Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 5.djvu/538

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9* s. v. J so, woo.

cashiered for refusing to conform to idola- trous practices ; for he held high military com- mands after the above dates. Tt is certain, however though nothing is said on the sub- ject in the c Dictionary of National Biography ' that it was on his strong remonstrance that salutes were discontinued in India in honour of Mahomet and. Krishna. I notice a reversal of this policy in Egypt, by the way, where every year, on the Khedive sending a new carpet to Mecca to be laid on the tomb of the Prophet, the streets are all lined by British troops, and troops commanded by British officers. F. '

CAPE TOWN IN 1844 (9 th S. ii. 489 ; iii. 96, 196). BurchelPs ' Southern Africa, including the Cape of Good Hope and its Colonies,' was published in two volumes. The first the one I possess contains sixty engravings and a map. Ten of these are large coloured plates, the others vignettes, all engraved from the original drawings made by the author early in the century. 'A View of Cape Town, Table Bay, and Tygerberg,' "engraved after the original drawing made by W. J. Burchell, Esq., 26 December, 1810," is of exceptional interest. The actual plate measures 1 ft. 9^ in. by 11 in., and is most realistically coloured, the rare atmosphere of Cape Town (when no fog is on) being most happily represented. Upon the right hand of the plate is a long waggon drawn by eight light-coloured oxen. This vehicle is not a bit like the waggons now in general use throughout South Africa, but in outline and general proportion reminds one of the "prairie schooners" which some of us remember as common years ago in the western parts of North America, and which were also drawn by ox teams. The vignettes include a view of the neighbourhood of Cape Town as seen when approaching it from the sea, the Jutty or landing-place, the Castle Gate, and a part of Strand Street, seen looking southward from the Lutheran church. The following description of Boers of the period may be worth repeating. When near what the author calls "Misfortune River " he writes :

"We had scarcely released the oxen from the yoke, when we were visited by a boor, lying here with his flocks. We accompanied him to a miser- able hut close by, to purchase some sheep. Hi only food was mutton, without bread, or any kin<

of vegetables Our visitor's place in the scale o

civilization would be nearly at the bottom, if even it should not be below zero ; his mental power appeared to have lowered themselves down to level with those cattle who were the only concern of his thoughts. He seemed to possess a mer animal existence ; he could eat meat, drink a dram

moke a pipe, spit, and practise some other dis- usting vulgarities, which last enjoyments he ndulged in without ceremony, and almost without essation. He seldom spoke, because he had othing to say ; while a lifeless eye betrayed the

acancy of his mind Another young boor on

orseback was passing by, but, seeing us,

pproached and dismounted ; saluted us with Dag ! ' and gave his hand to each of us in turn, in i cold and unmeaning manner, by merely touching jalms. One might have expected he would have ad a long chat with his brother boor ; but he, at hat time, not thinking of anything to say, they tood insensibly looking at each other for about ive minutes, without exchanging a single word, ""he stranger whom no one seemed to know then epeated his ' Dag ! ' which we all in like manner e turned, mounted his horse, and proceeded on his way."

I can personally testify that the summer Before last, in company with Mr. Julius Weil, M.P. for Maf eking, and the Rev. W. H. Weekes, its present rector, I visited the lomes of Boers in the Marico Valley (Western Transvaal), who were of an equally low type with those described above.

HARRY HEMS.

Fair Park, Exeter.

'PUNCH' WEEKLY DINNER (9 th S. v. 397). Whatever their custom later, when I was a 3oy the publishers and contributors used in the summer season at all events to hold
 * heir Saturday dinner at the best inn in one

or other of the London suburbs. I remember their coming to the " King's Head," Harrow, in 1846. Thackeray I "knew at home," as boys say. I went up to him at once, and, at his desire, showed them all over the place. In the churchyard repairs were being made to his famous great-grandfather's grave, "at the expense of a gentleman in London whose name I don't know," said old Winkley the sexton. I turned to look at Thackeray, but he was absorbed in gazing at the steeple. I was introduced by him to Douglas Jerrold, Leech, and other choice spirits a cretd notanda dies indeed, especially as Thackeray, the unfailing tipper of schoolboys, slipped a sovereign into my hand at parting.

D. F. C.

" I 'LL HANG MY HARP ON A WILLOW TREE "

(9 th S. v. 375, 484). C. has got hold of the wrong end of the stick. The rumour was that a very exalted personage fell desperately in love with Lord Elphinstone, and that he was sent to Madras to be out of the way.

S.

" As BUSY AS THROP'S WIFE " (9 th S. v. 414). " As throng as Throp's wife " is certainly the correct form ; the alliteration alone is almost sufficient proof of this. In South Notts