”

“Well, then, I suppose we must save our grease,” said Alexander.

“In a very few days you will be so accustomed to it,” said the Major, “that if it were to cease, you would feel the loss of it.”

“Well, it may be so; use is second nature; but at present I feel as if the loss would be gain.  There is the sun just showing himself above the hill.  Shall we halt or go on?”

“Go on for another hour, and the men can thus examine the traces and the wagons by daylight, and then, when we stop, we can remedy any defects.”

“Be it so; there is a house, is there not, on the rising ground, as far as you can see?”

“Yes, I think so,” replied the Major.

“I know it very well,” said Swinton; “it is the farm of a Dutch boor, Milius, whom we saw at Algoa Bay.  I did not think that we had got on so fast.  It is about three miles off, so it will just be convenient for our breakfast.  It will take us a good hour to arrive there, and then we will unyoke the oxen.  How many have we yoked?”

“Ten to each wagon.  The other sixteen are following with the sheep and horses; they are as relays.”

“Let us gallop on,” said the Major.

“Agreed,” replied the others; and putting spurs to their horses, they soon arrived at the farmhouse of the Dutch planter.

They were saluted with the barking and clamor of about twenty dogs, which brought out one of the young boors, who drove away the dogs by pelting them with bullock-horns, and other bones of animals which were strewed about.  He then requested them to dismount.  The old boor soon appeared, and gave them a hearty welcome, handing down from the shelf a large brandy-bottle, and recommending a dram, of which he partook himself, stating that it was good brandy, and made from his own peaches.

Shortly afterward the wife of the boor made her appearance, and having saluted them, took up her station at a small table, with the tea apparatus before her.  That refreshing beverage she now poured out for the visitors, handing a box, with some sugar-candy in it, for them to put a bit into their youths, and keep there as they drank their tea, by way of sweetening it.  The old boor told them he had expected them, as he had been informed that they were to set out that day; but he had concluded that they would arrive in the afternoon, and not so early.

We may as well here give a description of a Dutch farmer’s house at the Cape settlement.

It was a large square building, the wall built up of clay, and then plastered with a composition made by the boors, which becomes excessively hard in time; after which it is whitewashed.  The roof was thatched with a hard sort of rushes, more durable and less likely to catch fire than straw.  There was no ceiling under the roof, but the rafters overhead were hung with a motley assemblage of the produce of the chase and farm, as large whips made of rhinoceros-hide, leopard and lion skins, ostrich eggs and feathers, strings of onions, rolls of tobacco, bamboos, etc.