having prowled about with an empty gun in his hand from sunset till
late in the evening. It was even reported that one evening, after the
old man had retired as usual, a certain person who had a strong
predilection for other people's fruit approached the Landdrost's
garden with a handcart and a lantern, and assisted himself freely
before taking his departure.

In conclusion, and as an illustration of the moral tendencies of young
Boers generally, I shall now quote a little scene which was written
some time ago for another purpose.

In a mealie-field close to a certain farm, which shall be nameless, a
curious scene was being witnessed by a very stout Dutch lady. She was
standing at the edge of the field. Above her head myriads of locusts
floated in a darkening mass. The mealie stalks were only a foot or so
high, but the locusts knew that they were green, and therefore good to
eat, so they hovered around. The mealies were in rows, and between
these rows galloped half-a-dozen horses carrying half-a-dozen very raw
natives. The latter were making such a hideous noise, that it seemed
to point to remarkable staying powers on the part of the locusts,
inasmuch as they still persisted in trying to gain a footing. But the
Kaffirs cantered their steeds faster, and the noise waxed more
hideous, and the fat vrouw continued to urge them to renewed and
increased effort. Round the edges of the patch four or five Kaffir
women walked, each at a different point, and each in possession of a
five-gallon empty paraffin tin and a stick, with which to strengthen
and augment the noisy defence. The locusts were reinforced every
minute, and they made repeated and determined efforts to sample the
young mealies, but the horsemen and the paraffin tins were too much
for them.