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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 Al A( TH] riTH THE A] wn rHE ONLY i SEORQE M. 81 NETTLE THE UNCIVILIZED RACES, OR ATURAL HISTORY OF MAN; SBISO A COMPLETE ACCOUNT OP THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS, AND THE PHYSICAL, SOCIAL AND REUGIOUS CONDITION AND CHARACTERISTICS, OP THE UNCIVILIZED RACES OP MEN, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WORLD. BT Rev. J. G. 'WOOD, M ITO. ETC. >T0. •.^L* jf aXjaO* riTH THE ADDITION OF A FULL INDEX AND LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS, AND A DESCRIPTION 1 OF THE RACES OF ALASKA AND SIBERIA, BT AN " EiMiiisrEasrT ^iLffBDaiojLisr TiajLVEXiEia. WITH OVER 700 FINE ILLUSTRATIONS FROM NEW DESIGNS, BY ZWECKER, ANQAS, DANBY, WOLP, HANDLEY, ETC. ETC. ENGRAVED BT THE BROTHERS DALZIEL. * ONLY AUTHORIZED AND UNABRIDGED EDITION PUBLISHED IN THIS COUNTRY VOL. I. HARTFORD, CONN: AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY. ' 3E0RGE M. SMITH & CO., BOSTON; F. G. OILMAN & CO., CHICAGO; W. E. BLISS, TOLEDO, 0.; NETTLETON & CO., CINCINNATI, O. ; FRANCIS DEWING & CO., SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 1870. 3/ PREFACE. This work is simply, as tlie title-page states, an account of the manners and enstoms of nndviUzcd races of men in all parts of the world. Many travelers have given accounts, scattered rathar at random through their l)ookB, of the habits and modes of life exhibited by tlie various people among whom they have traveled. These notices, however, are distributed thnjugli a vast number of books, many of them very scarce, many very expensive, and m<)e>t of them ill-arranged ; and it has therefore been my task to gather together in one work, and to present to the reader in a tolerably systematic and intelligible form, the varieties of character which develop them- selveft among races who have not as yet lost their individuality by modern civilization. In this task I have been greatly assisted by many travelers, who have taken a kindly interest in the work, and have given me the invaluable help of their practical experience. The engravings with which the work is profusely illustrated have been derived from many sources. For the most part the countenances of the people have been drawn from photographs, and in many instances whole groups taken by the photographers have been transferred to tlie wood-block, Iho artist only making a few changes of attitude, so as to avoid tho unploasjint siitfuoss whicli characterizes photographic groups. Jt'any of the illustrations are taken from sketchus mode by travelers, who have kindly allowed me to make use of tliem ; and I must here express my thanks ^to Mr. T. Baines, the accomplished artist and traveler, who made many sketches expressly for the work, and placed at my disposal tlie whole of his diaries and portfolios. I nuist also express my thanks to Mr. J. B. Zweckcr, who undertook the onerous task of inter- preting pictorially the various scenes of savage life which are described in the work, and who brought to that task a hearty good will and a wide knowledge of the subject, without which the work would have lost much of its spirit. The drawings of the weapons, implements, and utensils are all taken from actual spe- cimens most of which are in my own collection, made, through a series of several years, for tho express purpose of illustrating this work. That all uncivilized tribes should be mentioned, is necessarily impossible, and I have been reluctantly forced to omit altogether, or to dismiss with a brief notice, many interesting people, to whom I would gladly have given a greater amoun^ of space. Especially has tliis been the case with Africa, to which country the moiety of the book is necessarily given, in consequence or the extraordinary variety of the native customs wliich prevail in that wonderful land. We have, for example on one side of a river, a people well clothed, well fed, well governed, and retaining but few of the old savage customs. On the other side, we find people without clothes, goverament, manners, or morality, and sunk as deeply as man -an be in all the squalid miseries of savage life. Besides, the chief characteristic of uncivilized Africa is Oie continual change to which it is subject. Some tribes are warlike and restless, always working their way seaward from the interior, carrying their own customs with them, forming settlements on their way, 4nd invariably adding to their own habits and superstitions those of the tribes among whom they have settled. In process of time they become careless of the military arts by which they gained possession of '.he country, and are in their turn ousted by others, who bring fresh habits and modes of life with them. It will be seen, therefore, how full of incident is life in Africa, the great stronghold of barbarism, and how necessary it is to devote to that one continent a very considerable portion of the entire work. EXPLANATION OP THE FRONTISPIECE. The Frontispiece gives a pictorial representation of African mankind. Superstition reigning supreme, the most prominent figure is the fetish priest, witli his idols at his feet, and holding up for adoration tho sacred serpent. >Var.i8 illustrated bv the Kaffir chief in the foreground ; tho Bosjesman with his bow and poisoned arrows, and the Abyssinian chief behind him. -The gluttony of the Negro race is exemplified by the sensual faces of tho squatting men with their jors of porridge and fruit. The grace and beauty of the young female is shown by the Nubian girl and Sliooa woman behind the Kaffir; while the hideousufiss of the old women is exemplified by the Negro woman above with her fetish. Slavery is illustrated by the slave cara- van in the middle distance, and the pyramids speak of the interest attached to Africa by hundreds of centarioB. 306930 PREFACE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. Tho groat favor with which " Tho Natural History of Man " was rocoivcd in Great Britain, and tho unqualitied commendations bestowed upon it by the most scholarly jxjns, suggested to tho Publishers of this American Edition tho project of reprinting it in this country, with the sanction of tho Author and the Proprietors and Publishers of tho work in London. So valuable a book as this should be found in every family in tlio lan4, yet its price, — $7.00 per volume, — prevented its reaching the great mass of the people. By a favorable arrangement with the English Publishers, duplicates of the original plates have been obtained, and depending upon a largo and general sale of the work ^he American Publishers have reduced the price very largely, while their reprint equals the Original Edition in every respect, and excels it in so far as they have made \ additions which are as follows : — 1st. —Two Chapters describing tho interesting races that inhabit Alaska and Siberia. 2d. — A full list of Illustrations. 3d. — An ample and complete Index to the whole work. In the English Edition, this last was entirely too brief for completeness. With these exceptions, tliia Edition is a perfect reprint of the London one — ^fuU, unabridged, and unmutilatod ; its clear large type, its one column page"), its text illustrations, its maps and its splendid letter press being retained entire and complete. The American Publishers take pleasure in annexing a certificate showing that they only are authorized to reproduce tho work in this country, and that their action in the matter is honest, legitimate, and just towards the Author and tJio Pro- prietors of tho work, and also that their Edition is as they represent, a faithful and ima- bridged reprint of the original, from duplicate plates. CERTIFICATE. Wo the Proprintors and English Publishers of the " Natural History of Man," by Rev. J. G. Wood, certify that the American Publishing Company of Hartford. Conn., havo received from us, a duplicate set of the original plates, from which said work is printed in London, and that they are tho only Publishers in America, who reprint it with our leave or sanction, or who pay copyright upon it. Their Edition con- tains all the matter, both of text and illustrations, to be found in the original London Edition. June, 1870. . GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & SONS, Zondon. m CONTENTS. Vol, 1 OHAP. rAOB I. The Kaffirs , ; 1 II. Course of Life 8 III. Course of Life {concluded) 12 IV. Masculike Dress and Ornaments 19 V. Masculine Dress and Oknamcnts {conclw'ed) . 29 VI. Feminine Dress and Ornaments 42 VIL Architecture 52 VIII. Cattle Keeping 62 IX. Marriage 71 X. Marriage (conchided) 81 XI. War — Offensive Wbapojjs 93 XII. War (concluded) — DEFENdiva Weapons and Mode of Fighting . llO XIII. Hunting 128 XIV. Agriculture 145 XV. Food 151 XVI. Social Characteristics 170 XVII. Religion and Superstition 183 XVIII. Religion and Superstition (continued) 194 XIX. Superstition (concluded) 208 XX. Funeral Rites 220 XXI. Domestic Life 226 « XXII. The Hottentot Races 240 XXIIL Weapons 255 XXIV. The Bosjesman or Bushman 265 XXV. The Bosjesman (continued) 274 XXVI. The Bosjesman (concluded) 291 XXVIL The Korannas and Namaquas 300 XXVIIL The Bechuanas 3:2 XXIX. The Bechuanas (concluded) 322 XXX. The Damara Tribe 337 XXX I. The Ovambo or Ovampo Tribe 350 :.0 viii CONTENTS. CHAP. PAOB XXXII. The ^fARototo Tribd 3U0 XXXIII. The Bateyb and Makooa TiiiDEa h'ta XXXiy. The Batoka and Manoanja Tuides 386 XXXV. The Banyai and Badema Tribes 3fi9 XXXVI. The Balondo or Balonda and the Anoolese 408 XXXVII. The Waooqo and Wantamuezi 427 XXXVIII. Karaoub 442 XXXIX. The Watdsi and Waqanua 4f»2 XL The Wanyoro 467 XLI. Ga.^i, Madi, Obdo, and Kytch 477 XLII. The Neam-Nam, Dor, and Djour Tribes 487 XLUI. The Latooka Trtdb 805 XLIV. The Shir, Bari, Djibba, Nuehr, Dinka, and Shillook Tribes . 614 XLV. The Ishooo, Ashanoo, and Obongo Tribes 631 XLVI. The Aponoo and Apinqi Tribes 64l> XLVII. The Bakalai 649 XLVIII. The Ashira 665 XLIX. The Cabima, or Commi 663 L. The Sheriani and Mpokgw^ 682 LI. The Fans 690 LII. The Fans (concluded) 699 nil. The Kruuen and Fanti 610 LIV. The Ashanti 622 LV. Dahomb 629 LVI. Dahomb (continued) 644 LVII. Dahomb (concltided) 650 LVIII. The Eobas 669 LIX. Bonny 670 LX. The Mandingoes 677 LXI. The Bubes and Conooese . 681 LXII. BoRNU 689 LXIII. The Shooas, Tibboos, Tuaricks, Beoharhis, and Musguesss . . 700 LXIV. Abyssinia 714 LXV. Abyssinia (continued) 723 LXVI. Abyssinia (concluded) 733 LXVII. Nubian and Hamran Arabs 749 LXVIII. Bedouins, Hassaniyeuh, and Malagasy . 768 ^M 3U0 H H 386 H 309 H 1 1 1 1 1 1 487 . H 605 I 1 1 1 I 549 1 4 555 I 6 663 ■ 6 7 582 1 8 590 I 9 699 ■ 10 11 13 18 622 ^ 1 i 1 14 15 16 17 669 H 18 i 1 19 20 .21 22 i 1 28 24 25 26 723 1 27 733 1 28 29 80 81 7^8 1 82 88 H 84 , 1 85 H 86 1 87 ■ 38 1 39 H 40 I 41 ILLUSTRATIONS. VOLUME L Pictorial BtproMBtation of African Races. Frontispiece. Map. Bange of KaflBr Tribea 2 Kaffir trom childhood to age. 8 Old conncillor and wives 6 Kaffir cradle 9 Young Kaffir armed 18 Kaffir postman 14 Unmarried Kaffir girla 16 OldKaffir women 17 The meerkat 21 Needle and sheath 33 Kaffir needles and sheaths ^ 24 Articles of Kaffir costume 25 Kaffir dolls 26 Kaffir chief, Qoza, in ordinary undress 27 Kaffiromaments. 80 Kaffir beads 81 Necklaces— l)eads and teeth 82 Kaffir ornaments 88 Toung Kaffir in full dress 85 General map of Africa 87 Grass bracelet 89 Ivory armlets. , 40 Kaffir dress and ornaments....' 48 Apron of a chiefs wife 44 Bracelets made from hoof of the Bluebok ... 40 Kaffir girl in dancing dresB. 47 African porcupine 48 Kaffir belt 48 Gourd snuff-lrax 60 Bone snuff-lwx 60 Bone scraper 60 Kaffir dancing belt 61 Kaffirs at home. 68 Exterior of a Kaffir hut 64 Intorior of a Kaffir hut 66 Making door of hut 67 Kaffir kraal 59 Kaffir milking pail 63 Kaffir beer bowl 63 Kaffir beerstrainer 68 Pass. 43 Kaffir water pipe 63 48 Woman's basket 63 44 Kaffir whistles 64 45 Kaffir cattle— training the boms 67 46 Return of a Kaffir war party 69 47 Old wives beating young fkvoritea 74 48 Bridegroom on approval 77 49 Procession of the bride. . . , 83 50 Bride insulting the bridegroom 84 51 Kaffir passing his mother-in-law 87 63 Girls and women returning from the bush. . 91 68 Kaffir at his forge 98 64 Kaffirs mjiking fire 101 55 Group of assidgids 108 66 Heads of assafi^is 104 67 Kaffir Warriors skirmishing 105 68 Kaffir throwing the kerrie 108 69 Kaffir war shield Ill 60 Muscular advocacy 118 61 Wife's anxiety 115 63 Qoza in fall war dress and councillors 119 63 Panda's soldiers in full uniform 121 64 Panda's review 128 66 Hunting scene on the Umgenie river 181 66 Giraffe. Section showing form of pit 184 67 Giraffe in pitfall 185 68 Cooking elephants foot 186 69 Hunting scene in Kaffirland 140 70 Falls on the river Umzimoubu 141 71 Kaffir hunting dance 148 72 Baixwn finding water roots 147 73 Approach of elephants... 149 74 Grinding com and mixing it with amasi.. . . 153 75 Kaffir dinner party. 163 76 Spoons for eating porridge 196 77 Ornamented spoons 157 78 Kaffir spoon and ladle 158 79 Kaffir skimmers 158 80 Kaffirs cooking locusts 160 81 Kaffir soldier with hunger belt 161 83 Kaffir soldiers lapping water 163 83 Kaffir women brewing beer 164 ILLUSTRATIONS. Pira. 84 Kaffir StonhontM 100 85 Kaffir woman baaket making 160 86 Kaffir milk baaket 167 87 Kaffir fowl houae 168 88 Throe kinda anuff apoona 171 80 Kaffir giving and Uking anuff. 179 00 Kaffir anuff boxea 178 01 Snuffbox made of cowa blood 174 •2 Small gourd anuff box 174 03 Kaffir gourd 176 04 Amaal gourd 176 05 Kaffir wooden pipe... 177 00 Kaffir greenatone pipe 177 07 Kaffir Inlaid pipe 178 08 Kaffir water pipo 170 00 The poor man'a pipe 180 100 Kaffir gentlemen amoklng 181 101 Kaffir Btaff. 183 108 Kaffir finding a anake 185 108 Sacrificing the bull 187 104 The prophets return 180 105 The prophets school 100 106 The prophet and wife. 101 107 Old prophets 102 108 Prophets and inquirers 105 100 Kaffir curing cattle 100 110 Kaffir smelling for a wizard *. 201 111 Approach of the prophetess 203 112 The prophetess at work 205 118 Kaffir's churning rain 20!) 114 Bringing the baboon 211 lis Wailing of deceived Kaffirs 213 116 Necklace of human finger bones 21A 117 The daghasac 217 118 Unfavourable prophecy 219 110 Burial of Tchaka's mother 223 120 Circular Kaffir shield 225 121 Kaffir bed furniture 227 122 Dingan at home 220 123 Kaffir harp 231 124 Kaffir musician 231 125 Kaffir women making pots 232 126 Kaffir women quarelling 284 127 Horns of acacia 235 128 Grapple plant 237 120 Hottentot young man 240 180 Hottentot woman 242 181 Hottentot in full dress 244 182 Hottentot sandals 245 188 Hottentot girl 246 184 Hottentot frontlet 247 186 Hottentots preparing hides 240 186 Hottentot knife, jar and bowl 250 187 Hottentot kraal 258 188 Hottentot digging stick. 254 180 Hottentots asleep 256 140 Hottentots card playing 260 Pmi. 41 Oroop of Bfli^eflmana and camp 866 48 Woman and child 878 ,48 Bo^Joaman Temporary camp '. . 878 44 Bosjesman ostrich hunting 877 ,48 Bot^josman altooting cattle 878 ,46 Kaffira and Bosjimmans 881 47 Bosjcsman quiver and arrow* 884 48 Poison grub 886 40 Arrow Heads 880 50 Dancing rattles 808 51 Quill of goura 804 52 Playing goura 808 58 Bosjesman painting 807 54 Portrait of Koranna chief 808 55 Namaiiuaa shooting at the storm 807 50 Namaquaa sucking goata 800 57 African axe for chopping wood 811 58 Bochuana knives 818 50 Knife and assagai heads 814 60 Bechuana apron 815 ,61 Ornamonts made from monkey's teeth 815 62 Bechuana parliament 818 03 Bechuana axes 821 64 Magicdlce 828 65 Amulets for children 824 66 Si)artan practices among the Bechuanas. . . . 825, 67 The girl's ordeal among the Bechuanas. . . . 826 ' 68 Dancing cap and milk bag 827 60 Bechuana feather handkerchief 820 70 Female architects among the Bechuanas. . . . 880 71 Bechuana house 881 73 Section of a Bechuana house 883 78 Plan of a Bechuano. house 838 74 Interior of a Bechuana chiefs house 884 75 Bechuana funeral 835 76 Damara warrior and wife 830 77 Damara girl resting 841 78 Damara donee 847 79 Grave and monument of a Damara chief. . . . 840 80 Ovambo houses , 851 81 Ovambo girls 853 82 Ovambo women pounding com 854 83 Ovambo dinner party 850 84 Makalolo house building 805 85 Children's games among the Makalolo 868 86 M'Bopo, a Makololo chief at home 870 87 South African double spoon 873 88 Boating scene on the Bo-tlet-le river 878 80 Spearing the Hippopotamus 880 80 Hippopotamus towing the canoe 881 01 The final attack 883 92 Batoko men 887 03 Batoka salutation 880 04 TheSansa 802 05 ThePelele or lip ring 895 96 African rattle 808 97 Hippopotamun trap 401 ILLUSTRATIONS. 198 CurylngihtvuS....'i,.,, 408 109 AxM of the Banyal 404 MO Hknutringing an elephant 40S 201 Balondo woidmi'i he«d-dieM 410 202 Bklondo tUffgen 411 208 The marimb* or AMean piano 414 204 Manenko In command 41S 205 Balondo'a comentlnff Mendahip 410 200 The Angoleie rapping and bleeding 423 207 Wagogo greedineaa 420 208 Aiohltecture of the Weewe 484 200 Weesee aalatation 488 210 Hoabanda welcome among the Weesee 484 211 Tweeaera of the Weeiee 484 212 Wanjramnexi dance 486 218 The Saltan drinliing pombe 488 214 Harreat aoene among the Weeiee 430 I 215 Weesee tufted bow and apear 441 216 Chundenh playing the guitar 444 217 Runuunka'a private band 448 218 Wazaramo hair-dreaaing 450 210 Watufli aalntation 434 1 220 Arrest of the queen ^57 1221 M'tesa reviewhig his men 4C0 1223 Reception of a visitor by the Waganda 403 |228 Water spirits high-priest. 405 1224 Wanyoro culprit in the shoe 408 1225 Wanyoro magician at work 474 1226 Majembe or spade money of the Wanyoro. 475 |227 Ornamented spear head 476 |228 Group of Qani and Madi 470 239 Removal of village by Madi 4S1 Group of tlieKytch Tribe 485 ^31 Ivory war trumpet 480 32 Neam-Nam women's aprons 400 88 Neam-Nam nut bells 400 Neam-Nam girl's dancing belt 400 p33 Neam-Nam fighting 401 Weapons of the Neam-Nam 403 37 War trumpets of the Neam-Nam 403 38 Bow, club, quiver and arrows of the Dor's. . 404 39 Quiver and arrow of the Dor's 400 Amulet necklace 400 11 Wooden chiefs of the Dor's 500 Guitars , 601 Ornaments of the Djour, 503 Women's knives 603 Djour pipes 604 The Latooka victory....: 508 Latooka funeral dance \.. 613 Iron bells 613 A Bari homestead 517 Scalp lock of the Djibbas. 610 61 Battle-axe of the Djibbas 610 S2Club of the Djibbas. 510 ISSDjibba bracelets 530 I54 ANuehr helmet 533 PASIi WW Dinkaelnbd. , bm 8M Shillooks eroaslng the riTsr, S88 987 A Shlllook flate S80 958 The ceremony of BfPaia. S84 959 Obongo market 880 260 Obongo dagger and sheath (40 261 Uiant dtura of the Apono'a 549 269 River scene on the Rembo 846 268 An Apingi dagger, 648 964 Bakalai flahing scene Ml 265 Ashira aaluUtion to an Ishogo chief 658 206 Ashira fkrewell tMl 267 Gamma dance 557 368 Quenquesa's walk 671 200 Gamma prophet footing a demon 678 370 Olanga drinking mboundon 677 271 Wator custom of the Gammas 680 272 Pate of the Skekiani wisaid 684 278 The mpongwe coronation 688 374 War-knives of the Fans 6O8 275 The Fan crossbow 505 376 The Fan quiver and arrows 605 277 Shields and war-axe of the Fans 600 278 Attack on a mpongwe village 600 279 Bargaining tor a wife COI 280 Dance of the Fans in honor of the new moon t;04 281 Fans hunting the gorilla 600 283 Krumen and their canoes 611 388 Fetishes, male and female 615 284 The primaeval child 680 285 Fanti dagger and sheath 621 286 An Ashanti captain 623 '2S7 Ashanti GalxKeer and soldiers 624 388 Aslianti bow and arrows 635 289 Fetish drum and trumpet 687 200 Ashanti clasp-knife and razor 628 201 Punishment of a snake killer 631 203 "The bell comes" 684 293 Dahoman bells 635 304 Dahoman Amazons 637 395 Dahoman powder flasks 638 206 Amazon review flgo 297 Daiioman quivers and arrows C40 393 Dahoman war drum and razor 641 399 Dahoman ivory trumpets 644 300 Dahoman king's dance 645 301 String of cowries 649 302 Basket sacrifice of the Dahomans 650 303 Dahoman head worship 650 304 West African dagger 658 305 Salutation of the Egbas 601 306 The attack on Abeokuta 665 307 The Alake's court 660 308 A JuJu execution 678 300 Mumbo Jumbo 675 310 Mandingo quiver and arrows 670 811 Bube marriage 683 ILLUSTRATIONS. Paoi. 812 Congo bow and anows.T. 685 818 A Congo coronation 687 814 Body guard of the sheikh of Bomu 692 815 A Bomu spear 698 816 Kanemboo man and woman 694 817 Kanemboo fishing scene 699 818 Shooas hunting buffalo 701 819 Shooa women 708 820 Toarlcks and Tibboos 707 821 Begharmi lancers 709 822 Muaga chief 712 «28 Abyssinian heads 716 824 Mounted Abyssinian chief 720 825 Washing day 723 826 King Theodore and the lions 725 827 Abyssinian pleaders in court 727 Paoi. 828 Dinner party in Abyssinia 780 829 An Abyssinian battlefield 788 880 Interior of an Abyssinian house 743 881 An Easter banquet 744 882 Bufblo dance of the Oallas 747 838 Nubian clay pipe 748 884 Nubian shield and sword 749 885 Aggageers hunting the elephant 758 886 Hunting the hippopotamus 7o5 887 Bedouin camp 760 838 Bedouin cooking his dinner 763 839 Dance of the Hassaniyeh Arabs 766 840 Travelers and thomirage 770 841 Traveling in Madagascar. 773 843 Madagascar violin 774 ■■\ I U HI CHAPTER I. TE> KAFFIR, Oa ZINOIAN TBIBRS, AND THEIB PHYSICAL FECULXABITIES — OBIOIN OF THB KAXS — THB0RIB8 AS TO TUBIB FBB8KNCB IN SOUTHEBN AFBICA — THB CHIBF TRIBBS AND IHXtB LOCAUTIBS — ^THB ZULTTS AND IHBIB APPBARANCB — THBIB COMFUtXION AND IDBA8 OF BKAOTT — POINTS OF SIlCILrrTn>B AND CONTBAST BBTWEEN THB KAFFIB AND THB NBOBO — MBNTAL CHABACTBBI8TI0S OF THB KAFFIB — HIS WANT OF CABB FOB THB FITTUBB, AND BBA80NB FOB IT — C0NTB0VBB8IAL POWBBS OF THB KAFFIB — THB 80CBATI0 MODS OF ABOUllBNT — THB HOBNB OF A DILBUHA — ^LOVB OF A KAFFIB FOB ABQCHBNT — ^HIS MENTAL TBAININO AND ITS CONBBQ17BNCB8 — PABTHIAN MODE OF ABOXnNO PLACABLE NATTTBE OF THE KAFFIB — HIS SENSE OF Sb'lF-BBSPECT — ^FONDNBSS FOB A PBACTICAL JOKE — THB WOMAN AND THE MELON — H08FITALITT OF THB KAFFHUS — THBIB DOMESTICATED NATOBB AND FONDNESS FOB OHILDBEX — THBIB HATBBD OF SOLITUDE. Over the whole of the Southern portion of the great Continent of Africa is spread a remarkable and interesting race of mankind. . Though divided into numerous tribes, and differing in appearance, manners, and customs, they are evidently cast in the same mould, and belong to the same group of the human race. They are dark, but not so black as the true negro of the West. Their hair is crisp, short, and curled, but not so woolly as that of the negro ; their lips, though large when compared with those of Europeans, are small when compared to those of the negro. The form is finely modelled, the stature tall, the hmbs straight, the forehead high, the expression intelligent ; and, altogether, this group of mankind affords as fine examples of the human form as can be found anywhere on the earth. To give a name to this large group is net very easy. Popularly, the tribes which compose it are known as Kaffirs ; but that term has now been restricted to the tribes on the south-east of the continent, between the sea and the range of the Draakensberg Moun- tains. Moreover, the name Kaffir is a very inappropriate one, being simply the term which the Moslem races apply to all who do not believe with themselves, and by which they designate black and white men alike. Some ethnologists have designated them by the general name of Chuanas, the word being the root of the well-known Bechuana, Sechuana, and similar names ; while others have preferred the word Bantu, and others Ziugian, which last word is perhaps the best. Whatever may be the title, it is evident that they are not aborigines, but that they I have descended upon Southern Africa fix)m some other locality — probably from more northern parts of the same continent. Some writers claim for the KafBr or Zingian I tribes an Asiatic origin, and have a theory that in the course of their migration they I mixed with the negroes, and so became possessed of the frizzled hair, the thick lips, the dark skin, and other peculiarities of the negro race. Who might have been the true aborigines of Southern Africa cannot be definitely stated, inasmuch as even within very recent times great changes have taken place. At I the present time South Africa is practically European, the white man, whether Dutch or English, having dispossessed the owners of the soil, and either settled upon the land or I reduced the diark-skioaed inhabitants to the rank of mere dependants. Thjse whom VOL. I. B THE KAFFIR they displaced were thenuelves interlopers, having overcome and ejected the Hottentot tribes, wno in their turn seem but to have suffered the same &te which in the> time of thcdr greatness they had brought upon others. At the present day the great Zingian group affords the best type of the inhabitants of Southern AMca, and we wfll therefore begin with the Kaffir tribes. Iv the reader will refer to the map of Afirica, he will see that upon the south-east coast a long range of mountains runs nearly purallel with the sea-line, and extends from lat. 27' to 33". It is the line of the Draakensbeig Moun- tains, and along the strip of land which intervenesbetween these mountains and the sea are found the genuine Kaffir tribes. There are other tribes belonging to the same group of manlond which axe found on the western side pf the Draakensbeig, and are spread over the entire country, from Delagoa Bay on the east to the Orange Kiver on the west. These tiibes are familiar to readers of AMcan travel under the names of Bechuanas, Bia- yeye, Namaqua, Ovampo, &c., But, by common consent, the' name of Kafi&r is now re- stricted to those tribes which inhabit the strip of country above mentionecL Formerly, a considerable number of tribes inhabited this district, and were suffi- ciently distinct to be almost reckoned as different nations. Now, however, these tribes are practically reduced to five; namely, the Amatonga on the north, followed southwards by the Amaswazi, the Amazulu, the Amaponda, and the Amakosa Here it must be remarked that the prefix of " Ama," attached to all the words, is one of the forms by which the plural of certain names is designated. Thus, we might speak of a single Tonga, Swazi, Zulu, or Pondi. Kaffir ; but if we wish to speak of more than one, we form the plural by prefixing "Ama" to the word. The other tribes, although they for the most part still exist and retain the ancient names, are practieally merged into those whose names have been mentionexL Of all Uie true Kaffir tribes, the Zulu is the chief type, and that tribe will be first described. Although spread over a considerable range of cotmtry, the Zulu tribe has its head- quarters rather to the north of Natal, and there may be found the best specimens of this splendid race of men. Belonging, as do the Zulu tribes, to the dark-skinned portion of mankind, their skin does not possess that dead, jetty black which is characteristic of the Western negro. It is a more transparent skin, the layer of colouring matter does not seem to be so thick, and the ruddy hue of the blood is perceptible through the blaok. It is held by the Kaffirs to BANGl! OF THB KAFHR TRIBBI. TUB KAFFIR FBOM CHILDHOOD TO A0£. {From photographU) PortmUs.) UarrUd Man. Old CoundUor. Unmarried Girl Old fToiiwn. Toung Boy. rntNOtried Man or "Boy." Yowng Uarrted Woman and CMU. be the perfection of human colouring ; and a Zulu, if asked what he considers to be the finest complexion, will say that it is, like his own, black, with a little red Some dark-sldnned nations approve of a fair complexion, and in some parts of the world the chiefs are so much fairer th a the commonalty, that they seem almost to belong to different races. The Kaffir, however, holds precisely the opposite opinion According to his views of human beauty, the blacker a man is the handsomer he is considered, pro- vided that some tinge of red be perceptible. They carry this notion so far, that in sounding the praises of their king, an act at which they are very expert, they mention, as one of his excellences, that he chooses to be black, though, being so powerful a monarch, he might have been white if he had liked. Europeans who have resided for any length of time among the Kaffir tribes seem to imbibe similar ideas about the superior beauty of the black and red complexion. They become used to it, and perceive little varieties in individuals, though to an inexperienced eye the colour would appear exactly similar in every person. When they return to civilized society they feel a great contempt for the pale, lifeless-looking complexion of Europeans, and some time elapses before they learn to view a £Eur skm and light hair with any B 2 4 THE KAFFIB. degree of admiratioa Examples of albinos aie oooadonally seen among the Eaffixs, bat tbey are not pleasant-looking individuals, and aie not admired by their bloioker and more fortunate fdlow-countiymen. A dark olive is, however, tolerably common, but the real hue of the skin is that of rather blackish chocolate. As is the case with the negto race, the newly-born inf!uit of a Kaffir is nearly as pale as that of a European, the cuurk hue becoming developed by degreea Though dark of hue, the Kaffirs are as fastidious about their dusky complexion as any European belle could be of her own fairer skin ; and the pride with HfJj^ a KfUffir, even though he be a man and a tried warrior, regards the shming, transpttrOat black of his iG^in, hoain it something ludicrous to an inhabitant of Europe. The hail of the Kaffir, whether it belong to male or female, never b^Qinmes long, but envelopes ^ head in a dose covering of cnsp, wooUy curls, very sinit||i'nili ]t|i6 hair of the true negro. The lips are always large, and the mouth wide, and w^ ^^pii has very wide nostrm. These peculiarities me Ki^r has in common with the tx^jt^y'iixA it now and then happens that an individual has these three features so strongly marked that he might be mistaken for a negro at first sight A more careful view, however, would at once detect the lofty and n^Upectual fore- head, the prominence of the nose, and the high cheek-bones, together wiSi a nameless but decided cast of countenance, which marks them out from all other groups of the dsork-skinned natives of Afrfba. The high cheek-bones form a very promiitent feature in the countenanees (^ t|^« Hottentots and Bosjesmans, but the Kaffir cannot for a moment be mistaken fbt 6ithei'<)ie cr the other, any more than a lion could be mistaken for a puma. The ezpredsion of the Kaffir face, especiblly when young, is rather pleasing ; and, as a general nile, is notable when in repose for a slight plaintiveness, this expression being marked moitt strongly in the young, of both sexes. The dark eyes are lively and full of intellect and a kind of cheemd good humour pervades the features. In the expression of their faces, thou^ not at all in their features, the Kaffir presents a curious resemblance to the inhabitants of Polynesia, and from the same reason. As a people, they are devoid of care. The three gnjat causes of care in more civilized lands have but little influence on a Kaffir. The clothes which he absolutely needs are of the most trifling description, and in our sense of the wo~d cannot be recognised as clothing at olL The slight hut which enacts the part of a house is constructed of materials that can be bought for about a shilling, and to the native cost nothing but the labour of cutting and carrying. His food, which constitutes his only real anxiety, is obtained far more easily than among civilized nations, for game-preserving is unknown in Southern Africa, and any bird or beast becomes the property of any one who chooses to take the trouble of capturing it. One of the nussionaiy clergy was much struck by this utter want of care, when he was ex- plaining the Scriptures to some dusky hearers. The advice " to take no thought foMhe morrow " had not the least effect on them. They never had taken any thougUt for the morrow, and never would do so, and rather wondered that any one could have been foolish enough to give them such needless advice. There is another cause for this heedless enjoyment of the present moment; namely, an instinctive fatalism, arising from the peculiar nature of their government. !nie power of life and death with which the Kaffir rulers are invested is exercised in so arbitrary and reckless a,manner, that no Kaffir feels the least security for his life. He knows perfectly well that the king may require his life at any moment, and he therefore never troubles himself pbout a future which may have no existence for him. Of course these traits of character belong pnly to the Kaffir in their normal condition ; for, when these splendid savages have placed themselves imder the protection of Europeans, the newly-felt security of life produces its natural results, and they will display fore- thought which would do no discredit to a white maa A lad, for example, will give fSuthral service for a year, in order to obtain a cow at the end of that time. Had he l^en engaged while under the rule of his own king, he would have insisted on prepayment, and would have honourably fulfilled his task provided that the king did not have him executed. THE HORNS OF A DILEMMA. Their fotalism is, in fact, owing to the peculiarly logical tarn of a KafiBr's mind, and his determination to follow an argument to its conclusion. He accepts the acknowledged foct tiutt his life is at the mercy of the king's caprice, and draws therefrom the inevittuUe conclusion that he can calculate on nothing beyond the present moment. The lofty and thoughtful forehead of the Eafiir does i^ot belie his character, for, of all savage races, the Kaffir is perhaps the most intellectuaL Tn acts he is honourable and Btraightforward, and, with one whom he can trusty his words will agree with his actions. But he delights in controversy, and has a n>ecial faculty ft>r the Socratic mode of ar^- ment ; namdy, by asking a senes of apparently unimportamt questions, gnduaJly hemmmg in his adversary, and forcing him to pronounce his own sentence of condemnation. If he suspects another of having committed a crime, and examines the supposed culprit before a council, he will not accuse him directily of the crime, but will cross-examine him with a skill worthy of any European lawyer, each question being only capable of being answered in one manner, and so eliciting successive admissions, each of which finms a step in the argument. An amusing example of this style of argument is given by Fleming. Some Kaffirs had been detected in eating an ox, and the owner brought them before a council, demanding payment for the ox. Their defence was that they ^d not killed tiie animal, but had found it dying from a wound iiiflicted by another ox, and so l\ad con- sidered it as fair tgpoiL When weir defence had been completed, an old Kaffir began to examine the previous speaker, and, as usual, comqipaoed by a question apparently wide of the subject Q. " Does an ox tail grow up, down, or sideways ?" A. "Downwards." Q. " Do its horns grow up, down, or sideways ? " A. "Up." Q. " If an ox gores another,- does he not lower his head and gore upwards ? " A. "Yes." Q. "Could he gore downwards?" A. "No." The wily interrogator then forced the unwilling witness to examine the wound which he asserted to have been made by the horn of another ox, and to admit that the slain beast had been stabbed and not gored. Mr. Grout, the missionary, mentions an instance of the subtle turn of mind which distinguishes an intelligent Kaffir. One of the converts came to ask what he was to do if he went on a journey with his peopla It must first be understood that a Kaffir takes no provisions when travelling, knowing that he will receive hospitality on the way. "What shall I do, when I am out on a journey among the people, and they offer such food as they have, perhaps the flesh of an animal which has been slaughtered in honour of the ghosts of the departed ? If I eat it, they will say, ' See there ! he is a believer in om re^gion — ^he partakes with us of the meat offered to our gods.' And if I do not eat, they wiU say, ' See there I he is a believer in the existence and power of our gods, else why does he hesitate to eat of the meat which we have slaughtered to them V" Argument is a Kaffir's native element, and he likes nothing better than a complicated debate where there is plenty of hair-splitting on both sides. The above instances show I that a Kaffir can appreciate a dilemma as well as the most accomplished logicians, and he is master of that great key of controversy, — ^namely, throwing the burden of proof on the opponent. In tul Ms controversy he is scrupulously polite, never interrupting an I opponent, and patiently awaiting his own turn to speak. And when the case has been faUy argued, and a conclusion arrived at, he alwa3rs bows to the decision of the presiding chief, and acquiesces in the judgment, even when a penalty is inflicted upon himsell Trained in such a school, the old and influential chief, who has owed his position as much to his intellect as to his military repute, becomes a most formidable antagonist in argument, especially when the question regards the possession of land and the boundaries to be observed. He fully recognises tiie celebrated axiom that language was given for the purpose ef concealing the woughts, and has recourse to every evasive subtemige and / 6 THE KAFFIR sophism that bis 9ubtle brain can invent. He will mix tnith and falsehood with sncii ingenuity tiiat it is hardly possible to separate them. He will quietly " beg the question," and then proceed as composedly as if his argument were a perfectly fair one. He will attack or BXM OV BOTH BBXBB — TBB VtrrUBB OV A KAWm VAMn.T, AND THX ABBBNCB OV ANXZBTY — INrAMTIOIDB AUCOBT UHXNOirN— OBBBMONT ON PABBINa INTO BOYHOOD- -DIWBBBNT THBOBIBB BBBFECTINO ITB CHABAOTBB AND OBIOIN — TCHAKA'B ATTXMPTBD ABOLITION OV THB BITS — OmUOVB IDXA OV THB XAWIB8, AND BBBVHVTION OV THB CBBBMONT — ^A XAWIB'b DBRAD OV OBBT HAIB8 ^-nonnnriBB avtrr undkrooino thb bits — ^nbw bxcbitits vob bboubntb, and thbib. VALDB to THB UNO — ^THB OBBBHONY INOmiBBNT ON BOTU BXZXB. Havino glanced rapidly over the principal traits of Kaffir character, we will proceed to trace his life with somewhat more detail When an infant is bom, it is, ac has been abeady mentioned, of a light hue, and does not gain the red-black of its parents until after some little time has elapsed. The same phenomenou takes place with the negro of Western Africa. Almost as soon as it is bom the " medicine-man" is called, and discharges his func- tions in a maimer very different from "medical men" in our own country. He does not trouble himself in the least about the mother, but devotes his whole care to the child, on whom he performs an operation something like that of vaccination, though not for the same object. He makes small incisions on various parts of the body, mbs medicine into them, and goes his way. Next <^y he returns, ti^es the imhappy infant, deepens the outs, and puts more medicine into them. The much-suffering chud is then washed, and is dried by being moved about in the smoke of a wood fire. Surviving this treatment by some singular tenacity of Ufe, the little creature is then plentifully bedaubed with red paint, and the proud mother tekes her share of the adornment. This paint is renewed as nut as it wears off, and is not discontinued until after a lapse of several months. " Once," writes Mr. Shooter, " when I saw this paint put on, the mother had carefully >i,r<(hed a chubby boy, and made him clean and bright. She then took up the fr(^gment of an earthenware pot, which contained a red fluid, and, dipping her fingers into it, proceeded to daub her son until he became the most grotesque-loolong object it was e;ver my fortune to behold. What remained, being too precious to Wkste, was transferred to hiBt own face." Not until all these absurd preliminaries are completed, is the child allowed to take its ratural food ; and it sometimes happens that when the " medicine-man " has delayed his coming, the consequences to the poor little creature have been extremely disastrous. After the lapse of a few days, the mother goes about her work as usual, carrying the child strapped on her back, and, in spite of the load, she makeis little, if any,-&fference in the amount of her daily tasks. And, considering that all the severe work falls upon the women, it is wonderfal that they should contrive to do any work at all under the circomstances. The two principal tasks of the women are, brealung up the ground with a heavy and clumsy tool, something betweoi a pickaxe and a mattock, and grinding the THE CRADLE. daily snpplj of com between two stones, and either of these tasks would prove quite enough for any ©"''inary labourer, thdugh the poor woman has to perform both* »nd plenty of minor ti^^:. besides, lliat they should have to do all this work, while kbour- uig under the incumbrance of a heavy and growing child hung on the back, does zeally seem very hard upon the women. But they, having never known any other state of thingis, accept their laborious married life as a matter of course. When the moUier carries her infant to the field, she mostly slings it to her back by means of a wide strip of some soft skin, which she passes round her waist so as to leave a sort of pocket behind in which the child may lie. In this primitive cradle the little creature reposes in perfect content, and not even the abrupt movements to which it is necessarily subjected will disturb its slumbers. The wife of a chief or wealthy man will not, how- ever, rest satisfied with the mere strip of skin by way of a cradle, buthas one of an elaborate and ornamental character. The illustration represents a remarkably fine example of the South African cradle, and is drawn from a specimen in my col- lection. It is nearly two feet in length by one in width, and is made of antelope skin, with the hair still remain- ing. The first care of the maker has been to con- struct a bag, narrow to- wards thebottom,gradually widening until within a few inches of the opening, when it again contracts. This form very effectually pre- vents an active or restless child from falling out of its cradle. The hairy side of the skin is turned inwards, so that the little one has a soft and pleasant cradle in which to repose. In order to give it this shape, two " gores " have been let into the back of the cradle, and are sewn with that marvellous neatness which characterises the workmanship of the Kafiir tribes. Four long strips of the same skin are attached to the opening of the cradle, and by means of them the mother can bind her little one securely on her back. As far as usefulness goes, the cradle is now complete, but the woman is not satisfied unless ornament be added. Though her rank — the wife of a chie^ — does not exonerate CRADLE. v^ 10 THE KAFFUL her from laVmr, ahe can still have the satisfaotion of showing her position by her dress, and exoitinff envy among her less fortunate companions in the field. llie entire front of the oradle is covered with beads, arranged in regular rows. ■ In this specimen, two colours only are used ; namely, black and white. The black beads are polished glass, whUe the others are of the colour which are known as " chalk-white," and which is in great favour with the Kaffirs, on account of the contrast which it affords to their duskv skia The two central rows are black. The cradle weighs rather more than two pounds, half of which is certainly due to the profusion of bmids with which it is coverad. On the right hand of the cradle a small portion is drawn on an enlaiged scale, in order to show the manner in which the beads are arranged. Except under peculiar circumstances, the Kaffir mother is a kind, and even indulgent parent to he^ duldrea There are, however, exceptional instances, but, in these cases, superstition is generally lihe moving power. As with many nations in different parts of the earth, altiliough abundance of cmldren is desired, twins are not in favour ; and when they make their appearance one of them is sacrificed, in consequence of a superstitious notion that, if both twins are allowed to live, sometliing unlucky would happen to the parents. As the children grow, a certain difference in their treatment is perceptible. In most savage nations, the female children are comparatively neglected, and veiy ill treatment &]ls on them, while the males are considered as privilM[ea to do pretty well what they like without rebuke. This, however, is not the case with the Kaflhrs. The parents have plenty of respect for their sons as the warriors of the next generation, but they have also respect for their daughters as a source of wealth. Every father is therefore glad to see a new-bom child, and welcomes it whatever may be its sex — ^the boys to increase the power; of his house, the girls to increase the numbw of his cattle. He knows perfectly well that, when his little girl ia grown up, he can obtain at least eight cows for her, and that, if she happens to take the fancy of a rich or powerful man, he may be fortunate enough to procure twice the number. And, as the price which is paid to the father of a girl depends very much on her looks and condition, she is not allowed to be deteriorated by hard work or ill-treatment These generally come after marriage, and, as the wife does not expect anything but such treatment, she does not dream of complaining. The Kaffir is free from the chief anxieties that attend a laige family in civilized countries. He knows nothing of the thousand artificial wants which cluster round a civilized life, and need not fear lest his offspring should not be able to find a subsistence. Neither is he troubled lest they should sink below that rank in which they were bom. Not that there are no distinctions of rank in Kaffirland. On the contraiy, there are few parts of the world where the distinctions of rank are better appreciated, or more clearly defined. But, any one may attain the rank of chief, provided that he possesses th,e mental or physical characteristics that can raise him above the level of those who sur- round him, and, as is well known, some of the most powerful monarchs who have exer- cised despotic sway in Southern Africa have earned a rank which they could not have inherited, and have created monarchies where the country had formerly been ruled by a number of independent chieftains. These points may have some influence upon the Kaffir's conduct as a parent, but, whatever may be the motives, the fact remains, that among this fine race of savages there is no trace of the wholesale infanticide which is so terribly prevalent among othfer luitions, and which is accepted as a social institution among some that consider themselves among the most highly civilized of mankind. As is the case in many parts of the world, the natives of South Africa undergo a ceremony of some sort, which marks their transition fix>m cluldhood to a more mature ace. There has been rather a sharp controversy respecting the pecuKar ceremony which the Kaffirs enjoin, some saying that it is identical wiUi the rite of circumcision as prac- tised by the Jews, and others that such a custom does not exist The fact is, that it used to be universal throughout Southem Africa, until that strange despot Tchaka, chose arbi- trarily to forbid it among the many tribes over whidi he ruled. Since his death, how- BREAD OF OBEY HAIR. U ever, the onstom haa been gradoally Te-introduced, as the men of the tribes believed that I those who had not undergone the rite were weaker than would otherwise have been the esse, and were more liable to grey haira Now with a Kafi&r a hoarpr head is by no means a crown of glory, but is looked ujKm as a sign of debility. A chief dreads nothing so much as the approach of grey hairs, knowing that the various sub^hiefs, and other ambitious men who are rising about him, are only too readv to detect any sign of weakness, and to cgeot him fh)m his post Europeaivi who visit elderly ohiefe are almost invariably asked if they have any preparation that will dye their grey hairs black. So, the dread of such a calamity occurring at an early age would be quite sufficient to make a Kaffir resort to any custom which he fancied might prevent it After the ceremony, which is practised in secret, and its details concealed with in- viohble fidelity, the youths are permitted three months of unlimited indulgence ; doing no work, and eating, sleeping, smging, and dancing, just as they like. They are then permitted to bear arms, and, although still called " boys," are trained as soldiers and draughted into different r^ments. Indeed, it is mostly fwm these regiments that the chief •elects the warriors whom he sends on the most daring expedition& They have nothing to lose and everything to sain, and, if they distinguish themselves, may be allowed to assume the " head-ring," me proud badge of manhood, and to marrv as many wives as they can manage to pav for. A "boy" — no matter what his age might be — ^would not due to assume the head-ring without the permission of his chief, and there is no surer mode of gaining permission than by distinguished conduct in the field, whether in open fight or in steaBiu; cattle from the enemy. The necessity for tmdergoing some rite when emerging from childhood is not restricted (o the men, but is incumbent on thn girls, who are carried off into seclusion by their initiatoni^ and within a year from their initiation are allowed to many. a. civilized r rotmd a lubsistencei were bora re are few >re clearly isesses tl^e ) who sur- I "X \ M .! CHAPTER III. i A KAFTIb'b Lira, CO HTIW mi) — APOLlBOMf 0» — BBAUTT OV rOBX VX TBB KAFTIBS, INS BBABOM VOB IT — ^UVnro STATUBA— rBaXJAMIN WBBT and TBB AVOLLO — SH0CLDBB8 OT THB XXTFIBS — HBPBRD or rOOT OONBIDBllXD HONOCBABLB — A KATFIB MBSBRNOBB AND UZ8 HODB OV OABBTINO A LRTTBB— -mS BQITlPltBNT VOB THB JOUSNBT — LIGHT UABCHINO-OBDBU — BOW TBB ADDBBM IB OITBN TO BM — CBLBBITT OF BIB TABK, AND BMALLNBBB OF HIB PAT — BIB TBBT A1«D THBIB NATVBB — THI0KNB8B OF THB BOLB, AND ITB SUPBBIOBITT OVBB TBB BBOB — ANBODOTB OF A Blcr BOT AND HIB FHVBICIAN — FOBH OF TBB FOOT — HBALTBT BTATB OF A KAFFIB'B BODY — ^ANBODOTB OF WOtTNDBD OIBL — BAPIDITT VITH WHICH INJUBIBB ABB BBALBD — YOUNO WOBBN, AND THBIB BBAUTY OF FOBM — PBOTOOBAPHIO POBTBAITB — ^DIFFI- CULTY OF PBOTOOBAPBINO A KAFFIB — THB LOCALITY, OBBABR, NEBT0U8NBB8 — 8H0BT TSNTOl OF BBADTY— FBATtTBXB OF KAFFIB OQULI — OLD KAFFIB WOMBN AND THBIB L00X8. I'lil When the youths and maidens are in the full bloom of youth, they afford as fine specimens of humanity as can be seen anywhera Their limbs have never been subject to the distorting influences of clothing, nor their forms to the absurd compression which was, untU recently, destructive of aU reed beauty in this and neighbouring countrie& Each muscle and sinew has had fair play, the lungs have breathed fresh air, and the active habits have given to the form that rounded perfection which is never seen except in those who have enjoyed similar advantages. We all admire the almost superhuman majesty of the human form as seen in ancient sculpture, but we need only to travel to Southern Africa to see similar forms, but breath- ing and moving, not motionless images of marble, but living statues of bronze. This classic beauty of form is not peculiar to Southern Africa, but is found in many parts of the world where the inhabitants lead a free, active, and temperate life. My readers will probably remember the well-known anecdote of West the painter surprising the critical Italians with his remarks. Bred in a Quaker family, he had no acquaintance with ancient art ; and when he first visited Rome, he was taken by a large assembly of art-critics to see the Apollo Belvedere. As soon as the doors were thrown open, he exclaimed that the statue represented a young Mohawk warrior, much to the indignation of the critics, who foolishly took his exclamation as derogatory to the statue, rather than the highest and most genuine praise. The fact was, that the models from whom the sculptor had composed his statue, and the young Mohawk warriors so familiar to West, had received a similar physical education, and had attained a similar physical beauty. " I have seen them often," said West, " standing in the very attitude of this Apollo, and pursuing with an intent eye the arrow which they had just dischai^ed from the bow." There is, indeed, but one fault that the most captious critic could find with the form of the K&f&r, and that is, a slight deficiency in the fall of the shoulder. As a race, the Kaffirs are slightly high-shouldered, though there are many instances where the slope from the neck to the arm is exactly in accordance with the canons of classic art These young fellows are marvellously swift of foot, speed reckoning as one of the chief characteristics of a distinguished soldier. They are also possessed of enormous LETTER CARRIER IS endnnnoe. Ton may send a Kaffir for sixty or seventy miloa with a letter, and be wQl prepare for the start as quietly as if he had only a journey of some three or four miles to perionn. First, he outs a stiok liome three feet in length, splits the end, and fixes the letter in the cleft, ■0 that he may carry the missive without damaging it by the grease with whioh his whole person is liberally anointed. He tnen looks to his supply of snuff, and, should ■he happen to run short of that I needful luxury, it will add wings I to his feet if a little tobacco bo I presented to him, which he can I make into snuff at his first halt Taking an assagai or two with I him, and perhaps a short stick with la knob at the end. called a " kerry," I he will start off at a slinging sort I of mixture between a run and a trot, land will hold this pace almost with- loutceaaation. As to provision for I the journey, he need not trouble I himself about it, for he is sure to I fall in with some hut, or perhaps a jvillage, and is equally sure of ob- Itaining both food and shelter. He ■steers his course almost as if by in- Ituition, regardless of beaten tracks, land arrives at his destination I with the same mysterious certainty I that characterises the migration of I the swallow. It is not so easy to address a I letter in Aftica as in England, and lit is equally difficult to give direc- tioos for finding any particular house or village. If a chief should I be on a visit, and ask his host to I return the call, he simply tells him I to go so many days in such a direc- Ition, and then turn for half a day in another direction, and so on. However, the Kaffir is quite satisfied Wxch such indi- cations, and is sure to attain his point. When the messenger has delivered his letter, he will squat down on the ground, take snuff, or smoke — probably both — and wait patiently foi* the answer. As a matter of course, refreshments will be supplied to him, and, when the answer is handed to him, he will return at the same pace. Europeans are (dways surprised when they first see a young Kaffir undertake the delivery of a letter at so great a distance, and still more at the wonderfully short time in which he will perform the journey. Nor are they less sur- prised when they find that he thinks himself very well paid with a shilling for his trouble. In point of fact, the journey is scarcely troublesome at all. He has everjrthing his own way. There is plenty of snuff in his box, tobacco wherewith to make more, the prospect of seeing a number of fellow-countrymen on the way, an** enjoying a conver- saticui with them, the dignity of being a messenger from one white chidf to another, and >.ji ^:r/,vJ-^ TOmiO KAFHR ARMEU. Ik :1 14 THE KAFFIR the certainty of obtuning a sum of money which will enable him to adorn himself wit]i| a splendid set of beads at the next dance. Barefoot though he be, he seldom complains of any hurt. From constant usage thel soles of his feet are defended by a thickened skin as insensible as the sole of any bood and combining equal toughness with perfect elasticity. He will walk with imconcenl over sharp stones and thorns which would lame a European in the first step, and has thel great advantage of possessing a pair of soles which never wear out, but actually become I stronger b.^ use. Mr. Baines, the AMcan hunter, narrates a rather ludicro\is instance of the | KAFFIB POSTMAN. insensibility of the KafBt's foot Passing by some Kaffir houses, he heard doleful oufrl cries, and found that a young boy was undergoing a medical or suigical operation, which-j ever may be the proper name. I The boy was suffering from some ailment for which the medicine-man prescribed al thorough kneading with a hot substance. The plan by which the process was carriedj out was simple and ingenious. A Kaffir man hc^his own foot over the fire until the solel numerous woi he said that v into a state ( almost as easi readers, that whether it ht difference inj recover from i The younj the men, and best advanta^ would have si in them the s some cases tl however, the model of peri There is various ages, ) forms which photographed artistic, but t liiiii' YOUNG WOMEN. 16 became quite hot The boy was then held firmly on the ground, while the man trampled on him with the heated foot, and kneaded him woll with this curious implement of medicine. When that foot was cold, he heated the other, and so proceeded till the opera- tion was concluded. The heat of his sole was so great that the poor boy could scarcely endure the pain, and struggled hard to get free, but the operator felt no inconvenience whatever from subjecting his foot to such an ordeaL The dreaded "stick" of the Orientals would lose its terrors to a KafQr, who would endure the bastinado with com- parative impunity. Among these people, the foot assumes its proper form and dimensions. The toes are not pinched together by shoes or boots, and reduced to the helpless state too common in this country. The foot is, L 3 that of an ancient statue, wide and full across the toes, each of which has its separate function just as have the lingers of the hand, and each of which is equally capable of performing that functioa Therefore the gait of a Kaffir is perfection itself. He has not had his foot lifted behind and depressed in front by high-heeled boots, nor the play of the instep checked by leathern bonds. The wonderfm arch of the foot—one of the most astonishing pieces of mechanism that the world affords —can perform its office unrestrained, and every little bone, muscle, and tendon plays its own part, and none other. The constant activity of the Kaffirs, conjoined to their temperate mode of life, keeps them in perfect health, and guards them against many evils which befall the civilized man {hey are free from many of the minor ailments incident to high civilization, and which, trifling as they may be singly, detract greatly in the aggregate from the happiness of life. Moreover, their state of health enables them to survive injuries which would be almost instantly fatal to any ordinary civilized European. That this comparative immunity is owing to the mode of life and not to the colour of the skin is a well-known fact, Europeans being, when in thorough good health, even more enduring than their dark-skinned companions. A remarkable instance 'of this fact occurred during the bloody struggle between the Dutch colonists and Dingan's forces in 1837. The Kafi&rs treacherously assaulted the unsuspecting Dutchmen, and then invaded their villages; spearing all the inhabitants and destroying the habitations. Near the Blue Krantz river was a heap of dead, among whom were found two young girls, who still showed signs of life. One had received nineteen stabs with the assagai, and the other twenty-ona They were removed from the corpses, and survived their dreadful wounds, reaching womanhood, though both crippled for life. On one occasion, while I was conversing with Captain Burton, and alluding to the numerous wounds which he had received, and the little effect which they had upon him, he said that when the human frame was brought, by constant exercise and simple diet, into a state of perfect health, mere flesh wounds were scarcely noticed, the cut closing almost as easily as if it had been made in india-rubber. It may also be familiar to my readers, that when in this country men are carefully trained for any physical exertion, whether it be pedestrianism, gymnastics, rowing, or the prize-ring, they receive with in- difference injuries which would have prostrated them a few months previously, and recover from them with wonderful rapidity. The young Kaffir women are quite as remarkable for the beauty of their form as are the men, and the very trifling dress which they wear serves to show off their figures to the best advantage. Some of the young Kaffir girls are, in point of form, so perfect that they would have satisfied even the fastidious taste of the classical sculptor. There is, however, in them the same tendency to high shoulders which has already been mentioued, and in some cases the shoulders are set almost squarely across the body. In most instances, however, the shoulders have the proper droop, while the whole of the bust is an absolute model of perfection — rounded, firm, and yet lithe as the body of a panther. There is now before me a large collection of photographs, representing Kaffir girls of various ages, and, in spite of the invariable stiffness of photographic portraits, they exhibit forms which might serve as models for any sculptor. If they could only have been photographed while engaged in their ordinary pursuits, the result would have been most artistic, but the very knowledge that they were not to move hand or foot has occasioned 16 THE KAFFIR them to assume attitudes quite at variance with the graceful unconsciousness of their ordinary gestures. Beude the stiffness which has already been mentioned, there are several points which make a really good photographic portrait almost an impossibility. In the firat place, the sunlight is so brilliant diat the shadows become developed into blackpatches, and the highlights into splashes of white without the least secondary shading, l^e photographer of KafiBr life cannot put his models into a glass room cunningly fonushed with curtains j 'better chance of honour to be UNMARRIED OIRIA and tinted glass. He must take the camera into the villages, photograph the inhabitants as they stand or sit in the open air, and make a darkened hut act as a developing-tent. Taking the portraits properly is a matter of extreme difficulty. The Kaffirs vnll rub themselves with grease, and the more they shine the better they are dressed. Now, as every photographer knows, nothing is nioro perplexing than a rounded and polished surface in the full rays of the sunbeams ; and if it were only possible to rub the grease- from the dark bodies, and deprive them of their gloss, the photographer woiUd have a FEATURES OF KAFFIR GIRLS. 17 'better chance of success. But the KafiBr ladies, old and young alike, think it a point of honour to be dressed in their very best when their portraits are taken, and will insist upon bedizening themselves exactly in the way which is most destructive to photography. They take fresh grease, and rub their bodies until they shine like a well-polished boot; they indue every necklace, girdle, bracelet, or other ornament that they can muster, and not until they are satisfied with their personal appearance will they present themselves to the artist. Even when they have done so, they are restless, inquisitive, and rather nervous, and in all probability will move their heads just as the cap of the lens is removed, or will take fright and run away altogether. In the case of the two girls represented in the illustration, the photographer has been singularly fortunate. Both the girls belonged to the tribe commanded by the well-known chief Goza, whose portrait wUl be given on a j subsequent paga The girls are clad in their ordinary costume of every-day hfe, and in I fact, when their portraits were taken, were acting as housemaids in the house of an European settler. OLT WOMEN. Unfortunately, this singular beauty of form is very transient ; and when a girl has [attained to the age at which an English girl is in her full perfection, the Kaffir girl has begun to age, and her firm, lithe, and graceful form has become flabby and shapeless. In I the series of portraits which has been mentioned, this gradual deterioration of form is j curiously evident ; and in one example, which represents a row of girls sitting under the [shade of a hut, young girls just twenty years of age look like women of forty. The chief drawback to a Kaffir girl's beauty lies in her face, which is never a beautiful lone, according to European ideas on that subject. It is mostly a pleasant, good-humoured face, but the cheek-bones are too high, the nose too wide, and the lips very much too I large. The two which have been already represented are by far the most favourable I specimens of the collection, and no one can say that their faces are in any way equal to VOL. I. III «'-T1 * ^«' ';i 18 THE KAFFIR their forms. It may be that their short, crisp, harsh, woolly hair, so different from the silken tresses of European women, produce some feeling of dislike ; but, even if they were furnished with the finest and most massive head of hair, they could never be called handsome. People certainly do get used to their peculiar style, and sometimes prefer the I wild beauty of a Kaffir girl to the mol'e refined, though more insipid, style of the European Still, few Englishmen would think themselves flattered if their faces were thought to resemble the features of a KafBr of the same age, and the same rule will apply to the| women as well as to the men. Unfortunately, the rapidity with which the Kaffir women deteriorate renders then I very unsightly objects at an age in which an European woman is in her prime. Among! civilized nations, age often carries with it a charming mixture of majesty and simplicity, which equally command our reverence and our love. Among this people, however, we find I nothing in their old age to compensate for the lost beauty of youth. They do not possess! that indefinable charm which is so characteristic of the old age of civilized woman, nor is there any vestige of that spiritual beauty which seems to underlie the outward form, and to be even more youthful than youth itself. Perhaps one reason for this distinction may! be the uncultivated state of the mind ; but, whatever may be the cause, in youth the Kaffir | woman is a sylph, in old age a hag. SBXSS AND OBNA] SKm THR KAB088 OB — PKOFBSSIO: DIMBN8ION8- TA8TBFUL AI MODS OF PK « TAILS "- — PORTRAIT SE-CAUP. 1 dq tot Havinq now will proceed I rate their dark i The materia I country. In sot In Southern Afr I the dress, wheth I country abounds I and their kin, th I which the Kaffii The Kaffir i ■ process, and an I furriers, with all I and stubborn hi( I will dry without For large ai [example, will be I very stiff indeed I simple and expe I such articles as Supposing tl I of his comrades [until they have I then stretch it ii lit over their kn( I manipulation, i I the task, which lit, but hand it < I necessary, they [needles, and tie {bundles. The \ CHAPTER IV. SBXSS AND 0BNAMBNT8 — DBSB8 OF TES MKN — DBR8S DBPBNDBNT ON COUNTBT FOB HATEBIAIr— 8KIN THR CHIBF ABTICIA OF DBR8S IN SOUTHSBN AFBICA — FUB-PBODCCINO ANIMALS — A KAB0S8 OB CLOAK OF UBBBKAT SKIN — ANOTHEB OF JACKAL SKINS — NATIVB TASTE IN DBES8 — FB0FB8SI0NAL KAB08S UAKBB8 — NEBDLB U8BD BT THB KAFFIB8 — ITS CLUMSY SHAPB AND DIMENSIONS — ^ITS LBATHBB SHEATH — A FASHIONABLB NBEDLB AND ITS BELT OF BEADS TASTEFUL ABBANOBMBNT OF COLOUB — THBEAD USRD BY KAFFIB8 — SINOULAB MATBBIAL AND MODE OF PBEFABINO IT — HOW A KAFFIB SBVS — ^A MAN's OBDINABY DBESS — THE APBON OB " TAILS " — SPECIMEN IN MY COLLECTION — BBAS8 BUTTONS — THB " ISINBNE " AND " UMUCHA " — POBTBAIT OF QOZA — OBESITY OF THB CHIEFS — FULL DBB88 AND UNDBE8S — A KAFFIB AIDB- DB-CAMP. < % Havinq now described tLe general appearance of the Kaffirs from childhood to age, we will proceed to the costume which they wear, and the ornaments with which they deco- I rate their dark persons. The materied of which dress is made depends much on the characteristics of the I country. In some parts of the world linen is used, in another silk, and in another cotton. In Southern Africa, however, and indeed throughout a very large portion of the continent, the dress, whether of men or women, is composed of the skins and furs of animals. The country abounds in game, especially of the antelope tribe ; and the antelopes, the zebras and their kin, the beasts of prey, the monkey tribes and the oxen, afford a vast store from I which the Kaffir can take his clothing, and vary it almost without bounds. The Kaffir is an admirable dresser of furs. He bestows very great pains on the I process, and arrives at a result which cannot be surpassed by the best of European farriers, with all his means and appliances. Kaffir furs, even those made from the stiff and stubborn hide of the ox, are as soft and pliable as silk ; and if they be wetted, they I will dry without becoming harsh and stiff. For large and thick skins a peculiar process is required. The skin of the cow, for I example, will become as hard as a board when dry, and even that of the lion is apt to be very stiff indeed when dried. The process of preparing such skins is almost absurdly simple and expeditious, while its efficacy is such that our best fur-dressers cannot produce I such articles as the Kaffirs do. Supposing that a cow-skin is to be made into a robe, the Kaffir will ask two or three I of his comrades to help him. They all sit round the skin, and scrape it very carefully, [until they have removed every particle of fat, and have also reduced the thickness. They I then stretch it in every direction, pulling against each other with all their might, working lit over their knees, and taking care that not an inch of it shall escape without thorough I manipulation. Of course they talk, and sing, and smoke, and take snuff while performing Ithe task, which is to them a labour of lova Indeed, if it were not, they would not perform jit, but hand it over to their wives. When they have kneaded it as much as they think I necessary, they proceed to another operation. They take eight or ten of their skewer-like ■needles, and tie them together in a bundle, each man being furnished with one of these I bundles. The points are then placed perpendicularly upon the skin, and the bundle made 02 im -J" In 30 THE KAFFIR. m « ' ■! I Ilii to revolve backwards and forwards between the hands. This process tears up the fibres of the skin, and adds to its pliancy, beside raising a sort of nap, which in some of their dresses is so thick and fine as to resemble plush. Sometimes, when needles are scarce, the long straight thorns of the acacia are tied together, and used in a similar manner. Although not so strong, their natural points are quite as sharp as the artificial points made of iron, and do their work as effectually. Some of my readers may remember that the nap on cloth is raised by a method exactly similar in principle, the thorny seed-vessels of the teasle thistle being fastened on cylinders and made to revolve quickly over the surface of the cloth, so as to raise a " nap " which conceals the course of the threads. These acacia thorns are used for a wonderful variety of purposes, and are even pressed into the service of personal vanity, being used as decorations for the hair on festive occasions. The skin is now ready for the ingredient that forms a succedaneum for the tanpit, and that does its work in a very short time. As tho reader is perhaps aware, the acacia is one of the commonest trees in Southern Africa. The sap of the tree is of a very astringent character, and communicates its properties to the bark through which it percolates. In consequence, the white inhabitants of Southern Africa are in the habit of using the bark of the acacia just as in England we use the bark of the oak, and find that it produces a similar effect upon skins that are soaked in a strong solution of acacia-bark in water. The native, however, does not use the bark for this purpose, neither does he practise the long and tedious process of tanning which is in use among ourselves. The acacia-tree supplies for him a material which answers all the purposes of a tanpit, and does not require above a fraction of the time that is employed in ordinary tanning. The acacia-trees are constantly felled for all sorts of purposes. The hard wood is used in native architecture, in making the fence round a kraal, in making wagon poles, and in many similar modes. The root and stump are left to rot in the ground, and, thanks to the peculiar climate and the attacks of insects, they soon rot away, and can be crumbled with the fingers into a reddish yellow powder. This powder is highly astringent, and is used by the Kaffirs for dressing their furs, and is applied by assiduous rubbing in with the hand. Afterwards, a little grease is added, but not much, and this is also rubbed in very carefully with the hand. A large kaross is always worn with the furry side im/ards, and there is a mode of putting it on which is considered highly fashionable. If the robe is composed of several skins, — say, for example, those of the jackal Or leopard, — the heads are placed in a row along the upper margin. When the Kaffir indues his kaross, he folds this edge over so as to form a kind of c pe, and puts it on in such a way that the fur-clad heads fall in a row over his shoulders. The rapidity with which a Kaffir will prepare a small skin is really surprising. One of my friends was travelling in Southern Africa, and saw a jackal cantering along, looking out for food. Presently, he came across the scent of some steaks that were being cooked, and came straight towards the wagon, thinking only of food, and heedless of danger. One of the Kaffirs in attendance on the wagon saw the animal, picked up a large stone, and awaited his coming. As he was nearing the fire, the Kaffir flung the stone with such a good aim that the animal was knocked over and stunned. The wagon started in an hour and a half from that time, and the Kaffir who killed the jackal was seen wearing vhe animal's dressed skin. The skin of this creature is very much prized for robes and similar purposes, as it is thick and soft, and thu rich black mottlings along the back give to the robe a very handsome appearance. I have before me a beautiful example of a kaross or cloak, made from the skino :)( the Meerkat, one of the South African ichneumons. It is a pretty creature, the coat being soft and full, and the general colour a reddish tawny, variegated in some specimens by dark ro '^ngs along the back, and fading off into grey along the flanks. The 'OSS consists of thirty-six skins, which are sewn together as neatly as any furrier couii sew them. The Meerkat, being very tenacious of life, does not succiuub ' t KAROSS MAKER. 91 easily, and accordingly there is scarcely a skin which has not been pierced in one or more places by the spear, in some instances leaving holes through which a man's finger could easily be passed. In one skin there are five holes, two of them of considerable size. Yet, when the kaross is viewed upon the hairy side, not a sign of a hole is visible. With singular skill, the Kaffir fur-dresser has " let in " circular pieces of skin cut from another animal, and done it so well that no one would suspect that there had been any injuiy to the skin. The care taken in choosing the colour is very remarkable, because the fur of the Meerkat is extremely variable in colour, and it must have been necessary to com- pare a considerable number of skins, in order to find one that was of exactly the right shade. The mantle in question is wonderfully light, so light, indeed, that no one would I think it capable of imparting much warmth until he has tried it I always use it in journeys in cold weather, finding that it can be packed in much less space than an ordinary railway rug, that it is lighter to carry, and is warmer and more comfortable. TBB UJSEBKAT. Although every Kaffir has some knowledge of skin-dressing and tailoring, there ai« Isome who greatly surpass their companions, and are popularly known as "kaross [makers." It is easy to tell at a glance whether a garment is the work of an ordinary lEaffir, or of a regular kaross maker. The kaross which has been noticed affords a good jexample of both styles, which can be distinguished as easily by the touch as by the sight When a kaross maker sets to work, he takes the two pieces of the fur which he has |to join, and places them together with the hairy side inwards, and the edges exactly latching each other. He then repeatedly passes his 1 ng needle between the two pieces, [so as to press the hair downwards, and prevent it from being caught in the thread. He then bores a few holes in a line with each other, and passes the sinew-fibre through them, Icasting a single hitch over each hole, but leaving the thread loose. When he has made Itwo or three such holes, and passed the thread through them, he draws them tight in jregular succession, so that he produces a sort of lock-stitch, and his work will not become loose, even though it may be cut repeatedly. Finally, he rubs down the seam, and, when |properly done, the two edges lie as flat as if they were one single piece of skin. In the kaross above mentioned, the original maker was not one of the professed jtailors, but thought that he could do all the plain sewing himself Accordingly, the seams which connect the various skins are rather rudely done, being merely sewn over and over, and are in consequence raised above the level of the skins. But the rarious patches that were required in order to complete the garment in its integrity needed much more careful work, and this portion of the work has been therefore intrusted to one of the professed kaross midcers. The difference of the seams is at once apparent, those made by the unskilled workman being raised, harsh, and stiff; while those made by 1 \\ 1 af: 22 THE KAFFIR the professional are quite flat, and look exactly like the well-knoTm lock-stitch of our sevring-mechines. A sinsularly handsome specimen of a kaross is now before me. It is made of the skins of Uie grey jackal, and, although not so attractive to European eyes as if it had been made from the skin of the black-backed jackal, is, in a Kaffir s estimation, a far more valuable article, inasmuch as the grey species is much rarer than the black-backed. The man who designed this kaross may fairly be entitled to the name of artist It is five feet three inches in depth, and very nearly six feet in width, and therefore a considerable number of skins nave been used in making it But the skins have not merely been squared and then sewn together, the manufacturer having in his mind a vety bold design. Most persons are aware, that in the majority of animals, the jackal I included, the skin is darkest along the back, a very dark stripe runs along the spine, and that the fur fades into whitish grey upon the flanks and under the belly. The kaross maker has started with the ided of forming the cloak on thd same principle, and making it | look as if it were composed of one large skia Accordingly, he has selected the darkest skins for the centre of the kaross, and I arranged them so that they fade away into grey at the edges. This is done, not by merely putting the darker skins in the middle, and the lighter towards the edges, but by cutting the skins into oblong pieces of nearly the same size, and sewing them together so neatly that the lines of junction &ve quite invisible. All the heads are set in a row along the upper edges, and, being worked very flat, can be turned over, and form a kind of cape, as | has already been mentioned. The lower edge of the kaross has a veiy handsome appear- ance, the grey colour of the fur rapidly deepening into black, which makes a broad stripe I some four inches in depth. This is obtained by taking the skin of the paws, which are | very black, and sewing them to the cape of the mantle. Of course, a Kaffir has no knowledge of gloves, but there are seasons when he really I wants some covering for his hands. A creature of the sun, he cannot endure cold ; and in | weather when the white men are walking in their lightest clothing and exulting in the unac- customed coolness, the Kaffir is wrapped in his thickest kaross, cowering over the fire, I ahd absolutely paralysed, both bodily and mentally, with the cold. He therefore makes certain additions to his kaross, and so forms a kind of shelter for the hands. About two I feet from the top of the kaross, and on the outer edges, are a pair of small wings or pro- 1 jections, about a foot in length, and eight inches in width. When the Kaffir puts on the! kaross, he doubles the upper part to form the cape, turns the furry side within, grasps one I of these winglets with each hand, and then wraps it round his shoulders. The hands are thus protected from the cold, and the upper part of the body is completely covered. The I kaross descends as far as the knees in front, and is about a foot longer at the sides and at| the back. The whole edge of the kaross is bound on the inside with a narrow band of thin, but! very strong membrane, and is thus rendered less liable to be torn. The membrane is ob-l tained as follows. A skin of some animal, usually one of the antelopes, is rolled up and| buried in the ground until a certain amount of putrefaction takes place. It is then re- moved, and the Kaffir splits it by introducing his knife, and then, with a quick jerk,! strips off the membranous skin. If it does not separate easily, the skin is replaced in the| ground, and left for a day or two longer. This fine specimen was brought from Southern Africa by Mr. Christie, who has had it I in constant use as a railway rug and for similar purposes for some fourteen years, and it is| still as serviceable as ever. I ought to mention that both this and my own kaross were made by Bechuanas, and! not by Zulus, the latter tribe always using for their kaross a single hide of an ox dressedj soft. The peculiar mode of ma lipulating a hide When dressing it is called " braying," perhaps because it bears some resemblance to the " braying " or rubbing of a substance in I a mortar, as distinguished from pounding it A handful of the hide is taken in each iandl and gathered up, so as to form two or three wrinkles on the fleshy side. The wrinklesl are then rubbed on each other, with a peculiar twisting movement, which is almost iden'j tical with that of the gizzard in grain-eating birds. THE NEEDLR i8ft Of similar skins the Kaffir makes a kind of bag, in which he puts his pipe, tobacco, and various other little comforts. This bag, which is popularly called a knapsack, de- serves more rightly the name of havresack, as it is not carried on the back, but slung to the side. It is made of the skin of some small animal, such as a hare or a hyrax, and is formed in a very simple manner. When the Kaffir has killed the animal, he strips off the skin by making a cut, not alov.g the belly, as is the usual fashion, but from one hind leg to the other. By dint of pushing and pulling, he contrives to strip off the skin, i of course turns it inside out in so doing, niuch as is the case when a taxidermist skius a snake or frog. The skin is then " brayed " in the ordinary fashion, while the furry side is inwards ; and when this operation is completed, the mouth, ears, and eyelids are sewn up, and it is then reversed so as to bring the fur outwards. Straps are attached to the two hind legs, so that the wearer can sling the bag over his shoulder. The natives put these bags to all kinds of uses, some of them being rather odd according to our ideas. It has been men- tioned that the pipe, tobacco, and other little articles which a Kaffir has are kept in the bag. If, perchance, the wearer should discover a bees'-nest, he empties his " knapsack," turns it inside out, shakes it well in order to got rid of the scraps of tobacco and other debris of a Kaffir's pouch, and then proceeds to attack the bees. When he has succeeded in reaching the honeycombs, he removes them from the nest, puts them into the bag, and goes off with his prize, regard- less of the state in which the interior of the bag will be left. The skill of the Kaffir in sewing fur is the more notable when ve take into consideration the peculiar needle and thread which he uses. The needle is not in the least like the delicate, slender articles employed by European sempstresses. In the first place, it has no eye ; and in the second, it is more like a skewer than a needle. If any of my classical readers will recall to their minds the " stylus" which the ancients used instead of a pen, he will have a very good idea of a Kaffir's needle. The accompanying illustration represents an ordinary needle of I the Kaffir, which now forms part of my collection. It was brought to England by the late Gordon Gumming. The length of the needle is rather more than four inches, and it tapers regularly from head to point. The head is ornamented with several deep circular I ridges, which give a better hold for the fingers, and enal)le them to give it the rotatory movement by which the skin is pierced. Some needles are, however, of much greater size, and, like the ancient stylus above mentioned, could be used very effectively in lieu of daggers. As the Kaffir likes to carry his needle about with him, he makes a sheath or case of leather. There is great variety in those cases. The simplest are merely made of strips of hide rolled round the needle, and sewn together at the edges. The present example is rather more ambitious. A flat strip of raw hide has been cut I into the shape of a spear-head, with an inch of the shaft terminated by a cross-piece. The needle has then been laid upon the hide, which has been worked gradually round it, so as to cover the iron completely. The edges have then been sewn together, and, while the hide was still wet, the seams have been well hammered so as to beat the stitches into I the leather, and almost to conceal their existence. The cross-piece has been rolled and sewn in a similar manner, so as to form a tube. The Kaffir has then cut three very fine thongs of hide, twisted them so as to make them look like string, passed them through the tube, and knotted them together. The ends have been twisted into one of those in- genious knots of which the Kaffirs are so fond, and which much resemble those which NEEDLE AND SHEATa .11 /il P^4 24 THE KAFFIR. I ill iji. are used in our navj^. As a finishing touch to the needle-sheath, it has been allowed to dry, and then plentifully imbrued with grease. The most ornamental needle that I have seen was brought to England by the late H. Jackson, Esq. who kindly placed it and the rest of his valuable coUection at my disposal This needle is represented in the accompanving illustration, at fig. 1. The needle itself is of the ordinary shape, though much lai^ger than the specimen which has just been described ; and it is upon the sheath and its ornaments that the proud owner has lavished his powers. The sheath is made of leather, but is modelled into a curious pattern, which may be easily imitated. Boll up a tube of paper, about the third of an inch in diameter. At an inch from the end, pinch it tightly between the right thumb and finger, until it is squeezed flat Still retaining the grasp, pinch it with the left hand just below the finger and thumb of the right, and at right angles to them. Proceed in this manner until the whole of it has been pinched. Then, if we suppose that the tube is made of raw hide thoroughly wetted, that a well-oiled needle is placed in it, and that the leather is worked carefully upon the needle so as to make a sheath, ornamented with flattened projections at right angles to each other, we shall see how the sheath is made. The string of beads by which it is hung roijnd the neck is put together* with great taste. The palo- tinted beads are white with rings of scarlet, and the others are blue with large spots of white, the whole forming a very artistic contrast with the skin of the wearer. The best point of this needle-case is, how- 1 ever, the ornament which hangs to it just by the head of the needla This is a piece of rhinoceros nom, cut into the shape of a buffalo hea !*. and part of the neck — very much, indeed, as if it hid been intended for the handle of a seal. The skill with which the | artist — for he really deserves the name — has manipu- lated this stubborn substance is really admirable I The sweep of the animal's horns is hit off with a boldness of line and a freedom of execution that would scarcely be expected from a savage. That he should make an accurate representation of the animal was likely enough, considering his familiarity with the subject, but that he should be able to carve with his assagai-blade so artistic a design could hardly havej been expected from him. By the side of this needle hangs another, which 1 1 have introduced because the sheath, instead of being made of leather, is a wooden tube, closed at one end, I and guarded at both ends by a thong of raw hide rolled round it As the Kaffirs employ needles of this description, it is evident that they cannot use the I same kind of thread as ourselves, since a cotton thread would not make its way through the I leather, and therefore the Kaffir has recourse to the animal kingdom for his thread asl well as for his garments. The thread is made of the sinews of various animals, the bestl being made of the sinews taken from the neck of a giraffe. One of these bundles ofl thread is now before me, and a curious article it is — stiff", angular, elastic, and with anl invincible tendency to become entangled among the other objects of the collection. Fevl KAFFIR NEEDLES AND SHEATHS. THE APRON OR "TAILS." mi <)•% Snons to whom it is shown for the first time will believe that it is thread, ui icy that I am trying to take advantage of their ignorance. When this strange thread is wanted for use, it is steeped in hot water until < » quite doft, and is then beaten between two smooth stones. This process causes it k narate into filaments, which can be obtained of almost any degree of strength or fineness. The sinew thus furnishes a thread of astonishing strength when compared with its diameter, surpassing even the silk-grass of Guiana in that respect. When a Kaffir wishes to sew, he prepares some of this thread, squats on the ground, takes his needle, and bores two little holes in the edges of the garment on which he is working. He then pushes the thread through the holes thua made, and makes two more holes opposite each other. He continues to draw the stitches tight as he proceeds, and thus gets on with his work at a rate which would certainly not pay a sempstress in this ABTIOLBS OF KAFFIR COSTUMB. • '^i coiftitry, but which is very well suited to Africa, where time is not of the least value. As he works with wet siuew upon wet hide, it naturally follows that, in the process of drying, the seams become enormously strengthened, the stitches being drawn tightly by the contraction of sinew, and the contraction of the hide forcing the stitches deeply into its own substance, and almost blending them together. So, although the work is done very slowly, one of our sewing-machines being equal to a hundred Eaftirs, or thereabouts, in point of speed, it is done with a degree of efficacy that no machine can ever approach. I have in my collection very many examples of Kaffir sewing, and in every instance the firmness and solidity of the workmanship are admirable. Their fur-sewing is really wonderful, for they use very close stitches, very fine thread, and join the pieces so perfectly that the set of the hairs is not disturbed, and a number of pieces will look and feel exactly as if they were one single skin. We will begin an account of Kaffir dress with the ordinary costume of a man. Until he approaches manhood, the Kaffir does not trouble himself about so superfluous a luxury as dress. He may wear beads and ornaments, but he is not troubled with dress in our acceptation of the word. When he becomes a man, however, he assumes the peculiar THE KAFFIR. apron which may be seen by reference to any of the illustrations of Kaffir men. This garment is intended to represeat tlie tails of animals, and by Europeans is generally called by that name. Thus, instead of saying that a man has put on bis dress or his apron, he is said to have put on his " tails." It is notable, by the way, that this form of dress extends over a considerable part of AfHca, and is common to both sexes, though the details are carried out in a different manner. The principle is a belt round the waist, with a number of thongs depending from it, and we find tnis characteristic dress as far northward as Egypt. Indeed, strings or thongs form a considerable portion, not only of a Kaffir's dross, but of his ornaments, as will be seen presently. The apron of the men is called "isinene," and is conventionally supposed to be mado of the tails of slain leopards, lions, or buffaloes, and to be a trophy of the wearer's courage as well as a mark of his taste in dress. Such a costume is sometimes, though very rarely, seen; there being but few Kaflirs who have killed enough of these ferocious beasts to make the " isinene " of their tails. The example which is given in the illustration was presented to me by Captain Drayson, RA., who bought it, to- gether with many other objects, after the lato Kaffir war. It is marked 1 in the illustration. It is made of strips of monkey skin, each about an inch and a half in width. These strips have been snipped half through on either side alter- nately, and then twisted so as to make furry cylinders, having the hair on the outside, and being fixed in that position until dry and tole- rably stiff. In my specimen there are fourteen of these strips, each being about fourteen inches long, but those in the middle exceeding the others by an inch or two. The strips or " tails " are gathered together above, and sewn firmly to a broad belt of the same material, which is so covered with red and white beads that the leather cannot be seen. Across the belt are two rows of conical brass buttons, exactly identical with those that decorate the jacket of the modem " page." These brass buttons seem to charm a Kaffir's heart. He cannot have too many of them, and it is his delight and pride to keep them burnished to the highest amount of polish which brass will take. I have various specimens of dress or ornament formerly belonging to Kaffirs of both sexes, and in almost every instance where the article has been very carefujly made, at least one brass button is attached to it. As long as the Kaffir stands or sits, the " isinene " hangs rather gracefully, and reminds the spectator of the sporran, or skin pouch, which forms part of the Highlander's dress. But when he runs, especially when he is rushing at full speed, the tails fly about m all directions, and have a most ludicrous effect, almost as if a bundle of living eels or snakes had been tied round the man's waist. If a Kaffir should be too lazy to take the trouble of making so elaborate a set of "tails," he merely cuts his "isinene" out of a piece of skin. An example of this kind of apron is seen in the above illustration, which represents a pair of figures, a Kaffir and hia wife, made by the natives out of leather. Here the male figure, on the right, is shown as wearing the isinene, and having besides a short kaross, or cloak, over his shoulders. These figures are in my own collection, and will be more particularly described when we come to the dress of Kaffir females. Most of the men wear a smaller duplicate of this apron, whi( li '"nils behind, and cor- responds with the isinene; this second apron is called the "umucha, ' ; id is mostly made of one piece of skin. Its use is not, however, universal, and indeed when in his own kraal or village, the Kaffir does not trouble himself about either isinene or umucha, and considers himself quite sufficiently clothed with a necklace and a snuff-box. DOLLS. ii U PORTRAIT OF OOZA. IT The accompanying illuBtration gives a good idea of the appearance presented by a Kaffir of rank in his ordinary dress. It is a portrait of Ooza, the well-known Zulu chief, whose name came prominently forward during the visit of Prince Alfred to the Cape. He is one of the most powerful chiefs of the Zulu tribe, and can at any moment summon into the field his five or six thousand trained and armed warriors. Yet in ordinary life he '1 not to bo distinguished from tho meanest of his subjects by any distinction of dress. An experienced eye would, however, detect his rank at a single glance, even though he were not even clad in his " tails." Ue is fat, and none but chiefs are fat in Kaffirland. " V/// mi mummmim ""///A f////iwim\itt ^ -.Vt-, 'miiiiiiiiMiiinill .flilllllllUf iniHiniH^iii jfuif pHIIHllir^r-tlfiK mimmiil iMmm ^fniimmknttM ' 'HfM lilti",,,.,.,.' Nnniiiriiiiaii J?HiiH!iri)i n'[h}\f\\MV' f^ i OOZA. THE KA.FFIR CHIEF, IN ORDINART UNDRESS. In fact, none but chiefs have the opportunity, because the inferior men are forced to such constantly active employment, live on such irregular nourishment, that they have no opportunity of accumulating fat. But a chief has nothing whatever to do, except to give his orders, and if those orders are within human capacity they will be executed. Tchaka once ordered his warriors to catch a lion with their unarmed hands, and they did it, losing, of course, many of their number in the exploit The chief can eat beef and porridge all day long if he likes, and ft 28 THE KAFFIR. he mostly does like. Also, he can drink aa much beer as he chooses, and always has a large vessel at hand full of that beverage. Pauda, the king of the Zulu tribes, was notable for being so fat that he could hardly waddle ; but, as the reader will soon be pi'esented with a portrait of this doubly great monarch, nothing more need be said about him. As to Goza, he is a wealthy man, possessing vast herds of cattle, besides a great number of wives, who, as far as can be judged by their portraits, are not beautiful according to European ideas of beauty, but are each representatives of a considerable number of cow& He wields undisputed sway over many thousands of subjects, and takes tribute from them. Yet he dresses on ordinary occasions like one of his own subjects, and his house is just one of the ordinary huts of which a village is composed. When he wishes to appear officially, he alters his style of dress, and makes really a splendid appearance in all the pomp of barbaric magnificence. Also, when he mixes with civilization, he likes to be civilized in dress, and makes his appearance dressed as an Englishman, in a silk hat, a scarlet coat, and jackboots, and attended in his rides by an aide-de-camp, dressed in a whit«-plumed cocked hat, and nothing else. A portrait of Goza in his full wardress will be given in the chapter that treats of Kaffir warfare. \f r ^ '.J CHAPTER V. I OBNAUKNTS WOItN BY h.AtfVm VXN — ^BBADS, BUTTONS, AND STRINGS — FASHIONABLB COLOUBS OF BEADS — OOOD TA8TB OF THB KAFFIBB — CAPBIOBB OF FASHION — OOZA's YOUNO WABBIOBS^ CITBIOUS BEAD OBNAMENT A BEMI-NECKLACB — A BEAD BBACELET, AND HODS OF CONSTBrO- TION — A CHEAP NECKLACE — TWO BEHABKABLE NECKLACES— OBNAHBNTS HADE OF LEATHBBIf THONGS — OX-TAILS USED /.9 OBNAHENTB, AND INDICATIONS OF THB WEALTH OF THEIR OWNEB — THB SKVLL USED FOB A SIMILAR PUBPOSE — A YOL^O KAFFIB IN FULL DRESS — CURIOUS DECORATIONS OF THE HEAD THB ISSIKOKO, OR HEAD-RING KAFFIR CHIVALRY — PICTUREBQUB ASPECT OF THB KAFFIB-r-THE EYE AND THE NOSTRIL — THB KAFFIR PERFUUB, AND ITS TENACITY — CLEANLY HABITS OF THB KAFFIR — CONDITIONS ALTER CIRCUH8TANCE8 — ANOTHBB UETHOD OF DRESSING SKINS — THE BLANKET AND THE XAB08S — ABULETB, ANKLETS, AND BBACELET8 A SIMPLE GRASS BBACELET IVOBY ARMLETS, AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION BEAD ARMLETS — METALLIC ARMLETS AN ANCIENT ROYAL ARMLET OF BRASS IBON ABHLETS A NEW METAL — ITS ADOPTION BY THB CHIEFS — SINGULAR SUPERSTITION, AND ABANDONMENT OF THB M^TAL — DEATH OF THB DISCOTBRBB. As to the ornaments which a Kaffir man wears, they may be summed up in three words — beads, buttons, and strings, all three being often employed in the manufacture of one I ornament. All the beads come from Europe, and there is as much fashion in them as in I jewellery among civilized nations. The Kaffirs will have nothing to do with beads that I do not form a good contrast with the dark skin of the wearer, so that beads which would be thought valuable, even in England, would be utterly contemned by the poorest Kaffir. park blue, for example, are extremely unfashionable, while light azure blue is in great favour. Those beads which contain white and red are the most valued ; and if it were possible to make beads which should have the dazzling whiteness of snow, or the fiery hue of the scarlet verbena, almost any price might be obtained for them in Kaffirland. The tapriciousness of fashion is quite as great among the Kaffirs as among Europeans, land the bead-trade is, therefore, very precarious, beads which would have been purchased I at a very high price one year being scarcely worth their freight in the next. Still, there lis one rule which may always guide those who take beads as a medium of barter among [savages. The beads should always contrast boldly with the colour of the skin. Now, I the average colour of a Kaffir is a very dark chocolate ; and if the intended trader among . Ithese tribes wishes to make a successful speculation, he cannot do better than have a lay Ifigure painted of a Kaffir's colour, and try the effect of the beads upon the image. Beads Icannot be too brilliant for a savage, and almost any small articles which will take a high Ipolish and flash well in the sunshine will find a market. Having procured his beads, either by exchange of goods or by labour, the Kaffir Iproceeds to adorn himself with them. In a photograph before me, representing a group of young warriors belonging to Goza's army, three of the men have round their necks strings of beads which must weigh several pounds, while another has a broad belt of eads passing over the shoulder just like the sash of a light infantry officer. Tlie ordinary mode of wearing them is in strings round the neck, but a Kaffir of ingenuity ievises various other fashions. If he has some very large and very white beads, he will 80 THE KAFFIR ■ i It: A tie them round his forehead, just over his eyebrows, allowing some of them to dangle oyer his nose, and others on either side of the e^es. In the illustration on page 33, fig. 1, is shown a sash somewhat similar to that which has just been mentioned, though it is not made wholly of beads. Its groundwork is a vast number of small strings laid' side by side, and bound at intervals by bands of different coloured beads, those towards the ends being white, and the others scarlet, pink, or green. Its length is about eight feet A small portion is given on an enlarged scale, to show the mode of structure. • The other articles belong to female costume, and will be described presently. KAFFia 0RNA1IBMT8. The group of ornaments in the accompanying illustration ia very interesting, and is taken from specimens kindly lent me by the lato H. Jackson, Esq. The round article with dark centre is the first which we will notice. In form it resembles a hollow cone, or rather a Malay's hat, and is made of leather, ingeniously moulded and sewn while wet, and then kept in its shape until dry. The whol'^ of the interior is so thickly covered with beads that the leather is quite concealed. The beads in the centre are red, and the others are white. This ornament is worn on the breast, and to all appearance must be a very awkward article of decoration. If the oittaide had been covered with beads, it is easy to understand that it would have rested very comfortably on the breast with its bead- covered apex projecting like a huge sugar-loaf button. But, as the peak has to rest on the breas^ the ornament must sway about in a most uncomfortable manner. The ornamen among the Kaffir neuk, so that non work of this se Some of them ar are reversed. A formed of a sort the action of th( effect A bracelet, ah strung on threads construction to th technically as a coloured, and are they are twisted t Some of the figure. They are are tolerably polii value is that they Still, there are ni have even so simp land, and are not ment of some kii obtain beads they for them. ' One of these consists merely of ing. A hole is bo 80 that they tit < showing the strin< lie that, although t over the head, it necklaces which ( have been selectet first made a neckh metal. No. 1 repi and teeth. First, leathern thongs, a rather a small size When he has length, he has plac size, and being wh inch and a half oi These are the cani varying from three each, and all the black beads, then exhausted, and the The necklace 1 made by the same former ornament 1: teeth of the slaug wear the skins, an pose that a Kaffir, was fired with a d( of course, possess ^ NECKLACES. 31 y The ornament at the bottom o' the illustration is a 8erai>neclclace, much in request ftmong the KafKrs. A string is fastened to each ipper corner and then tied behind the neck, so that none of the beads are wasted upon a back view of the person. The ground- work of this semi-necklace is white, and the marks upon it are differently coloured. Some of them are red in the interior and edged with yeUow, while in others these colours are reversed. A narrow line of scarlet beads runs along the lower edge. The necklace is formed of a sort of network, of which the meshes are beads, so that as it is moved by the action of the body, the light shines through the interstices, aud has a very pretty effect. A bracelet, also made of beads, is shown in the same illustration at fig. 2. Tlie beads are strung on threads, and then twisted together so as to form a loose rope, very similar in construction to the rope ring used so much by sailors, and known technically as a " grummet" The strings of beads are variously coloured, and are arranged with considerable taste, so that when they are twisted together the general effect is very good. Some of the commoner beads are shown in the accompanying figura They are of that kind which are called " chalk- white," and are tolerably polished. They are oblong in shape, and their only value is that they contrast well with the dark skin of the wearer. Still, there are many young men who would be only too glad to have even so simple a set of beads, for beads are money in Kaffir- land, and are not to be obtained without labour. However, orna- ment of some kind the young men will have, and if they caimot obtain beads they will wear some other ornament as a succedaneum for them. ' One of these very simple necklaces is in my collection. It consists merely of nuts, which the wearer could have for the pick- ing. A hole is bored through each nut, just above the smaller end, so that they tit closely together, and stand boldly out, without showing the string on which they are threaded. So closely do they lie that, although the necklace is only just large enough to be passed over the head, it contains more than a hundred nuts. The two necklaces which are represented in the illustration on page 32, have been selected because they show how the native artist has first made a necklace of beads and teeth, and has then imitated ib in metal. No. 1 represents a bracelet that is entirely made of beads and teeth. First, the maker has prepared six or seven very fine leathern thongs, and haa strung upon them black glass beads of rather a small size. When he has formed rows of about an inch and a half in length, he has placed in each string a single bead of a much larger size, and being white in colour, spotted with bright blue. Another inch and a half of black beads follow, and then come the teeth. These are the canine teeth of the leopard and other felidse, and are arranged in groups varying from three to five in number. A tolerably large hole is bored through the base of each, and all the strings are passed through them. The maker then goes on with the I black beads, then with the white, then with the teeth, and so on, until his materials are I exhausted, and the necklace finished. The necklace No. 2 is of a far more ambitious character, and, whether or not it has been I made by the same artificer, it shows that the same principle has been carried out. The former ornament belonged to a man who had been skilful as a hunter, and who wore the teeth of the slaughtered leopards as trophies of his valour and success. He would also wear the skins, and lose no opportunity of showing what he had done. But we will sup- I pose that a Kaffir, who has some notion of working in metal, saw the bracelet, and that he was fired with a desire to possess one of a similar character. Leopards' teeth he could not, of course, possess without killing the animal for himself, because no one who has achieved B£AD3. liiii 82 THE KAFFIR. such a feat would sell to another the trophies of his own prowess. So he has tried to imitate the coveted ornament as well as he could ; and though he might not possess either the skill or the courage of the hunter, he could, at all events, make a necklace which would resemble in shape that of his companion, be very much more showy, and possess a considerable intrinsic value. So he set up his forge, and, in a manner which will be described in a future page, made his own bronze, brass, or bell-metal, and cast a number of little cylinders. These he beat into shape with his primitive hammer, and formed them into very tolerable imitations of leopards' teeth. Being now furnished with the material for his necklace, he began to put it together. Firstly, he strung rows of chalk-white beads, and then a brass tooth. Next to the tooth comes a laige transparent glass bead, of ruby-red, decorated with white spots. Then comes a tooth, then more beads, and so on, until the ornament has been completed. In order to give the necklace an air of reality, he cut NECKL/LCES-BEADS A..D TEETH. a piece of bone so as to look like a very large tooth, and strung it in the centre of | the ornament, so as to fall on his chest. This is really a handsome piece of workmanship, and when in use must have a very I excellent effect. The colours are selected with remarkable taste, as nothing can look better on a dark skin than white and ruby. Moreover, the metal teeth are burnished so as to glisten brilliantly in the sun, and will dazzle the eye at the distance of some feet | Both these necklaces are drawn from specimens in the collection of Colonel Lane Fox. It is a remarkable fact that good taste in colour, if not in material, seems to be I inherent in the race, despite the very small amount of clothes which either sex wears. When they become partially civilized, especially if they owe any allegiance to missionaries, they assume some portion of ordinary European costume. The men, whose wardrobe is generally limited to a shirt and trousers, have little scope for taste in dress; but the ORNAMENTS. 33 women always contrive to develop this faculty. Whether in the gay colours of the gowns which they wear, or whether in the more sober hue of the handkerchief which they invariably tie round their heads, they always manage to hit upon a combination of colours which harmonize with their complexions. Perhaps it is fortunate that such should be the case, for the assumption of European costume is, artistically speaking, anything but an improvement in the appearance of a Kaffir, or, indeed, of any wearer of a dark skin ; and it is a curious fact, that the better the clothes, the worse do they look. A young Kaffir, wearing nothing but his few tufts of fur, moves with a free and upright gait, and looks like one of nature's noblemen. But tae moment that he puts on the costume adopted in civilized Europe, he loses every vestige of dignity, and even his very gait is altered for the worse. The metropolitan reader can easily witness such a metamorphosis by visiting the Hamm^m, or any similar esta- blishment, where dark-skinned attendants are employed. "While engaged in their ordinary voca- tion, clad with nothing but a cloth round their loins, they look just like ancient statues endued with life, and it is im- possible to avoid admiring the graceful dignity of their ges- tures, as they move silently about the room. But when any of them leave the room, and put on the ordinary dress, the change is complete and disappointing, and it is hardly possible to believe the identity of such apparently different in- dividuals. In the time long passed away, when Scotland was still contesting with Eng- land, the statesmen of the latter country showed no small know- ledge of human nature when they forbade the use of the Highland dress, and forced the Highlanders to abandon the picturesque costume which seems to harmonize so weU • with the wild hills of their native land. A Highlander in his kilt and tartan was not the same man when in the costume of the Lowlander, and it was mipossible for him to feel the same pride in himself as when he wore the garb of the mountaineer and the colours of his clan. Many of the young men who cannot afford beads make bracelets, necklaces, armlets, and anklets from the skins of animals. After cutting the skin into strips, they twist the strips spirally, so as to convert them into hollow ropes, having all the hair on the outside. When made of prettily-coloured skins, these curious ornaments have a very good, though barbaric effect By cutting the strips spirally, almost any length caa be obtained : and vor,. r. n KAFFU OBNAHBNm '5/ '' 4^1 f.. 1 '^,/.f*s 84 THE KAFFIR / the consequence is, that the young men sometimes appear with their hodies, legs, and arms covered with these furry ropes. Another kind of ornament of which the Kaffir is very fond is the tufted tail of an ox. A man of consequence will sometimes wear a considerable number of these tails. Some he will form into an apron, and others will be disposed about his person in the quaintest {)ossible style. He will tie one under each knee, so as to bring it on the shin-bone. Others le will fix to leathern loops, and hang them loosely on his arms, like the curious bracelet worn by Jung Bahadoor when in England. Some he will divide into a multitude of strips, and sew them together so as to make fringed belts, which he will tie round his waist, or with which he will encircle the upper arms. Others, again, will be attached to his ankles, and a man thus d'^corated is contemplated enviously by those not so fortunate. The very fact of possessing such ornaments shows that the wearer nmst be a rich man, and have slaughtered his own cattle. It is hardly possible to obtain cow-tails in any other method ; for the owner of a slain cow is sure to keep the tail for himself, and will not give so valuable an ornament to another. For the same reason, when the cow has been eaten up, its owner fastens the skull on the outside of his hut. 'Every one who passes within sight can then see that a rich man lives in that dwelling. Even when the tails are sold to Europeans, an absurdly high price is asked for them. Oile of these arm-tufts is now before me. The skin has been stripped from the tail, leaving a thong of eighteen inches in length above the tuft of hair. This thong has then been cut into three strips of half an inch in width, and the strips have been rolled up spirally, as already described. As the slit is carried to the very end of the tail, the tuft is spread open, and therefore looks twice as large as would have been the case had it been left untouched. Each of these tufts representing a cow, it is evident that the possession of them shows that the owner must be wealthy enough, not* only to possess cows, but to have so many that he could afi'ord to slaughter them. The illustmtion on j-age 35 represents a Kaffir who is hoth young and rich, and who has put on his dress of ceremony for the purpose of paying a visit. Under such cir- cumstances, u Kaffir will exercise the greatest care in selecting ornaments, and occupy houi-s in putting them on to the best advantage. Among the furs used by the Kaffir for this purpose is that of the Angora goat, its long soft hair working up admirably into fi'inges and similar ornaments. Feathers of different birds are worked into the head-dress, and the rarer the bird and the more brilliant the colour the better is the wearer pleased. One decoration which is sometimes worn on the head is a globular tuft, several inches in diameter, formed from the feathers of a species of roller. The lovely plumage of the bird, with its changeful hues of green and blue, is exactly adapted for the purpose: and in some cases two of these tufts will be worn, one on the forehead and the oth^r on the back of the head. Eagles' feathers are much used among the Kaffirs, as, in spite of their comparatively plain colouring, their firm and graceful shape enables the wearer to form them into very elegant head-dresses. Ostrich feathers are also used for the purpose, as are the richly-coloured plumes of the lory ; but the great ambition of a Kaffir beau is to procure some feathers of the peacock, of which he is amazingly vaiu. On such occasions the Kaffir will wear much more dress than usual ; and, in addition to the quantity of beads which he contrives to dispose upon his person, he ties so many tufts and tails vound his waist that he may almost be said to wear a kilt. He will carry his shield and bundle of spears with him, but will not take the latter weapons into the host's house, either exchanging them for imitative spears of wood or taking a simple knobbed stick. Some sort of a weapon he must have in his hand, or he would feel himself quite out of his element. When the "boy" has at last obtained the chief's permission to enter the honoured class of " men," he prepares himself with much ceremony for the change of costume which indicates his rank. The change does not consist so much in addition as in subtraction, and is confined to the head. All unmarried men wear the whole of their hair, and sometimes indulge their vanity in dressing it in various modes ; such as drawing it out to its fullest extent, and stiffening it with grease and shining powders, so that it looks something like DECORATIONS OF THE HEAD. 36 the wigs which bishops used to wear, but which have been judiciously abandoned. If particular pains are taken with the hair, and it happens to be rather longer than usual, the effect is very remarkable. I have a photographic portrait of a young Zulu warriop, \vhose hair is so bushy and frizzled that it might be taken for that of a Figian ; and as in his endeavours to preserve himself in a perfectly motionless attitude, he has clenched bis teeth tightly and opened his eyes very wide, he looks exactly as if all his hair were standing on end with astonishment. ' Proud, however, as he may be, as a "boy," of his hair, he is still prouder when he has the permission of his chief to cut it off, and at once repairs to a friend who will act a» hairdresser. The friend in ques- tion takes his best assagai, puts a tine edge upon it, furnishes himself with a supply of gum, sinews, charcoal-powder, and oil, and addresses himself to his task. His first care is to make an oval ring of tho sinews, about half an inch in thickness, and then to fit it on the head. The hair is then firmly woven into it, and fixed with the gum and charcoal, until the hair and ring seem ad if they were one sub- stanca Oil or grease is next libe- rally applied, until the circlet shines like a patent leather boot, and the ring is then complete. The officiating friend next takes his assagai, and shaves the whole of the head, outside and inside the ring, so as to leave it the sole decoration of his bald head. The ring, or " issikoko," is useful for several purposes. It answers admirably to hold feathers firmly, when the cour- tier decorates his head for cere- mony, or the soldier for war. It serves also more peaceful uses, being the usual place where the snuff-spoon is worn. This mode of dressing the hair has its inconvenience, for the ring continually needs to be repaired and kept in order. As to the " issikoko itself," it is too hard to be easily damaged ; but as the hair grows it is raised above the head, and, when neglected for some time, will rise to a height of two inches or so. Moreover, the shaven parts of the head soon regain their covering, and need a^^ain to be submitted to the primitive razor. No man would venture to appear before his chief with the head unshaven, or with the ring standing above it ; for if he did so, his life would probably answer for his want of respect The reverence with which a Kaffir regards the " issikoko " is equal to that which an Oriental entertains for his beard. Mr. Moffatt mentions a curious illustration of this fwA. S2 TOUNO KAFFIR IN FULL DRESS. I. *! . < 86 THE KAFFIR A warrior of rank, an " Induna," or petty chief, was brought before the king, the dreaded Moselekate, charged with an ofl'ence the punishment of which was death. He was con- ducted to the king, deprived of his spear and shield. " He bowed his fine elastic figure, and kneeled before the ju(^ge. The case was investigated silently, which gave solenniity to the scene. Not a whisper was heard among the listening audience, and the voices of the council were only audible to each other and to the nearest spectators. The prisoner, though on his knees, had something digniticd and noble in his mien. Not a muscle of his countenance moved, but a bright black eye indicated a feeling of intense interest, which the swerving balance between life and death only could produce. The case required little investigation; the charges wore clearly substantiated, and the culprit pleaded guilty. But, alas 1 he knew that it was at a bar where none ever heard the heart-reviving sound of pardon, even for offences small compared with his. A pause ensued, during which the silence of death pervaded the assembly. " At length the monarch spoke, and, addressing the prisoner, said : ' You are a dead man ; but I shall do to-day what I never did before. I spare your life, for the sake of my friend and father,' pointing to where I stood. ' I know that his heart weeps at the shed- ding of blood ; for liis sako I spare your life. He has travelled from a far country to see me, and he has made my heart white ; but he tells me that to take away life is an awful thing, and never can bo undone again. Ho has pleaded with me not to go to war, nor to destroy life. T wish hiift, when he returns to his own home again, to return with a heart pa white as he has made mina I spare you for his sake ; for I love him, and he has saved the lives of my people. But,' continued the king, ' you must be degraded for life ; you must no more associate with the nobles of the land, nor enter the towns of the princes of the people, nor ever again minglo in the dance of the mighty. Go to the poor of the field, and let your companions be the inhabitants of the desert.' " The sentence passed, the pardoned man was expected to bow in grateful adoration to him whom he was wont to look upon and exalt in songs applicable only to\One, to whom belongs universal sway and the destinies of man. But no I Holding his hands clasped on his bosom, h^ replied : ' king, atflict not my heart ! I have incited thy displeasure : let me be slain like the warrior. I cannot live with the poor.' And, raising his hand to the ring he wore on his brow, he continued : ' How can I live among the dogs of the king, and disgrace these badges of honour which I won among the spears and shields of the mighty? No ; I cannot live ! Let me die, Pezoolu !' " His request was granted, and his hands tied erect over his head. Now my exertions to save his life were vain. He disdained the boon on the conditions offered, preferring to die with the honours he had won at the point of the spear — honours which even the act which condemned him did not tarnish — to exile and poverty among the children of the desert He was led forth, a man walking on each side. My eye followed him until he reached the top of a high precipice, over which he was precipitated into the deep part of the river beneath, where the crocodiles, accustomed to such meals, were yawning to devour hin ere he could reach the bottom." The word " issikoko," by which the KafBr denominates the head-ring, is scarcely to be pronounced, not by European lips, but by European palates ; for each letter k is preceded, or rather accompanied, by a curious clucking sound, produced by the back of the tonpue and the roof of the mouth. There are three of these " clicks," as they are called, and thiy will be more particularly described when we come to the subject of Kaffir language. Under nearly all circumstances a Kaffir presents a singularly picturesque figure — except, perhaps, when squatting on the ground with his knees up to his chin — and nothing can be more grateful to an artistic eye than the aspect of a niimber of these splendid savages in the full panoply of all their barbaric magnificence. Their proud and noble port, their dusky bodies set off with beads and other brilliant ornaments, and the uncom- mon grace and agility which they display when going through the fierce mimicry of a fight which constitutes their war dances, are a delight to the eye of an artist. Utafortunately, his nose is affected in a different manner. The Kaffirs of all ages and both sexes will persist in copiously anointing themselves with grease. Almost any sort of grease would soon become rancid in that country ; but^ as the Kaffirs are not at all ^M it } h: I M» k T -'!! V 'I ';.. i U THE KAFFIB PERFUME. particular about the sort of crease which they use, provided that it is grease, they exhale a very powerful aud very disagreeable odour. Kaffirs are charming savages, but it is always as well to keep to the windward of them, at all events until the nostrils have become accustomed to their odour. Tliis peculiar scent is as adhesive as it is powerful, and, even after a Kaffir has laid aside his dress, any article of it will be nearly as strongly scented as the owner. Some time ago, while I was looking over a very fine collection of savage implements and dress, some articles of apparel were exhibited labelled with tickets that could not possibly have belonged to them. The owner said that he suspected them to be African, and asked my opinion, which was unhesitatingly given, the odour having betrayed theii real country as soon as they were brought within range of scent. A few years ago, I assisted in opening a series of boxes and barrels full of objects from Kaffirland. We took the precaution of opening the cases in the garden, and, even in the open air, the task of emptying them was almost too much for our unaccustomed senses. All the objects were genuine specimens, not merely made for sale, as is so often the case, but purchased from the wearers, and carefully put away. The owner of the col- lection was rather humorous on the subject, congratulating us on our preparation for a visit to Kaffirland, and telling us that, if either of us wished to form a good idea of the atmos'phere which prevailed in a Kaffir hut with plenty of companv, all we had to do was to get into the empty cask, sit at the bottom of it, and put the lid on. Several of the articles of clothing were transferred to my collection, but for some time •Vhey could not be introduced into the room. Even after repeated washings, and hanging out in the garden, and drenching with deodorizing fluid, they retained so much of their peculiar scent that they were subjpcted to another course, which proved more successful, — namely, a thorough washing, then drying, then exposure to a strong heat, and then drying in the open air. This extremely powerful odour is a considerable drawback to an European hunter when accompanied by Kaffir assistants. They are invaluable as trackers, their eyes seem to possess telesccfpic powers, their ears are open to sounds which their white companion is quite incapable of perceiving, and their olfactory nerves are sensitive to any odour except that which themselves so powerfully exhale. But the wild animals are even more sen- sitive to odours than their dusky pursuers, and it is popularly said that an elephant to leeward can smell a Kaffir at the distance of a mila All are alike in this respect, the king and his meanest subject being imbrued with the same unctuous substance ; and the only difference is, that the king can afford more grease, and is therefore likely to be more odoriferous, than his subject Yet the Kaffir is by no means an uncleanly person, and in many points is so par- ticularly clean that he looks down with contempt upon an European as an ill-bred man. The very liberal anointing of the person with grease is a custom which would be simply abominable in our climate, and with our mode of dress, but which is almost a necessity in a climate like that of Southern Africa, where the natives expose nearly the whole of their bodies to the burning sunbeams. Even in the more northern parts of this continent the custom prevails, and Englishmen who have resided there for a series of years have found their health much improved by following the example of the natives. In England, for example, nothing could be more absurd than to complete the morning's toilet by putting on the head a laige lump of butter, but in Abyssinia no native of fashion thinks hiiuself fully dressed untU he has thus put the finishing touch to his costume. Setting aside the different effects of the sun upon a black skin and a white one, as long as European residents in Southern Africa are able to wear their cool and light garments, so long can they dispense with grease. But, if they were suddenly deprived of their linen or cotton garments, and obliged to clothe themselves after the fashion of the Kaffirs, it is likely that, before many weeks had elapsed, they would be only too glad to resort to a custom which has been taught to the natives by the experience of centuries. Had not the practice of greasing the body been productive of gooa, their strong common sense would long ago have induced the Kaffirs to dispense with it. In this, as in all other matters, we must not judge others by supposing them to be THE KAFFIR 89 under similar conditions with ourselves. Our only hope of arriving at a true and unbiassed judgment is by mentally placing ourselves in the same conditions as those of whom we are treating, and forming our conclusions accordingly. The knowledge of this simple principle is the key to the singular success enjoyed by some schoolmasters, while others, who may far surpass them in mere scholarship, have failed to earn for themselves either the respect or the love of their pupils. Men, as well as women, generally possess cloaks made of the skins of animals, and called karosses. Almost any animal will serve for the purpose of the kaross-maker, who has a method of rendering perfectly supple the most stiff and stubborn of hides. The process of preparing the hide is very simple. The skin is fastened to the ground by a vast number of pegs round its edges, so as to prevent it from shrinking unequally, the hairy side being next to the ground. A leopai-d-skin thus pegged to the ground may be seen by reference to the illustration of a Katfir hut. The artist, however, has committed a slight error in the sketch, having drawn the skin as If the hairy side were upwards. The Kaffir always pegs a skin with the hairy side downwards, partly because the still wet hide would adhere to the ground, and partly because he wishes to be able to manipulate the skin before it is dry. Tlds plan of pegging down the skin is spread over the whole world ; and whether in Europe, Africa, Asia, America, or Australia, the first process of hide-dressing is almost exactly the same. The subsequent processes vary greatly in different quarters of the globe, and even in dif- ferent parts of the same country, as we shall see in subsequent pages. The frontier Kaffirs, and indeed all those who can have communication with Europeans, have learned th6 value of blankets, and will mostly wear a good blanket in preference to the bdst kaross. Bat to the older warriors, or in those places to which European traders do not penetrate, the skin kaross still retains its vclue. The ox is the animal that most generally supplies the kaross-maker. with skin, because it is so large that the native need not take much trouble in sewing. Still, even the smaller animals are in great request for the purpose, and the karosses made from them are, to European eyes, far handsomer than those made from single skins. Of course, the most valued by the natives are those which are made from the skins of the predaceous animals, a kaross made of lion-skin being scarcely ever seen except on the person of sable royalty. The leopard-skin is highly valued, and the fortunate and valiant slayer of several leopards is sure to make their skins into a kaross and their tails into an apron, both garments being too precious to be worn except on occasions of ceremony. As to the various adornments of feathers, strange head- aresses, and other decorations with which the Kaffir soldier loves to bedeck himself, we shall find them described in the chapter relating to Kaffir warfare. There is, however, one class of ornaments that must be briefly mentioned; namely, the rings of different material which the Kaffirs place on their wrists, arms, and ankles. These are sometimes made of ivory, often of metal, some- times of hide, sometimes of beads, and sometimes of grass. This last-mentioned bracelet is perhaps the simplest of them all, as may be seen from the accompanying illustration, wKich is taken from a specimen in my collection. It is mide of the yellow stems of some species of grass, plaited together with singular ingenuity, so as to form a bold and regular pattern, the lines of grass stems sweeping regularly side by side along the centre, crossing and recrossing each other in their course, and forming a narrow plaited pattern along each edge. More than fifty stems are used in making this simple orna- ment, so that the skill of the manipulator is strongly tested. Men who have been fortunate enough to kill an elephant, and rich enough to be able to use part of the tusks for their own purposes, generally cut off a foot or so from the GR^S BRACELET. '!li •1:^ r^ J! ; .m : M 40 IVORY ARMLETS. 'r bofle of each tusk for tho piirpose of making armlets, at once trophies of their valour ana proofs of their wealth. The reader is perhaps aware that tho tusk of an elephant, though hard and solid at the point, is soft at the base, and has only a mere shell of hard ivory, the interior being fiUed with the soft vascular substance by which the tusk is continually lengthened and enlarged. Indeed, the true ivory is only found in that portion of tho tusk which projects from the head ; the remainder, which is deeply imbedded iu the skull, being made of soft substance enclosed in a shell of ivory. It is easy enough, therefore, for the Kaffir hunter to cut off a portion of the base of the tusk, and to remove tho soft vascular substance which .fills it, leaving a tube of ivory, very thin and irregular at the extreme base, and becoming thicker towards the point His next business is, to cut this tube into several pieces, so as to make rings of ivory, some two or three inches in width, and differing much in the thickness of material Those which are made from the base of tho tusk, and which have therefore a large diameter and no great thickness, are carefully polished, and placed on the arm above the elbow, while those of smaller diameter and thicker substance are merely slipped over the hand and worn as bracelets. There is now before rce a ])hotographic portrait of a sou of the celebrated chief Macomo, who is wearing two of these ivory rings, one on the left arm and the other on the wrist. A necklace, composed of leopard's teeth and claws, aids in attesting his skill as a hunter, and for the rest of his apparel the less said the better. A pair of these armlets are shown g in the illustration. They are sketched from specimens in the collection of Colonel Lane Fox. The first of them is very simple. It consists merely of a piece, some two inches in width, cut from the base of an elephant's tusk, and moderately polished. There is no attempt at ornament about it. The second specimen is an example of much more elaborate constiuction. It is cut from the more solid portion of the tusk, and weighs very much more than its companion armlet. In- stead of being of uniform thickness throughout, it is shaped something like a quoit, or rather like a pair of quoits, with their flat sides placed together. The hole through which the arm passes is nicely rounded, and very smoothly polished, the hitter circumstance being probably due to the friction of the wearer's arm. It is ornamented by a double row of holes made around the aperture. The ivory is polished by means of a wet cord held at both ends, and drawn briskly backwards and forwards. If the reader will refer to the illustration on page 30, he will see that by the side of the conical breast ornament which has already been described, there is a bracelet of bf iiJs. This is made of several stiings of beads, white predominating, and red taking the next place. The bead-strings are first laid side by side, and then twisted spirally into f- loose kind of rope, a plan which brings out their colours very effectively. Metal is sometimes used for the same purpose, but not so frequently as the materials which have been mentioned. Mr. Grout mentions a curious specimen of one of these ornaments, which was made of brass. " I have a rare antique of this kind before me, a royal armlet of early days, of the Zulu country. It is said to have been made in the time of Senzangakona, and to lv;ve descended from him to Tchaka, thence to Dingan, thence to Umpande (Panda), who gave it to one of his chief captains, who, obliged to leave Zululand by Kechwayo's uprising, brought it with him and sold it to me. It is made of brass, weighs about two pounds, and bears a good many maiks of the smith's attempt at the curious and the clever." IVOBT ABHLETS. Brass and iron I beavy ornaments ai Some years ago, I A shining metallic I smelted like iron, a I which was more gl I their iron ornament I spread through the Ibuted to witchcraft, I of discovering the o I men, who will be fu I After making a [cause of the disease I of the past. In co I metal was put to d( Iking issued an edict THE KAFFIR 41 Brass and iron wire is frequently used for the manufacture of armlets, and tolerably I heavy ornaments aio sonictimos found of the latter metal. Some years a^o, a curious circumstance occurred with regard to these metallic armletg. h sliiniuj? metallic powder was one day discovered, and was found capable of being Binelted like iron, and made into ornaments. The chiefs were so pleased with this metal, Lhich was more glittering than iron, that they reserved it for themselves, and gave away their iron ornaments to Iheir followers. Some little time afterwards, a contagious disease spread through the country, and several chiers died. Of course the calamity was ottri- buted to witchcraft, as is every death or illness among the Kaffir chiefs, and the business of discovering the offender was entrusted, as usual, to the witch-doctors, a strange class of men, who will be fully described in a future page. After making a number of ineffectual guesses, they came to the conclusion that the cause of the disease lay in the new-fangled metal, which had auperseded the good old iron of the past. In consequence of this verdict, the unfortunate man who discc/ered the metal was put to death as an accessory, the chiefs resumed their iron ornaments, nnd the king issued an edict forbidding the use of the metal which had done so much harm. ,'"^. • M i'^ > 4fh t CHAPTER VI. FEMININE DUESS AND ORNAMENTS. 1 ■.;>■' i f- lla WEEN OBBSS 18 PIBST WOllN — PAINT AND OIL — THB FIB8T OAIIMENT, AND ITS IMPOBT — APROMl OP KAFFIB OIBLS VABIOVS MATGBIALS OF WHICH TUB APRONS ABE MADB BEADS AND I LEATHBB CHANGE OF DBBSS ON BETBOTHAL — DRESS OP A HARRIED WOMAN — THE BED TOP- 1 KNOT, AND ESTIMATION IN WHICH IT IS HELD JEALOUSY AND ITS RESULTS — AN KLABOBATll DBESS OBUINARY APBON OF A MABBIED WOMAN — BEAD APBON OF A CHIEf's WIFE — CURIOUS I BRACELETS OF METAL — THEIR APPARENT INCONVENIENCE BRACELETS MADE OF ANTELOPf'sl HOOF — COSTUMES USED IN DANCES QUANTITY OF BEADS USED IN THE DBEBS A STBANOll HEAD-DRESS— BELTS AND SEMI-BELTS OF KAFFIB WOMEN — ^NECKLACES — GOOD INTEBEST AW) I BAD SECURITY IMITATION OF EUROPEAN FASHION SUB8TITUTB FOR HANDKERCHIEFS— I ANECDOTE OF A WEDDING DANCE — KAFFIR OALLANTBY — A SINQULAB DBOOBATION — KAFFIB | OASTANBTS — ^BABBINOS OF VARIOUS KINDS. As in the last chapter the dress and ornaments of the Kaffir men were described, tlie| subject of this chapter will be the costume and decoration of the women. Both in material and general shape, there is considerable resemblance between thel garments of the tw«) sexes, but those of the females have a certain character about themi which cannot be misunderstood. We will begin with the dress, and then proceed to tlie| ornaments. As is the case with the boys, the Kaffir girls do not trouble themselves about anyl clothes at all during the first few years of their life, but run about without any garmentsl except a coat of oil, a patch of paint, and perhaps a necklace, if the parents be rich enouglil to afford such a luxury. Even the paint is beyond the means of many parents, but thel oil is a necessity, and a child of either sex is considered to be respectably dressed and to| do credit to its parents when its body shines with a polish like that of patent leather. When a girl is approaching the age when she is expected to be exchangeable for cows,! she indues her first and only garment, which she retains in its primitive shape and nearljl its primitive dimensions until she has found a suitor who can pay the price required byl her parents. This garment is an apron, and is made of various materials, according to tlie| means of the weai*er. The simplest and most common type of apron is a fringe of narrow leathern strips,! each strip being about the sixth of an inch wide, and five or six inches in length. Al great number of these strips are fastened to a leathern thong, so that they fonn a kind o(l flexible apron, some ten or twelve inches in width. Generally, eight or ten of the strips! at each side are double the length of the others. Examples of these aprons may be seen! on referring to the figures of the two Kaffir girls on pnge 16, and, as their general make isl sufficiently indicated, nothing more need be said about them. I have, however, several! specimens of aprons which were worn by the daughters of wealthy men, and othersj were lent to me by Mr. H. Jackson. From them I have made a selection, which wiUl illustrate well the modes of forming this dress which were in fashion some fev| years ago. , THE KAFFIR 43 The apron at the bottom of the illustration ia that which is most generally used. It lis made of very delicate thongs twisted together in rope fashion, and having the ends un- Iravelled so as to make a thick fringe, and, as has already been observed, the thongs at each lend are twice as long as those which occupy the centre. A broad belt of beads is placed jalong the upper edge of the apron, and festoons of beads hang below the belt. The Icolours are rather brilliant, being red, yellow, and white, and nearly all the thongs have lone large white bead just above the knob, which prevents them from unravelling too Mi DRESS AND ORNAMENTS. nuch. The band by which it is suspended is also covered with beads, and it is fastened by means of a loop at one end, and a large brass button at the other. These aprons are Sxed in their position by two strings, one of which passes round the waist, and the other ' elow the hips. Another apron is seen at the side of the illustration, fig. 1. This is a very elaborate affair, land is made on a totally different principle. It is wholly made of beads, the threads phich hold them together being scarcely visible. In order to show the intrenious manner ■I -f % f. i-a 44 APRON OF A OHlEJj b WIFE. in which the heads are strung together, a portion of the apron is given separately. TliJ colours of these beads are black and white, in alternate stripes, and the two ends are tl trifle larger than the middle of the dress. The belt by which it is suspended is made irotgl large round beads, arranged in rows of white, blue, and red, and the two ends are fastened! to the apron by the inevitable brass button which has been so frequently mentioned. In the same collection is a still smaller apron, intended for a younger girl This u| made after the same principle, but the beads are arranged in a bold zigzag pattern ofl black, scarlet, and white, relieved by the glitter of highly-polished brass buttons. This| apron may be seen on the illustration at page 33, iig. 4, and a small portion of it is giveii| on an enlarged scale, so as to show the arrangement of the beads. When the Kaffir girl is formally betrothed she alters her dress, and, beside the smaUl aprQn, indues a piece of soft hide, which reaches to her knees, or a little below them, andl this she wears until she is married, when she assumes the singularly ungraceful attire ofl the matron. Among the- Zulu tribes, she sliavea nearly the whole of her head on thel crown, leaving only a little tuft of hair. This is gathered together with grease, red paint,! and similar substances, and stands erect from the crown of her head. The young wife it| then quite in the fashioa It is evidently the feminine substitute for the "issikoko " woti)| by the mea So fond are the married women of this rather absurd decoration, that it formed thel subject of a curious trial that took place some years ago. Noie, the youngest wife of al native named Nongue, became suddenly disfigured ; and, among other misfortunes, lost! the little tuft of reddened hair. Poison was immediately suspected, and one of the eldetl wives was suspected as the culprit. She was accordingly brought up before the counciJ and a fair trial of five hours' duration was accorded to her. The investigation clearlyl proved that she had in her possession certain poisons, and that she had administered 8ome| deleterious substance to the young wife, of whom she had become jealous. The force of evidence was so great thatl she confessed her crime, and stated that shel intended to make Noie's hair tuft fall off, inl order that the husband might be disgustedl with the appearance of his new wife, andl return to his old allegiance to herself. Shel vas condemned to death, that being thel punishment for all poisoners, and was ledl away to instant execution — a fate for whicJ she seemed peifectly prepared, and whicl ehe met with remarkable unconcern, biddini farewell to the spectators as she passdj them. The curious respect paid by the natival to this ornament is the more remarkablej because its size is so very small. Even fore shaving the head, the short, crisp haiil forms a very scanty covering ; and whep ill is all removed except this little tuft, th«f remainder would hardly cover the head of i child's sixpenny doll. In the accompanying illustration is sho? a remarkably elaborate apron belonging tol a chief's wife, drawn from a specimen in Mr. Jackson's collection. It is made of leather! dressed and softened in the usual manner, but is furnished with a pocket and a needlej In order to show this pocket, I have brought it round to the front of the apron, though in actual wear it falls behind it. In the pocket were still a few beads and a brass buttonl Thread is also kept in it. On the inside of the apron is suspended one of the skewer-likJ needles which has been already described, BO that the weaier is furnished with all appli^ ances needful for a Kaffir sempstress. APRON OF A CHIEFS WIFB. THE KAFFIR. 45 But the chief gloiy of the apron is its ornament of beads, which has a very bold |ffect against the dark mahogany hair of the apron itself. This ornament is made in the brm of a triangular flap, quite distinct from the apron itself, and fastened to it only by he lower edge and the pointed tip. The beads are arranged in a series of diamond Latterns, the outer edge of each diamond being made of white beads, and the others of pifferent colours, red predominating. On the illustration at page 25, flgs. 2 and 3, and next to the men s " tailf<," already [escribed, are seen two good examples of the women's aprons, both drawn from speci- Jiens in my collection. Fig. 3 is the thong-apron of the women. It is made of an in- fnity of leather thongs, fastened together in a way rather diflerent from that which has en mentioned. Instead of having the iipper ends fixed along the belt so as to form a inge, they are woven together into a tolerably thick bunch, some four inches in width, ad wider below than above. In many cases these thongs are ornamented by little craps of iron, brass, tin, or other metal, wrapped round them ; and in some instances ads are threaded on the thongs. This apron would not belong to a woman of any high rank, for it has no ornament If any kind (except a thorough saturation with highly-perfumed grease), and is made of liateri'. within the reach of every one. Any odd slips of hide thrown away in the Iroceso. v.. Kaffir tailoring can be cut into the narrow thongs used for the purpose, and lo very great skill is needed in its construction ; for, though strongly made, it is the }ork of a rather clumsy hand. Such is not the case with the remarkable apron shown at fig. 2 of the same illus- ition. This specimen is made in a rather unusual manner. The basis of the apron is j piece of the same leather which is usually employed for such purposes ; but instead of [eing soft and flexible, it ^'^"^ quite hard and stiff, and cannot be bent without danger of acking. The beads are - "^^ firmly on the leather, and are arranged in parallel lines, Jlternately white and lila( .'.v black beads being pressed into the service by the maker, Ipparently for want of tl. ■»: ■? a proper colour. Even the belt by which it is supported covered profusely with beads ; so that, altogether, this is a remarkably good specimen : the apron belonging to a Kaffir woman of rank. The object represented at fig. 4 is a head-dress, which will be described when we ome to Kattir warfare. A. general idea of a Kaffir woman's dress may be gained by reference to the illustration It page 26, representing a Kaffir and his wife. He is shown as wearing the apron and a liort kaross ; while she wears a larger mantle, and the thong-apron which has just been lescribed. She is also carrying the sleeping-mat ; he, of course, not condescending to arry anything. Her ankles are bound with the skin ropes which have been already [escribed ; and a chain or two of beads complete her costume. Young wives have usually another ornament on which they pride themselves. This 1 a piece of skin, generally that of an antelope, about eighteen inches wide, and a yard or Iven more in length. This is tied across the upper part of the chest, so as to allow the [nd to fall as low as the knees, and is often very gaily decorated. Down the centre of skin a strip about six inches in width is deprived of hair, and on this denuded portion he wearer fastens all the beads and buttons that can be spared from other parts of her \mi costume. In one costume of a young Zulu wife, the bottom of this strip is covered irith steveral rows of brass buttons, polished very highly, and glittering in the sunbeams. This article of dress, however, is disappearing among the frontier Kaffirs, who substi- iite European stuffs for the skin garments which they formerly wore, and which are ertainly n.oro becoming to them. The same may be said of many other articles of ' blothing, which, as well as the manners and customs, have undergone so complete a modi- pcation by intercourse with Europeans, that the Kaffir of the piesent day is scarcely to be ecognised as the same being as the Kaffir of fifty years ago. As to the Hottentots, of rhom we shall soon treat, they are now a different people from the race described by I Vaillant and earlier travellers. Married women are also fond of wearing bracelets, or rather gauntlets, of polished aetal; sometimes made of a single piece, sometimes of successive rings, and sometimes of jUiHf i«'i rw^ ft.r^i m 5V* 4 'h J ? )'.! 46 BRACELETS. metal wonnd spirally from the wrist upwards. Some of these ornaments are so hea^ and cumbrous, that they must greatly interfere with the movements of the wrist; hutiil this country, as in others, personal inconvenience is little regarded when decorations i in the case. In the accompanying illustration are shown some bracelets of a very peculiar fa! dr%wn from specimens in my own collection. They belonged to one of the wives of Goa(| and were taken from her wrists by the purchaser. They are made in a very ingenioml manner from the hoofs of the tiny African antelope, the Bluebok, and are formed in thil following manner : — ^The leg of the antelope having been cut off, the skin was cut lon^ tiidinally on either side as far as the hoof, which was then separated from the bonj leaving the sharp, horny hoofs adhering to the skin. As the skin was cut so as to leanl a flat thong attached to each side of the hoof, it was easy enough to form the bracelet ialt| the shape which is seen in the illustration. BRACELEI& One remarkable point about these bracelets is their very small size, which shows thl diminutiven&^s of the Kaffir hand ; although the owner of these bracelets was a mairiedj woman, and therefore accustomed to tasks which would not be very light even for ait| English labourer. Both the bracelets are shown, and by the side of them is another m from ordinary string, such as is used for tying parcels in England. What could havel induced a wife of so powerful a chief as Goza to wear so paltry an ornament I cannotl conceive, except that perhaps she may have purchased it from one of the witch-doctonji who has performed some ceremony over it, and sold it as a chann. Kaffirs have the mostl profound faith in charms, and will wear anything, no matter how common-place it majl be, if they even fancy that it may possess magic powers. I If the reader wUl refer to the illustration on page 30, fig. 1, he will see a circulaij ornament, made of beads. This is one of the most cherished decorations of a Kaffir girll and it is one which cannot be afforded by any one who is not in affluent circumstances. I It is made in a very ingenious manner, so as to preserve its shape, although it has tol be worn round the waist, and consequently to be forced over the shoulders. The centrel of this handsome belt is made of leather, sewn firmly together so as to form a cylindricall circle, and plentifully imbrued with grease to render it elastic. Upon this structure thel beads are fastened, in regular spiral rows, so that the belt may be pulled about and alteredl in shape without disturbing the arrangement of the beads. The projector of this belt hasi contrived to arrange the beads in such a manner as to present alternate zigzags of blue! and yellow, the effect of which on the dark chocolate skin would be very telling. I This belt may be seen round the waist of the young girl in the accompanying illustra-S tion. The damsel in question is supposed to be arrayed for a dance, and, in such a case, she! would put on every article of finery that she possessed. Her woolly hair is omamentedl ition on page 48. It is THE KAFFIR. 47 ly a quantity of porcupine quills, the alternate black and white of which have a very good ffect. Porcupine quills are, however, not very easily obtained. Hunting the porcupine I a tMk that belongs to the other sex, and is quite out of the way of the womea The animal is not a pleasant antagonist ; and if bis burrow be stopped; and he be nally driven to bay, he gives his pursuer no small trouble, having a nasty habit of •ecting all his quills, and then suddenly backing in the direction where he is least tpected. A Kaffir's naked legs have no chance against the porcupine's quills, and when ^verai porcupines are simultane- sly attacked by a group of Kaffirs, te scene is exceedingly ludicrous, be Kaffirs leaping about as if be- fitched, but, in reality, springing Ito the air to avoid the sudden shes of the porcupines. Unless, therefore, the parent or itnirer of a young woman should appen to present her with quills, [e is forced to put up with some Iher ornament. One rather com- kon decoration is by fastening into ^e hair a number of the long, light thorns of the uiimosa, and defending her head from imagi- jary assaults as effectually as her Lore fortunate sister. The energy Ihich these girls display in the ftace is extraordinary, and it need I so, when some of them will wear [early fifty pounds' weight of beads, acelets, anklets, belts, and other hiaments. However, the know- dge of their magnificence is suffi- |ent to sustain them, and they will I through the most violent exer- |onswhen displaying their activity 1 the dance. As to the belt which has just m mentioned, I was anxious to bow whether it could be worn by pr own countrywomea So, after king the precaution of washing it fry thoroughly with a hard brush, ap, and soda, I tried it on a young dy, and was surprised to find that passed into its place without Hch trouble, though its progress. of course, impeded by dress,' fiereas the naked and well-oiled dy of the Kaffir girl allows the belt to slip over the arms and shoulders at once. There is another remarkable ornament of the young Kaffir women, which I call the ni-belt It 13 flat, generally made of strings and thongs, and ornamented at intervals ilh beads arranged in cross-bands. One of these semi-belts is shown in the illus- Wion on page 48. It is made of strings, and is about two inches and a half in breadth m widest part. The beads that ornament it are white and red. At each end is a loop, 'n)ugh which a string is passed, so that the wearer can fasten it round her body. Now I belt is only long enough to go half round the body, and the mode of wearing it is GIRL IN DANCING CREBE 48 BELTS. Bi- ratbQT remarkable. Instead of placing the whole of the belt in front, as naturally migltl be supposed, the wearer passes it round one side of the body, so that one end is m fronJ and the other behind. Strange as is this mode of wearing it, the custom is universal, anJ in evpry group of girls or young women several are sure to be wearing a semi-belt roundl the body. Another of these belts is shown in the illustration on page 83, fig. 3. Thiil is not so elaborate an article, and has only a few bands of beads, instead of beiigl nearly covered with them. AFRICAN rORUUriME. As for the necklaces worn by the Kaffir women, they are generally nothing more tliaii| strings of beads, and require no particular notice. There is one, however, which is different from the ordinary necklaces, that I have had it engraved. It may be seen iil the illustration at page 43, fig. 3, next to the handsome bead-apron which has alreadjj been described. As may be seen by reference to the illustration, it is formed entirely of beads, and ill ornamented with six triangular appendages, also made of beads. The general colour dl the beads is white, but the interior of the triangular appendages is cobalt blue ; while tbel SEMI-BELT. larger beads that are placed singly upon the necklace are of ruby glass. "When tlijl remarkable necklace is placed round the neck, the trianj^ular flaps fall regulariy on the! breast and shoulders, and, when contrasted with the dark skin of the wearer, have asl admirable effect I ^ Lately, two articles of dress, or rather of ornament, have been imported from Europsl into Afhca, and have met with great success among the chocolate-coloured belles o(| TRADING. 49 KafHrlancL Enterpriaing tndfiM in Sontbem Africa do not set np permanent shops as we do in England, but stock a wagon with all sorts of miscellaneous goods, and under- take journeys into the interior, where they barter their stock for elephants' tusks and teeth, boms, skins, ostrich feathers, and similar commodities. They have a most miscellaneous assortment of goods, and act very much in the same manner as those wandering traders among ourselves who are popularly called " Cheap Johns," the chief distinction being that their stock is by no means cheap, but is sold at about 1,000 per cent, profit on the original outlay. This seems rather an excessive percentage ; but it must be nmembered that the old adage of high interest and bad security holds good in this as in other speculations. War may break out, the trader be speared, his waAon robbed, and his oxen confiscated The dreaded murrain may cany ofiT his cattle, or tney may be starv^ for want of food, slowly killed by thirst, or drowned by a sudden rush of water, which mty almost instantaneously convert a dry gully into a raging torrent that sweeps everything before it Fashions may change, and his whole stock be valueless; or i^~ "prophet" may take it into his head to proclaim that the sound of his wagoi iota., 'events rain from faF ,^ Moreover, he is unmercifully fleeced by the different cniefe t... jugh whose territories ue passes, and who exact an extortionate toll before they wUl aUow him to pass to the next chief, who will serve him in much the same manner. Altogether, if the joum^ is a snccessftil one, the trader vrill make about fifty or sixty per cent clear profit; bnt^ as the joum^ is often an utter failure, this is really no very exorbitant rate of interest mi his outlay. The trader will, above all things, take plenty of tobacco^Udi being the key to the heart of a Kaffir, old or young, man or womaiL He will take guns and ammunition for the men ; also spirits of the roughest and coarsest kind, a better and purer article being quite > wasted on his sable customers. Beads, of course, he carries, as well as buttons, hhuikets, and other luxuries; also he will have the great iron hoe-blades with which the women till the ground, which he can sell for one-sixth of the price and which are twice the quality of the native-made hoe. One of these bold wagon-owners bethought himself of buying a few gross of brass curtain-rings of the largest size, and was gratified by finding that they were eagerly bought up wherever he went The natives saw at once that the brass rings were better bracelets than could be made by themselves, and they accordingly lavished their savage treasures in order to buy them. One of the oddest examples of the vicissitude of African trade occurred some few years ago. An English vessel arrived at the port, a large part of her cargo consisting of stout iron wire, nearly the whole of which was bought by the natives, and straightway vanished, no one knowing what had become of it The mystery was soon solved. Suddenly the Kaffir belles appeared in new and fitshionable costuma Some of them had been to the towns inhabited by Europeans, and had seen certain " cages" hung outside the drapers' shops. They inquired the use of these singiilar objects, and were told that they were the fashionable attire of European ladies. They straightway burned to possess similar costumes, and when the vessel amved with its cargo of wire they bought it up, and took it home for the purpose of imitating the white ladies. Of course they had not the least idea that any other article of apparel was necessary, and so they wore none, but walked about the streets quite proud of their bshionable appearance. As the dancers are encumbered with such an amount of decoration, and as they exert themselves most violently, a very natural result follows. The climate is very hot, and the exercise makes the dancer hotter, so that the abundant grease trickles over the face and body, and inconveniences the performer, who is ceriainly not fastidious in her notions. As to handkerchiefs, or anything approaching to the idea of such articles, she is in perfect ignorance, her whole outfit consisting of the little apron above mentioned, and an un- limited supply of beads. But she is not unprovided for emergencies, and carries with her an instrument very like the " strigil " of the ancients, and used for much the same purpose. Sometimes it is made of bone, sometimes of wood, sometimes of ivory, and sometimes of metal It varies much in shape, but is generally hollowed slightly, like a caipenter's TOI^L 8 50 THE KAFFIB OOUBD SNUFF-BOX BONE SNUFF-BOX SCRAFEB. gouge, and has its edges made about as sharp as those of an oYdinary paper-knife. In fiEict, it very much resembles a magnified marrow-spoon. ^ One of these articles is shown in the accompanying illustration. It is made of ivoiy, and is about nine inches in length. Being formed of a valuable material, it is decorated with several conical brass buttons, which are supposed to add to its beauty, though they must certainly detract from its e^- ciency. Another specimen of a com- moner sort is given in the centre of the illiistration on page 33. The material of this strigil is iron, and it is attached to a plain leather strap. Sometimes a rather unexpected article is substituted for the strigil, aa may be seen from the following anec- dote related by Mr. 6. H. Mason. He went to see the wedding of a Kaffii chief, who was about to marry his fourteenth wife, and found the bride- f^room seated in the midst of the vil- lage, encircled by a row of armed warriors, and beyond them by a row of women with children. " Scarcely had we taken our station near the Umdodie (husband), when a low shrill chant came floating on the breeze from the bottom of a lovely vale hard by; where I descried a long train of damsels slowly wending their way among bright green patches of Indian corn and masses of flowering shrubs, studded with giant cactus, and the huge flowering aloe, As the procession neare(i the huts, they quickened their pace and raised their voices to the highest pitch, until they arrived at the said cattle-kraal, where they stood motionless and silent. " A messenger from the Umdodie then bade them enter the kraal, an order that they I instantly obeyed, by twos, the youngest leading the way, closely followed by the rest, and terminated by a host of marriageable young ladies (Intombies), clustering thick around | the bride — a fat, good-natured girl, wrapped round and round with black glazed calico, and decked from head to foot with flowers, beads, and feathers. Once within the kraal, I the ladies formed two lines, with the bride in the centre, and struck up a lively air; whereupon the whole body of armed Kaflirs rushed from all parts of the kraal, beating their shields and uttering demon yells as they charged headlong at the smiling girls, who joined with the stalwart warriors in cutting capers and singing lustily, until the whole kraal was one confused mass of demons, roaring out hoarse war-songs and shrill love- 1 ditties. " After an hour, dancing ceased, and joila (Kaffir beer) was served round, while the I lovely bride stood in the midst of the ring alone, stared at by all, and staring in turh at | all, until she brought her eyes to bear on her admiring lord. Then, advancing leisurely, she danced before him, amid shouts of the bystanders, singing at the top of her voice, and I brandishing a huge carving-knife, with which she scraped big drops of perspiration from | her heated head, produced by the unusually violent exercise she was performing." It appears, from the same observant writer, that whatever the amount of ^inery may be I which a Kaflir girl wears, it is considered only consistent with ordinary gpJlantry that it should be admired. While he was building a house, assisted by a numbe * of Kaifirs, he I found that his men never allowed the dusky maidens to pass within sight t/ithout saluting I them, or standing quite motionless, full in their path, so that each might ^nutually inspect] the other. " Thus it frequently happened that troops of girls came in from the XafiBr kraals with I DANCING. 61 maize, thatch, milk, eggs, wild fruit, sugar-cane, potatoes, &c. &c. for sale ; and no sooner did their shrill song reach the ears of our servants, than they rushed from their work, just as they were, some besmeared with mud, others spattered with whitewash, and the rest armed with spades, pickaxes, buckets, brick-moulds, or whatever else chanced to be in their hands at the moment." There is a curious kind of ornament much in vogue among the Kaffir women, namely, a series of raised scars upon the wrists, and extending partially up the arms. These scars are made in childhood, and the wounds are filled with some substance that causes them to be raised above the level of the skin. They fancy that these scars are useful as well aa ornamental, and consider them in the light of amulets. Other portions of the limbs are some- times decorated with these scars ; and in one or two cases, not only the limbs, but the whole body, has been nearly covered with them The material with which the wounds are filled is supposed to be the ashes of a snake. During their dances, the Kaffirs of hoth sexes like to make as much noise as possible, and aid their voices by certain mechanical contrivances. One of the most simple is that shown in the accompanying illustration, and is made of a number of dry seeds. In shape these seeds are angular, and much resemble the common Brazi!- nut in form. The shell of the seed is very thin and hard, and the kernel shrinks within it so as to raV'tle about with every movement In some cases the kernel is removed, and the rattling sound is produced entirely by the hard shells striking against each other. When a number of these seeds are strung together, and hung upon the legs or arms, they make quite a loud rattling sound, in ac- cordance with the movements of the dancers, and are, in fact, the Kaffir substitutes for castanets. In some parts of Central Africa, a curious imitation of these natural castanets is made. It consists of a thin shell of iron, exactly resembling in form that of the nut, and having a little iron ball within, which takes the place of the shrivelled kernel. Ear-rings are worn in Kaffirland as well as in other parts of the world, and are equally fashionable in both sexes. The eara are pierced at a very early age, and the aperture enlai^ged by having a graduated series of bits of wood thrust through them, until they are large enough to hold a snuff-box, an ivory knob, or similar ornament. One of these earring snuff-boxes may be seen in the illustration on page 43, fig. 6. It is made of a piece of reed, some three inches in length, closed at one end ; and having a stopper thrust into the other. The original colour of the reed is bright yellow, with a high natural polish, but the Kaffir is not satisfied with having it in its natural state, and orna- ments it with various patterns ii^ black. These are produced by charring the wood with a hot iron, and the neatness and truth of the work is very astonishing, when the rudeness of the tool^ is taken into consideratioi^ In the present specimen, the pattern is alternate diamonds of black and yellow. This mode of decorating their ornaments and utensils is very common among the Kaffirs, ^nd we shall see more of it as we proceed. Snuff-boxes are not, however, the only ornaments which a Kaffir will wear in ilie ears, for there is scarpely anythins; which is tolerably showy and which can be fastened to the ear that will not be worn there. DANCING BEi;r. ) t ^ m ■ 1^ 12 CHAPTER VIL CHUtF CHARAOTBUSncS OT XAFnS AKC HITKC ' TUH K — PRSTALKNOK OF THS CIB0I7LAS VOKU — INABILITY OF TEK KAFtm TO DRAW A BTUAIOHT LINE — OKNRBAL FORM OF THK KAPFIb's HOT — THB INORBDULITY OF lONOBANCK — MKTHOD OF UOVSB-BVILOINO — PBKCAVTION AOAIM8T INUNDATION — FRMALR ABCHITRCTS — MODB OF PLANNINO A HUT — KAFFIR OSTENTATION — FBAOILITY OF THE HUT— ANBCDOTR OF WARFaRR — TUB ENRAOBD ELEPHANT, AND A OOliSBTIO TBAQBDT — HOW THB ROOF IS SUPPORTED BMOKB AND SOOT — THE HURDLE DOOB — HOW IT n MADE — SCREENS FOR KBBFINO OFF THE WIND- -DEC0BATI0N8 OF DINOAN's H0U8K — AVERAQB FUBNITURK OF THB KAFFIB HUT — THE XBAAL, ITS FLAN AND PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTION — KNOWLEDGE OF FORTIFICATION— CHIEF OBJECT OF THB KRAAL — TWO MODES OF MAKINO THB FBNCE — THE ABATTU AND THE CHBVAUX DE FBI8E — SIZE OF THE KRAAL — THB KINO's MIUTABy KRAAL OR OABBISON TOWN — VISIT TO ONE OF PANDa's KRAALS — THB BARBH, ITS INSIATBl AND ITS OUABBtANS. The architecture of these tribes is very simple, and, although slightly variable in different localities, is marked throughout by similar characteristics. On looking at any specimen of Kaffir architecture, the spectator is at once struck with one peculiarity, namely, that all his buildings are circular. It is a remarkable fact that the Kaffir does not seem to be capable of marking out a straight line, and whether he builds a hut, or erects a fence, he takes the circle as his guide. A Kaffir's attempts to erect a square enclosure, or even to build a fence in a straight line, are ludicrous failures. Wi(h Europeans the case is different A settler who desires to b.uild a fence wherein to enclose his garden, or a stockade within which his house and property can remain in safety, invariably builds on the rectilinear principle, and makes the fence in the form of a square. He would feel himself quite fettered if he were forced to build a circular enclosure, whereas the Kaffir would be as much at a loss if he were obliged to build a square edifice. Indeed, though the European could, at the cost of some trouble, build a circular house, and would make his circle true, the kaffir would utterly fail in attempting to make a building of a square or an oblong form. One of my friends, who has travelled much among the Kaffir tribes, and gone among villages whose inhabitants had never seen an European building, told me that it was hardly possible to make the natives cdmprehend the structure of an European hous& The very shape of it puzzled them, and the gable ends and the ridged roof seemed so strange to them as to be scarcely credible. As to the various stories in a house, several rooms on a stor}', and staircases which led from one to the other, they flatly declined to believe that anything of the kind could exist, and thought that their guest was trying to amuse himself at the expense of their credulity. They did believe in the possibility of St Paid's caUi,edra^, on account of its domed roof, but they could not be induced to believe in its size. They defended their position by argument, not merely contenting themselves with assertions. Their chief argume;^ was de^iyed frpm the impossibility of such a building AFHRS AT HOME. M siutaining Its own weight The only building materials of which they had any experience were the posts and sticks of which their own houses were made, and the reeds wherewith THE KAFFIRS AT HOMB. they were thatched. Sometiines a very luxurious house-owner would plaster the interior Vith mud, producing that peculiar style of architecture which is popularly called " wattle-and-daub." They could not comprehend in the least that stone could be used 1^, 'i' , ) I ' i i , 5 "> 64 THE KAFFIR m' I in buildinfi; dwelling-houses ; and the whole system of cutting stone into rectangular pieces, and tho use of bricks, was equally beyond their comprehension. Mortur uIbo was an inexplicablo mystery, so that on tho whole ^hey decided on discrediting the talcs told thcni by tho white man. A Kaffir houso looks just like an exaggerated bee>hive. It is of precisely the same shape, is made of nearly the same materials, and has a little arched door, iust like the entrance of a bee-hive, through which a man can barely creep on his hands and knees. The structure of these h its is very simple. A circle is drawn of some fourteen feet in diameter, and around it are struck a number of long, flexible sticks. These sticks are then bent over at the top and tied together, so as to form a frame'York very like a common wire mousetrap. A roed thatching is then laid over the sticks, and secured in its placo by parallel lashings. Tliese lashings are made of "monkey-ropes," or the creepers that extend their interminable length firom tree to tree, and are found of every size, from a cable to a packthread. They twist themselves into so rope-like a shape, that many peiw sons have lefused to believe that ther have not been artificially made. The rows of lashing are about eighteen inches apart In shape, the hut is exactly like the -well-known snow house of tU Esquimaux. As, during the wet season, the lain pours down in torrents, the huts would be swamped for several months but for the pre- caution, which the natives take, of digging round each hut a trench of some eighteen inches or two feet in depth, and tho same in breadth. This trench is about six inches from the wall of the hut, and serves to keep the floor dry. The reader may re« member that all European soldiers are taught to dig a trench round each hut While they are under oanvafl, the neglect of this precaution being sure to cause both great inconvenience and unhealthiness. The woman generally marks the outline of her hut in a very simple manner. She takes ^ number of flexible sticks, and ties them together firmly with leathern thongs, or the rough and ready string which the Kaffirs make from rushes by tearing them into strips and rolling them on the leg with the palm of the hand. Three or even four sticks are usually joined together, in order to attain sufiicient length. She then pushes one erid deeply into the ground, bends the other end over so as to make an arch, and pushes that into the ground also. This arch becomes the key to the whole building, settling its height and width. Another arch is set in the ground at right angles to the former, and the two are lashed together at the top where they cross, so that a rough kind of skeleton of the hut is made in a very short time. On the roof of the hut may sometimes be seen the skulls of oxen. Tliis ornament is highly characteristic of tlie Kaffir. The high value which he sets on his cows is not surpassed by the love of the most confirmed miser for his gold. But there is another trait of the Kaffir mind, which is even stronger than avarice, and that is ostentation, to which his cattle become of secondary consideration. Unwilling as he is to kill any of the cattle which constitute his wealth, and which he values scarcely less than BXTEBIOB OF KAITIB SOT. KAFFIB HUTS. 65 hig own life, he will, on certain occasions, slaughter one, and fpyrs a feast to his neiah- bnurs, who are suro to praiso him in terms suitable to the mognitlcenoe — 1.«. the quantity of the banquet. He is nearly certain to be addressed as Father, and perhaps some of the more enthusiastic, when excited by beef, beer, and snuff, may actually hail him as Chie£ The slaughter of an ox is therefore a great event in the life of a Kaffir, and is sure to act OS a step towardn higher rank. Lest the memory of such an event should fude away as soon as the banquet has been ended, the proud donor takes the skull of the slaughtered ox and places it on the roof of his hut, where it remains as a sign that the owner of the dwelling is a man of property, and has been able to spare one of his oxen to servo as a feast for his friends. The building being now finished, the opening which serves as a door is cut on one side, its edgea guarded with plaited twigs, and the KalBr desires no better house. Though it has no window, no chimney, and no door that deserves the name, he would not exchange it for a palace, and many instances have been known where Kaffirs who have been taken to European cities, have travelled much, and been tolerably educated, have fluDg off their civilized garments, re-assumed the akin-dress of their nation, and gone off to Uve in huts instead of houses. The whole structure is necessarily very firagile, and the walls carnot endure much violenca A curious example of their fragility occurred some time ^j), when one chief made a raid upon the village of another. A number of men had taken refuge in a out, from which it was not easy to drive them. Aasc^gais were hurled through the side? of the hut, and did much damage to the inmatea. ^nie iurvivors tried to pave the'nselves by climbing up the framework of the' hut and dinging to the roof, but the slight sructure could not support their bodies, and by yielding to their freight betrayed them to the vatchfol enemies without The illustration on page 66 represents the interior of to eiceptionally h'rre hut, being, in fact, the principal residence of a chie£ Very feir huts have more nUii four supporting posts. On the lefb may be seen two of the large store-baskets, in w ;ich milk is kept and made into " amasi," while just beyond the first hasket is a sleeping mat rolled up and resting against the wall Some large earthenware pots, such as are used in cookery, are seen at the farther end of the hut, and a calabash rests against one of the posts. To the roof are hung bunches of maize, according to the curious Kaffir custom, which seems to ignore the fact that Everything on the roof of a hut is soon Slackened with soot, owing to the smoke front the fire. Whether large or small, all the houses are made on exactly the same principle, and except for their superior size, and the ox skulls which decorate them, the houses occupied by chiefs have nothing to distinguish them from those which are inhabited by their dependents. Against brute foes the hut is sometimes as frail a protection. On one occasion an elephant was attracted by a quantity of millet, which was stored within a fence. He pushed his way through the useless barrier, and began feeding - t the millet. There was a fire in one of the huts, and the elephant, instead of bein^. .^^r red by it, became' angry, knocked the house to pieces, and walked over the ruins, tramplmg to death a woman who was lying asleep. Her husband nearly shared the same fate, but managed to roll out of the way, audi then to escape by creepir^f^ between the legs of the angry elephant. The roof of the hut is not wholly dependent for supifoi;, on the flexible sticks which form its walls, but is held up by a post or two, on the top of which is laid a cross-beam. This arrangement also permits the owner of the hut to hang to the beam and posts sundry articles which he does not wish to be injured by being thrown on the ground, such as gourds, baskets, assagai-shafts, spoons, and other implements. Ranged carelessly round the hut are the mde earthenware pots, in which the Kaffir keeps his beer, his milk, and present stores of grain. The floor of the hut is always kept scrupulously clean, and is generally as hard as stone, being made of well kneaded clay laid very smoothly, and beaten until it is quite hard. The best clay for this purpose is obtained from the nests of the white ant, which are beaten to pieces, then pounded, ^ 1 ^ i i M 11 K^£^i 66 THE KAEEIR and then mixed very carefully with water. In a well-regulated hut, the women are very careful of their floor, and rub it daily with flat stones, until it is not only smooth, but even polished. Just within the entrance is the primitive fireplace. This, like almost everything which the Kaflir makes, is circular in form, and is made usually of mud ; its only object is to confine the embers within a limited space. Cooking is not always carried on in the oi-dinary house, nor is the fire kept con- stantly alight In a permanent kiaal there are cooking huts erected for that one tSTBBIOB OF KAFF ": HUT. special purpose, and not used for any other. They mav be called demi-huts, as their only object is to guard the fire from the effect of wind. They are circular, like •all ordinary huts, but their walls are only four feet or so in height, and are carefully daubed with a mixture of clay and cow-dung, so as to form a most efficient protection against the wind. The smoke from the fire is allowed to escape as it can. Some of it contrives to force its way between the interstices of the thatch, as may be seen by reference to the illustra- tion on page 54 Some of it circles around tlie walls and pours through the door-way, but the greater part of it settles, in the form of soot, upon the interior of the hut, blackening everything within it. When the Kaffirs wish to season the wood of their assagai-shafts or knobkerries, they stick it into the roof of the house, just above the fireplace, exactly as bacon is cured in the smoke. A cttiious reference to tins custom is made in a song composed in honour cf Fande, King of the Zul other chiefs at tb( Reference is here At night, the < and looking much England. With that the Kaffir al at his work, the n these doors is with that which i the shepherds in t The Kaffir beg some straight and sticks, and driving ground at regular each other. The3< as the supports or the door. He thei tityof pliant sticks of our basket-makt tkeD|i in and out < stakes, beating th tinually to make t1 together. When tl plated, the upright off to the proper can then be fitted I the reader has any with military affai member that gabio stakes are placed ir In order to kee] screens, which are ] and rushes such as be shifted with eve Some of the pei least a month in th namely, the domed fireplace exactly in decorating their pei posts thiclfly encr smoke, but a quick J)ingan's huts, whi built, and support! beads. The huts are, ft inflammable, and i the whole of them built that the incoi are burned. More simple in material, DOOIUMAEINO. «f King of the Zulu tribes. When Dingan muTdered his predecessor Tchaka, he ]d]l64 other chiefs at the same time, but was persuaded to leave Panda alive — ^ "Of the Btoek of Ndabitza, nmrod of brua, Survivor alone of all other rods ; Othera they broke, but left tki$ in the not, Thinkiag to bnra it some nun j odd day. " Reference is here made to the custom of leaving sticks and shafts in the sooty too£ At night, the entrance of the hut is closed by a simple door made of wicker work, and looking much like the closely-woven sheep-hurdles which are used in some parts of England. With the exception that the Kaffir alwa3r8 sits down at his work, the mode of making these doors is ahr st identical with that whioh is tjaployed by the shepherds in this country. The Kaffir begins by choosing some straight and tolerably stout sticks, and driving them into the ground at regular distances from each other. These are intended as the supports or framework of the door. He then takes a quan- tity of pliant sticks, like the osiers of our basket-makers, and weaves thenii in and out of the upright stakes, beating them down con- tinually to make them lie closely together. When the door is com- pleted, the upright sticks are cut off to the proper length, and it can then be fitted to the hut If the reader has any acquaintance with military affairs, he may re- member that gabions are made in precisely the same manner, except that the upright stakes are placed in a circle, and not in a straight line. In order to keep the wind from blowing too freely into their huts, the Kaffirs make screens, which are placed so as to shelter the entrance. These screens are made of sticks and rushes such as the door is made of, only of lighter materials, and their position can be shifted with every change of wind. Some of the permanent houses are built with a great amount of care, and occupy at least a month in their construction. In most of them the interior view is much the same, namely, the domed roof, supported by four posts placed in the form of a square, with the fireplace exactly in the centre. Thd natives will often expend much time and trouble in decorating their permanent mansions, and Mr. Christie tells me that he has seen the very posts thicKly encrusted with beads. Of course they soon become blackened by the smoke, but a quick rub with the palm of the hand brings out the colours anew. One of JDingan's huts, which was visited by Eetief, the Dutch colonist, was most beautifully built, and supported by twenty-two pillars, each of which was entirely covered with beads. The huts are, from the nature of the material of which they are made, exceedingly inflammable, and it sometimes happens that if one of the houses of a village take fire, the whole of them are consumed in a very short time. Fortunately, they are so easily built that the inconvenience is not nearly so great as is the case when European houses are burned. Moreover, the furniture which they contain is so limited in quantity and so simple in material, thot it can be replaced without much difficulty. A mat or two, a few UAKINO DOOR OF BUT. 60 THE KAFFIB. f^ baskets, a pillow, a milking pail, one or two rude earthenware ^ts, and a bundle of assagais, constitute an amount of property which is not to be found in every hut The huts of the Kaffirs are generally gathered together into little groups, which ate popularly called " kraals." This is not a 2ulu or a Hottentot word, and is probably a corruption of the word " corral." There are two modes of forming a kraal, and the particular mode is determined by the locality. The Kaffir tribes generaUy like to place their kraal on the side of a hill in the vicinity of the bush, in order that they may obtain plenty of building material They are, however, sufficiently acquainted with the principles of fortification to clear a large space around their dwellings, so that, in case they should be attacked, the enemy cannot conceal his movements from the defenders. The first care of a Kaffir is to protect his beloved cows, and for that purpose a circular space is enclosed with a high fence, made very strongly. The fence is about six or seven feet in height, and is made in a simple and very efiTective manner. The fence which surrounds the cattle and the huts is mostly made in one of two modes— at all events, in the more southern part of the country, where timber is exceed- ingly plentiful The tribes on the north of Kaffirland, who live where timber is com- paratively scarce, build their walls of large stones piled on one another, without any mortar, or even mud, to fill up the interstices. The southern tribes use nothing but wood, and form the walls by two different methodai. That which is commonly employed is very simple. A number of trees are felled, and their trunks severed s few feet below the spot whence the branches spring. A great number of these tree-tops are tiien arranged in a circle, the severed ends of the stems being inwards, and the branches pointing outwards. In fact, the fence is exactly that species oi rapid and effective fortification called, in military language, an " abattis." If the branches of a tree are very large, they can be laid singly on the groimd, just as if they were the entire heads of trees. In some cases, where the kraal is more carefully built, the fence is formed of stent poles, which are driven into the ground in a double row, some three feet apart, and are then lashed together in such a way that their tops cross each other. In consequence of this arrangement, the fence stands very firmly on its broad basis, while the crossing and projecting tops of the poles form a ehevaxuo defriae as effectual as any that is made by the European soldier. If the enemy try to climb the fence, they can be wounded by spears thrust at them from the interior; and if they succeed in reaching the top, the sharp tips of the poles are ready to embarrass them. The entrance to this enclosure is just wide enough to allow a cow to pass ; and in some places, where the neighbourhood is insecure, it is so narrow that there hardly seems to be space enough for the cattle to pass in and out. Each night it is carefully closed with poles and sticks, which are kept just within the entrance, so as to be ready to hand when wanted. Opposite to the entrance, and at the further extremity, a small enclosure, also with circular walls, is built. In this pen the larger calves are kept, the younger being inmates of the huts together with the human inhabitants. By the side of this enclosure a little gap ia left in the fence, just large enough for a man to squeeze himself through, and not large enough to allow even a calf to pass. This little aperture is the chief's private door, and intended for the purpose of saving time, as otherwise, if the chief wei« inspecting his cattle, and wished to go to his own hut, he would be obliged to walk all round the fence. The Zulu name for the space within this fence is " isi-baya." Around the isi-baya are set the huts which constitute the kraal. Their number is exceedingly variable, but the general average is from ten to fourteen. Those which are placed at either side of the entrance to the isi-baya are devoted to the servants, while that which is exactly opposite to it is the habitation of the chief man. There are mostly a great many kraals belonging to one tribe, and it often happens that several neighbouring kraals are all tenanted by the members of one family and their dependents For example, when the son of a chief attains sufficient consequence to pos- sess several wives and a herd of cattle, he finds that the paternal kraal is not laige enough KRAAL, 59 to afford to each wife the separate hut to which she is entitled ; so he migrates with his family to a short distance, and there builds a kraal for himself, sometimes so close to that of his father that he connects them by means of a short fenced passage. The chief hut may easily be known, not only by its position, but by its larger dimen- sions. Somo of the other huts are occupied by married men, some by his wives, some by liU "n '^4 i KAFFIR KBAAIi. I his servants ; while at least one hut is reserved for the Use of the unmarried men, or ' boys," as tliey are called. This is all that is needed to complete a kraal, i.e. the circular isi-baya, and the huts I round it. But, in situations where plenty of wood can be found, the Kaffir architect erects R second fence, which encloses all the huts, as well as the isi-baya, and has its entrance in exactly the same position, i.e. opposite to the chief's hut. The distant view of one of these doubly-fenced kraals, when it happens to be situated on the slope of a hill, is extremel/ curious, and would scarcely give a stranger an idea of a Village. '■ J ' l^^B^ %l^ mk -" — Q ^^^^Sjj^ 4 ' J^^Bt 1^ ' ^ ^ ■K «,' ■t hi. UK.; <' • hU \ ^Hk * r' \ ^^H^ •?? '■ I ^^Ht^ \ '■Hr T) ' ^^HRr/ ■t ■H|t> i f^ ' ^Hk. ,4 i :^ 60 THEKAITIB. It will be seen that the dentral portion of the kraal is given to the isi-bajra, and tint the Kaftirs devote all their energies towards preserving their cows, while they seem to look with comparative indifference on the risk of exposing themselves or their fragile hoti to the inroads of the enemy. J As has already been stated, the size of the kraal varies with the wealth and rank of jb chief man, and, owing to its mode of construction, can be gradually enlarged as he rises to higher dignities and the possession of more cattle. In shape, however, and the principle of construction, kraals are alike, that of the king himself and the newly-made kraal o(| a younger son being exactly the same in these respects. The king's kraals, however, are of enormous dimensions, and are several in numbet I Panda, for example, has one kraal, the central enclosure, of which is nearly a mile in diameter. This enclosure is supposed to be filled with the monarch's cows, and is con. sequently called by the name of isi-baya. Practically, however, the cattle are kept in ' smaller enclosures, arranged along the sides of the isi-baya, where they can be watched by those who have the charge of them, and whose huts are placed convenientiy for that purpose. The vast central enclosure is used almost exclusively as a parade-ground, where | the king can review his troops, and where they are taught to go through the siniple manoeuvres of Kaffir warfare. Here, also, he may be seen in council, the isi-baya beuij able to accommodate an unlimited number of siutors. Around the isi-baya are arranged the huts of the warriors and their families, and an placed in four or even five-fold ranks; so that the kraal almost rises to the dignity of ai town, having several thousand inhabitants, and presenting a singularly imposing appearance when viewed at a distance. At the upper portion of the kraal, and at the further end from l^e principal entrance, are the huts specially erected for the king, surrounded by the other huts containing his harem. The whole of this part of the kraal is separated from the remainder by lofty and strong fences, and its doors axe kept by sentinels espe- cially set aside for this purpose. In some cases, the warriors to whom this important duty is confided are not permitted to wear clothes of any kind, and are compelled to pass the whole of the time, day a:^d night, when on guard, without even a kaross to covet them. This rule lies rather heavily upon them in the winter nights, when the cold is often severe, and the wind sweeps chillily around the fence of the isi-baya. However, the young ladies will sometimes contrive to evade the vigilance of tk senteiea, when their attention is otherwise engaged, as is amusingly shown in a few remarks by Mr. Angas. He had gone by Panda's invitation to see him at one of his I great kraals : — " Last night we slept at the new military kraal, or garrison town, of Inda- bakauraW, whither the king had sent word by message that he would be waiting to I ' receive ni. The Inkosikasi, or queen, of the kntal sent us a small quantity of thick milk I and a jar of millet, and soon afterwurds made her appearance, holding two of the king's I children by the biuid, for whom she requested a present of beads. The children were I remarkably pretty, nipely oUed, and tastefully decorated with girdles of blue and scarlet I beads. I " The old lady, on the contrary, was so alamungly stout, that it seemed almost impos-l sible for her to walk ; and that it required some considerable time lor her to regain tliel harem at the upper end of the kraal was made manifest by some fifty of the king's girlsl effecting their escape from the rear of the seraglio, and sallying down the slope to Btarej at us as we rode away from the kraaL The agility of the young ladies, as they sprargl from rock to rock, convinced us that they would be all quietly sitting in the haiem, asl though notiiing had happened, long before the Inkosikasi gained her dwelling." At that time Panda had thirteen of these great military kraals, each serving as thel military capital of a district, and he had just completed a fourteenth.. He takes up hisi residence in these kraals successively, and finds in each evei^thing that he can possibi;! want — each being, indeed, almost identical in every respect with all the others. Asal general rule, each of these military kraals forms the residence of a single regiment ; whilel the king has many others, which are devoted to more peaceful objects. It has been already mentioned that the women live in a portion separated from ttiel rest of the kraal, and it may almost be said that they reside in a small supplementarjl THE HABEM AND ITS GUABDIANa 61 liaal, which oommnnicates by gates with tlie chief edifice. As the gates are strongly ln^ned at nighty it is necessary that the sentinels should enter the sacred precincts of the haiem, for the piirpose of closing them at night, and opening them in the morning, {"or this purpose, certain individuals of the sentinels are told off, and to them alone is Uie delicate duty confided. The Kaffir despot does not employ for this purpose the unfortunate individuals who guard the harems in Turkey, Persia, and even in Western Africa. But the king takes care to select men who are particularly ill-favoured ; and if any of them should happen to be deformed, he is sure to be chosen as a janitor. Mr. Shooter's servant, I when talking with his master on the subject, mentioned several individuals who would make excellent janitors. One of them had a club-foot, another had a very protuberant chest, while the third had bad eyes^ and was altogether so ugly that he would never sncce«d in procuring a wife. The matrimonial adventures of this man will be narrated j in a foture page. His uniform failures in procuring a legitimate wife were exceedingly I ladidotts and mortifying, and quite justified the opinion expressed by his companion. re . y^ CHAPTER VIII. THB m-BAYA AND ITS FBIVILEOES— imXINa COWS — THE CT7BI0US MILK PAIL — MODB OF VAKUn rr — A HILKmO BCENK, AKD the VABIOUS PEBSONAGES EUPLOYED in IT~PBECAVTI0N8 TAXn I WITH A BESTIVB COW — KAPFIB COW WHISTLES — CHIEFS AMD THSIB CATTLE — HANAGEUXRtJ OF THB HBBDS AND CATTLE " LIFTINO " — A COW THB UNIT OF XAFFIB CCBBENCT — A KAFFn'lj WEALTH, AND THB USES TO WHICH IT IS PUT — A KAFFIR ROB ROY — ADVENTURES Oil DUTULU, HIS EXPLOITS, HIS ESCAPES, AND HIS DEATH — ODD METHOD OF ORNAMENTINO COVll — LB VAILLANT's account OF THB METHODS EMPLOYED IN DECOBATINO THE CATTLE — BOvl OBSTINATB COWS ABB FORCED TO GIVE THBIB MILK — ^A XAFFIB HOMESTXAD — ^VABIOUS Xm\ OF OATTLS — ^HOW MILK IS PBBPABED — " AMASI," OB THICKENED MILK — OTHBS U8KS TOtl OATTLB — THB SADDLE AND PACK OXEN — ^HOW THEY ABB LADEN AND OIBTaED. married "man," th< The isi-baya is quite a sacred spot to a Kaffir, and in many tribes the women are sol strictly prohibited from entering it, that if even the favourite wife were discovered! within its precincts she would have but a very poor chance of her life. During the day-time the herd are out at pasture, watched by " boys " appointed i»| this important office, but when night approaches, or if there is any indication of dangetj from enemies, the cows are driven into the isi-baya, and the entrances firmly barred. It is mostly in this enclosure that the cattle are milked, this operation being alwajil entrusted to the men. Indeed, as is weU observed by Mr. Shooter, milking his cows iil the only work that a Kaffir really likes. About ten in the morning the cattle are takeii| into the isi-baya, and the Kaffir proceeds to milk them. He takes with him his milk- an article very unlike that which is in use in Europe. It is carved out of a solid piece ( wood, and has a comparatively small opening. The specimen from which the fig on page 63 is drawn was brought to England by Mr. Shooter, and is now before nia| It is rather more than seventeen inches in length, and is four inches wide at the top, i six inches near the bottom. Ta interior measurement it is only fourteen inches deep,s that three inches of solid wood are left at the bottom. Its capacity is not very great, i the Kaffir cow does not give nearly as much milk as the cows of an English farmyard Towards the top are two projecting ears, which enable the milker to hold it firmly 1 tween the knees. In hollowing out the interior of the pail, the Kaffir employs a rather ingenious devici Instead of holding it between his knees, as he does when shaping and ornamenting exterior, he digs a hole in the ground, and buries the pail as far as the two projecti ears. He then has both his hands at liberty, and 'can use more force than if he wei obliged to trust to the comparatively slight hold afforded by the knees. Of course he i down while at work, for a Kaffir, like all other savages, has the very strongest objection t needless labour, and will never stand when he has an opportunity of sitting. It will be seen that the pail is not capable of holding much more than the quantity which a good cow ought to yield, and when the Kaffir has done with one cow, potirs the milk into a l^e receptacle, and then goes off with his empty pail to auotluj cow for a &esh supply. A ICILKINO SCENR 68 The scene that presents itself in the isi-baya is a veiy singular one, and strikes oddly qpon European ears, as well as eyes. In the first place, the figure of the milker is calculated to present an aspect equally strange and ludicrous. Perfectly naked, with the exertion of the smallest imaginable apology for a garment, adorned with strings of beads that contrast boldly wiUi his red- tdack skin, and with his head devoid of hair, except the oval ring which denotes his position as a married " man," the Kaffir sits on the ground, his knees on a level with his chin, and the queer look- ing milk-pail grasped between them. Then we have the spectacle of the calf trying to eject the milker, and being continually kept away from her mother by a young boy armed with a stick. And, in cases where the cow is vicious, a third individual is em- ployed, who holds the cow by her horns with one hand, and grasps her nostrils firmly with the other. is soon as the supply of milk ceases, the calf is allowed to ap- proach its mother and suck for a short time, after :7hich it is driven away, and the man resumes his place. Cattle are milked twice m the day,, the second time being at sunset, when they are brought home for the night. Generally, however, a cow will stand still to be milked, as is the case with our own cattle, and in that case no precaution is needed, except that of putting through the nose a stick of some eighteen inches in length. The cattle know by experience that if this is grasped and twisted it gives great pain, and so they prefer to remain quiet. The hole in the nose is made at a very early age. So much for the strangeness of the sight, which is very unlike a corresponding scene in an English farmyard. The Kaffir is never silent while milkipg his cows, but thinks it necessary to utter a series of the oddest sounds that ever greeted mortal ears. Even in England there seems to be a kind of universal cow-language, in which every dairy-maid and farmyard labourer ia versed, and which is not easily learned by an uninitiate. But the Kaffir, who is naturally an adept at shouting and yelling, encourages the cow by all the varied screams at his command, mixed with loud whistles and tender words of ad- miration. One consequence of this curious proceeding is, that the cows have always been so accustomed to associate these sounds with the process of being milked, that when an Englishman buys cows he is obliged to have a Kaffir to milk them, no white man being able to pibduce those cries, screams, and whistles to which they have always been accustomed. In driving the cattle, and in calling them from a distance, the Kaffir makes great use of whistling, an art in which he excels. With his lips alone he can produce the most extraordinaiy sounds, and by the aid of his fingers he can whistle so loudly as to half t UlLEINO-PATL. 2. VKMtl-WrtrU 8. BERR-8TIUIKB& 4. WATBB-PjrK 6. WOMAN'S BASKET. I ■>;j --1 > 'St =5- n u THE KAFFIR ^W % deafen any one who may be near. Sometimes, however, he has reconrse to art, and makes whistles of great efficacy, though of simple construction. Two of these whisUas are shown in the accompanying illustratioa They are made of bone, or ivory, and an used by being held to the lover Up, and sounded exactly as we blow a key when we wish to ascertain whether it is dear. The chiefs who possess many oxen are veiy fastidious about them, and have an odd fismcy of assembling them in herds, in which eveiy animal is of the same colour. The oxen also undergo a sort of training, as was remarked by Betief, who was killed in battle with Dingan, the Zulu king. He paid a visit to that treacherous despot, and was ente^ tained by dnoM^ ia which the cattle bad been trained to assist, "in one dance," be says, " IM faople were intermixed with one hundred and seventy-six oxen, all without homs» ud w one colour. They have loi^ strips of skin han^ng pendent from the fore- head, dieeks, ahonlders, and under tlie throat ; these strips being cut from the hide when the aaimals an oalvet, These oxen are divided into two and three among the whole army, which thra danoe in companiefl» each with its attendant oxen. In tMi way tbv^ all in torn appvMoh the king, the oxen turning off into a kraal, and then manoeuvring b ^ line from the kiqK It is surprising that the oxen should be so well trained ; for, M- withstanding all t£e startling and Telling which acconipany the dance, they nevci. more faster than » slow walking pac& " Dingan showed me, as he said, his smallest herd of oxen, all alike, d with white backs. He allowed two of my people to count them, and the enumeration amounted to two thousand four hundred and twenty-four. I an informed that his herds of red and black oxen cod- sist of three to four thousand each." I may hen mention casually, that the same fashion of keeping animals of similar colours in separate herds is in force in South America, among the owners of the vast heida of horses which thrive so well in that country. The Kaffirs manage their cattle with wonderfiil skill, and the animals perfectly understand the mean- ing of the cries with which tney are assailed Con. sequently, it is almost as diffictdt for an Englishman to drive his cows as to milk them, and assistance has to be sought from the natives. This noisy method of cattle-driving is the source of much difficulty to the soldiers, when they have been sent to recover cattle stolen by those inveterate thieves, the Kaffir tribes who look upon the cattle of the white man as their legitimate prize, and aro constantly on the look-ont for them. Indeed, they enact at the present day that extinct phase of Scottish life when the in- habitants of the Highlands stole the cattle of the Lowlanders, and eumiemistically described the ope- ration as "lifting; themselves not being by aaj means thieves, but "gentlemen drovers," veiy punc- tilious in point of honour, and thinking themselTes as good gentlemen as any in the land. The cow constitutes now, in fact, the wealth of the Kaffir, just as was the case in the early patriarchal days. Among those tribes which are not brought into connexion with the white man, mouey is of no value, and aU wealth is measured by cows. One of the great inland chiefs, when asking about the Queen of England, was naturally desirous of hearing how many cattle she possessed, and on hearing that many of her subjects had moie cows than herself, conceived a very mean opinion of her power. He counted his cattle by the thousand, and if any inferior chief had dared to rival him in his wealth. KATFIR WHISTLES. A KAFFIR ROB ROY. 65 that chief would very Boon be incapacitated from possessing anything at all, while his cattle would swell tliu number of the royal herds. His idea was, that even if her prede- cessor had bequeathed so poor a throne to her, she ought to assert her dignity by seizing that wealth which she had not been fortunate enough to inherit. Die cow is the unit of money. The cost of anything that is peculiarly valuable is reckoned by the number of cows that it would fetch if sold, and even the women are reckoned by this staudai'd, eight cows equalling one woman, just as twelve pence equal one shilling. Most of the wars which devastate Southern Africa are caused entirely by the desire of one man to seize the herds that belong to another, and when the white man is engaged in Afiican warfare, he is perforc3 obliged to wage it on the same principle. During the late Kaffir war, the reports of the newspapers had a singularly unimposing appearance. The burden of their song was invariably cows. General Blank had ad- vanced so far into the enemy's country, and driven off five thousand head of cattle. Or perhaps the case was reversed ; the position of the European troops had been suddenly surprised, and several thousand cattle stolen. In fact, it seemed to be a war solely about cattle, and, to a certain extent, that was necessarily the case. The cattle formed not only the wealth of the enemy, but his resources, so that there was no better way of bringing him to terms than by cutting off his commissariat, and preventing the rebellious chiefs from maintaming their armed forces. Wo had no wish to kill the Kaffirs them- selves, but merely that they should be taught not to meddle with us, and there was no better way of doing so than by touching them on their tenderest point. The greatest ambition of a Kaffir is to possess cattle, inasmuch as their owner can i command every luxury which a savage millionaire desires. He can eat beef and drink sour milk every day ; he can buy as many wives as he likes, at the current price of eight I to fourteen cows each, according to the fluctuation of the market ; he can make all kinds of vseful articles out of the hides ; he can lubricate himself with fat to his heart's ' content, and he can decorate his sable person with the flowing tails. "With plenty of I cattle, he can set himself up as a great man ; and, the more cattle he has, the greater man he becomes. Instead of being a mere " boy," living with a number of other " boys " in one hut, he becomes a " man," shaves his head, assumes the proud badge of manhood, and has a hut to himself As his cattle increase, he adds more wives to his stock, builds separate huts for them, has a kraal of his own, becomes the " umnumzana," or great man —a term about equivalent to the familiar " Burra Sahib " of Indian life — and may expe jt I to be addressed by strange boys as " inkosi," or chief. Should his cattle prosper, he gathers round him the young men who are still poor, land who are attracted by his wealth, and tho hope of eating beef at his cost. He assigns huts to them within his kraal, and thus possesses an armed guard who will take care of his cherished cattle. Indeed, such a precaution is absr)lutely necessary. In Africa, as I well as in Europe, wealth creates envy, and a man who has succeeded in gathering it knows I fall well that there are plenty who will do their best to take it away. Sometimes a more I powerful man will openly assault his kraal, but stratagem is more frequently employed I than open violence, and there are in every tribe certain old and crafty cattle-stealers, I who have survived the varied dangers of such a life, and who know every ruse that can I be employed. Tliere is a story of one of these men, named Dutulu, who seems to have been a Ikind of Kaffir Kob Eoy. He always employed a mixture of artifice and force. He used Ito set off for the kraal which he intended to rob, and, in the dead of night, contrived to Iplace some of his assistants by the entrance of the huts. Another assistant then quietly liemoved the cattle from tho isi-baya, while he directed the operations. Dutulu then Icaused an alarm to be made, and as the inmates crept out to* see what was the matter, Ithey were speai-ed by the sentinels at the entrance. Not one was spared. The men |were killed lest they should resist, and the women lest they should give the alarm. Even when he had carried off the cattle, his anxieties were not at an end, for cattle motbe moved very fast, and they are not easily concealed. But Dutulu was a man not I be baffled, and he almost invariably succeeded in reaching home with his spoil. Ho ^ever, in the first instance, allowed the cattle to be driven in the direction which he VOL. L » lpll ■ > , 's i i\k \- 66 THE KAFFTR. 11. intended to taka He used t6 have them driven repeatedly ov^r the same spot, so as to mix the tracks and bewilder the men who were sure to follow. More than onue he buttled Eursuit by taking his stolen herd back again, and keeping it in the immediate neighbour, ood of the desolated kraal, calculating rightly that the pursuers would follow him in th« direction of his own home. > The man's cunning and audacity were boundless. On one occasion, his own kraal vti attacked, but Dutulu was far too clever to fall into the trap which he had so often net for others. Instead of crawling out of his hut and getting himself speared, he rolled up his leather mantle, and pushed it through the door. As he had anticipated, it was mis- taken in the semi-darkness for a rrr^jn, and was instantly pierced with a spear. While the weapon was still entangled in the kaross, Dutulu darted from his hut, sprang to the entrance of his isi-baya fully armed, and drove off the outwitted assailants. Even in his old age his audacity did not desert him, and he actually determined on stealing a herd of cattle jn the daytime. No ono dared join him, but he determined oq carrying out his desperate intention single-handed. He succeeded in driving the herd to some distance, but was discovered, pursued, and surrounded by the enemy. Although one against many, he fought his foes bravely, and, although severely wounded, succeeded in escaping into the bush, where they dared not follow him. Undeterred by this adventure, he had no sooner recovered than he planned another cattle-stealing expedition. His chief dissuaded him from the undertaking, urging that he had quite enough cattle, that he had been seriously wounded, and that he was beconnng too old. The ruling passion was, however, too strong to be resistea, and Dutulu attacked a kraal on his old plan, letting the cattle be drWen in one direction, killing as many enemies as he could, and then running off on the opposite side to that which had been taken by the cattle, so as to decoy his pursuers in a wrong direction. However, his advanced years, and perhaps his recent wounds, had impaired bis speed, and as there vns no bush at hand, he dashed into a morass, and crouched beneath the water. His enemies dared not follow bias, but suiTouuded the spot, and hurled their assagais at him. They did him no harm, because he protected his head with his shield, but he could not endure the loig immersion. So, finding that his strength was failing, he suddenly left | the morass, and ( lashed at his enemies, hoping that he might force his way through them. He did succeed i a killing ? ^veral of them, and in passing their line, but he could not run fast enough to escape, and was overtaken and killed. So, knowing that men of a similar character are hankering after his herd, their duslty I owner is only too glad to have a number of young men who will guard his cattle from | such cunning enemies. The love that a Kaffir has for his cattle induces him to ornament them in various I ways, some of which must entail no little suffering upon them. To this, however, he is quite indifferent, often causing frightful tortures to the animals which he loves, not from the least desire of hurting them, but from the utter unconcern as to inflicting pain which is characteristic of the savage, in whatever part of the earth he may be. He trims tlio ears of the oows into all kinds of odd shapes, one of the favourite patterns being that of a leaf with deeply serrated edges. He gathers up bunches of the skin, generally upon tlie head, ties string tightly round them, and so forms a series of projecting knots of various sizes and shapes. He cuts strips of hide from various parts of the body, especially tie head and face, and lets them hang down as lappets. He cuts the dewlap and makes fringes of it, and all without the least notion that he is causing the poor animal to suffer | tortures. But, in some parts of the country, he lavishes his powers on the horns. Among us the I horn does not seem capable of much modification, but a Kaffir, skilful in his art, can never be content to leave the horns as they are. He will cause one horn to project forward aud another backward, and he will train one to grow upright, and the other pointing to the ground. Some^^imes he observes a kind of symmetry, and has both horns bent with their points nearly touching the shoulders, or trains them so that their tips itkeet above, and they form an arch over their head. Now and then an ox is seen in which a most singular effect has been produced. As the horns of the young ox sprout they are trained over tlie KAFFIR CATTLE. 67 forehead until the points meet. They are then manipulated so as to naive them coalesce, and so shoot upward from the middle of the forehead, lilce tho horn of the tabled unicorn. Le Vaillant mentions this curious mode of decomting tho cattle, and carefully describes the process by which it is performed. " I had not yet taken a near view of the horned cattle which they brought with them, because at break of day they strayed to the thickets and pastures, and were not brought back by their keepers until tlm evening. One day, however, having repaired to their kreal very early, I wns much surprised when I first beheld one of these animals. I scarcely knew them to be oxen and cows, not only on account of their being much smaller than ours, since I observed in them the same form and the same fundamental character, in which I could not be deceived, but on account of the multiplicity of their horns, and the variety of their different twistings. They had a great resemblance to those marine productions known by naturalists under the name of stag's horns. « i'v i< r' KAFFIR CATTLE. TRAININO THE HORNS. " Being at this iime persuaded that these concretions, of which I had no idea, were a Ipeouliar present of nature, I considered the Kaffir oxen as a variety of the species, but I |\ras undeceived by my guide, who informed nie that tliis singularity was only the effect lof their invention and taste ; and that, by means of a process with which they were well [acquainted, they could not only multiply tliese horns, but also give them any form that Itheir imaginations might suggest. Having offered to exhibit their skill in my presence, lif I had any desire of learning their method, it appeared to me so new and uncommon, ■that I was willing to secure an opportunity, and for several days I attended a regular |cQurse of lessons on this subject. "They take the animal at as tender an age as possible, and when the horns begin to jappear they make a small vertical incision in them with a saw, or any other instrument ■that may be substitutec' for it, and divide them into two parts. This division makes the liionis, yet tender, separate of themselves, so that iu time the animal has four very distinct lones. P2 Til "■' h\ t ■ :m i> cs THE KAFFIR. " If tlioy wisli to Imvo six, or ovon more, similar notches mnde with the saw prothice as many as may bo required. But if they are tli-siiouH of forcinj^ one of tliese division." t tlio whole liorii to form, for example, a complete circle, tliey cut awiiy from t'..^' u-kidi munt nut he hurt, a small part of its thickness, and this amputation, often re ■, '' and with much patience, makes the horn heiid in a conirary direction, and, the , ., luectin,;^ the root, it exhibits tlin appearance of a periect circli;. As it is certain that ituisKn always causes a jj;reater or less degree of bending', it may be readily conceived that every variation that caprice can ima<,'ino may be i)rodnced by this simphf method. " In short, one must be born a Kattir, and have liis taste and patience, 1o suhniit to that minute care and unwearied attention required for this operation, which in Katlir-hiiid ciin only bo useless, but in other climates would be hurtful. For the horn, thus (li.sti;juri(l, woidd b'!C(»mo weak, whereas, when preserved stioiiy and cntiie, it keeps at a di-stunce ili^ famished boars and wolves of Europe." Tiio reader must remember that the words rtltr to France, and that the date of ^ VaillanUs travels was 1780-85. The same traveller mentions an in,<,'eniou3 method employed by the Kaffrs Mlirn a cow is bad-toinpereil, aixl will not give her milk freely. A lojie is tied to one of the hind Ictt, and a m v:i hauls the foot olf the <;round by means of the rope. The cow cannot run awny on account of the mm who is holdinj^ her no.so, and the pain caused by tlu; violent drii^'j^ino of her foot backwanls, to;,'ether with the constrained attitude of standing on three le^s, soon subdues thij mo it rcffractory animal. Bi^fore proccodiiiii; to another chapter, it will be well to explain the illustrntion on p. 53, called "The Kallirs at Homo." The sp'ictator is supposed to bo just iiisido the outer enclosure, and nearly opposite to the isi-biya, in which .some cattle aro seen. In the centre of the jdate a milkiny scone I is shown. The cow, bcinj,' a res'ivo one, is being held by the " man," by means of a stick passed through its nostrils, ami by means of the contrast between the man and the I anirail tlio small size of the latter is well shown. A Kallir ox averages only four hundred pounds in weight. Beneath the cow is seen the milker, holding between his knees tlie I curiously-shaped milk-pail. On the right hand is seen another Kaffir emptying a pailful of milk into one of the baskets which are used as stores for this article. The reader will notice that the orifice of the basket is very small, and so would cause a considerable auxount of milk to be spilt, if it wore poured from the wide mouth of the pail. The Kaffii" has no funnel, so ho extemporizes one by holding Ids hands over the mouth of the pail, and placing the thuuibs so as to cause the milk to flow in a narrow stream belwetn them. A woman is seen in the foreground, going out to labour in the4ields, with her child slung at her back, an I her heavy hoa on her shoulder. In order to show the ordinary size of the huts a young Kilfir is shown standing near one of them, while a "man " is seated against it, and enga'^i3d alteraately-in his \>\.[)Q and conversation. Three shield-sticks are seen in the fence of the isi-baya, and the strip of skin suspended to the pole shows that the chief man of the kraal is in residence. In front are several of the oddly-shaped Cape sheep, with their long legs and thick tails, in which the whole fat of the body seems to concentrate itself. Two of the characteristic trees of the countrj' are shown, namely, an I euphorbia standing within the fence, and an acacia in the background. Tl)is last- mentioned I tree is sometimes called Kameel-dorn, or Camel-thorn, because the giraffe, which tiiel Dutch colonists xoill call a camel, feeds upon its leaves. In the distance are two of those] table-topp(>d mountains which are so characteristic of Southern Africa. The Kaffir uses his cattle for various purposes. Wlienever he can afford such a luxiin'J which is very seldom, he feasts upon its flesh, and contrives to consume a quantity tliati seems almost too much for human digestion to undertake. But the chief diet is the] milk of the cows, generally mixed with meal, so as to form a kind of porridge. The milk is never eaten in its fresh state, the Kaffirs thinking it to be very indi-l gestible. Indeed, they Iwk upon fresh milk much as a beer-drinker looks n|K)n sweet-l wort, and have an o(jn.al objection to drinking the liquid in its crude state. When a cowl has been milkiMl, the Kaffir empties the pail into a large store-basket, such as is seen nnl the right-hand of the engraving, " Kaffirs at Home," page 53. This basket already coutainsi TvIDINa OXKN. 60 ir.ilk ill tlin snrouil stn;^o, nnd U novcr rnnipletoly eniptioil. Soon aftor the milk lias W^n Tiliiccfl in tlio basket, ii sort of llrmcntiitioii takes plaee, ami in ii short time the whole ut ♦lie liqui'l in cotiveited into a soiui-solid mass, mitl ii watery tluiil s(»iiiitiiiii;^ likij \v]u y. The latter is ilruwii oil', and us'.mI as a drink, or ^iven to the children ; and the remainder is a thick, clotted substanco, about tho consistency of I)evonHhiro cream. This is called " aiiiasi," and la tlie atatt' of life to a Katlir. Europeans who liavo livi^l in Kiulirdand fjencrally dislike amasi oxceedinyly at lirst, but soon come to prefer it to mill: ill iiiiV otlusr form. Somo persons liavo compared tlio amasi to curds ufti'r tho whey h; 5 ken drawn off; but this is not a fair comparison. The niiiasi is not in himps or in eiud, Imt ft thick, creamy mass, more like our clotted cream than any other siibstiniee. It has a (iljrfhtly acid flavour. Children, whether black or whitOj arc alwaya very fond of amasi, and there can bo no better food for them. RETURN OP A WAR PARTY. Should tlio Kaffir be obliged to use a new vessel for the purpose of making this clotted milk, he always takes some amasi ready prepared, and phace.s it in the V(!ssel together with tiie froah milk, where it acts like yeast iu liquid fermentation, and soon reduces the lutire mass to its own consistency. The oxen are a!sp used for riding purposes, and as heasts of l)uvden. Europeans employ them largely as draught oxen, and use a great number to draw a single wiigon ; but the wagon is an European invention, and therefore without tlie scope of the presiut work. Tlie native contrives to ride the oxen without the use of a saddle, halancing himscli ingeniously on the sharp'.y-ridgcd back, and guiding his horned steed by nieau3 of a i- m^, ^Jfe* p?{ vVl '-•£. ■I 70 THE KAFFIE. I'lu' if stick through its nostrils, with a cord tied to each end of it. He is not at all a graceful rider, but jogs along with his arms extended, snd his elbows jerking up and down with every movement of the beast. Still, the ox answers his purpose ; and, as it never goes beyond a walking pace, no great harm is done by a fall. Since the introduction of horses, the Kaffirs have taken a great liking to them, and have proved themselves capable of being good horsemen, after their fashion. This fashion is, always to ride at full gallop ; for they can see no object in mounting a swift animal if its speed is not to be brought into operation. It is a very picturesque sight when a party of mounted Kaffirs come dashing along, their horses at full speed, their shields and spears in their hands, and their karosses flying behind them as they ride. When they have occasion to stop, they pull up suddenly, and are off' their horses in a moment. However the Kaffir may be satisfied with the bare back of the ox, the European cannot manage to retain his seat In the first place, the sharp spine of the ox does not form a very pleasant seat ; and in the next place, its skin is so loose that it is impossible for the rider to retain his place by any grasp of the legs. A few cloths or hides are therefore placed on the animal's back, and a long " reim," or leathern rope, is passed several times lound its body, being drawn tightly by a couple of men, one at each side. By this operation the skin is braced up tight, and a saddle can be fixed nearly as firmly as on a horse. Even under these circumstances, the movements of the ox are very unpleasant to an European equestrian, and, although not so fatiguing as those of a camel, require a tolerable course of practice before they become agreeable. This custom of tightly girthing is not confined to those animals which are used for the saddle, but is also practised on those that are used as pack-oxen ; the loose skin rendering the packages liable to slip off the animal's back. The whole process of girthing the ox is a very curious one. A sturdy Kaffir stands at each sidt, while another holds the ox firmly by a stick passed through its nostrils. The skins or cloths are then laid on the back of the ox, and the long lope thrown over them. One man retains his hold of one end, while the other passes the rope round the animal's body. Each man takes firm hold of the rope, puts one foot against the ox's side, by way of a fulcrum, and then hauls away with the full force of his body. Holding his own part of the rope tightly with one hand, the second Kaffir dexterously throws the end under the animal to his comrade, who catches it, and passes it over the back, when it is seized as before. Another hauling-match now takes place, and the process goes ou until the cord is exhausted, and the diameter of the o.x notably diminished. In spite of the enormous pressure to which it is subject, the beast seems to care little about it, and walks away as if unconcerned. If the journey is a long one, the ropes are generally tightened once or twice, the native drivers seeming to take a strange pleasure in the operation. In the illustration on page 69 is shown the manner in which the Kaffir employs the ox for riding and pack purposes. A chief is returring with his triumphant soldiers from a successful expedition against an enemy's kraal, which they have " eaten up," as their saying is. In the foreground is seen the chief, fat and pursy, dressed in the full paraphernalia of | war, and seated on an ox. A hornless ox is generally chosen for the saddle, in order t» avoid the danger of the rider falling forward and wounding himself; but sometimes the Kaffir qualifies an ox for saddle purposes by forcing the horns to grow downwaids, and in many instances contrives to make the horns flap about quite loosely, as if they were only suspended by thongs from the animal's head. The soldiers are seen in charge of other I oxen, laden with the spoils of the captured kraal, to which they have set fire ; and in the middle distance, a couple of men are reloading a refiractory ox, and drawing the rope tightly round it, to prevent it from shakii^g off its load a second time. UUi CHAPTER IX. MARRIAGE. POtTOAUT PBACTISBD AMONO THB KAFFIRS — OOZA AND HIS 'WIVES — KTTMBRB OF A KINO's HABBM — TCHAKA, THE BACHELOR KINO— THE KINO AND US SVCCBSSOBS — ^A BABBAB0V8 CUSTOM — QlVUSBS AND EFFECTS OF POLYOAHT AMONO THE KAi'FIBS — DOMESTIC LIFE AND ITS CUSTOMS — THE VABIED DUTIES OF A WIFE ANECDOTE OF A KAFFIB HUSBAND JEALOUSY AND ITS EFFECTS — A FAVOCBITE "WIFE MUBDEBED BT HBB COMPANIONS — MINOB QUABBELS, AND 8UMMABY JUSTICE — THE FIRST WIFE AND HEB PBIVILEOEB — MINUTE CODE OF LAWS ^THE LAW OF INHEBITANCE AND PBIMOGENITUBE ^THE MA8TEB8HIP OF THE KBAAL PBOTECTION TO THE ORPHAN — QUARDIANS, THEIR DUTIES AND PBIVILEOEB PBELIHINABIE8 TO MABBIAOB — KAFWB COURTSHIP — THE BBIDEOBOOM ON AFPBOVAL AN UNWILLING CELIBATE — A KAFFIB LOVE TALE — UZINTO AMD HBB AOVBNTCBBS — BEWABD OF PEBSEVEBANCE. Contrary to general opinion, marriage is quite as important a matter among the Kaffirs as with ourselves, and even though the men who can afford it do not content themselves I with one wife, there is as much ceremony in the last marriage as in the first. As to the number of wives, no law on that subject is found in the minute, though I necessarily traditional, code of laws, by which the Kafhrs regulate their domestic polity. A man may take just as many wives. as he can afford, and the richer a man is, the more wives he has as a general rule. An ordinary man has generally to be content with one, while those of higher rank have the number of wives dependent on their wealth and I position. Goza, for example, whose portrait is given in page 27, and who is a powerful chief, has a dozen or two of wives. There is now before me a photograph representing I a whole row of his wives, all sitting on their heels, in the attitude adopted by Kaffir [women, and all looking rather surprised at the photographer's operations. In our sense ■of the word, none of them have the least pretence to beauty, whatever may have been Ithe case when they were young girls, but it is evident that their joint husband was [satisfied with their charms, or they would not retain a position in his household. As to the king, the number of his wives is illimitable. Parents come humbly before Ihim, and offer their daughters to him, only too proud if he will accept them, and asking |no payment Ibr them. The reverence for authority must be veiy strong in a Kaffir's it, if it can induce him to forego any kind of payment whatever, especially as that layment is in cattla The king has perhaps twenty or thirty large kraals in different parts [of the country, and in each of them he has a considerable number of wives, so that he is ilways at home whenever he changes his residence from one kraal to another. In fact, he bever knows, within fifty or so, how many wives he has, nor would he know all his wives h sight, and in consequence he is obliged to keep a most jealous watch over his honsfr- pold, lest a neglected wife should escape and take a husband, who, although plebeian, ffould be her own choice. In consequence of thi? feeling, none of the inhabitants of the royal harem ever Ifeave Jiieir house without a ptrong guard at hand, besides a number of spies, who conceal Jiemselves in unsuspected places, and who would report to the king the slightest, indio^ m ■■ 72 THE KAFFIR m i< .., :i 13 cretion on the part of any of hia wives. It is not even safe for a Kaffir to speak to one of these closely-guarded beauties, for, even if no guards are openly in sight, a spy is sure to be concealed at no great distance, and tlio consequence of such an indiscretion woulj be, that the woman would certainly lose her life, and the man probably be a fellow sufferer. That able and saaguinary chief Tchaka farmed an exception to the ordinary rule. He would accept as many dark maidens as miglit bo offered to him, but he would not raise one of them to the rank of wife. The reason for this line of conduct was his horror of seeing a successor to his throne. A Kaftir of rank always seems to think that he himself is exempt from the ordinary lot of liunmnity, and will never speak of the possibility of his own death, nor allow any one else to do so. In a dependent, such a piece of bad breeding would be looked upon as an overt act of treachery, and the thoughtless delin- quent would instantly lose the power of repeating the offence by forfeiting his life. Even in an European, the offence would be a very grave one, and would jar gratingly on tlie feelings of all who heard the ill-omened words. This disinclination to speak of death sometimes shows itself very curiously. On one occasion, an Englishman went to pay a visit to Panda, after the contradiction of a repoit of that monarch's death. After the preliminary greetings, he expressed his plea^ne at seeing the chief so well, especially after the repoit of his death. The word "death" seemed to strike the king and all the court ]ii% i 'ihi 74 THE KAFFIR His next step was to go to one of the witch-doctors, or prophets, and ask him vwl had become of his favourite wife. The man answered that the two older wives liadi murdered her. He set otf homewards, but before he reached his kraal, the dead body A the murdered wife had been discovered by a herd-boy. The fact was, that she had gonj out with the other two wives in the morning to fetch firewood, a quarrel had arisen, and they had hanged her to a tree with the bush-rope used in tying up the bundles of wood. rOUa OLD WIVES BBATINO a TOUNO FAVOUIilTB. As to minor assaults on a favourite wife, they are common enough. She will M l)eaten, or have her faco scratched so as to spoil her beauty, or the holes in her ears will I be torn violently open. The assailants are sure to suffer in their own turn for their con- 1 duct, their husband beating them most cruelly with the first weapon that happens to I come to hand. But, in tlie meantime, the work which they have done has been effected,! And they have at all events enjoyed some moments of savage vengeance Fights often I take place among the wives, but if the husband hears the noise of the scuffle he 80on| puts a stop to it, by seizing a stick, and impartially belabouring each combatant. Tlie position of a first wife is really one of some consequence. Although she has been! bought and paid for by her husband, she is not looked upon as so utter an article of mer- chandize as her successors. " When a man takes his first wife," says Mr. Shooter, " all I the cows ha possesses are regarded as her property. She uses the milk for the support of her family, and, after the birth of her first son, they are called his cattle. Theoretically, the husband can neither sell nor dispose of them without his wife's consent. If he wish to take a second wife, and require any of these cattle for the purpose, he must obtain, bei | concurrence. THE LAW OF INHERITANCE. T5 "When I asked a native how this was to be procured, he said by flattery and coax- or if that did not succeed, by bothering hex until she yielded, and told him not to do I'to-morrow, i.e. for the future. Sometimes she becomes angry, and tells him to take all, lor they are not hers, but his. If she comply with her husband's polygamous desires, nd furnish cattle to purchase and indue a new wife, she will be entitled to her services, jd will call her my wife. She will also be entitled to the cattle received for a new fcife's eldest daughter. " The cattle assigned to the second wife are subject to the same rules, and so on, while sh wives are taken. Any wife may furnish he cattle necessary to add a new member to the em, and with the same consequences as : asulted to the first wife ; but it seems that the hueen, as the first is called, can claim the right of refusal" It will be seen from this ac- ount of the relative stations of the different wives, that the position of chief wife is one • hat would be much prized, and we can therefore understand that the elevation of a new omer to that rank would necessarily create i strong feeling of jealousy in the hearts of he others. In oonsequence of the plurality of wives, he law of inheritance is most complicated. borne persons may wonder that a law whicl. seems to belong especially to civilization Ihould be found among savage tribes like the iCaffirs. But it must be remembered that [tie Kaffir is essentially a man living under an hority, and that his logical turn of intellect I caused him to frame a legal code ^vhich is singularly minute in all its details, and (fhich enters not only into the affairs of the nation, but into those of private life. The law respecting the rank held by the wives, and the control which they exercise ver property, is sufficiently minute to give promise that there would also be a law which «('ulated the share held in the property of their respective children. lu order to understand the working of this law, the reader must remember two facts ipMch have been mentioned: the one, that the wives do not live in common, but that each liaa her own house ; and moreover, that to each house a certain amount of cattle is (ttaehed, in theory, if not in practice, Wlien the headman of a kraal dies, his property i divided among his children by virtue of a law, which, though unwritten, is well known, jiid is as precise as any similar law in England. If there should be an eldest son, born [u the house of the chief wife, he succeeds at once to his father's property, and inherits Ids rank. There is a very common Kafiir song, which, though not at all filial, is lliaracteristic. It begins by saying, " Aly father has died, and 1 have all his cattle," and hen proceeds to expatiate on the joys of wealth. He does not necessarily inherit all the cattle in the kraal; because there may be sons lelonging to other houses ; in such cases, tlio eldest son of ea;5h house would be entitled ) the cattle which are recognised as the property of that house. Still, he exercises a sort If paternal authority over the whole, and will often succeed in keeping all the family pgether instead of giving to each son his share of the cattle, and letting them separate 1 different directions. Such i course of proceeding is the best for all parties, as the/ lossess a strength when united, which they could not hope to attain when separated. It sometimes happens that the owner of the kraal has no son, and in that case, the bwperty is claimed by his father, brother, or nearest living relative, — always, if possible, jiy a member of the same house as himself. It sometimes happens that no male relation I be found, and when such a failure takes place, the property goes to the chief, as the icknowledged father of the tribe. As to the women, they very seldom inherit anything, |)ut go with the cattle to the different heirs, and form part of their property. To this peral rule there are exceptional cases, but they are very rare. It will be seen, therefore, that every woman has some one who acts as her father, jrhether her father be living or not, and although the compulsory dependent state of women I not conducive to their dignity, it certainly protects them from many evils. If, for ample , a girl were left an orphan, an event which is of very frequent occurrence in lountries where little value is placed on human life, she would be placed in a very linpleasant position, for either she would find no husband at all, or she would be fought Iver by poor and turbulent men who wanted to obtain a wife without paying for her. Kaffir law, however, provides for this difficvdty by making the male relations heirs *=^=«fi 76 THE KAFFIR. of the property, and, consequently, protectors of the women; so that as long as there J a single male relation living, an orphan girl has a guardian. The law even goes further! and contemplates a case which sometimes exists, namely, that all the male relatives attj dead, or that tliey cannot be identified. Such a case as this may well occur in the course of a war, for the enemy will some.! times swoop down on a kraal, and if their plans be well laid, will kill every mdiel inhabitant. Even if all are not killed, the survivors may be obliged to flee ior theiJ lives, and thus it may often happen that a young girl finds herself comparatively alnnel in the world. In such a case, she would go to another chief of her tribe, or even to tliel king himself, and ask permission to becotiie one of his dependents, and many instancesl have been known where such refugees have been received into tribes not their own. When a girl is received as a dependent, she is treated as a daughter, and if she shoulJ happen to fall ill, her guardian would offer sacrifices for her exactly as if she were one| of his own daughters. Should a suitor present himself, he will have to treat with i guardian exactly as if he were the father, and to him will be paid thg cattle that ai?| demanded at the wedding. Mr. Fynn mentions that the women are very tenacious nlioul their relatives, and that in many ciises when they could not identify their real relations' thfty have ipadp arrauLjements with strangers to declare relationship with tliem. It jj^ possible that tiii'. leeliug arises from the notion that a husband would have more respeclT for a wife who 'lad relations than for one who had none. As an exf i -le of the curious minuteness with which the Kafiir law goes into tliel details of doi'H' 'io polity, it may be mentioned that if a female dependent be niarrieJ and should afterwards be fortunate enough to discover her real relatives, they iiiay clainij the cattli> I' lid f' .' her by the husband. But they must give one of the cow.s to IkfT protector ai payment lor her maintenancci and the trouble taken in maixying lierl Moroo . er, if n i . ' ; lo have been sacrificed on her behalf, these must be restored, togetlia| with any othci ' ic may have been slaughtered at tho marriage-feast. The fact that she is paid for by her husband conveys no idea of degradation to jl Kafiir woman. On the contrary, she looks upon the fact as a proof of her own wortJ and the more cattle are paid for her, the prouder she becomes. Neither would tho Ims-T band like to take a wife without paying the proper sum for her, because in the first ])L, it would be a tacit assertion that the wife was worthless, and in the second, it would an admission that he could not afford to pay the usual price. Moreover, the delivery i the cattle on tho one side, and the delivery of the girl on the other, are considered constituting the validity of the marriage contract, and are looked upon in much the saiiit! light as the giving of a ring by the husband and the giving away of the bride hy lieij father in our own marrlasie ceremonies. What that price may be is exceedingly variable, and depends much on the beauty anl qualifications of the bride, and the rank of her father. The ordinary price of an unni(ir| ried girl is eight or ten cows, while twelve or fifteen are not unfrequently paid, and some cases the husband has been obliged to give as many as fifty before the father wouiJ part with his daughter. Payment ought to be maue beforehand by rights, and the mai cannot demand his wife until the cattle have been transferred. This rule is, liowevetl frequently relaxed, and the marriage is all . p.d ^ Ion a certain instalment has been jai^ together with a guarantee that the remaiuUvir shall be forthcoming witlin a rcasonablJ time. All preliminaries having been settled, tlM' next basiness is for the intending bridegrooii| to present himself to his future wife. Then, although a certain sum is demanded tor i girl, and must be paid before she becomes a wife, it does not follow that she exercises nJ choice whatever in accepting or rejecting a suitor, as may be seen from the follotfiii| passages taken from Mr. Shooter's valuable work on Kaffirland : — " When a husband has been selected for a girl, she may be delivered to him witlifliil any previous notice, and Mr. Fynn acknowledges that in some eases this is done lln usually, he says, she is informed of her parent's intention a month or some longoi im beforehand, in order. T imagine, that she may, if possible., be persuaded to think favouil ably of the man. liarbarians as they are, the Kaffirs are aware that it is better to rcasoij BRIDEGEOOM ON APPEOVAT* 77 Iwith a woman than to beat her ; and I anj inclined to think that moral means are usually lemployed to induce a girl to adopt her parent's choice, before physical arguments are re- Lorted to. Sometimes very elaborate efforts are made, as I have been told, to produce this jiesult. " The first step is to speak well of the man in her presence ; the kraal conspire to ise him — her sisters j>vaise him — all the admirers of his cattle praise him — he was luever so praised before. Unless she is very resolute, the girl may now perhaps be pre- Ivailed on to see him, and a messenger is dispatched to communicate the hopeful fact, and jsumnion him to the kraal. Without loss of time he prepares to show himself to the best jadvantage ; Ke goes down to the river, and having carefully washed his dark person, [comes up again dripping and shining like a dusky Triton ; but the sun soon dries his iBkin, and now he shines again with grease. BBIDEGBOOM ON APPROVAL. "His dancing attire is put on, a vessel of water serving for a mirror ; and thus clothed lin his best, and carrying shield and assagai, he sets forth, with beating heart and gallant kep, to do battle with the scornful belle. Having reached the kraal he is received with a lliearty welcome, and squatting down in the family 'circle' (which is here somalLing iDiore than a ligure of speech), he avails the lady's appearance. Presently she comes, and bitting down near the door stares f t him in silence. Then having surveyed him suffi- jciently in his present attitude, she desires him through her brother (for she will not speak Ito him) to stand up, and exhibit his proportions. The modest man is embarrassed ; but Itlie mother encourages him, and while the young ones laugh and jeer, he rises before the I damsel. She now scrutinizes him in this position, and having balanced the merits and !.''*: 78 THE KAFFIB. defects of a fh)nt view, desires him (through the same medium as before) to turn vm\ \ aud favour her with a different aspect. " At length he receives permission to squat again, when she retires as route as she I came. The familv troop rush after her impatient to learn her decision ; but she declinet to be hasty — she has not seen him walk, and perhaps he limps. So, next morning, the unfortunate man appears in the cattle fold, to exhibit his paces before a larger assembly, A volley of praises is showered upon him by the interested spectators ; and perhaps the girl has come to think as they thmk» and signifies her approval In this case, arrange, ments are made for the betrothal." This amusing ceremony has two meanings— the first, that the contract of marriage ii a voluntary act on both sides ; and the second, that the intending bridegroom has as yet no authority over her. This last point seems to be thought of some importance, as it it | again brought forward when the marriage ceremony takes place. That the girl has no choice in a husband is evidently not true. There are, of couTse, I instances in Kaffirland, as well as in more civilized countries, where the parents have set their hearts on a particular alliance, and have disregarded the aversion of their daughten, forcing her by hard words and other cruelties to consent to the match. But, as a general | rule, although a girl must be bought with a certain number of cows, it does not at follov that every one with the requisite means may buy her. A rather amusing proc. to the contrary is related by one of our clergy who resided] for a long time among the Kaffir tribes. There was one " boy," long past the prime cf life, who had distinguished himself in war, and procured a fair number of cows, and yet | could not be ranked as a " man," because he was not married. The fact was, he was i very ugly that he could not find any of the dusky beauties who would accept him, and so I he had to remain a bachelor in spite of himself At last the king took compaE^sion on him. and authorized him to assume the head-ring, and take brevet rank among the men, or " ama-doda," just as among ourselves an elderly maiden la'dy is addressed by courtesy | as if she had been married. Sometimes a suitor's heart misgives him, and he fears that, in spite of his wealth tn\ I the costly ornaments with which he adorns his dark person, the lady may not be pro- pitious. In this case he generally goes to a witch-doctor and purchases a charm, which he hopes uill cause her to relent The cliarm is sometimes a root, or a piece of wood, bone, metal, or horn, worn about the person, but it most usually takes the foim of a powder. This magic powder is given to some trusty friend, who mixes it surreptitiously in the girl's food, sprinkles it on her dress, or deposits it in her snufT-box, and shakes it up with the legitimate contents. Not unfrequently, when a suitor is very much disliked, and has not the good senfe to withdraw his claims, the girl takes the matter into her own hands by running away, often to another triba There is always a great excitement in these cases, and the truant is hunted by all her relations. One of these flights took place when a girl had been promised | to the ill-favoured bachelor who has just been mentioned. He offered a chief a con* siderable number of cattle for one of his wards, and paid the sum in advance, hoping so to I clench the bargain. But when the damsel found who her husband was to be, she flatly | refused to marry so ugly a man. Neither cajolements, threats, nor actual violence had any effect, and at last she vaal tied up with ropes and handed over to her purchaser. He took her to his home, but in a few hours she contrived to make her escape, and fled for refuge to the kraal of a neighbouring chief, where it is to be hoped she found a husband more to her taste, Her former possessor declined to demand her back again, inasmuch as she had been paid for and delivered honourably, and on the same grounds he declined to return the price paid for her. So the unfortunate suitor lost not only his cattle but his wife. This man was heartily ashamed of his bachelor condition, and always concealed it as I much as he could. One day, an Englishman who did not know his history asked him how many wives he had ; and, although he knew that the falsehood of his answer must soon be detected, he had not moral courage to say that he was a bachelor, and named a considerable number of imaginary wives. UZINTO AND HER ADVENTURES. 19 Kow that the English have established themselves in Southern Africa, it is not at all an uuusual circumstance for a persecuted eirl to take refuge among them, though in many instances she has to be given up to her relations when they come to search for her. Sometimes the young damsel not only exercises the right of refusal, but contrives to choose a husband for herself. In one such instance a man had fallen into poverty, and been forced to become a dependent He had two unmarried daughters, and his chief proposed to buy them. The sum which he offered was so small that the father would not accept it, and there was in consequence a violent quarrel between the chief and himself. Moreover, the girls themselves had not the least inclination to become wives of the chief, who already had plenty, and they refused to be purchased, just as their father refused to accefA so niggardly a sum for them. The chief was very angry, went off to Panda, and contrived to extort an order from the king that the girls should become the property of the chief at the price which he had fixed. The girls were therefore taken to the kraal, but they would not go into any of the huts, and sat on the ground, much to the annoyance of their new owner, who at last had them carried into a hut by main forca One of the girls, named Uzinto, contrived ingeniously to slip unperceived f^om the hat at dead of night, and escaped from the kraal by creeping through the fence, lest the dogs should be alarmed if she tried to open the door. In spite of the dangers of Bight- travelling, she pushed on towards Natal as fast as she could, naving nothing with her but the sleeping-mat which a Kaffir uses instead of a bed, and which can be rolled up into a cylinder and slung over the shoulders. On her way she met with two adventures, both of which nearly fhistrated her plan. At the dawn of the day ^n which she escaped, she met a party of men, who saw tears in her lace and taxed her with being a fugitive. However, she was so ready with the answer that she had been taking snuff (the Kaffir snuif always makes the eyes water profusely), that they allowed her to proceed on her journey. The next was a more serious adventure. Having come to the territories of the Amakoba tribe, she went into a kraal for shelter at night, and the inhabitants, who knew jthe quarrel between her father and the chief, first fed her hospitably, and then tied her hand and foot, and sent off a messenger to the chief from whom she had escaped. She [contrived, however, to get out of the kraal, but was captured again by the women. She as so violent with them, and her conduct altogether so strange, that they were afraid of [her, and let her go her own way. From that time she avoided all dwellings, and only ivelled through the bush, succeeding in fording the Tugela river at the end of the fourth y, thus being out of Panda's power. Her reason for undertaking this long and perilous journey was two-fold ; first, that might escape from a husband whom she did not Uke, and secondly, that she might ibtain a husband whom she did. For in the Natal district was living a young man with hom she had carried on some love-passages, and who, like herself, was a fugitive from own land. After some difficulty, she was received as a dependent of a chief, and was straightway iked in marriage by two young men. She would have nothing to say to them, but ntrived to find out her former lover. Then followed an absurd series of scenes, too long to be narrated in detail First the young man was rather cool towards her, and so she went off in a huff, and onld not speak to him. Then he went after her, but was only repulsed for his pains, en they met while t!ie chief's corn was being planted, and made up the quarrel but ere espied by the chief, and both soundly beaten for idling instead of working. Then e fell Ul, and she went to see him, but would not speak a word. Then he got well, and hey had another quarrel, which was unexpectedly terminated by TJzitito insisting on Bing married. The young man objected that he did not know how mciny cows the chief ooid want for her, and that he had not enough to pay for a wife. She was equal to the ision, hov/ever, fixed her own value at ten cows, and ordered him to work hard until had earned them. Meanwhile her protector had made up his mind to take her for his own wife, thinking 4% ,9 80 THE KAFFIR it a good opportunity to gain another wife without paying for her. Uzinto, iiowcvur, hi{ not gone through so mutli to lose the husband on whom she had set her heart, oud (\A went 1) tlie yi g man's kraal, appeared before the headman, and demaudud to be / iustiintly betrotlied. He laturally feared the auger of tlie chief, and sent hor back agaij to liis kraal, whore, .vith tears, sulking fits, anger fits, and threats of suicide, she Vf.nied all the inmates so completely, that they yielded the point for the sake of pead ^A quutness, lu nted four cows from the lover as au iustulmeut of the required tin, ond so married hiu Lo him at lust. There is another instiince, where a girl fell ardently in love with a young Twittircliief I as he wfis displaying his agility in a dance. He did not even know her, and Wfi, uth'A surprise' i when she presented herself at his kraal, and avowed the state of her fiffoctions He, however, did not retmii them, and as the girl refused to leave his kraal, Ik ;v8j| obliged to send for her brother, wiio removed her by force. She scon mode her wnj beck again, and this time was severely beaten for her j)ertinacity. The stripes had no effect upon her; and in loss than a week she again presented herself. Fii ng (Juj his 'lister was so determined, the brother suggested tnat the too-fascinating chief had bett.r marry the girl, and so f ud the dispute ; and the re.'^iilt was that at last the lady gaine 1 lnH" point, the needful ows Mere duly paid to the brother, and the mairiage took place Even after marriage, there are i ny instances where" the wife has happened to possess! an inicUect f.ir superior to that ol her husbuud, and where she has gained a thorougli ascendency over him, gniding him in .ill liis transactions, whether of peace or war. And! it is only jus' to say thu n these rare jist mces of feminine supremacy, the husband 1 submitted to. s wife's guidance through a conviction that it was exercised judiciouslj, I and not througli any weakness of cluudcter ou his own part, or ill-temper on hers. fIDDINa OSBniONZIfl- WJCODINO DANOB — K —MUTUAL BBLATIOIi —UZINTO AOAnr — t: jnXB — POWKB OF Dl AUTHOBITT OF THE OHOOSINO THEM — TJ BIBTH-NAanS — AN Al AND CONFXBRKD — Vj Of PANDA — THK AU — INFBRIOB POBITIOl TABI0U8 BANKS. 'fnm the marriage-da 3 the wealth of the pa The bride, decked I grand procession 1 agai before she star kith red painty and dre little tuft looks as mucl wistles. She is escortt pany other married wo md friends make a poi nmg his shield and pe then seats herself, s About this period o »y respecting certain If the brid& The form Irideby the bridegroom Ire hung about the bo( lie mother is made in laughter's childhood. t for the marriage feas Tiutu ox is ready for t Another ox, called I ) the giri's father, and [The day having consi poom's kraal to claim t pded in a long file, VOL. I CHAPTEB X. UARUUlQE— Continued. flSDINO OBBBXOmU — PBOOXflnON OV THS BRTDS — TltK VK^nnffi — THK OXKN — TRB WKDDINO OANCT — MUTVAI. DBPBBCIATIOW AMD KNCOURAOBMKNT — Ai O THK BaiDBOROOM — MUTUAL BBLATI0N8 OF HUSBANDS AND WIVBB A KAFHR PBTRUOli iilK OX OF TUB QIBL — UZINTO AGAIN— THB OX OF THB BUBPLV8 ITS lUPORT — VABIKTIK8 OF W ' KRIAOB CBRKMO- XIBS — POWER OF DIVORCE COUPARISON OF THB KAFFIR AND IIOSAIO LAA^S IBBBBPONBIBLB ACTHOBITT OF THB HUSBAND — CURIOUS CODB OF XTIQUBTTX — KilFFIR NAMES, AND MODES OF CHOOSING THEM — THE BUTH-NAHB AND THB 8URNAMB8 BUFEBSTITIONB RX8PRCTINO THE DIBTH-NAHB — AN AHUSINa BTBATAOBM — THB BUBNAMBS, OB FRAIHB-NAMBB — HOW EARNED AND CONFBBRBD — VARIOUS PBAI8B-NAME8 OF PANDA — A KAFFIR BOASTER — BONO IN PRAI8B or PANDA — THB ALLUSIONS KXPLAINRD — A HTRANOE RBBTBICTION, AND MODE OF EVADING IT —INFERIOR POSITION OF WOMEN — WOMEN WITH FmSWOOO— DmXBBNCX BETWEEN OIBL8 OF VABI0U8 AANKS. t ) 7nEir the marriage-day is fixed, a ceremonial takes place, differing in detail according I the wealth of the parties, but similar in all the principal points. The bride, decked in all the beads and other finery that she can muster, proceeds I a grand procession to the kraal of her future husband. Her head is shaved with an agai before she starts, the little tuft of hair on the top of her bare pate is rubbed Kfith red paint, and dressed with various appliances, until it stands on end, and the odd little tuft looks as much as possible like a red shaving-brush, with very short, diverging bristles. She is escorted by all her young friends, and is accompanied by her mother and uany other married women of the tribe, all bedizened to the utmost. Her male relatives ad friends make a point of joining the procession, also dressed in their best, but each earing his shield and a bundle of assagais, so as to guard the bride against enemies. le then seats herself, surrounded by her companions, outside the kraaL About this period of the ceremony there is generally a considerable amount of by- klay respecting certain oxen, which have to be given by the bridegroom and the father If the bride. The former is called the " Ukutu " ox, which is given to the mother of the frideby the bridegroom. The word " Ukutu " literally signifies the leathern thongs which hung about the bodies of chfldren by way of charms, and the present of the ox to lie mother is made in ordt. to reimburse her for the expenditure in thongs during her laughter's childhood. The mother does not keep the ox, but slaughters it and dresses for the marriage feast, and by the time that the wedding has been fairly begun, the Tcutu ox is ready for the guests. Another ox, called by the curious name of " Umquoliswa," is given by the bridegroom ) the girl's father, and about this there is much ceremony, as is narrated by Mr. Shooter. [The day having considerably advanced, the male friends of the bride go to the bride- room's kraal to claim the ox called Umquoliswa. In a case which I witnessed, they pro- Keded in a long file, with a step difficult to describe, being a sort of slow and measured VOL. L a ' ■I' s^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // 1.0 I.I ^ I2ii 12.2 111 I HI I u 14.0 ■ 2.0 — i-^ M. ^ 6" » PholDgraphic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WIBSTn,N.Y. V4SC0 (716) •72-4503 < ^ W^i' ! -t^ FBOCBSSION OF THB BmDB. ijii i! m stamping, an imitation of their dancing movement Wearing the dress and oniamenli| previously mentioned as appropriated to occasions of festivity, they brandished shieUi and sticks, the usual accompaniment of a wedding-dance ; while their tongues Yfei occupied with a monotonous and unsentimental chant — " ' Give us tho Umquoliswa, We desire the Umquoliswfc' ^ THE WEDDING DANCE. 88 " In this way they entered the kraal, and, tnming to the right, reached the principal hat The father of the girl now called upon the bridegroom, who was inside, to come forth and give them the Umquoliswa. The latter replied that he had no ox to present to them. He was then assured that the bride would be taken home; but he remained invisible until other members of the party had required him to appear. Having left the house, he hurried to the gateway, and attempted to pass it His exit, however, was barred by a company of women already in possession of the entrance, while a smile on his face )howed that his efforts to escape were merely formal, and that he was going through tax amasing ceremony. " The Umquoliswa was now fetched from the herd, and given to the bride's parl^, who were bivouackmg under the lee of a clump of bush. Her sisters affected to despise it as a paltry thing, and bade the owner produce a better. He told them that it was the laigest and the fattest that he could procure ; but they were not satisfied — ^they would not eat it. Presently, the father put an end to their noisy by-play, and accepted the beast The bride then ran towards the kraal, and after a while the dances commenced." The dances are carried on with the violent and idmost furious, energy that seems to take possession of a Kaffir's soul when engaged in the dance, the arms flourishing sticks, shields, and spears, while the legs are performing marvellous feats of activity. First the hrid^room and his companions seat themselves in the cattle-pen, and refresh themselves copiously with beer, whUe the party of the bride dances before him. The process is then reversed, the bride sitting dow^i, and her husband's party dancing before her. Songs on both sides accompany the dance. The girl is addressed by the matrons belonging to the bridegroom's party, who depre- ciate her as much as possible, telling her that her husband has given too many cows for her« that she will never be able to do a married woman's work, that, she is rather plain thad otherwise, and^that her marriage to the bridegroom is a wonderful instance of con- descension on his part This cheerful address is intended to prevent her from being too much elated by h^r translation &om the comparative nonentity of girlhood to the honour^ able post of a Zulu matron. Perfect equity, however, reigns ; and when the bride's party begin to dance and sing, they make the most of their opportunity. Addressing the parents, they congratulate them on the possession of such a daughter, but rather condole with them on the very inadequate number of cows which the bridegroom has paid. They tell the bride that she is the most lovtly girl in the tribe, that her conduct has been absolute perfection, that the husband is quite unworthy of her, and ought to be ashamed of himself for making such a hard bargain with lier father. Of course neither party believed a word that is said, but everything in Kaffirland must be conducted with the strictest etiquette. After each dance, the leader — usually the father — addresses a speech to the contracted couple; and, if the bridegroom be taking a wife for the first time, the quantity of good advice that is heaped upon him by the more experienced would be very useful if he were likely to pay any attention to it He is told that being a bachelor, he cannot know how to manatee a wife, and is advised not to make too frequent use of the stick, by way of gaining obsdieuce. Men, he is told, can manage any number of wives without using peraonal violence ; but boys are apt to be too hasty with their hands. The husband of Uzinto, whose adventures have already been related, made a curious stipulation when thus addressed, and promised not to beat her if she did not beat htm. Considering the exceedingly energetic character of the girl, this was rather a wise condition to make. AH these preliminaries being settled, the bridegroom seats himself on the ground while the bride dances before him. While so doing, she takes the opportunity of calling him by opprobious epithets, kicks dust in his face, disarranges his elegant head-dress, and takes similar liberties by way of letting him know that he is not her master yet. After she is married she will take no such liberties. Then another ox comes on the scene, the last, and most important of all. This is called the Ox of the Girl, and has to be presented lay the bridegroom. It must here be mentioned that, although the bridegroom seems to De taxed rather heavily for the privilege of possessing a wife, the tax is more apparent than real. In the o2 'I' fei, 84 THE KAFFIR first place, he considers tbat all these oxen form part of the price which he pays for the wife in question, and looks upon them much in tne same light that householders r^aid the various taxes that the occupier of a house has to pay — ^namely, a recognised addition to the sum demanded for the property. The Kaffir husband considers hu wife as much a portion of his property as his spear or his kaross, and will sometimes state the point very plainly. When a missionary was trying to remonstrate with a Kaffir for throwing all the haid work upon his wife and doing nothing at all himself, he answered that she was nothing more or less than his ox, bounit and paid for, and must expect to be worked accordinglT. His interlocutor endeavoured to strengthen his position by mentioning the maimer m which Europeans treated their wives, but met with little success in his gument Ihe It* ■; ' vmxnmva viB,TDamxm.--(St$p«v*es} Kaffir^s reply was simple enough, and perfectly unRr»gwerable. " White men do not buy their wives, and the two cases are not parallel." ,£act, a Kaffir husband's idea of a wife does not differ very far from that of Petruclui .chough the latter did happen to be an European — " I will be master of what is mine own ; She is my goods, my chattels, she is my house. My household stuff, my field, my barn, My horse, my ox, my ass, my anything." And the Kaffir wife's idea of a husband is practically that of the tamed Katherine — "Thy husband is thy lord, thy keeper, Thy head, thy soTereigu" — THE OX OP THE SUEPLUS. 86 thongh she could by no maimer of means finish the speech with troth, and say that he labours for her while she abides at home at ease, and ask no other tribute but obedience and love. The former portion of that tribute is exacted ; the latter is not so rare as the circumstances seem to denote. The sums which a Kaffir pays for his wife he considers as property invested by him- self, and expected to return a good interest in the long run, and, as has already been mentioned, there are often circumstances under which he takes credit for the amount, and expects to be repaid. So, although a bridegroom is obliged to part with certain cattle on the occasion of his wedding, ne keeps a very accurate mental account of them, and is sure to repay himself in one way or another. After the Ox of the Girl has been furnished, it is solemnly slaughtered, and this constitutes the binding portion of the marriage. Up to that time the father or owner of the girl might take her back again, of course returning the cattle that had been paid for her, as well as those which had been presented and slaughtered. Our heroine, Uzinto, a£forded an example of this kind. The bridegroom had a natural antipathy to the chief, who had tried to marry the lady by force, and showed his feelings by sending the very smallest and thinnest ox that could be found. The chief remonstrated at this insult, and wanted to annul the whole transaction. In this he might have succeeded, but for a coridus coincidence. The father of the bride had finally quarrelled with his chief, and had been forced to follow the example of his daughter and her intended husband, and to take refuge in Natal. Just at the wedding he unexpectedly made his appearance, and found himself suddenly on the way to wealth. His daughter was actually being married to a man who had engaged to pay ten cows for her. So he did not trouble himself in the least about the size of the ox that was to be slaughtered, but accepted the animal, and actordingly became owner of the cows in question, minus those which had to be paid as honorary gifts to the disappointed chief and the successful lover. After the ceremonies aro oyer, the husband takes his wife home, the character of that home being dependent on his rank and wealth. But when the coupl&have fairly taken up their abode, the father or previous owner of the wife always sends one ox to her husband. This ox is called the Ox of the Surplus, and represents several ideas. In the first place it is supposed to imply that the girl's value very far exceeds that of any number of oxen which can be giv >n for her, and is intended to let the bridegroom know that he is not to think too much of himself Next, it is an admission on the father's side tiiat he is satisfied with the transaction, and that when he dies he will not avenge himself by haunting his daughter's household, and so causing the husband to be disappointed in his wishes for a large family of boys and girls, the first to be warriors and extend the power of his house, and the second to be sold for many cows and increase his wealth. So curiously elaborate are the customs of the Kaffirs, that when this Ox of the Surplus enters the kraal of the husband it is called by another name, and is then entitled, " The Ox that opens the Cattle-fold." The theory of this name is, that the husband has paid for his wife all his oxen, and that in consequence the cattle-fold is empty. But the ox that she brings with her re-opens the gate of the fold, and is looked upon as an earnest of the herds that are to be purchased with the daughters which she may have in the course of her married life. These curious customs strongly remind us of the old adage respecting the counting of chickens before they are hatched, but the Kaffir seems to perform uiat premature calculation in more ways than one. The reader will understand that these minute and complicated ceremonies are not always observed in precisely the same manner. In many cases, especially when the KafiBrs have lived for any length of time under the protection of white men, there is veiy little, if any ceremony ; the chief rites being the arrangement with the girl's owner or &ther, the delivery of the cattle, and the transfer of the purchased girl to the kraal of her husband. Moreover, it is very difficult for white men to be present at Kaffir cere- monies, and in numy cases the Kaffirs will pretend that there is no ceremony at all, in order to put their interrogators off the track. The foregoing account is, however, a tolerably full description of the ceremonies tiiat are, or have been, practised by the great Zulu tribe. 86 THE KAFFIR I' I. I ' A marni^ thta made is considered quite as binding as any ceremony among onr. selves, and the KafiBr may not put away his wife except for causes that are considered valid by the councillors of the tribe. Infidelity is, of course, punished by instant die* missal of the unfaithful wife, if not by her death, the latter fate invariably befalling the erring wife of a chief. As for the other culprit, the aggrieved husband has him at big mercy, and sometimes puts him to .death, but sometimes commutes that punishment for a heavy fina Constant and systematic disobedience is also accepted as a valid cause of divorce, and so is incorrigible idlenesa The process of reasoning is, that the husband has bought the woman in order to perform certuu tasks for him. If she refuses to perform them through disobedience, or omits to perform them through idleness, it is clear that he has paid his money for a worthless article, and is therefore entitled to return her on the hands of tiie vendor, and to receive back a fair proportion of the sum which he has paid. Some- times she thinks herself ill-treated, and betakes herself to the kraal of her father. In this case, the father can keep her by paying back the cattle which he has received for her; and if there should be any children, the husband retains them as hostages unt3 the cattle have been delivered. He then transfers them to the mother, to whom they lightly belong. Another valid cause of divorce is the misfortime of a wife being childless. The husband expects that she shall be a fi-uitful wife, and that his children wUl add to his power and wealth ; and if she does not fulfil this expectation, he is entitled to a divorce. Generally, he sends the wife to the kraal of her father, who propitiates the spirits of her ancestors by the sacrifice of an ox, and begs them to remove the cause of divorce. She then goes back to her husband, but if she should still continue childless, she is sent back to her father, who is bound to return the cattle which he has received for her. Sometimes, however, a modification of this system is employed, and the father gives, in addition to the wife, one of her unmarried sisters, who, it is hoped, may better fulfil the wishes of the husband. The father would rather follow this plan than consent to a divorce, be- cause he then retains the cattle, and to give up a single ox causes pangs of sorrow in a Kaffir's breast Should the sister become a fruitful wife, one or two of the children are transferred to the former wife, and ever afterwards considered as belonging to her house. All these details remind the observer of similar details in the Mosaic law of marriage, and, in point of fact, the social condition of the Kaffir of the present day is not very dif- ferent from that of the Israelite when the Law was first promulgated through the great legislator. Many of the customs are identical, and in others there is a similitude that is almost startling. But, as far as the facility of divorce goes, the Kaffir certainly seems to look upon marriage, even though he may have an unlimited number of wives, with more reverence than did the ancient Israelite, and he woidd not think of divorcing a wife through a mere caprice of the moment, as was sanctioned by the traditions of the Jews, though not by their divinely-given law. Still, though he does not, as a general rule, think himself justified in such arbitrary divorces, he considers himself gifted with an irresponsible authority over his wives, even to the power of life and death. If, for example, a husband in a fit of passion were to kill his wife — a circumstance that has frequently occurred — ^no one has any business to interfere in the matter, for, according to his view of the case, she is his property, bought, and paid for, and he has just as much right to kill her as if she were one of his goats or oxen. Her father cannot proceed against the muiderer, for 'he has no further right in his daughter, having sold her and received the stipulated price. The man has, in fact, destroyed valuable property of his own — property which might be sold for cows, and which was expected to work for him, and produce offspring exchangeable for cows. It is thought, therefore, that if he chooses to inflict upon himself so severe a loss, no one has any more right to interfere with him than if he were to kill a number of oxen in a fit of passion. Sometimes, however, the chief had been known to take such a matter in hand, and to fine the delinquent in a cow or two for destroying a valuable piece of property, which, though his own, formed a unit in the strength of the tribe, and over which he, as the acknowledged father of the tribe, had a jurisdiction. But, even in such rare instances, BRTOEGROOM AND MOTHER-IN-LAW. a? his interference, although it would be made ostensibly for the sake of justice, would in leality be an easy mode*of addiug to his own wealth by conhscating the cattle which he demanded as a fine from the culprit. Between married persons and their relatives a very singular code of etiquette prevails. In the first place, a man is not allowed to marry any one to whom he is related by blood. He may marry two or more sisters, provided that they come from a difiierent famUy from hif) own, but he may not take a vrih who descended from his own immediate ancestors. But, like the ancient Hebrews, a man may not only marry the wife of a deceased brother, bat considers himself bound to do so in justice to the woman, and to the children of his brother, who then become to all intents and purposes his own. The peculiar etiquette which has been mentioned lies in the social conduct of those vho are related to each other by marriage and not by blood. After a man is married, he may not speak familiarly to his wife's mother, nor even look upon her face, and this curious custom is called "being ashamed of the mother-in-law." If he wishes to speak to her, he must retire to some distance, and carry on his communication by shouting; which, as has been truly said, is certainly no hardship to a Kaffir. Or, if the com- sranication be of a nature that others ought not to hear, the etiquette is thought to be snfiBciently observed provided that the two parties stand at either side of a fence over which they cannot see. If, as is often the case, the man and his mother-in-law happen to meet in one of the narrow paths that lead from the kraal to the gardens and cultivated fields, they must always pretend not to see each other. The woman generally looks out for a convenient bush, and crouches behind it, while the man carefully holds his shield to his face. So far is this peculiar etiquette carried that neither the man nor his mother-in-law is allowed to mention the name of the other. This prohibition must in all places be exceedingly awkward, but it is more so in Kafflrland, where the name which is given to each individual is sure to denote some mental or physical attribute, or to be the name of some natural object which is accepted as the embodiment of that attribute. Supposing, then, that the name of the man signified a house, and that the name of his mother-in- law signified a cow, it is evident that each must be rather embar- rassed in ordinary conversation. Persons thus situated always substitute some other word for that which they are forbidden to pronounce, and that substitution is always accepted by the friends. Curiously circumlocutory terms are thus invented, and very much resemble the euphemisms which prevail both in Northern America and Northern Europe. In such a case as has been mentioned, the man might always speak of a cow as "the homed one," and the woman would use the word "dwelling" or "habitation" instead of "house." • As, moreover, a man has generally a considerable number of mothers-in-law, it is evident that this rule must sometimes be productive of much inconvenience, and cause the memory to be always on the stretch. How such a man as Panda, who has at least a thousand mothers-in-law, contrives to carry on conversation at all, is rather perplexing. Perhaps he is considered to be above tibe law, and that his words are as irresponsible WAX/^ KAFFIR PASSING BIS MOTHEB-IX-LAW. THE KAFFIR 81' i 1%-' i4 'I'- '■ ;S^j W^' •8 his aotlons. The reader may perhaps rememher that a similar ctistom prerafli throughout the greater part of Polynesia The wife, again, is interdicted from pronouncing the name of her husband, or that of any of lus brouiers. This seems as if she would be prevented from speaking to him in fitmiUar terms, but such is not really the case. The fact is, that every Kaffir lias mote tiian one name ; and the higher the rank, the greater the nimiber of names. At birth, or soon afterwards, a name is given to the child, and this name has always reference to some attribute which the child is desired to possess, or to some circumstance which hu occurred at the time. For example, a child is sometimes called by the name of the day on which it is born, juct as Bobinson Crusoe called his servant Iriday. If a wild beast, such as a lion or a jackal, were heard to roar at the time when the child was bom, the circumstance would be accepted as an omen, and the child called by the name of the beast, or by a word which represents its cry. Mr. Shooter mentions some rather curious examples of these names. If ti^e animal which was heard at the time of the child's birth were the hyeeita, which is called impin b^r the natives, the name of the child might be either U'mpisi, or U-huhu, the second being an imitative sound representing the laugh-like cry of the hynna. A boy whose father prided himself on the number of his stud, which of coursp would be very much increased when his son inherited them, called the child " Uso-mahasho," i e. the father of horses. This child became afterwurds a well-known chief in the Natal district A girl, again, whose mother had been presented with a new hoe just before her daughter was bom. called the girl " Uno-ntsimbi," i e. the daughter of iron. The name of Panda, the king of the Zulu tribes, is in reality " U-mpande," a name derived from "impande," a kind of root. These birth-names are known by the title "igama," and it is only to them that the prohibitive custom extends. In the case of a chieC his igama may not be spoken by any belonging to his kraal ; and in the case of a king, the law extends to all his subjecta Thus, a Kaffir will not only refuse to speak of Panda by his name, but when he has occasion to speak of the root impande, he substitutes another word, and calls it " ingxabo." A Kaffir does not like that a stranger should even hear his igama, for he has a hazy sort of idea that the knowledge might be used for some evil purpose. One of my friends, who lived in Kaffirland for some years, and employed a considerable number of the men, never could induce any of them to tell him their igama, and found that they would always prefer to be called by some English name, such as Tom, or Billy. At last, when he had attained a tolerable idea of the language, he could listen to their conversation, and so find out the real names by which they addressed each other. When he had mastered these names, he took an opportunity of addressing each man by his igama, and frightened them exceedingly. On hearing the word spoken, thev started as if they had been strack, and laid their hands on their mouths in horrified silence. The very fact that the white man had been able to gain the forbidden knowledge affected them with so strong an idea of his superiorify that they became very obedient servants. In addition to the igama, the Kaffir takes other names, always in praise of some action that he has performed, and it is thought good manners to address him by one or more of these titles. This second name is called the "isi-bonga," a word which is derived from "uku-bonga," to praise. In Western Africa, a chief takes, in addition to his ordinary name, a whole series of " strong-names," all allusive to some portion of his history. Sometimes, the isi-bonga is given to him by others. For example, as soon as a boy is enrolled among the youths, his parents give mm an isi-bonga ; and when he assumes the head-ring of manhood, he always assumes another praise-name. If a man distinguishes himself in battle, his comrades greet him by an isi-bonga, by which he is officiaUy known until he earns another. On occasions of ceremony he is always addressed by one or more of these praise-names ; and if he be visited by an inferior, the latter stands outside\ his hut, and proclaims aloud as many of his titles as he thinks suitable for the occasion. It is then according to etiquette to send a present of snuff, food, and drink to the visitor, who again visits the hut^ and repommences his proclamation, adding mo^e titles as an aokuow- ledgment of the chief's libexalitgr. 12. Thigh qfth» bull ^M SONG IN PBAISE OF PANDA. 89 /■ A king lias, of conne, an almost illimitable number of isi-bongas, and xeally to learn {hem all in order requires a memory of no mean order. Two or three of them are therefore selected for ordinary use, the remainder being reserved for the heralds whose peculiar . office.it is to recite the praises of their monarch. Panda, for example, is usually addressed as "6 Elephant." This is merely a symbolical isi-bonga, and is given to the king as admitting him to be greatest among men as the elephant is greatest among beasts. In^ one sense it is true enoush, the elephantine proportions of Panda quite justifying such an alinsion. This title misnt be given to any very great man, but it is a convenient name by which the king may oe called, and therefore by this name he is usually addressed in cooncil and on parade. For example, Mr. Shooter recalls a little incident which occurred during a review by Panda. The king turned to one of the " boys," and asked how he would behave if he met a white man in battle? Never was there a more arrant coward than this "boy," but boasting was safe, and springing to his feet he spoke like a brave : " Yes, Elephant ! You see me I I'll go against the white man. His gun is nothing. I'll rush upon him quickly before he has time to shoot, or I'll stoop down to avoid the balL See how I'll kill himl" and forthwith his stick did the work of an assagai on the body of an ima|[inaiy European. Ducking to avoid a bullet, and then rushing in before the enemy had time to I iel6ad, was a very favourite device with the Kaf&r warriors, and answered very well at I ^t But their white foes soon learned to aim so low that all the ducking in the ^orld could not elude the bullet, while the more recent invention of revolvers and breech- I loaders has entirely discomfited this sort of tactic. In a song in honour of Panda, a part of which has already been quoted, a great I number of isi-bongas are introduced. It will be therefore better to give the song entire, and to explain the various allusions in their order. It must be remembered that in his earlier days Panda, whose life was originally spared by Dingan, when he murdered Tclu^ and the rest of the family, was afterwards obliged to flee before him, and very I ingeniously contrived to get off safely across the river by watohing his opportunity while I the army of Dingan was engaged in another directioa He then made an alliance with ■the white men, brought a large force against Dingan, and conquered him, driving him far I beyond the boundaries, and ending by having himself proclaimed as King of the Zulu Itribea This fight took place at the Makonko, and was witnessed by Panda's wife, who I came from Mankebe. The various praise-names of Panda, or the isi-bongas, are marked by being printed in italics. •'1. 2. 8. 4. 5. 6. 7. 10. 11. a Thou brother of the Tchakas, consideraUf order, A swailow which fled in the »ky: A swallow with a whiskered breast ; Whose cattle wes ever in so huddled a crowd, They stumble for room when they ran. Thou false adorer of the valour of another, That valour thou tookest at the battle of Ma* konko. Of the stock of N'dabazita, ramrod ofbrau. Survivor alone of all other rods ; , Others they broke and left this in the soot, Thinking to bum at some rainy cold day. Thigh of the bullock of Inkakavini, 13. Always delicious if only 'tis ross^ J, 14. It will always be tasteless if bo ' a 15. The woman from Mankebe is deiig. tod ; 16. She has seen the leopards of Jama 17. Fighting together between the Makonko. 18. He passed between the Jutuma and Ihliza, 19. The Celestial who thundered between the Ma* konko. 20. I praise thee, O king I son of Jokwane, the son of Undaba, 21. The merciless opponent of every conspiracy. 22. Thou art an elephant, an el^hant, an elephant. 23. All j^ory to thee, thou vwHareh who art black." The first isi-bonga, in line 1, alludes to the ingenuity with which Panda succeeded in Iciossing the river, so as to escape out. of the district where Dingan exercised authority. ■In the second line, " swallow which fled in the sky," is another allusion to the secrecy ■with which he managed his flight, which left no more track than the passage of a swallow ^through the air. Lines 4 and 5 allude to the wealth, i.e. the abundance of cattle, pos- ssed by Panda. Line 6 asserts that Panda was too humble-minded, and thought more lof the power of Dingan than it deserved ; while line 7 offers as proof of this assertion [that when they came to fight Panda conquered Dingan. Lines 8 to 11 all relate to custom of seasoning sticks by hanging them over the fireplaces in Kaffir huts. 14 alludes to the fact that meat is very seldom roasted by the Kafi&rs, but is 90 THE KAFFIR {' « almost invariably boiled, or rather stewed, in closed vessels. In line 15 the " woman (ton Mankebe " is Panda's favourite wife. In line 19, " The Celestial " alludes to the name of the great Zulu tribe over which Panda reigned ; the word " Zulu " meaning celestial, and having much the same import as the same word when employed by the Chinese to denote their origin. Line 21 refers to the attempts of Panda's rivals to dethrone him, and the ingenious manner in which he contrived to defeat their plans by forming judicious alli- ances, line 22 reiterates the chief isi-bonga by which he is orally addressed, and the words " Monarch who art black " have already been explained at p. 3, when treating of the appearance of the Kaffir tribes. As is the case in many countries, when a man has his first-bom son presented to him he takes as a new isi-bonga the name of the son, with that of " father" prefixed to it; while, on the other hand, if his father should happen to be a man of peculiar eminence he takes as a praise-name that of his father, with the word " son " prefixed. It will be seen, therefore, that while the original name, or igama, is permanent, though very seldom mentioned, his isi-bonga, or praise-name, is continually changing. Fortunately, the Zulu language ia complex in its structure, and its- purity is jealously preserved by the continual councils which are held, and the displays of oratory which always accompany them. Otherwise, this curious custom of substituting arbitrarily one word for another might have an extremely injurious effect on the language, as has indeed been the case in the countries where a similar custom prevails, and in which the Ian- gitage has changed so completely that the natives who had left their own country, and returned after a lapse of some thirty years, would scarcely be able to make themselves understood, even though they had perfectly retained the language as it was when they last spoke it in their own land. There is a curious regulation among the Kaffirs, that a man is not allowed to enter the hut in which either of his son's wives may be. If he wishes to enter he gives notice, and she retires. But, when he is in possession of the hut, she is placed at equal disad- vantage, and cannot enter her own house until he has left it. This rule, however, is seldom kept in all its strictness, and indeed such literal obedience is hardly possible, he- cause the eldest son very seldom leaves his father's kraal until he has married at least tve wives. In consequence of the great practical inconvenience of this rule, the Kaffirs have contrived to evade it, although they have not openly abandoned it. The father-in-laT presents an ox to his son's wife, and in consideration of this liberality, she frees him from the obligation of this peculiar and troublesome courtesy. The native name for this custom is " uku-hlonipa." From what has been said, it is evident that women hold a very inferior positioi among the Kaffirs, and are looked upon quite as if they were cattle ; liable, like cattle, to be bought and sold. A Kafhr never dreams that he and his wife are on terms of the least equality, or that he does not deserve praise at her hand for his condescension in marrying her at alL A man will scarcely condescend to notice the women of his own household. If they go out on their several labours, they go their several ways. Sup- posing, for example, that a man were to cut sticks for firing, or poles for the support of a new house ; his wives, in going to the same ^pot, would be careful to choose a differeiit Eath. When he has cut the wood he walks off, leaving his wives to perform the really eavy labour of bringing it home, and no man would* ever think of assisting a woman in 80 menial a labour. There are now before me several photographs representing women carrying bundles of sticks, and it is wonderful what huge burdens these hard-worked women will cany, A man will not even lift the wood upon the head of his wife, but expects that one of her own sex will assist her. Sometimes, when a number of women are returning from wood-cutting, walking in single file, as is their custom, a " boy " will take the head of the procession. But he will not degrade himself by carrying so much as a stick, and bears nothing but his weapons, and perhaps a small shield. The unceremonious manner in which these hard-worked women are treated is little less singular than the cheerful acquiescence with which they obey the commands d' their sable masters. Once, when Captain Gardiner was .visiting Dingan, he was roused RETURNING FROM THE BUSH. 91 llong before daybreak by the vociferation of a man who was running through the kraal, land shouting some command in a most peremptory tone. It turned out that Dingan had Ignddeiily taken into his head to buihl a new kraal, and had ordered all the women into Ithe bush to ])rocure reeds and branches for building purposes. In a few minutes a vast number of female voices were heard uniting in a pleasing melody, which became louder ind louder as the numbers of the singers increased on their mustering ground, and then radually died awav in the distance as they moved to the scene of their labours. The bush to which they were sent was ten miles from tlie kraal, but .they went off Ljite cheerfully, and in the afternoon, when they returned, each bearing a huge bundle ^f bushes on her head, they were singing the same song, though they had walked so long distance uud su heavily laden. The song does not seem to have possessed much ^.-^N QIRLS AND WOMEN RETURNINQ FROM THE BUSH. friety, as it chiefly consisted of one line, " Akoosiniki, ingonyama izeezwi," and a chorus ["Haw! haw! haw!" It was probably intended for the same purpose as the tunes payed by regimental bands ; namely, to enable the party to keep step with each other. Dingan was so tenacious of the superiority of his own sex that he would never allow I wives to stand in his presence, but made them shuffle about from place to place on teir knees. In consequence of their different habits of life, the men and women hardly seem to fclong to the same race. The men, as a rule, are exceptionally fine specimens of Vanity ; and, despite their high cheek-bones, woolly hair, and thick lips, might serve I models for a sculptor. Their stature is tall, their forms are elastic and muscular, and leir step is free and noble, as becomes the gait of warriors. In all these respects they i' -II e M THE KAFFIB. f,Vf,t axe certainly not inferior to Eniopeans, and in many are decidedly raperior. lit women, however, are rather stunted than otherwise : their figures are bowea by reaaon of the heavy weights which they have to carry, and the^ rapidly lose that wonderful syn. metry of form which distinguished them wnile still in the bloom of youth. The tm preserve their grandeur of demeanour and their bold intellioent aspect, even until theit hair is grey from age, while the elderly Kaffir woman is at best awlcward and unsightly, and the old woman irresistibly reminds the observer of an aged and withered monkey. ' Exceptions to the general rule are sometimes found. A chief or wealthy man, fbr example, would take a pride in fireeing his daughters and chief wife from the excep- tionally hard labour which faUs to the lot of the sex in Kaffirland. In the case of tb« daughters, he is moved quite as much by self-interest as by parental affection. A giri fetches a price commensurate with her appearance, and the very best price is always to be obtained for the best article. The daugnter of a poor man, or dependant, is obliged to work hard and live hard ; and the natural conseouence is, that she nas scarcely any Rd youth, and that her form is spoiled by the heavy labours which are imposed upon her it an age when all the bodily powers ought to be employed in adding to the ph;^sical eneigj of her frama Therefore, when such a girl is old enough to be married, she is thin, can- Worn, and coarse, and no one will give very much for her. Indeed, if she should be married, she ia peifeoUy aware that her real poat in the kraal of her husband is little more than that of a purchased drudge. The daughter of a wealthv man, on the contrary, undertakes but little of the leallj hard work which fidia to the lot of her sex ; and as she is not only allowed, but encoi. nmd, to eat the most fattening food with as much dispatch as possible, it natnnl^ fofiows thatk when compared with the ordinary drudge of evenr-day life, she is bv far the more prepossessing, and her father is sure to obtain a very much higher price for her tbii would have been the case if she had been forced to do hard labour. Hius the thRe] great requiaites of a Kaffir girl are, that she should be fat, strong, and have a toleial^j good-looking face. This last qualification is, however, subordinate to the other tva That she is £at, shows that she has not been prematurely worn out by hard work; igjj that she is strong, gives promise that she will be able to do plenty of work i^ler marriage, and that the poxohaaer will not have xeason to tUni that he has wasted money. I m KxrrtB iuutab — ABTILLRRT — IT Of TBI ABMT — f MATKBIALa UBBD noTH — 8HAPI or nnra ard axb- nOir— A XAFFIB THI FOBOB — wmi 3BAB8 — DimOTLT HIAM — ^ASSAOAI UHABKABLB BPB( aXBATAOBM, AMD AHD uopm ov vai If there is any one for warfara The K Until he is old and a time of peace is 1 superabundant ener and a shield which himself, and so gai ho^ to be promote It 18 true, that in a in the least trouble life in a time of ^ breach of discipline wizard, and torturet ofthe chief, who wi was not of the sligh Knowing, theref war, and as in pea Kaffir is all for war we should have ha( case. Even under '. agreed in disliking refuge for thousands from the tyranny c made war, and had The younger wa know him, have re OHAPTEB XI. WiJU-OifFJWUlVE WEAPONS. I m xATFiB muTABT insiT, HOW omnuATKD, Aim HOW voanmici)— DBBAS or tbi v nKM om m — ▲BTIU.RRY — ITS MOBAL imCOT OIT THB XAnm— KATITB MAMB FOB CAmTOK — OBOAmSATION Of THB ABXT WBAPOHB VtXD BT THB XULV TBIBB8 — PBDUTITB FOBMATIOIT OF THB BPBAH— MATBBIALa I78BD FOB BFBAB-HXAD8 — tVhV BPBAB8, OB " AB8AOAIB "—THB tULU AS A BLACK- SMITH — BHAPI OF THB ABBAOAI HBAO — THB KAFFIB's FBBFBBBMCB FOB BOFT 8TBBL — THB KAFFOI imFB Ain> AXB — BUBT-BBBIBTINO PBOPBBTY — THB XAFFIB FOBGB AMD BBLL0W8— BHBLTIMtt IBOir— A KAFFIB CHIBF ABTOMIBHBD — LB VAILLAMT IBBTBVOTnrO THB HATIVXB IK TUB UBB OF THl FOBOB — ^wntB-DBAWINO ANO WOBKINO IK BBAB8 — HOW THB XAFFIB OABTB AKD IIOOKLB 3BABB — ^DIFFIOTLTIBB » IBOIT WOBXIXO — HOW ▲ XAFFIB OBTAINS FIBB — TXMPBB OF ABBAOAI- EBADS — ABBAOAI SHAFTS — OVBIOCS HBTHOD OF FABTBOTNO THB HBAO TO THB SHAFT — A BIHABKABLB BPBOIMBN OF THB ABBAOAI— HOW THB ABRAOAI IB THBOWM — A KAFFIR OHIBF'b ■XBATAOBll, AMD ▲ OLAISXOAL yiBAMiBfi— BHH TWO XIHOB 09 ABSAOA^ — TBB XMOB-XXBBY, AM) uopB OF vsnra it. '' Ir there is any one trait which distinguishes the true Kaffir race, it is the innate genins for warfare. The Kaffir lives from his childhood to his death in an atmosphere of war. I Until he is old and wealthy, and naturally desires to keep his possessions in tranquillity, a time of peace is to him a time of trouble. He has no opportunity of working off his superabundant energy ; he has plenty of spears which he caniiot use against an enemy, and a shield which he can only employ in the dance. He has no chance of distinguishing himself, and so gaining both rank and wealth ; and if he be a young bachelor, he cannot ho^ to be promoted to the rank of " man," and allowed to marry, for many a long year. It IS true, that in a time of war he may be killed ; but that is a reflection which does not in the least trouble a Kaffir. For all he knows, he stands in just as ereat danger of his life in a time of peace. He may unintentionally offend the king ; he may commit a breach of discipline which would be overlooked in war-time ; he may be accused as a wizard, and tortured to death ; he may accumulate a few cows, and so excite the cupidity of the chief, who will fine him heavily for something which either he did not do, or which was not of the slightest importance. Knowing, therefore, that a violent death is quite as likely to befall him in peace as in war, and as in peace he has no chance of gratifying his ambitious feelings, the young Kaffir is all for war. Indeed, had it not been for the judicious counsels of the old men, we should have had much more trouble with these tribes than at present has been the case. Even under Panda's rule, there have been great dissensions Axaaiig the army. All agreed in disliking the rule of the English in the Natal district, because Natal, formed a refuge for thousands of Kaffirs, most of them belonging to the Zulu tribe, and having fled from the tyranny of Panda ; while others belonged to tribes against which Panda had made war, and had fled for protection to the EngUish flag. The younger warriors, fierce, arrogant, despising the white man because they do not know hun, have repeatedly begged to be allowed to invade NataL They urge, in pur- ^'}m 1 . 94 THE KAFFIR *?\. i^ i- il snance of their request, that they will conquer the country, restore to their king all tie fugitives who have run away from him, and inflame their own minds, and those of th^ young and ignorant, by glowing descriptions of the rich spoil which would fall to the con- querors, the herds of cattle, the tons of beads, the quantities of fire-arms and ammunitioo, and, in fact, the unlimited supply of everything which a Kaffir's heart can possibly desiw, The older men, however, who have more acquaintance with the white men, and a tolerably good experience of the fact that when a white man fires his gun he generally hits his mark, have always dissuaded their younger and more impetuous comrades from so lash an attempt Strangely enough, the argument which has proved most pojverful is really a very weak one. The Kaffir, like other men, is brave enough when he can comprehend his danger* but he does not at all like to face a peril which he cannot understand. Like all unknoW things, such a peril is indeed terrible to a Kaffir's mind, and this unknown peril ji summed up in the word cannon, or " By-and-by " — to use the native term. Why cannon are so called will presently be mentioned. The Kaffirs have heard that the dreadAil By-and-by eats up everything — trees, houses, stones, grass ; and, as they justly ai^e, it ij very likely to eat up Kaffir soldiers. Of course, in defending a fort against Kaffirs, cannon, loaded with grape and canister, would be of terrible efficacy, and they would be justified in declining to a''»au!t any place that was defended with such dreadful weapon& But they do not seem to be aware that guns in a fort and guns in the bush are two veiy different things, and that, if they could decoy the artillery into the bush, the dreaded weapons would be of scarcely more use than if they were logs of wood. This distinctioi the Kaffir never seems to have drawn, and the wholesome dread of cannon has done veiy much to insure tranquillity among the impetuous and self-confident soldiery of Kaifirlani The odd name of "By-and-by" became attached to the cannon in the following manner: — ^When the natives first saw some pieces of artillery in, the Natal district, they asked what such strange objects could be, and were answered that they would learn " by-and-by." Further questions, added to the firing of a few shots, gave them such i terror of the " By-and-by," that they have never liked to match themselves against such weapons. The Zulu tribes are remarkable for being the only people in that part of Africa who have practised war in an European sense of the word. The other tribes are very good at hush-figbting, and are exceedingly crafty at taking an enemy unawares, and coming on him before he is prepared for them. Guerilla warfare is, in fact, their only mode i\ waging battle, and, as is necessarily the case in such warfare, more depends on the exertion of individual combatants than on the scientific combination of masses. But the Zulu tribe have, since the time of Tchaka, the great inventor of military tactics, carried on war in a manner approaching the notions of civilization. Their men are organized into regiments, each subdivided into companies, and each commanded by its owr\ chief, or colonel, while the king, as commanding general, leads his forces to war, disposes them in battle array, and personally directs their movementi They give an enemy notice that they are about to march against him, and boldly meet him in the open field. There is a military etiquette about them which some of our own people have been slow to understand. They once sent a message to the English torn mander that they would " come and breakfast with him." He thought it was only a j( " and was very much surprised when the Kaffirs, true to their promise, came pouring hkeaj torrent over the hills, leaving him barely time to get his men imder arms before the dark enemies arrived. As, in Kaffir warfare, much stress is laid upon the weapons, offensive and defensive,! with which the troops are arm d, it will be necesoaiy to give a description of their weapons! before we proceed any further. They are but few and simple, and consist of certain! spears, called " assagais," short clubs, called " kerries," and shields made of the hides] of oxen. Almost every nation has its distinguishing weapons, or, at all events, one weapon| which is held in greater estimation than any other, and which is never used so skilfully t by itsel£ The Australian savage has the boomerang, a weapon which cannot be usedl BLACKSMITHS. 96 rightly except by an Australian. Many Europeans can throw it so as to make it perform gome trifling evolution in the air, but there are none who can really use it as an efficient weapon or instrument of hunting. The Dyak has his sumpitan, and the Maconshie Indian his analogous weapon, the zanbatana, through which are blown the tiny poisoned arrows, a himdred of which can ]fi held in the hand, and each one of which has death upon its point The Ghoorka has his kookery, the heavy curved knife, with which he will kill a tiger in fair fight, and boldly attack civilized soldiers in spite of their more elaborate arms. Then the Sikh has the strange quoit weapon, or chakra, which skims through the air or ricochets from the ground, and does frightful execution on the foe. The Esquimaux have their harpoons, which will serve either for catching seals or assaulting the enemy. The Poly- nesians have their terrible swords and gauntlets armed with the teeth of sharks, each of which cuts like a lancet, and inflicts a wound which, though not dangerous by itself, becomes so when multiplied by the score and inflicted on the most sensitive part of the body. Some of these weapons are peculiar in shape, and are not used in other countries, whereas some are modiflcations of implements of warfare spread over a great part of the globe, and altered in shape and size to suit the locality. Of such a nature is the special weapon of the Kaifirs inhabiting the Natal district, the slight-looking but most formidable 8pear or assagai. The spear is one of the simplest of all weapons, the simplest of all excepting the club. In its primitive state the spear is nothing but a stick of greater or lesser length, sharpened at one end. The best example of this primitive spear may be found in Borneo, where the weapon is made in a few minutes by taking a piece of bamboo of convsnient length, and cutting off one end diagonally. The next improvement in spear- makihg was to put the pointed end in the fire for a few moments. This process enabled the spear-maker to scrape the point more easily, while the charred wood was rendered hard, and capable of resisting damp better than if it had been simply scraped to a point. Spears of this kind are to be found in almost every primitive savage tribe. A further improvement now takes place. The point is armed with some material harder than the wood, which material may be bone, horn, stone, metal, or other similar substance. Some nations arm the heads of their speara with sharp flakes of flint or obsidian. Some tip them with the end of a sharp horn, or even with the claws of a mammal or a bird — the kangaroo, emu, and cassowary being used for this singular purpose. In many parts of the earth, the favourite spears are armed with the teeth of sharks, while others are headed with the tail-spine of the sting-ray, which not only penetrates deeply, but breaks into the wound, and always causes death. These additions to the spears, together with others formed of certain marine shells, are necessarily the productions of tribes that inhabit certain islands in the warmer seas. The last and greatest improvement that is made in the manufacture of spears is the abolition of all additions to the head, and making the head itself of metal For this purpose iron is generally used, partly because it takes a sharp edge, and partly because it can be easily forged into any required shape. The natives of Southern Africa are wonderful proficients in forging iron, and indeed a decided capability for the blacksmith's art seems to be inherent, in the natives of Africa, from north to south and from east to west None of the tribes can do very much with the iron, but the little which they require is worked in perfection. As is the case with all uncivilized beings, the whole treasures of the ait are lavished on their weapons ; and so if we wish to see what an African savage can do with iron, we must look at his spears, knives, and arrows — the latter indeed being but spears in miniature. The heads of the Kaffir's spears are extremely variable in form, some being a mere spike, but the generality being blade-shaped. Very few are barbed, and the ordinary shape is that which is seen several times in the illustration on page 97. Still, wherever the blade is adopted, it has always one peculiarity of structure, whether it be plain or barbed. A raised ridge passes along the centre, and the blade is convex on one side of the ridge, and concave on the other. The reason of this curious structure seems m THE EAEFIR ^: to be twofold. In the firat place, it is possible that this stractnie of the blade acb much as the feathers of an arrow, or the spiral groove on the rifle-balls invented by Dr, Croft, and which can be used in smooth-bore barrels. Colonel Lane Fox finds that if i thread be tied to the point of an assagai, and the weapon be thrown with great care, so that no revolving force is given by the thrower, the thread is found spirally twisted round the head and shaft by the time that the weapon has touched the ground. That certainly seems to be one reason for the form. Another reason is, that a blade thus shaped can be sharpened very easily, when it becomes blunt. Nothing is needed but to take a flint, or even the back of a common knife, and scrape it along the edge, and, if properly done, a single such scrape will sharpen the weapon afresL The head is alwayi made of soft iron, and so yields easily to the sharpening process. The reader may remember that the harpoons which we use for whale-huntmg are always made of the softest iron ; were they made of steel, the first furious tug of the whale might snap them, while, if they were to become blunt, they could not be sharpened without much trouble and hard work at the grindstone. Setting aside the two questions of rotatory motion and convenience of sharpening, it is possible that the peculiar structure of the blade may be owing to the fact that such a structure would produce the greatest amount of strength with the least amount of material The sword-bayonet of the Chassepot rifle is made on a similar principle. Whether the Kaffir is aware of this principle and forges his spear-head in accordance with it, is anothei point The reader, better informed than the Kaffir, may perhaps remember that the identical principle is carried out in the " corrugated " iron, now in such general use for buildings, roofs, and similar purposes. Kaffirs have a great fondness for implements made of soft iron, and prefer a knife made of that material to the best blade that Sheffield can produce. They admit that foi some purposes the steel blade is superior to their own, but that for ordiuaiy work nothing can compare with the soft iron. The steel blade breaks, and is useless, while the soft iron only bends. Moreover, when they want to scoop out a hollow in a piece of wood, such as the bowl of a spoon, the inflexible steel blade would be nearly useless. But a Kaffir simply takes his soft iron knife, bends it to the requisite curve, and thus can make, at a moment's notice, a gouge with any degree of curvature. When he has finished his work, he puts the blade on a flat stone, and beats it straight again in a few seconds. The Kaffir knife is not at all like our own, but is shaped just like the head of an assagai. In using it, he grasps the handle just as artists represent assassins holding daggers, and not as we hold knives. He always cuts away from himself, as '.^ shown on page 67 ; and, clumsy as this mode of using a knife may appear, Englishmen have often learned to appreciate it, and to employ it in preference to the ordinary European fashion. Unfit as would be the tools made by a Kaffir when employed in Europe, those made in Europe and used in Southern Africa are still less useful Being imacquainted with this fact, both travellers and settlers are apt to spend much money in England upon articles which they afterwards find to be without the least value — articles which an experienced settler would not take as a gift. As a familiar example of the difference between the tools required in various countries, the axe may be mentioned. It is well known that, of all the varieties of this tool, the American axe is the best, as it has attained its present superiority by dint of long experience on part of the makers among the vast forests of their country. Emigrants, therefore, almost invariably supply themselves with a Tew American axes, and in most cases they could not do better. But in Southern Africa this excellent tool is as useless as would be a razor in chipping stones. The peculiar wood of the mimosa, a tree which is used so universally in Southern Africa, is sure to notch the edge of the axe, and in a short time to render it incapable of doing its work ; whereas the South African axe, which would be a clumsy and slow-working tool in America, can cut down the hardest mimosa without sufi'ering any injury. There is another reason why a Kaffir prefers his own iron-work to that of European make. His own manufacture has the property of resisting damp without rusting. If an European knife or steel tool of the finest quality be left in the open air all night, and KAFFIR BLACKSMITH. 97 jhy the side of it a Kaffir's assagai, the former will bo covered with rust, while the latter ^as bright as ever. Such is the case with those assagais which are brought to England. 1 1iave no trouble in keeping tny own specimens clean, while all the other steel weapons must be kept perfectly dry, and require to be continually looked over, and the rust spots tjuioved. * It is possible that this freedom from rust may be obtained by a process similar to Lliat which is employed in the manufacture of geological hammers, namely, that while the metal is hot, it is plunged into oil, and then hammered. The excellence of the blade [s partially owing to the fact that the fire in which the metal is smelted, and afterwards lieated for the forge, is made of charcoal, so as to convert the iron into a kind of steel. rhe celebrated " wootz " steel of India is made by placing the iron in small crucibles cether with little twigs of certain trees, and then submitting the crucible to a very Qtense heat It is evident that, in order to produce such weapons, the Kaffir must be a good black- ... b, and it is certain that, when we take into consideration the kind of work which [as to be done, he can hardly be surpassed in his art. Certainly, if any English black- Uithwere given a quantity of iron ore, and only had the very primitive tools which (he Kaffir blacksmith employs, he would be entirely vanquished by his dusky brother }f the forge. Among the Kaffirs, a blacksmith is a man of considerable importance, and is much espected by the tribe. He will not profane the mystery of his craft by allowing un- jiitiated eyes to inspect his various processes, and therefore carries on his operations at [ome distance from the kraal. His first care is to prepare the bellows. The form which leuses p evails over a very large portion of Africa, and is seen, with some few modifi- ationa, even among the many islands of Polynesia. It consists of two leathern sacks. It the upper end of which is a handla To the lower end of each sack is attached he hollow horns of some animal, that of the cow or the eland being most commonly (scd; and when the bags are alternately inflated and compressed, the air passes out ough the two horns. Of course the heat of the fire would destroy the horns if they were allowfed to come II coatact with it, and they are therefore inserted, not into the fire, but into an earthen- }are tube, which communicates with the fire. The use of valves is unknown ; but as the m homs do not open into the fire, but into the tube, the fire is not drawn into the lelluws as would otherwise be the case. This arrangement, however, causes consideralile I of air, so that the bellow.s-blower is obliged to work much harder than would be |ie case if he were provided with an instrument that could conduct the blast directly to 1 destination. The ancient Egyptians used a bellows of precisely similar construction, Dicept that they did not work them entirely by hand. They stood with one foot on each [ick, and blew the fire by alternately pressing on them with the feet, and raising them ' means of a cord fastened to their upper ends. When the blacksmith is about to set to work, he digs a hole in the ground, in .vhich lie fire is placed, and then sinks the earthenware tube in a sloping direction, so that the kwer end opens at the bottom of the hole, while the upper end pi ojects above the level If the ground. The two horns are next inserted into the upper end of the earthenware libe, and the bellows are then fastened in their places, so that the sacks are conveniently nsposed for the hands of the operator, who sits between them. A charcoal fire is then p in the hole, and is soon brought to a powerful heat by means of the bellows. A larger one serves the purpose of an anvil, and a smaller stone does duty for a hammer. Some- Iraes the hammer is made of a conical piece f iron, but in most cases a stone is tnsidered sufficient. The rough work of hammering the iron into shape is generally jone by the chief blacksmith's assistants, of whom he has several, all of whom will pound way at the iron in regular succession. The shaping and finishing the article is reserved ' the smith for himself. The other tools are few and simple, and consist of punches |id rude pincers made of two rods of iron. With these instruments the Kaffir smith can cast brass into various ornaments. lometimes he pours it into a cylindrical mould, so as to make a bar from which bracelets I VOL. I. a '"■Pi 1(1 THE KAFFIR. and similar ornaments can be hammered, and sometimes he makes studs and knobs J forming their shapes in clay moulds. ' In the illustration a native forge is seen in full operation. The chief smith is at th left of the engraving, seated at the bellows and blowing the fire, in which is placed i iron rod which is going to be forged* into an assagai-head. The manner in which tl horn tubes of the l^ljows are fastened to the ground — a stick being laid across each hoti, and a heavy stone upon each stick — is well shown. At the right hand of the smith is i basket containing charcoal, and another is seen near the assistant. On the opposite siji sits the assistant or apprentice blacksmith, busily hammering with a conical stone at tin spear-head which is being forged, and at his side lie one or two finished heads. Beh j^i if" • M i\ ■ ;i| KAFFIB AT HIS FOBGE. them, another smith is hard at work with a huge stone with which he is crushing the( On the right hand of the illustration is seen the reed fence which is erected in order | keep off the wind, and in the middle distance is the kraal to which the smiths belonj The reed fence is supported by being lashed to a mimosa Some jars of beer sti within the shadow of the fence for the occasional refreshment of the blacksmiths. How the blacksmith contrives to work without burning his right hand is rai unintelligible. I have handled the conical hammer, and find that the hand is bioug| so close to the iron that, when it is heated to a glowing redness, the effect upon i fingers must be singularly unpleasant, not to mention the sparks that fly about so liberi when heated iron is struck. Sometimes, when a native is making small objects, he taki a tolerably large hammer, reverses it, and drives the small end deeply into the grouir The face of the hammer is then uppermost, and answers as an anvil, on which he woij with a hammer of smaller size. BELLOWa «9 Although, the bellows which a Katfir makes are sufficiently powerful to enable him ) melt brass, and to forge iron into various shapes, they do not seem to give a sutiiciently krong and continuous blast to enable him to weld iron together. Mr. Mofi'utt mentions icurious anecdote, which illustrates this point. He was visiting Moselekatse, the king If the northern division of the Zulu tribes, and very much frightened the savage monarch ly the sight of the wagon, the wheels of which seemed to his ignorant mind to be iidowed with motion by some magic power. His greatest wonder was, however, excited ■y the tire of the wheel, as he could not comprehend how such a piece of iron could >made without the junction of the ends being visible. A native who had accompanied Mr. Moffatt explained to the king how the mystery J solved. He took the missionary's right hand in his own, held it up before the king, ndsaid, "My eyes saw that very hand cut those bars of iron, take a piece off one end, nd then join them as you see now." After a careful inspection, the spot where the iron been welded was pointed out. The king then wanted to know whether medicine teie given to the iron in order to endow it with such wonderful powers, but was told that lothipg was used except iire, a chisel, and a hammer. Yet Mosdekatse was king of the essentially warlike Zulus, a nation whi h possessed |lent7 of blacksmiths who tvere well versed in their art, and could forge the leaf-shaped llades of the assagais with such skill that the best European smiths could not produce Upona more perfectly suited for the object which they were intended to fulfil. [ Le Vaillaut narrates an amusing instance of the astonishment caiised to some Eaf&r llacksmiths by a rude kind of bellows which he made after the European fasliiou. liter paying a just tribute of admiration to the admirable work pi-oduced by the dusky llacksmiths in spite of their extremely rude and imperfect tools, he proceeds to describe \iioTta ^f bellows which they used, which is just that which has been already mentioned. "I had great difficulty in making them comprehend how much superior the bellows [oar forges in Europe were to their invention; and being persuaded that the little key might catch of my explanation would soon escape from their memories, and would JDnsequently be of no real advantage to them, I resolved to add example to precept, and J operate myself in their presence. 'Having despatched one of my people to our camp with orders to bring the bottoms f two boxes, a piece of a summer kaross, a hoop, a few small nails, a hammer, a saw, and her small tools that I might have occasion for, as soon as he returned I formed in ; haste, and in a very rude manner, a pair of bellows, which were not more powerful Au those generally used in our kitchens. Two pieces of hoop which I placed in the side served to keep the skin always at an equal distance ; and I did not forget to make ble in the inferior part, to give a readier admittance to the air — a simple method of ^hich they had no conception, and for want of which they were obliged to waste a great al of time in filling the sheepskiiL " I had no iron pipe, but, as I only meant to make a model, I fixed to the extremity fmine a toothpick case, after sawing off one of its ends. I then placed my instrument In the ground near the fire, and, having fixed a forked stick in the ground, I laid across 1 a kind of lever, which was fastened to a bit of packthread proceeding from the |ellow8, and to which was fixed a piece of lead weighing seven or eight pounds. To form idea of the surprise of these Kaffirs on this occasion, one must have seen with khat attention they beheld all my operations ; the uncertainty in which they were, and peir anxiety to discover what would be the event. They could not resist their excla- ptions when they saw me, by a few easy motions and with one hand, give their fire pe greatest activity by the velocity with which I made my machine draw in and jain force out the air. Putting some pieces of iron into their fire, I made them red Bt in a few minutes, which they undoubtedly could not have done in half an hour. "This specimen of my skill raised their astonishment to the highest pitch. I may bture to say that they were almost convulsed and thrown into a delirium. They lanced and capered round the bellows ; each tried them in turn, and they clapped their lands the better to testify their joy. They begged me to make them a present of this t^onderful machine, and seemed to await for my answer with impatience, not imagining, h2 ^1 w 1... '1' li'^i; 100 THE KAFFIR. as I judged, that I would readily give up no valuable a piece of furniture. It afford me great pleasure to hear, at some future period, that they have brought tliei to perfection, and that, above all, they preserve a remembrance of that stranger wQ first supplied them with the most essential instrument in metallurgy." As far as can be judged by the present state of the blacksmith's art in KaffirlaDdl the natives have not derived the profit from Le Yaillant's instructions which hei ingenuously predicted. In all probability, the bellows in question would be confiscate by the chief of the tribe, who would destroy their working powers in endeavouring i make out their action. Moreover, the Kaffir is eminently conservative in his notions, am. he would rather prefer the old sheepskin, which only I'cquired to be tied at tht leoi and neck with thongs, to the comparatively elaborate instrument of the white travellej which needed the use of wooden hoops, nails, saw, hammer, and the other tools of tb civilized woikmaa The Kaffir smiths have long known the art of wire-drawing, though their plates i. very rude, the metal comparatively soft, and the wire in consequence irregularly dranl Moreover, they cannot make wire of iron, but are obliged to content themselves with tliJ softer metals, such as brass and copper. Mr. Moffatt, the African missionary, relates ail amusing anecdote of an interview with a native metal worker. As a missionary ought tJ do, he had a practical knowledge of the blacksmith's art, and so became on friendly termJ with his dark brother of the forge ; and after winning his heart by making him a m wire-drawing plate, made of steel, and pierced for wires of twenty variations in thicknfss induced him to exhibit the whole of his mystic process. His first proceeding was to prepare four moulds, very simply made by building a littlj heap of dry sand, and pushing into it a little stick about a quaiter of an inch in diameta He then built and. lighted a charcoal fire, such as has already been described, and he neil placed in a kind of rude clay crucible some copper and a little tin. A vigorous manipgJ lation of the bellows fused the copper and tin together, and he then took out the crucib'J with a rude kind of tongs made of bark, and poured the contents into the holes, thnij making a number of short brass rods about a quarter of an inch in diameter andthieecj four inches in length. These rods were next removed from the moulds and hammerf with a stone until they were reduced to half their diameter. During this operation, tin rods were frequently heated in the flame of burning grass. Next came the important operation of drawing the rods through the holes, so as tJ convert them into wire. The end of a rod was sharpened and forced through the lara hole, a split stick being used by way of pincers, and the rod continually greased. Bjj repeating this process the wire is passed through holes that become regularly smaller ia diameter, until at last it is scarcely thicker than sewing thread. The wire-plate is aboiil half an inch in thickness. The brass thus made is not equal in colour to that in whiclf zinc is used instead of tin, but as it is capable of taking a high polish, the native care for nothing more. The reader may perhaps remember that Mr. Williams, the well-know missionary, established his reputation among the savages to whom he was sent by niakiDj| an extemporized set of bellows out of boxes and boards, the rats always eating evei; scrap of leather that was exposed. The knowledge of forge work which Mr. Moffatt possessed was gained by him unJd very adverse circumstances. A broken-down wagon had to be mended, and there was ni alternative but to turn blacksmith and mend the wagon, or to abandon the expeditionf Finding that the chief drawback to the powers of the forge was the inefficient constructioJ of the native bellows, he set to work, and contrived to make a pair of bellows very similai to those of which Le Vaillant gave so glowing a description. And, if any proof vert needed that the French traveller's aspii-ations had not been realized, it may be found in the fact that the rude bellows made by the English missionaiy were as much a mattet of astonishment to the natives as those which had been made by I^e Vaillant soniij sixty years before. Much of the iron used in Southern Africa seems to be of meteoric origin, and is founfl *»* several localities in a wonderfully pure state, so that very little labour is needed ia order to make it fit for the forge. MAKING FIRE. 101 The Kaffir blacksmith never need trouble himself about the means of obtaining a fire. Ihould he set up his forge in the vicinity of a kraal, the simplest plan is to send hia distant for a firebrand from one of the huts. But, if he should prefer, as is often the je, to work at some distance from the huts, he can procure fire with perfect certainty, Lir;h not without some labour. He first procures two sticks, one of them taken from a soft-wood tree, and the other om an acacia, or some other tree that furnishes a hard wood. Of course both the sticks Lust be thoroughly dry, a condition about which there is little difficulty in so hot a timate. His next care is to shape one end oi the hard stick into a point, and to bore a nail hole in the middle of the soft stick. He now squats down in the attitude shown in ^e engraving, places the pointed tip of the hard stick in the hole of the soft stick, and, dng the formdr between his hands, twirls it backwards and forwards with < xtremo kpidity. MAKING FIRE. As he goes on, the hole becomes enlarged, and -a small quantity of very fine dust falls hto it, being rubbed away by the friction. Presently, the dust is seen to darken in colour, p to become nearly black ; and presently a very slight smoke is seen to rise. The affir now redoubles his efforts ; he aids the effect of the revolving stick by his breath. Win a few more seconds the dust bursts into a flame. The exertion required in tliis |peration is very severe, and by the time that the fire manifests itself the producer is itlied in perspiration. Usually, two men, at least, take part in fire-making, and, by dividing the labour, very buch shorten the process. It is evident that, if the perpendicular stick be thus worked, pe hands must gradually slide down it until they reach the point. The solitary Kaffir jrould then be obliged to stop the stick, shift his hands to the top, and begin again, thus sing much valuable time. But when two Kaffirs unite in fire-making, one sits opposite k other, and as soon as he sees that his comrade's hands have nearly worked themselves lown to the bottom of the stick, he places his own hands on the top, continues the move- pent, and relieves his friend. Thus, the movement of the stick is never checked for a poment, and the operation is consequently hastened. Moreover, considerable assistance 8 given by the second Kaffir keeping the dust properly arranged round the point of the [tick, and by taking the part of the bellows, so as to allow his comrade to expend all his tength in twirling the stick. I have now before me one of the soft sticks in which fire has been made. There is a [lole very much resembling in shape and size the depressions in a solitaire board, except at its sides are black and deeply charred by the fire, and in places highly polished by k friction. Some of my readers may perhaps remember that English blacksmiths ani 102 THE KAFFIR t.- ■ m'- I I m & equally independent of lucifer matches, flint and steel, and other recognised modest fire-raisinff. They place a small piece of soft iron on the anvil, together Mrith g charcoal dust, and hammer it furiously. The result is that enough heat is evolved to ] the charcoal, and so to enable the blacksmith to set to work. The illustration on page 101 exhibits the blacksmith and his two assistants eng in making a fire. The " man," distinguished by his head-ring, has been taking his tn at the fire-stick, and has handed it over to his assistant just before the fire developed itie;. The slight smoke arising from the stick shows that the operation has been successful,! is indeed indicated by the attitudes of the ether two men. « We will now see how the native makes his assagai With their simple tools the native smiths contrive to make their spear-heads of i an excellent temper that they take a very sharp edge : so sharp indeed, that the as! is used, not only for cutting up meat and similar offices, but for shaving the hi Also, it is so pliable, that a good specimen can be bent nearly double and beaten stiai^ again, without being heated. When the Kaffir smith has finished the head of the assagai, it looks something ] . the blade of a table-knife before it is inserted into the handle, and has a straight pn jecting peg, by which it is £astened into the wooden shaft. This peg, or tang cutlers call it, is always notched, so as to make it retain its hold the better. Now comes the next procesa The spear-maker has already by him a number of shafts. These are cut fTo^n tree which is popularly called "assagai-wood," and on the average are nearly five feeti length. In diameter they are very small, seldom exceeding that of a man's little fing at the thick end, while the other end tapers to the diameter of an ordinary black-I« pencil The assagai-tree is called scientifically Ourtisia Jaginea, and is something the mahogany. The shaft of the assagai is seldom, if ever, sufficiently straight to permit the weap to be used at once. It is straightened by means of heating it over the fire, and tha scraping, beating, and bending it until the maker is pleased with the result. Even afle the weapon has been made and in use, the shaft is very apt to warp, and in this case tbi Kaffir always rapidly straightens the assagai before he throws it In spite of its brittii nature, it will endure a considerable amount of bending, provided that the curve beiiolj too sharp, and that the operator does not jerk the shaft as he bends it Indeed, if itvei not for the elasticity of the shaft, the native would not be able to produce the pecu quivering or vibrating movement, to which the weapon owes so much of its efficiency. By means of heating the " tang " of the head red-hot, a hole is bored into the thid end of the shaft, and the tang passed into it Were it left without further work, the spea would be incomplete, for the head would fall away from the shaft whenever the poinl was held downwards. In order to fasten it in its place, the Kaffir always makes used one material, namely, raw hide. He cuts a narrow strip of hide, sometimes retaining tbi hair, and binds it while still wet upon the spear. As it dries, the hide contracts, and forr a band nearly as strong as if made of iron. There is no particular art displayed in tying this band ; we never see in that portia of an assagai the least trace of the elaborate and elegant patterns used by the Ne^ Zealanders in the manufacture of their weapons. The strip of hide is merely rolW round the s^ear and the loose end tucked beneath. a fold. Yet the Kaffir is not withool the power of producing such patterns, and will commonly weave very elaborate i elegant ornaments, from the hair of the elephant's tail and similar materials. Thes ornamental lashings are, however, always placed on the shaft of the weapon, and never employed in fastening the head of the assagai in its place. In the illustration on page 10.3 is drawn a group of assagais, in order to sboi the chief varieties of this weapoa The whole of them have been drawn from specimei in my own possession. The word " assagai " is not a Kaffir term, but, like the populi name of the tribe, like the words kaross, kraal, &c. has been borrowed from anotlej language. The Zulu word for the a.ssagai is um-konto, a word which has a curious tboii accidental resemblance to the Latin corUvs. ASSAGAia 103 The ordinary fom is shown at fig. 6. This weapon is five feet seven inches in otal length, and thb >!'ide measures a foot in length from its junction with the shaft ometiraes the hlade . „ much longer and ffider, as seen at fig. 4 U fig. 7 is shown a .. Lry remarkable spe- /\^L it .1 Uen of the assagai. Intending to produce lia extremely elegant , the artificer tas"^ lavished much ains on his work. In [he first place, he has forged a deeply-barbed 1, a form which is Ut rarely seen. He has then fastened it to the shaft in a rather kingular way. Instead tf cutting a stripof raw hide and binding it the weapon, he lias taken the tail of , calf, out off a piece khout four inches iu length, drawn the skin iron it so as to form itube, and slipped this |tabe over the spear. sis the case with the hide-lashing, the tube ontracts as it dries, od forms a singularly lefiective mode of at- iching the head to the khafL The hair has en retained, and, in |tlie maker's opinion, a rery handsome weapon I been produced. The illustration on »ge 104 shows the of three of the agais in the larger [engraving, for the pur- ise of showing the anner in which they ■■ | \| ii | aJ|« ^^ I made. Theyrepre- f I W i 1 w ^w U lent the chief varieties " ' f " f >r ▼ V | |of the weapon, and are group of assagais. awn from ray own bpecimens. The upper Kure represents the barbed assagai which has just been described (fig. 7), and shows pat even in this form of head the characteristic concavity and convexity are retained. lie central figure represents an ordinary " throwing assagai," fig. 5 ; i.e. one that is used /s. 104 THE KAFFIR. as ft missile, and not as a daogcr. In somo casus the throwing assagai is shaped in a more simple manner, the head being notliing but a sharpened spike of iron, without any pretensions of being formed into a blade. The lowermost figure represents the ordinnry •' stabbing assagai," fig. 4. This weapon can be used ns a missile, but is very seldom enijjloveil except 08 a manual weapon. Its long, straight blade is much used in the more pcactfn] vocations of daily life, and a Kaffir in time of peace seldom uses it for any worse imrjKJs* than slaughtering cattle, and cutting them up afterwards. This is the assagai that is usually employed as a knife, and with which the ingenious native contrives to shave his head. The assagai, in its original form, is essentially a missile, and is made expressly for that purpose, although it serves several others. And, insignificant as it looks when compared with the ^ irger and more elaborate spears of other nations, there is no spent or lance that can sui-pass it in efficacy. Scc(i*n tf Sftar htad HEADS OF ASSAGAIS. The Kaffir, when going on a warlike or hunting expedition, or even when travelling to any distance, takes with him a bundle, or "sheaf," of assagais, at least five in nuinber, and sometimes eight or nine. AVhen he assails, an enemy, he rushes forward, springing from side to side in order to disconcert the aim of his adversary, and hurling spear after spear with such rapidity that two or three are in the air at once, each having been thrown from a different direction. There is little difficulty in avoiding a single spear when thrown from the front ; but when the point of one is close to the heart, when another is coming to the right side, and the enemy is just hurling another on the left, it is a matter of no ] small difficulty to escape one or other of them. If the assailed individual stands still, he is sure to be hit, for the Kaffir's aim is absolute certaiiity ; while if he tries to escape | a spear coming from the left, he will probably be hit by another coming from the right. Moreover, the mode in which the weapon is thrown serves to disconcert the enemy, and bewilder his gasie. Just before he throws the spear, the Kaffir makes it quiver in 1 a very peculiar manner. He grasps it with the thumb and forefinger of the right hand, | holding it just above the spot where it balances itself, and with the head pointing up his arm. The other fingers are laid along the shaft, and are suddenly and firmly close'i, 80 as to bring the balance spot of the spear against the root of the hand. This movement I causes the spear to vibrate strongly, and is rapidly repeated, until the weapon gives out a peculiar humming or shivering noise, impossible to be described, and equally impossible to be forgotten when once heard. It is ns menacing a sound as the whirr of tlie rattlesnake, and is used by the Kaffirs when they wish to strike terror into theiil opponents. When thrown, the assagai does not lose this vibrating movement, but seems even I to vibrate stronger than before, the head describing a large arc of a circle, of which the balance-point forms the centre. This vibration puzzles the eye of the adversary, because it is almost impossible to tell the precise direction which the weapon is taking. Any one can calculate the flight of a rigid missile, such ns a thick spear or arrow, but when the | weapon is vibrating the eye is greatly bewildered. SKIUMISHINQ. 105 The wliolo look of an assagai in the air is very remarkable, and has never been hroporly represented. All illustrations have represented it as quite straight and stiff L its tliglit, whereas it looks just like a very slender serpent undulating itself grace- Vully through the air. It seems instinct with life, and appears rather to be seeking its Wn course than to bo a simple weapon thrown by the hand of a man. As it Hies along it continually gives out the peculiar shivering sound which has been mentioned, and this further adds to the delusion of its aspect The illustration represents a group of Kaffir warriors engaged in a skirmish. In the present instance they are exhibiting their prowess in a mock tight, the heads of the assagais leing of wood instead of iron, and blunted, but still hard and sharp enough to give a very erere blow — experto crede. In the background are seen a number of soldiers standing IV > ■i .v^M KAFFIR WARRIORS SKIRMISHING. Ibehind their shields, so as to exemplify the aptness of their title, the Matabele, or Dia- lappearers. In the immediate foreground is a soldier in the full uniform of his regiment. iHe has just hurled one assagai, and, as may be seen by the manner in which his dress lis Hying, has leaped to his present position with another assagai ready in his hand. Two jsoldiers are plucking out of the ground the assagais thrown by their antagonists, covering Ithemselves with their shields while so doing. All these soldiers belong to the same Iregiment, as may be seen by the headdress, which constitutes their distinctive uniform. I The skill displayed by the Kaffirs in the use of this weapon is really surprising. iThe rapidity with which the assagais are snatched from the sheaf, poised, quivered, and jliiirled is almost incredible. We are told that the great mastery of the old English larchors over the powerful bows which they used, was not so much owing to the personal Istrength of the archer, eo to the manner in which he was taught to " lay his body in his 10« THE KAFFIR I:-' I bow," and thus to manage with ease a weapon that much stronger men could not dnvl In a similar manner, tliu skill of the Kaffir in hurling the assagai is attributable not to his bodily strength, but to the constant habit of using the weapon. As soon as a boy cat fairly walk alone, he plays at spear-throwing— throwing with sticks ; «nd as he grows n, his father makes sham assaguis for him, with wooden instead of iron heads. Twoo( these mock weapons are in my collection, and are shown at fig. 8 in the illustratisn oa p. 103. They exactly resemble the ordinary assagai, except thut their heads are of wood; and if one of them happened to hit a man, it wuuld inflict rather an unpleasant wound. ' When the Katfir grasps his assagai, he and the weapon seem to become one being, the quivering speur seeming instinct with life imparted to it by its wielder. In hurling it, he assumes mtuitively tlie most graceful of attitudes, reminding the observer of torat of the ancient statues, and the weapon is thrown with such seeming ease thut, ug t sojourner among them told me, " the man looks as if he were nmde of oil." As he hurls the weapon, he presses on his foe, trying to drive him back, and at the laoit time to recover the spent missiles. Sometimes, when he has not space to raise his arm, or when he wants to take hit foe by surprise, he throws the assagai with a kind of underhand jerk, his arm hanging at full length. An assagai thus delivered cannot be thrown as far as by the ordinary method, but it can be propelled with considerable foi-ce, and frequently achieves the object for which it was intended. He never throws the last of the sheaf, but if he cannot succeed in picking up thow that are already thrown, either by himself or his enemy, he dashes forward, and as he closes with the foe, snaps the shaft of the assagai in the middle, throws away the tip, and uses the remaining portion as a dagger. The wood of which the shaft is made, though very elastic, is very brittle, and a novice in the art is sure to break several of his spears before he learns to throw them pro- perly. Unless they are rightly cast, as soon as the blade reaches the ground the sbail gives a kind of " whip " forward, and snaps short just aboye the blade. One of the great wari'ior chiefs made a singular use of this property. Just before going into action, he made his men cut the shafts of their assagais nearly across, just beyond the junction of the shaft and the head. The consequence of this ingenious ruse became evident enough when the action commenced. If the weapon went true to its mark, it pierced the body of the foe just as effectually as if nothing had been done to it ; while if it missed, and struck the ground or a shield, the shaft instantly snapped, and the weapon vas thereby rendered useless to the foe. Unknowingly, the barbaric chief copied the example that was set by a Boman general nearly two thousand years ago. When Marius made war against the Cimbri, his troopi carried the short heavy javelin, called the pilum. This weapon had a thick handle, to the end of which the long blade was attached by two iron rivets, one in front of the other. Before going to battle, he ordered the soldiers to remove the rivet farthc^at from the point, and to supply its place with a slight wooden peg, just strong enough to hold the head in its proper position as long as no force was used. When the javelin was hurled, the enemy tned to receive it on their shields ; and if they succeeded in doing so, they drew out the weapon and flung it back at the foe. But as soon as the ^action begaii the Cimbri found themselves in a sore strait. No sooner had they caught the javelin in I their shields, than the slight wooden peg snapped, and allowed the shaft to dangle from | the blade. Not only was the weapon useless, but it .became a serious incumbrance. It could not be pulled out of the shield, as it afforded no grasp, and the heavy shait I dragged on the ground so as to force the soldier to throw (tway his shield, and to fight without it A very singular modification of the assagai was made by the terrible Tchaka, a chief | who lived but for war, and was a man of wonderful intellect, dauntless courage, singular organizing power, and utterly devoid of compassion. Eetaining the assagai, he altered its shape, and made it a much shorter and heavier weapon, unfit for throwing, and only to be used in a hand-to-hand encounter. After arming his troops with this modified weapon, he entirely altered the mode of warfare. :j (• ASSAGAIS. 107 His soldiers were furnished with a very large shield and a single assagai. When (W went into action, they ran in a compact body on the enemy, and as soon as the first ihower of spears fell, they crouched beneath their shields, allowed the weapons to expend their force, and then sprang in for a hand-to-li.jiid encounter. Their courage, naturally jmt, was excited by promises of reward, and by the certainty that not to conquer was to die, If a soldier was detected in running away, he wuh instantly killed by the chief, and the same punishment awaited any one who rutumed from battle without his spear and ihittliL Owing to these tactics, he raised tho tribe of tho Amazulu to be the most powerful in the country. He absorbed nearly sixty otiir tribes into his own, and extended his dominions nearly half across the continent of Aliica. He at last formed the bold conception of sweeping the whole South African coast with his armies, and extirpating the white inhabitants. But, while at the zenith of his |pomi>: 'Iri 114 THE KAFFIR " In this singular manner were the charges advanced and rebutted for a considerablj time ; Dingan acting behind the scenes as a moderator, and occasionally calling off Tajj. booza as an unruly bull-dog from the bait. At length, as though imperceptibly dravn into the argument, he concluded the business in these words : — ' \Vhen have we heard anything good of Georgo ? What has Georgo done ) It is a name that is unknown to us. I shall give you no shields until you have proved yourself worthy of them ; go am) bring me some cattle from Umselekaz, and then shields shall be given you.* A burst o( applause rang from all sides on this unexpected announcement ; under which, in good taste, the despot made his exit, retiring into the Issogordlo, while bowls of beer were served out to the soldiers, who with their Indoon were soon after observed marchiiw over the hills, on their way to collect the remainder of their regiment, for the promised expedition. " I am inclined to think that there was much ot state policy in the whole of these proceedings, particularly as the order for the attack on Umselekaz was shortly after countermandcu, and not more than ten or twelve days elapsed before the same party re. turned, and received their shields. At this time I was quietly writing in my hut ; one of the shield houses adjoined; and I shall never forget the unceremonious rush they made. Not contented with turning them all out, and each selecting one, but, in order to .prove them and shake off the dust, they conmienced beating them on the spot witk sticks, which, in connexion with this sudden incursion, occasioned such an unusual tumult that I thought a civil war had commenced." Having now seen the weapons used by the Kaffir warriors, we will see how they I wage war. When the chief arranges his troops in order of battle, he places the " boys " in van, and gives them the post of honour, as well as of danger. In this position theyharel the opportunity of distinguishing themselves for which they so earnestly long, and, as i| general rule, display such valour that it is not very easy to pick out those who hai^ earned especial glory. Behind them are arranged the " men " with their white shields These have already established their reputation, and do not require further distinction. They serve a double purpose. Firstly, they act as a reserve in case the front ranks of the " black-shields " shoidd be repulsed, and, being men of more mature age, oppose an ahnoji impregnable front to the enemy, while the " black-shields" can re-form their ranks unda cover, and then renew the charge. The second object is, that they serve as a very effectual incitement to the young men to do their duty. They know that behind them is a body of skilled warriors, who are carefully noting all their deeds, and they are equally aware that if they attempt to m\ away they will be instantly kiUed by the " white-shields " in their rear. As has aire been mentioned, the dearest wish of a young Kaffir's heart is to become a " white-shield"! himself, and there is no prouder day of his life than that in which he bears for the fir* time the white war-shield on his arm, the " isikoko " on his head, and falls into the ranis with those to whom he has so long looked up with admiration and envy. In order to incite the "black-shields" to the most strenuous exertions, their reward ii promised to them beforehand. Just before they set out on their expedition, the yoUi!j| unmarried girls of the tribe are paraded before them, and they are told that each \;h\ succeeds in distinguishing himself before the enemy shall be presented with one of tl damsels for a wife when he returns. So he does not only receive the barren permissioil to take a wife, and thus to enrol himself among the men, but the wife is presented to " without pay, his warlike deeds being considered as more than an equivalent f :r "he cow| which he would otherwise have been obliged to pay for her. A curious custom prevails in the households of the white-shield warriors. When onel o^ ' hem goes out to war, his wife takes his sleeping-mat, his pillow, and his spoon, anil hfiiii. ■ them upon the wall of the hut. Every morning at early dawn she goes and in- spc' them with loving anxiety, and looks to see whether they cast a shadow or not. M long a.T they do so, she knows that her husband is alive ; but if no shadow should liappen to be thrown by them, she feels certain that her husband is dead, and laments his loss ai MILITARY DISCIPLINE. 116 if she had actually seen his dead body. This curious custom irresistibly remiuds the • of certain tales in the " Arabian Nights," where the life or death of an absent nerson is known by some object that belonged to him — a knife, for example — which dripped blood as soon as its former owner was dead. Before Tcliaka's invention of the heavy stabbing-assagai, there was rather more noise Itlian execution in a Kaffir battle, the assagais being received harmlessly on the shields, I jnd no one much the worse for them. But his trained troops made frightful havoc among the enemy, and the destruction was so great, that the Zulus were said to be not men, but I eaters of men. The king's place was in the centre of the line, and in the rear, so that he I could see all the proceedings with his own eyes, and could give directions, from time to A WIFE'S ANXIETT. Ilime, to the favoured councillors who were around him, and who acted as aides-de-camp, [executing their commissions at their swiftest pace, and then returning to take their post I by the sacred person of their monarch. The commander of each regiment and section of a regiment was supposed to be its lembodiment, and on him hung all the blame if it suffered a repulse. Tchaka made no lallowance whatever for superior numbers on the part of the enemy, and his warriors knew Iwell that, whatever might be the force opposed to them, they had eit|ier to conquer or to [die; and, as it was better to die fighting than to perish ignominiously as cowards after Ithe battle, they fought with a frantic valour that was partly inherent in their nature, and jwas partly the result of the strict and sanguinary discipline under whicli tliey fought. JAfter the battle, the various officers are called out, and qiu'stioned respecting the conduct lot the men under their command. Reward and retribution ai'e equally swift in operation. ml ^ vm i mm 1 m \ jk.uT' /gm "1 M4 i-m 116 THE KAFFIR ,(»■ « . an immediate advance in rank falling to the lot of those who had shown notable connge, I while those who have been even suspected of cowardice are immediately slain. Sometimes the slaughter after an expedition is terrible, even under the reign of Panda, a very much milder man than his great predecessor. Tchaka has been known to order a whole regiment for execution ; and on one occasion he killed all the " white-shielda" ordering the " boys " to assume the head-ring, and take the positions and shields of the slain. Panda, however, is not such a despot as Tchaka, and, indeed, does not possess the irresponsible power of that king. No one ever dared to interfere with Tchaka, knowing that to contradict him was certain death. But when Panda has been disposed to m a number of his subjects his councillors have interfered, and by their remonstrances have | succeeded in stopping the massacre. Sometimes these wars are carried on in the most bloodthirsty manner, and not only the J soldiers in arms, but the women, the old and the young, fall victims to the assagais and clubs of the victorious enemy. Having vanquished the foe, they press on towards the | kraals, spearing all the inhabitants, and carrying off all the cattle. Indeed, the " lifting" of cattle on a large scale often constitutes the chief end of a Kaffir war. Before starting on an expedition the soldiers undeigo a series of ceremonies, which I are supposed to strengthen their bodies, improve their courage, and propitiate the spirita of their forefathers in their favour. The ceremony begins with the king, who tries to obtain some article belonging to the person of the adverse chief, such as a scrap of any garment that he has worn, a snuff-box, | the shaft of an assagai, or, indeed, anything that has belonged to him. A portion i this substance is scraped into certain mecUcines prepared by the witch-doctor, and tl king either swallows the medicine, or cuts little gashes on different parts of his body, ai rubs the medicine into them. This proceeding is supposed to give dominion over the | enemy, and is a sign that he will be " eaten up " in the ensuing battle. So fearful are the chiefs that the enemy may thus overcome them, that they use the I most minute precautions to prevent any articles belonging to themselves from falling into the hands of those who might make a bad use of them. When a chief moves his quartan, | even the floor of his hut is carefully scraped ; and Dingan was so very particular on t point that he has been known to bum down an entire kraal, after he left it, in order that | no vestige of anything that belonged to himself should fall into evil hands. After the king, the men take their turn of duty, and a very impleasant duty it is. Ail ox is always slain, and one of its legs cut off; and this extraordinary ceremony is thought I to be absolutely needful for a successful warfare. Sometimes the limb is severed from the I unfortunate animal while it is still alive. On one occasion the witch-doctor conceived I the brilliant idea of cutting off the leg of a living bull, and then making the warrioiseatl it raw, tearing the flesh from the bone with their teeth. They won the battle, but I witch-doctor got more credit for his powerful charms than did the troops for their couragal Of course the animal cannot survive very long after such treatment; and when it is I dead, the flesh is cut away with assagais, and a part of it chopped into small morsels, in eacll of which is a portion of some charmed powder. The imcleared bones are thrown among I the warriors, scrambled for, and eaten ; and when this part of the ceremony has been cott-l eluded, the remainder of the flesu is cooked and eaten. A curious process then takes I place, a kind of purification by fire, the sparks from a burning brand being blown oval them by the witch-doctor. Next day they are treated to a dose which acts asil violent emetic ; and the ceremonies conclude with a purification by water, which isl sprinkled over them by the chief himself. These wild and savage ceremonies hi undoubtedly a great infli ence over the minds of the warriors, who fancy themselvesl to be under the protection of their ancestors, the only deities which a Kaffir seems to| care much about. As to the department of the commissariat, it varies much with the caprice of thel chief. Tchaka always used to send plenty of cattle with his armies, so that they neverl need fear the weakening of their forces by hunger. He also sent very large supplies ofl grain and other food. His successors, however, have not been so generous, and force tl troops to provide for themselves by foraging among the enemy. THE ARMY IN THE FIELD. 117 Cattle are certainly taken with them, but Hot to be eaten. In case they may be able to seize the cattle of the enemy, they find that the animals can be driven away much more easily if they are led by others of their own kind. The cattle that accompany an expedition are therefpre employed as guides. They sometimes serve a still more important purpose. Clever as is a Kaffir in finding his way under ordinary circumstances, ther- "wre occasions where even his wonderful topographical powers desert him. If, for example, he is in an enemy's district, and is obliged to travel by night, he may well lose his way, if the nights should happen to be cloudy, and neither moon nor stars be visible ; and, if he has a herd of the enemy's oxen under Ms charge, he feels himself in a very awkward predicament. He dares not present himself at his kraal without the oxen, or his life would be instantly forfeited ; and to drive a herd of oxen to a place whose Cition he does not know would be impossible. He therefore allows the oxen that he brought with him to go their own way, and merely follows in their track, knowing that their instinct will surely guide them to their homa When the Kaffir soldiery succeed in capturing a kraal, their first care is to secure the oxen; and if the inhabitants should have been prudent enough to remove their much- loved cattle, the next search is for maize, millet, and other kinds of com. It is not a very easy matter to find the grain stores, because they are dug in the ground, and, afjer being filled, are covered over so neatly with earth, that only the depositors know the exact spot. The " isi-baya " is a favourite place for these subterranean stores, because the trampling of the cattle soon obliterates all marks of digging. The isi-baya is, therefore, the first place to be searched ; and in some cases the inhabitants have concealed their stores so cleverly that the invaders could not discover them by any other means except digging up the whole of the enclosure to a considerable depth. Now and then, when the inhabitants [of a kr$al have received notice that the enemy is expected, they remove the grain from the storehouses, and hido it in the bush, closing the granaries again, so as to give the [enemy all the trouble of digging, to no purpose. Panda, who refuses to send provisions with his forces, has sometimes caused them to [suffer great hardships by his penurious conduct. On one occasion they discovered a ary with plenty of com in it, and were, so hungry that they could not wait to cook it iroperly, but ate it almost raw, at the same time drinking large quantities of water. The insequence was, that many of them were so ill that they had to be left behind when le march was resumed; and were detected and killed by the inhabitants of the kraal, ho came back from their hiding-places in the bush as soon as they saw the enemy lOve away. In one case. Panda's army was so badly supplied with provisions that the soldiers were iged to lev} contributions even on his own villages. In some of these kraals the omen, who expected what might happen, had emptied their storehouses, and hidden II their food in the bush, so that the hirngry soldiers could not even find some com to [rind into meal, nor clotted milk to mix with it. They were so angry at their disappoint- nent that they ransacked the cattle-fold, discovered and robbed the subterranean granaries, nd, after cooking as much food as they wanted, carried off a quantity of com for future ■ations, and broke to pieces all the cooking- vessels which they had used. If they could ict thus in their own country, their conduct in an enemyls land may be easily con- Mured. One reason for the withholding of supplies may probably be due to the mode of fighting |of the Zulu armies. They are entirely composed of light infantry, and can be sent to [Teat distances with a rapidity that an ordinary European soldier can scarcely comprehend. phe fact is, they carry nothing except their weapons, and have no heavy knapsack nor ght clothing to impede their movements. In fact, the clothing which they wear on a ampaign is more for ornament than for covering, and consists chiefly of feathers stuck in he hair. So careful are the chiefii that their soldiers should not be impeded by baggage pf any kind, that they are not even allowed to take a kaross with them, but must sleep I the open air without any covering, just as is the case with the guardians of p harem, who are supposed, by virtue of their office, to be soldiers engaged in a impaign. ''fi, l*^#IS!w '^SS^ lift THE KAFFIR. i, As to pay, as we understand the word, neither chief nor soldiers have much idea(j| it. If the men distinguish tliemsclves, the chief mostly presents them with beads a blankets, not as pay to which they have a right, but as a gratuity for wJiich they awl indebted to his generosity. As to the " boya," they seldom have anything, being only! on their promotion, and not considered as enjoying the privileges of manhood. Thb) custom is very imtating to the "boys," some of whom are more than thirty years of anpf and who consider themselves quite as effective members of the army as those who have been permitted to wear the head-ring and bear the white shield. Their dissatisfaction with their rank luis, however, the good effect of making them desirous of becomiujl " ama-doda," and thus increasing their value in time of action. Sometimes this distinction of rank breaks out in open quarrel, and on one occasion I the " men " and the " boys " came to blows with each other, and would have taken to tlieiil ppears if Panda and his councillors had not personally quelled the tumult. The fact was,[ that Panda had organized an invasion, and, as soon as they heard of it, the black-sliieldl regiment begged to be sent oft' at once to the scene of battle. The white-shields, liowever, suspected what was really the case; namely, that the true destination of the troops was not that which the king had mentioned, and accordingly sat silent, and took no part iutbej general enthusiasm. Thereupon the " boys " taunted the " men" with cowardice, and said that they preferred I their comfortable homes to the liardships of warfare. The " men" retorted that, as they had! fought under Tchaka and Dingan, as well as Panda, and had earned their advancement I under the eye of chiefs who killed all who did not fight bravely, no one could accu^ t them) of cowardice ; whereas the " boys" were ignorant of warfare, and were talking noriyensei These remarks were too true to be pleasant, and annoyed the " boys" so much that tlieyl grew insolent, and provoked the " men " to take to their sticks. However, instead oil yielding, the "boys" only returned the blows, and if Panda had not interfered, there would | nave been a serious riot. His conduct on this occasion shows the strange jealousy which possesses the mind ofa| Kaffir king. The " men" were, in this case, undoubtedly right, and the " boys" undoubted wrong. Yet Panda took the part of the latter, because he was offended with the argument of I the " men," They ought not to have mentioned his predecessors, Tchoku and Dingan, in bial )resence, as the use of their names implied a slight upon himseif. They might have I )rided themselves as much as they liked, or the victories which they had gained under I lim, but they had no business to mention the warlike deeds of his predecessoR,! ; 'erhaps he remembered that those predecessors had been murdered by their own people,| and might have an uneasy fear that his own turn would come some day. So he showed his displeasure by sending oxen to the " boys " as a feast, and learag the " men " without any food. Of course, in the end the " men " had to yield, and againstl their judgment went on the campaign. During that expedition the smouldering tlanie| broke out several times, the " boys " refusing to yield the post of honoi^r to the " men," whom they taunted with being cowards and afraid to fight. However, the more pnidentl counsels of the "men" prevailed, and harmony was at last restored, the "men" andttel " boys " dividing into two brigades, and each succeeding in the object for which they sctl out, without needlessly exposing themselves to danger by attacking nearly impregnable forts,! We will now proceed to the soldiers themselves, and see how the wonderful discipline! of a Kaffir army is carried out in detail. First we will examine the dress of the soldier. Of! course, the chief, who is the general in command, will have the place of honour, and wl will therefore take the portrait of a well-known Zulu chief as he appears when fully! equipped for war. If the reader will refer to page 27, he will see a portrait of Goza inl the costume which he ordinarily wears. The accompanying illustration represents himl in full uniform, and affords a very favourable example of the war dress of a powerful| Kaffir chief. He bears on his left arm his great white war-shield, the size denoting its object, and! the colour pointing out the fact that he is a married man. The long, slender feather whichl is fastened in his head-ring is that of the South African crane, and is a conventional! DBESS OF THE SOLDIER SH •bol denoting war. There is in my collection a very remarkable war head-Hrp^ thnt iworn by the celebrated Zulu chief, Sandilli, who gave us so much trouble dm 'he .war, and proved himself worthy of his rank as a warrior, and his great reputation m I orator. Sandilli was further remarkable because he had triumphed over physical dis- drantages, which are all-important in a Kaffir's eyes. li' ■ ^1 M I m r .■■ 1:1 ■y<:%,knt'. :n?4T OOZA IN FULL WAR-DRSSS, ATTENDED BT HIS COUNCILLORS. It has already been mentioned that a deformed person is scarcely ever seen among the Kaffirs, because infants that show signs of deformity of any kind are almost invariably lied as soon as born. Sandilli was one of these unfortunate children, one of his legs bing withered as high as the knee, so that he was deprived of all that physical agility Itat is so greatly valued by Kaffirs, and which has so great a share in gainiiiy promotion. fy some strange chance the life of this deformed infant was preserved, and, under the now niliar name of Sandilli, the child grew to be a man, rose to eminence among his own ople, took rank as a great chief, and became a very thorn in the sides of the English ilonists. After many years of struggle, he at last gave in his submission to English rule, 120 THE KATFIR. and might be often tieen on horseback, dashing about in the headlong style which a KaQ lovea The head-dress which he was accustomed to wear in time of war is represented in tin illustration on page 25, at fig. 4. Inst»!ad of wearing a single feather of the crime, SandiU took the whole breast of the bird, from which the long, slender feathers droop. The has been removed from the breast, bent and worked so as to form a kind of cap, and th feathers arranged so that they shall all point upwards, leaning rather backwards. XhiJ curious and valuable head-dress was presented to me by O. Ellis, Esq., who brought from the Cape in 1865. Sandilli belongs to the sub-tribe Amagaika, and is remarkable foj his very light colour and commanding stature. It will be seen that both Ooza and his councillors wear plenty of feathers on theij heads, and that the cap of the left-hand warrior bears some resemblance to that which hai just been described. The whole person of the chief is nearly covered with barbaric orni ments. His apron is made of leopard's tails, and his knees and ankles are decorated vitlj tufts made of the long flowing hair of the Angora goat. Twisted strips of rare furs han] from his neck and chest, while his right hand holds the long kuob-kerrie which is so mucj in use among the Zulu warriors. The portrait of Goza is taken from a photograph. The councillors who stand behind him are apparelled with nearly as much gorgeousne as their chief, and the oddly-shaped head-dresses which they wear denote the regiments t which they happen to belong. These men, like their chief, were photographed in theij full dress. It has already been mentioned that the soldiers are divided into two great groups! namely, the married men and the bachelors, or, as they are popularly called, the "menf and the " boys." But each of these great groups, or divisions, if we may use that word i its military sense, is composed of several regiments, varying from six hundred to thousand or more in strength. Each of these regiments inhabits a single military kra or garrison town, and is commanded by the head man of that kraal Moreover, tiJ raiments are subdivided into companies, each of which is under the command ofaq officer of lower grade ; and so thoroughly is this system carried out, that European soldied feel almost startled when they find that these savages have organized a system of anaj| management nearly identical with their own. The regiments are almost invariably called by the name of some animal, and thJ soldiers are placed in them according to their physical characteristics. Thus, the Elephanj regiment consists of the largest and strongest warriors, and holds a position like that o] our Grenadiers. Then the Lion regiment is composed of men who have distinguisha themselves by special acts of daring ; while the Spring-bok regiment would be formed ol men noted for their activity, for the quickness with which they can leap about whej encumbered with their weapons, and for their speed of foot, and ability to run great ( tances. They correspond with our light cavalry, and are used for the same purpose. There are twenty-six of these regiments in the Zulu army, and they can be as easily] distinguished by their uniform as those of our own army. The twenty-sixth regiment i the equivalent of our household troops, being the body-guard of the king, and furnishingl all the sentinels for the harem. Their uniform is easily distinguishable, and isver simple, being, in fact, an utter absence ot all clothing. Only the picked men among tt warriors are placed in this distinguished regiment, and neither by day nor night do tlieyl wear a scrap of clothing. This seems rather a strange method of conferring an honour-l able distinction ; but entire nudity is quite as much valued by a Kaffir soldier as tlie| decoration of the Bath or Victoria Cross among ourscJves. The first regiment is called Omobapankue, a word that signifies " Leopard-catchers,"! Some years ago, when Tchaka was king of the Zulus, a leo] i ird killed one of his attendantil He sent a detachment of the first regiment after the aniin.^i, 'id the brave fellows suc-[ ceeded in catching it alive, and bearing their struggling prize to the king. In order top reward them for *:heir courage, he gave the first regiment the honorary title of " Leopard-] catchers," which title has been ever since borne by them. There are three commissioned officers — if such a term may be used — in each regiment:! namely, the colonel, or '* Indoona-e'nkolu," i.e. the Great Officer ; the captain, " N'genana,"! SOLDIERS IN FULL UNIFORM. »1 I the lieutenant, " N'Rena-obzana." The head man of any kraal goen by the name of JaonA, M\d ho who rules over one of the {jreat ) had cut Iwn every tree that their axes could fell, and those that defied their rude tools they ptroyed bj fire. Now it is well known that ti-ees, especially when in full foliage, are ty powerful agents in causing rain, inasmuch as they condense the moisture floating in air, and cause it to fall to the earth, instead of passing by in suspension. Every tree k is felled has some effect in reducing the quantity of rain ; and when a forest is felled with the ground, the different amount of rainfall becomes niaiked at once. These tribes are inveterate destroyers of timber. When they wish to establish them- |ves in a fresh spot, and build a new kraal, they always station themselves close to the est, or at all events to a large thicket, which in the course of time is levelled to the kund, the wood having beeii all used for building and culinary purposes. The tribe fen go off to another spot, and cut down more timber ; and it is to this custom that the p droughts of Southern Africa may partly be attributed. The game which inhabited the fallen forests is peiforce obliged to move into districts \m the destructive axe has not been heard, and the whole of those animals that require ontinual supply of water either die off for the want of it, or find their way into luoi-e Joured regions. Tliis is specially the case with the antelopes, which form the chief game I this land. Southern Africa absolutely teems with antelopes, some thirty species of 1 are known to inhabit this wonderful country. They are of all sizes, from tlie great nds and koodoos, which rival our finest cattle in weight and stature, to the tiny species lich inhabit the bush, and have bodies scarcely larger than if they were rabbits. Some I them are solitary, others may be found in small parties, others unite in herds of alculable numbers ; while there are several species that form associations, not only with |er species of their own goup, but with giraffes, zeoras, ostriches, and other strange npanions. Each kind must be hunted in some special manner ; and, as the antelopes are herally the wariest as well as the most active of game, the hunter must be thoroughly luainted with his business before he can hope for success. [One of the antelopes which live in small parties is the koodoo, so well known for its Ignificent spiral horns. To Europeans the koodoo is only interesting as being one of most splendid of the antelope tribe, but to the Kaffir it is almost as valuable an jinal as the cow. The flesh of the koodoo is well-flavoured and tender, two qualities lich are exceedingly rare among South African antelopes. The marrow taken from the >bones is a great luxury with the Kaffirs, \v ho are so fond of it that when they kill a JkIoo they remove the leg-bones, break them, and eat the marrow, not only without jking, hut while it is still warm. Kevolting as such a practice may seem to us, it has TOL.I. K ^«; I :Xl '80 THE KAFFIR t M been adopted even by English hunters, who have been sensible enough to accommodal themselves to circumstances. Then, its hide although comparatively thin, is singularly tough, and, when cut nitu narrow slips and properly manipulated, is used for a variety of purposes which a thick liide could not fulfil. The toughness and strength of these thoiigs are really wonilcrtiij and the rapidity with which they aie made scarcely less so. I have seen an experiencij skindi-esser cut a thin strip from a dried koodoo skin, and in less than half a niinuii produce a long, delicate thong, about as thick as ordinary whipcord, as pliant as silk, i beautifully rounded. I have often thought that the much-vexed question of the 1«3 leather for boot-laces might be easily solved by tho use of koodoo hide. Such thona would be expensive in the outset, but their lasting powers would render them chuiij in the long run. The horns of the koodoo are greatly valued in this coxmtry, and command a hijiJ price, on account of their great beauty. The Kaffirs, however, value them even more thaj we do. They will allow the horns of the eland to lie about and perish, but those of tin koodoo they carefully preserve for two special purposes, — namely, the forge and til smoking party. Although a Kaffir blacksmith will use the horns of the domestic ox,( of the eland, as tubes whereby the wind is conveyed from the bellows to the fire, heveij much prefers those of the koodoo, and, if he should be fortunate enough to obtain a paid he will lavish much pains on making a handsome pair of bellows. He also usetf the koodoo horn in the manufacture of the remarkable water-pipe ii| which he smokes dakka, or hemp. On a future page will be seen a figure of a Kaffi engaged in smoking a pipe made from the koodoo horu. Like many other antelopes, the koodoo is a wary animal, and no small amount ( pains must be taken before the hunter can succeed in his object. The koodoo is one i the antelopes that requires water, aud is not like to its relative, the eland, which neva] cares to drink, and which coutrives, in some mysterious manner, to be the Iiirses tlie fattest, and the plumpest of all the antelope tribe, though it lives far from walf^ a: id its principal food is herbage so dry that it can be rubbed to powder between I hands. The illustration on the next page shows the kind of spot which the koodoo inl and is taken from a sketch by Captain Drayson, RA., who shot one of these spleniiil| antelopes just as it was bounding over the spot where a koodoo is represented as stnicJ down by an assagai. The scene is on the Umgenie river, and gives a remarkably gdl idea of a South African landscape, as far as such a scene can be rendered iu the absi;iitt| of colour. Each of the antelopes has Its separate wiles, and puts in practice a different metyj of escape from an enemy. The pretty little Duiker-bok, for example, jumps about liail aud there with an erratic series of movements, remuiding the sportsman of the beliavioil of a flushed snipe. Suddenly it will stop, as if tired, and lie down in the grass ; butwliaj the hunter comes to the spot, the animal has vanishi-d. All the previous movenientswai merely for the purpose of distracting the attention of the hunter, and as soon as the 1 antelope crouched down, it lowered its head and crawled away on its knees under co"! of the herbage. It is owing to this habit that the Dutch colonists called it the Duited or Diver. This little antelope is found in long grass, or among stunted bushes, and the wij| Kaffir is sure to have his weapons ready whenever he passes by a spot where he expect to find the Duyker, or Impoon, as he calls it.' The creature is wonderfully teal cious of life, and, even when mortally wounded, it will make its escape from a huiit8| who does not know its peculiarities. Other antelopes that inhabit grass and bush land have very ingenious modes of coiJ Dealing themselves. Even on the bare plain they will crouch down in such odd ati tudes that all trace of their ordinary outline is gone, and they contrive to arrange them selves in snch a manner that at a little distance they much resemble a heap of witliere grass and dead sticks, the former being represented by their t'ur, and the latter by tbei ANTELOPES 131 [orns and limbs. An untrained eye would never discover one of these animals, and ovicea in African hunting can seldom distinguish the antelope even when it is pointed ut to them. ^Vhellc;vor a practised hunter sees an antelope crouching on the ground, he may be 'kk that the animal is perfei'-tly aware of his presence, and is only watching for an ipportunity to escape. If he y ere to go directly towards it, or even stop and look at it m SSM ^'f \^-^\ SCENE ON THE UMGENIE RIVER-BUNTINQ THE KOODOO. |ie antelope would know that it was detected, and would dart off while still out of Dire. But an experienced hunter always pretends not to have seen the animal, and in- . of approaching it in a direct line, walks round and round the spot where it is lying, |way3 coming nearer to his object, but never taking any apparent notice of it. The animal is quite bewildered by this mode of action, and cannot make up its mind Ihat to do. It is not sure that it ha** been detected ; and therefore does not like to lom |e risk of jumping up and openly betraying itself, and so it only crouches closer to the ound until its enemy is within range. The pretty antelope called the Ourebi is often ken in this manner. Some antelopes cannot be taken in this manner. They are very wary animals, and, [lien they perceive an enemy, they immediately gallop off, and will go for wonderful Istances in an almost straight line. One of these animals is the well-known eland, an Mtelope which, in spite of its enormous size and great weight, is wonderfully swift and pive ; and, although a laige eland will be nearly six feet high at the shoulders, and as Irgely built as our oxen, it will dash over rough hilly places at a pace that no horse can |r a time equal But it cannot keep up this pace for a very long time, as it becomes 18a THE KAFFIB. ilia extremely fat and heavy ; and if it be continually hard pressed, and not allowed to slaclta its pace or to halt, it becomes so exhausted that it -can be easily overtaken. The m. plan in such cases is to get in front of the tired eland, make it turn round, and so drive ii into the camping spot.'vrhere it can be killed, so that the hunters save themselves trouble of carrying the meat to camp. Eland hunting is always a favourite sport both with natives and white men, piu because its flesh is singularly excellent, and partly because a persevering chase is aim always rewarded with success. To the native, the eland is of peculiar value, because H furnishes an amount of meat which will feed them plentifully for several days. Mor» over, the flesh is always tender, a quality which does not generally belong to Soutj African venison. The Zulu warriors, however, do not eat the flesh of the eland, beii restrained by superstitious motives. Usually, when an antelope is killed, its flesh must either be eaten at once, before tin animal heat has left the body, or it must be kept for a day or two, in order to free it froi its toughness. But the flesh of the eland can be eaten even within a few hours after tbi animal has been killed. The hunters make a rather curious preparation from the the eland. They take out separately the muscles of the thighs, and cure them just as i they were tongues. These articles are called " thigh-tongues," and are useful on i journey when provisions are likely to be scarce. Perhaps one of the greatest merits of the eland in a Kaffir's eyes is the enomoi quantity of fat which it will produce when in good condition. As has already mentioned, fat is one of the necessaries of life to a Kaffir, as well as one of the grrab luxuries, and a bull eland in good condition furnishes a supply that will make a ~ happy for a month.. There is another South African antelope, which, like the eland, runs in a straigl course when alarmed, but which, unlike the eland, is capable of great endurance. Tb-j the splendid gemsbok, an antelope which is nearly as large as the eland, though not i massively buut This beautiful antelope is an inhabitant of the dry and parched plain of Southern Africa, and, like the eland, cares nothing for water, deriving all the moistiJi which it needs from certain succulent roots of a bulbous nature, which lie hidden in I soil, and which its instinct teaches it to unearth. This ability to sustain life without the aid of water renders its chase a very matter, and the hunters, both native and European, are often baffled, not so much bytU speed and endurance of the animal, as by the dry and thirsty plains through which i( leads them, and in which they can find no water. Tlie spoils of the gemsbok are then fore much valued, and its splendid horns will always command a high price, even in i own country, while in Europe they are sure of a sale. The horns of this antelope are about three feet in length, and are very slightly enrvrf The mode in which they are placed on the head is rather curious! They are very neai' in a line with the forehead, so that when the animal is at rest their tips nearly ton the back. Horns thus set may be thought to be deprived of much of their cap but the gemsbok has a rather curious mode of managing these weapons. "When it desires to charge, or to receive the assaults of an enemy, it stoops its ha nearly to the ground, the nose passing between the fore-feet The horns are then din towards the foe, their tips being some eighteen or twenty inches from the ground, soon as the enemy comes within reach, the gemsbok turns its head strongly upwards,! impales the antagonist on its horns, which are so sharp that they seem almost to hiij been pointed and polished by artificial means. Dogs find the gemsbok to be one of their worst -antagonists; for if they succeed i| bringing it to bay, it wields its horns with such swift address that they cannot «« within its reach without very great danger. Even when the animal has received j mortal wound, and been lying on the ground with only a few minutes of life in its bod it has been known to sweep its armed head so fiercely from side to side that it kill several of the dogs as they rushed in to seize the fallen enemy, wounded others seven and kept a clear space within range of its horns. Except at certain seasons of the yei when the gemsbok becomes very fat, and is in consequence in bad iiondition for a I iiusioa : some wei HUNTING. 133 e, the natives seldom try to pursue it, knowing that they are certain to have a veiy [ag run, and that the final capture of the animal is very uncertain. As to those antelopes which gather themselves together in vast herds, the South [fricaa hunter acts on very did'ereut principles, and uses stratagem rather than speed or tree. One of their most successful methods of destroying the game wholesale is hy means of le remarkable trap called the Hopo. The hopo is, in fact, a very large pitfull, dug out ith great labour, and capable of holding a vast number of animals. Trunks of trees are id over it at each end, and a similar arrangement is made at the sides, so that a kind of eriappiug edge is given to it, and a beast that has fallen into it cannot possibly escape. m this pit two fences diverge, in a V-like form, the pit being the apex. These fences about a mile in length, and their extremities are a mile, or even more, apart. Many hundreds of hunters then turn out, and ingeniously contrive to decoy or drive le herd of game into the treacherous space between the fences. They then form them- ves into a cordon across the open end of the V, and advance slowly, so as to urge the iiuaU onwards. A miscellaneous company of elands, hartebeests, gnoos, zebras, and lier animals, is thus driven nearer and nearer to destruction. Towards the angle of the the fence is nurrowed into a kind of lane or passage, some fifty yards in length, and is le very strongly, so as to prevent the affrighted animals from breaking through. When a number of them have fairly entered the passage, the hunters dash forward, ilhn:4 at the full stretch of their powerful voices, brandishing their shields and assagais, id io terrifying the doomed animals that they dash blindly forward, and fall into the pit. is useless for those in front to recoil when they ree their danger, as they are pushed wards by their comrades, and in a few minutes the pit is full of dead and dying iiiails. Many of the herd escape when the pit is quite full, by passing over the bodies their fallen companions, but enough are taken to feast the whole tribe for a consider- |le time. Those on the outskirts of the herd often break wildly away, and try to make |eir escape through the cc don of armed hunters. Many of them succeed in their deavours, but others fall victims to the assagais which are hurled at them upon Even such large game as the giraffe, the buffalo, and the rhinoceros have been taken Jthis ingenious and most effective trap. Dr. Livingstone mentions that the small sub- Ibe called the Bakawas took from sixty to seventy head of cattle per week in the pious hopos which they constructed. The animated scene which takes place at one of these htmts is well described by |r. H. H. Methuen, in his " Life in the Wilderness." After mentioning the pitfall and ! two diverging fences, between which a herd of quaggas had been enclosed, he proceeds I follows: "Noises thickened round me, and men rushed past, their skin cloaks learning in the wind, till, from their black nuked figures and wild gestures, it wanted I Martin to imagine a Pandemonium. " 1 pressed hard upon the flying animals, and galloping down "the lane, saw the pits bke-full; while several of the quaggas, noticing their danger, turned upon me, ears back, Id teeth showing, compelling me to retreat with equal celerity from them. Some natives [nding ia the lane made the fugitives run the gauntlet with their assagais. As each i^'gi made a dash at them, they pressed their backs into the hedge, and held their 1 ox-hide shields in his face, hurling their spears into his side as he passed onward. le managed to burst through the hedge and escape ; the rest IVU pierced with assagais, le so many porcupines. Men are often killed in these hunts, when Luff'aloes turn back |a similar way. "It was some little time before Bari and I could find a gap in the hedge and get round [the pits, but at length we found one, and then a scene exhibited itself which baffles cription. So full were the pits that many animals had rxm over the bodies of their nrades, and got free. Never can I forget that bloody, murderous spectacle ; a moaning, HggUng mass of quaggas, huddled and jammed together in the most inextricable fusion ; some were on their backs, with their heels up, and others lying across them; 134 THE KAFFIR Home had taken a dive and only displayed their tails ; all lay interlocked like a bucb full of eels. "The sftvaRes, frantic with excitement, yelled round them, thiusting tlioir assat-ai with smiles of satisfaction into the upper ones, and leavin quaggas extracted. Sometimes pitfalls ore constructed for the reception of single animals, such aa elephant, the hippopotamus, and the rhinoceros. These are maue chiefly in two modes. The pitfalls which are intended for cat<:liiiij the three last-mentioned animals are tolerably large, but not very deep, because the m and weight of the prisoners prevent them from making their escape. Moreover, a stoi stake, some Hve feet or more in length, and sharpened at the top, is placed in the midii of the pit, so that the animal falls upon it and is impaled. The pits are neatly coven with sticks, leaves, and earth, so ingeniously disposed that they look exactly like the stiii face of the ground, and are dangerous, not only to the beasts which they are intended I catch, but to men and horses. So many accidents have happened by means of these pin that when a traveller goes from one district to another ho sends notice of his coming, so tlm all the pitfalls that lie in his way may be cpenedl Elephants are, of course, the most valuablf game that can be taken in these traps, becao their tusks can be sold at a high price, and tbegj flesh supplies a vast quantity of meat. As elephant is a terrible enemy to their comlifM and storehouses, the natives are in the habit i guarding the approaches by means of these pitfalk^ and at first find their stratagem totally 8«ccessM| But the elephants are so crafty that they learn caution from the fate of their comrades, ad it is as difRcult to catch an elephant in a pilM| as it is to catch an old rat m a trap. Having 1 accustomed to such succulent repasts, the elepliamj do not like to give up their feasts altogether, anj proceed on their nocturnal expeditions mucin usual. But some of the oldest and wariest of the hei go in front, and when they come near the culi^ vated ground, they beat the earth with tlieirtniiil not venturing a step until they have ascertaiueJ that their footing is safe. As soon as they cokJ to a pitfall, the hollow sound warns them of danger. They instantly stop, tear I covering of the pitfall to pieces, and, having thus unmasked it, proceed on their way. The pitfaU which is made for the giraffe is constructed on a different principltl Owing to the exceedingly long limbs of the animal, it is dug at least ten feet in depil But, instead of being a mere pit, a wall or bank of earth is left in the middle, about seval feet in height, and shaped much like the letter A. As -soon as a girafie tumbles :ntotl«| pit, its fore and hind legs fall on opposite sides of the wall, tso that the animal is ])alancei| on its belly, and wastes its strength in plunging about in hopes of finding a foothold. Sometimes a number of KatKrs turn out for the purpose of elephant hunting. Bfl dint of the wary caution which tliey can always exercise when in pursuit of game, tkejl find out the animal which possesses the finest tusks, and mark all liis peculiarities; tliejj then watch the spot where he treads, and, by means of a lump of salt clay, they take ul npTTSsion of his f< OmAFFB. 5M(ii>n ihou/ing /orm of Pit, fhoiiM have to cha.s ||„«„ of other elei) Jeutcd lines, and t - ' ■ lootprints serves tli llierij;ht track wh toft, and where the Tiieir next enc mind upon it, an bliding among the pnimal. Tlie won s'hich he fancies tl ktlarm is sure to ca 'Hi PITFALLS. 135 nprcssion of his fontiimrks. Tho rcnson for dnliiff so \% «im])le otiough, viz. that if they IhoiiM lin^'" t" chiiHu liiiii, thity iimy no,, run tho ri^k of confoiimliu;^ liis footmarks with \\\im of other eleuhnnts. Tho «oi« ol'uvrry olcphaiit's foot is triiveised by ft numher of ndeattiti Unes, am iu uo two s^t'cimeiia uru theau lines ulike. The clay modul of the -"^'BmilBSBC^ '^Al ■ Mn.-/;,^ T ' W" ^'_ .^^-^y^iTi -V. "-.^^ T^7. *-r.-;^ ..rn^^X^ ^ ^ ^' v.-vJP^HFi '^«'S^^ ^' m a^'^i "I -''■'■'•' 'VC-^W^v/i' ^"*^'^f^' 1^ ,„-;«^' ^^»^*»^^^.* v?..,V^., '^«s.^. -.^, 'w^ ^>->. >; /'"^. ^^ •■ ;■% GIRAFFES m PITFALL. lootprints serves thom as a puifle whereby they may assure themselves that t.iey are on Ihe right track whenever they rome to the netirlibourliood of water, where the ground is loft, and where the footprints of muny elephants are sure to be found. Tiieir next endeavour is to cre< p near enouo'i to the elephant to inflict a severe ifoimd upon it, an object which is <:enerally attained by a number of the dark hunters feliding among tlie trees, and simultaneously hurling their spears at the unsuspecting fenimal. Tlie wounded elephant is nearly certain to charge directly at the spot from khich he fancies that the assault has been made, and his shriek of mingled ra. e and Warm is sure to cause the rest of the herd to rush off iu terror. The hunters then try i . -r l-f'^'ii:" •i, 1 1 i j*2 |i,.^:. 136 THE KAFFIR by various stratagems to isolate the wounded animal from its comrades, and to pi. him from rejoining them, while at eveiy opportunity fresh assagais aie thrown, and elephant is never permitted to rest. As a wotmded elephant always makes for the bush, it would be quite safe . white hunters, though not so from the lithe and naked Kaltiis, who glide through underwood and between the trees faster than the elephant can push its waythni them. Every now and then it will turn and charge madly at its foes, but it expends strength in vain, as they escape by nimbly jumping behind trees, or, in critical caies, climbing up them, knowing that an elephant never seems to comprehend that aloe be anywhere but on the ground. In this kind of chase they are much assisted by their dogs, which bark incessanjjf the animal, and serve to distract its attention from the hunters. It may seem a that so huge an animal as the elephant should be in the least impeded by such creatures as dogs, which, even if he stood still and allowed them to bite his legs to hearts' content, could make no impression on the thick and tough skin which de them. But the elephant has a strange terror of small animals, and especially dieids , dog, so that, when it is making up its mind to charge in one direction, thie barkhigof contemptible little cur will divert it from its purpose, and enable its intended victim df to secure himself behind a tree, or to become the assailant, and add another spear to number that are already quivering in the animal's vast body. The slaughter of an elephant by this mode of hunting is always a long and a process. Even when the hunters are furnished with the best fire-arms, a number of voi are generally inflicted before it dies, the exceptional case, when it falls dead at the shot, being very rare indeed. Now, however powerful may be the practised aim of a E and sharp as may be his weapon, he cannot drive it through the inch-thick hide in^ vital part, and the consequence is that the poor animal is literally worried to death \^ multitude of wounds, singly insignificant, but collectively fatal. At last the huge victim falls under the loss of blood, and great are the rejoicings it should happen to sink down in its ordinary kneeling posture, as the tusks can then cxti-actcd with comparative ease, and the grove of spears planted in its body can be dm out entire ; whereas, when the elephant falls on one side, all the spears upon that shattered to pieces, and every one must be furnished with a new shaft. The first proceeding is to cut off the tail, which is valued as a trophy, and the nettj is to carve upon the tusks the mark of the hunter to whom they belong, and who always the man who mflicted the first wound. The next proceeding is to cut a lai^ hole in one side, into which a number of Kaffirs enter, and busy themselves by taking mI| the most valuable parts of the animal. The inner membrane of the skin is saved k\ water-sacks, which are made in a very primitive manner, a large sheet of the membuMi being gathered together, and a sharp stick thrust through the corners. The heart is tlia! taken out, cut into convenient pieces, and each portion wrapped in a piece of th« ear. If the party can encamp for the night on the spot, they prepare a royal feast, bybBldij! one or two of the feet in the primitive but most effective oven wliich is in use, uoti ' in Southern Africa, but in many other parts of the world. A separate oven is made for each foot, and formed as follows : — A hole is dugdu ground, considerably larger than the foot which is to be conked, and a fire is built in if As soon as it burns up, a large heap of dry wood is piled upon it, and suffered to burn down. When the heap is reduced to a mass of glowing ashes, the Kaffirs scrape out tie embers by means of a long pole, each man taking his turn to run to the hole, scrape mi unril he can endure the heat no longer, and then run away again, leaving the polefv his successor. The hole being freed from embers, the foot is rolled into it, and covered with greet leaves and twigs. The hot earth and embers are then piled over the hole, and another great bonfire lighted. As soon as the wood has entirely Lurned itself out, the operation of baking is considered as complete, and the foot is lifted out by several men I'urnisiiel with long sharpened poles. By menus of this remarkable oven the meat is cooked mon thoroughly than could be achieved in any oven uf more elaborate construction, the the tendons, the jelatinous mass, v frhaps, the marrov Sometimes the t Ithough this part ( *fVi!i i^ ^ r Ti^ ff^^Kf^ ^^>\ COOKING ELEFHANT'S FOOT. the tendons, the fat, the immature bone, and similar substances being converted into ■gelatinous mass, which the African hunter seems to prefer to all other dishes, excepting, Vhaps, the marrow taken from the leg-bones of the giraffe or eland. 1 Sometimes the trunk is cut into thick slices, and baked at the same time with the feet. Bthough this part of the elephant may not be remarkable for the excellence of its flavour, 'f,:^ ^Wi tVA - V ,— COOKING ELEPHANT'S FOOT. rhfi r/\*««4yv« ^ J.I.- ^-J. iX. . 1 _ • •% 138 TUE KAFFIR. ■m it has, at all events, the capability of being made tender by cooking, which is by no maij the case with the meat that is usually obtained from the auiuials which inhabit Soutliei Africa. Even the skull itself is broken up for the sake of the oily fat which fills i honeycomb-like cells wliich intervene between the plates of the skull. The i-estofL meat is converted into " biltongue," by cutting it into strips and drying it in the 8un,i has already l)een described. As a general rule, the Kaffirs do not like to leave au aoiii until they have dried or consumed the whole of the meat. Under the ready spears a powerful jaws of the natives, even an elephant is soon reduced to a skeleton, assiayl imagined from the fact that five Kaffirs can eat a buffalo in a day and a hal£ The skull and tusks can generally be left on the spot for some time, as the htute respect each other's marks, and will not, as a rule, take the tusks from au elephant tli has been killed and marked by another. The object in allowing the head to remain mj touched is, that putrefaction may take place, and render the task of extracting the te easier than is the case when they are taken out at once. It must be remembered tliatth tusks of an elephant are embedded in the skull for a considerable portion of their len;,-! and that the only mode of extracting them is by chopping away their thick bony socket^ which is a work of nmch time and labour. However, in that hot climate putrefactioi takes place very readily, and by the time that the hunters have finished the elephant tbi tusks can be removed. Sometimes the flesh becomes more than " high," but the Kali and indeed all African savages, seem rather to piefer certain meats when in the incipiei stage of putrefaction. Careless of the future as are the natives of Southern Africa, they are never wasteH of food, and, unlike the aborigines of Noith America, they seldom, if ever, allow i body of a slain animal to become the prey of birds and beasts. They will eat in t days the food that oM^ to serve tliem for ten, and will nearly starve themselves todes during the remainii^ eight days of famine, but they will never throw away anytli that can by any possibility be eaten. Even the very blood is not wasted. If a animal, such as a rhinoceros, be killed, the black hunters separate the ribs from the spin as the dead animal lies on its side, and by dint of axe-blades, assagai-heads, and strouj arms, soon cut a large hole in the i^ide. Into this hole the hunters straightway lower themselves, and remove the intestim of the animal, passing them to their comrades outside, who invert them, tie wp t!ii| end, and return them. By this time a great quantity of blood has coljected, reaching above the ankles of the hunters. This blood they ladle with their joiued Lai into the intestines, and so contrive to make black puddings on a gigantic scale. The flesh of the rhinoceros is not very tempting. That of an old animal issovei tough and dry that scarcely any one except a native can eat it ; and even that of the you animal is only partly eatable by a white man. When a European hunter kills a yom rhinoceros, he takes a comparatively small portion of it, — namely, the hunip, andaliji ot fat and flesh which lies between the skin and the ribs. The remainder he abandoi to his native assistants, who do not seem to care very much whether meat be i tender, so long as it is meat. The layer of fat and lean on the ribs is only some two inches in thickness, so tin the attendants have the lion's share, as far as quantity is concerned. Qmdity they la to the more fastidious taste of the white man. The intestines of animals are greatly valued by the native hunters, who langh white men for throwing them away. They state that, even as food, the intestines are tl best parts of the animal, and those Europeans who have had the moral courage tot'ol the exainpli! of the natives have always corroborated their assertion. The reader i perhaps remember that the backwoodsmen* of America never think of rejecting tb dainty morsels, but have an odd method of drawing tliem slowly through the tire, anil thus eating them as fast as they are cooked. Moreover, the intestines, as well as t'j[ paunch, are always useful as water-vessels. This latter article, when it is taken fw a small animal, is always res'3rved for cooking purposes, being filled with scraps of ma fat, blood, and other ingredients, and then cooked. Scotch travellers have coinp this dish to the " haggis " qf their native land. DAINTY MORSEIA The illustration on page 137 represents the wild and animated scene which accom- des the death of an elephant. Some two or three hours are supposed to have elapsed nee the elephant was killed, and the chief has just arrived at the spot. He is shown ated in the foreground, his shield and assagais stacked behind him, while his pa^^e holding a cup of beer, and two of his chief men are offering him the tusks of the lephant In the middle distance are seen the Kaffirs preparing the oven for th<» reception of ie elephant's foot Several men are seen engaged in raking out the embers from tlie lole, shielding themselves from the heat by leafy branches of trees, while one of the akeis has just left his post, being scorched to the utmost limit of endurance, and is in he act of handing over his pole to a comrade who is about to take his place at the fire. Two more Kaffirs are shown in the act of rolling the huge foot to the oven, and strips If the elephant's^ flesh are seen suspended from the boughs in order to be converted into f biltongue." It is a rather remarkable fact that this simple process of cutting the meat Into strips and drying it in the air has the effect of rendering several unsavoury meats [uite palatable, taking away the powerful odours which deter even a Kaffir, and much tore a white man, from eating them in a fresh state. ,n the extreme distance is seen the nearly demolished body of the elephant, at which uuple of Kaffirs are still at work. It may here be mentioned that after an elephant I killed, the Kaffirs take very great pains about making the first incision into the body. he carcase of the slain animal generally remains on the ground for an hour or two until he orders of the chief can be received ; and even in that brief space of time the hot African sun produces a partial decomposition, and causes the body of the animal to swtii ly reason of the quantity of gas which is generated. I Tk Kaffir who t"''?3 upon himself the onerous task of making the first incision |hooseshis sharpes. a.- v.'oightiest assagai, marks the direction of the wind, selects the «st spot for the op - *, and looks carefully round to see that the coast is clear. laving made all hi' " ' i^arations, he hurls his weapon deeply into the body of the llephant, and simultaneously leaps aside to avoid the result of the stroke, the enclosed as escaping with a loud report, and pouring out in volumes of such singularly offensive (lour that even the nostrils of a Kaffir are not proof against it. 1 have more than once witnessed a somewhat similar scene when engaged in the bursuit of comparative anatomy, the worst example being that of a lion which had been Bead some three or four weeks, and which was, in consequence, swollen out of all shape. We fastened tightly all the windows which looked upon the yard in which the body of. Ihe animal was lying, and held the door ready to be closed at a moment's notice. The Idventnrouo operator armed himself with a knife and a lighted pipe, leaned well to the [pposile side of the animal, delivered his stab, and darted back to the door, which was Qstantly closed. The result of the operation was very much like that which has been nentioned when performed on the elephant, though on a smaller scale, and in a minute |ir so the lion was reduced to its ordinary size. Sometimes a great number of hunters unite for the purpose of assailing one of the [fast herds of animals which have already been mentioned. In this instance, they do not "esort to the pitfall, but attack the animals with their spears. In order to do so effec- lually, they divide themselves into two parties, one of which, consisting chiefly of the iounger men, and led by one or two of the old and experienced hunters, sets off towards [he herd, while the others, armed with a large supply of assagais and kerries, proceed to pue of the narrow and steep-sided ravines which are so coinmon in Southern Africa. Tb'^ former party proceed very cautiously, availing themselves of every cover, and being very careful to manoeuvre so as to keep on the leeward side of the herd, until thay pave fairly placed the animals between themselves and the ravine. Meanwhile, sentries pe detached at intervals, whose duty it is to form a kind of lane towards the ravine, knil to prevent the herd from taking a wrong course. When all tiie arrangements arc fcompleted, the hunters boldly show themselves in the rear of the animals, who imme- diately move forward in a body — not very fast at first, because they are not quite sure whether they are going to be attacked. As they move along, the sentinels show them- in Wi:-U * 140 THE KAFFIR selves at either side, so aa to direct them towards the ravine ; and when the van of tk| held has entered, the remainder are sure to follow. 1 Then comes a most animated and stirring scene. Knowing that when the leaders rf] the herd have entered the ravine, the rest are sure to follow, the driving party rushes fot.l ward with loud yells, beating their shields, and terrifying the animals to such a deowjl that they dash madly forward in a mixed concourse of antelopes, quaggas, giraffes, audi often a stray ostrich or two. Thick and fast the assagais rain upon the affright«i| nnimnls as they try to rush out of the ravine, but when they reach the end they find theiil e.\it barred by a strong party of hunters, who drive them back with shouts and stieaul HUNTING SCENE. Some of them charge boldly at the hunters, and make their escape, while others rush klij again through the kloof, hr-ping to escape by the same way as they had entered. TliisI entrance is, however, guarded by the driving party, and so the wretched animals are sent! backwards and forwards along this deadly path until the weapons of thair assailants aiej exhausted, and tlie survivors are allowed to escape. These "kloofs" form as characteristic features of Southern Africa as do the tal)l«| mountains. They have been well defined as the re-entering elbows or fissures in a ranji of liills ; and it is a remarkable fact that the kloof is mostly clotlied with thick IM whatever may be the character of the surrounding country. In Colonel E. Napiet'if " Excursions in Southern Africa," there is so admirable a description of the kloof and thi bush that it must be given in the language of the writer, who has drawn a most pe!| feet word-picture of South African scenery : — " The character of the South African ' bush ' has features quite peculiar in itself, anil ptiles, ferocious bej lore cruel Kaffir. "On a nearer apj fles. These often m 1 of a clear, gurgli ferhung by abundai "Noble forest tre fig grey mantles oi KLOOFa 141 I ijj^gg unites— whUe strongly contrasting— the grand and sublime with the grotesque L? ridiculous. When seen afar from a commanding elevation— the undulating sea of Uure extending for miles and miles, with a bright sun shiiiinp on a green, compact, Uiroken surface— it conveys to the mind of a spectator nought save images of repose, r and tranquillity. He forgets that, like the hectic bloom of a fatal malady, these ilin" seas of verdure often in their entangled depths conceal treacherous, death-dealing FALLS ON THE BIVER UMZIMVUBU. ptiles, ferocious beasts of prey, and the still more dangerous, though no less crafty, and lore cruel Kafiir. "On a nearer approach, dark glens and gloomy kloofs are found to fence the mountain These often merge downwards into deep ravines, forming at their base sometimes the I of a clear, gurgling brook, or that of a turbid, raging torrent, generally shadowed and |erhung by abundant vegetation, in all the luxuriance of tropical growth and profusion. "Noble forest trees, entwined with creepers, encircled by parasitical plants and with jBg grey mantles of lichen, loosely and beardlike floating from their spreading limbs, 142 THE KAFFIR I throw the ' brown horrors ' of a shadowy ^loom o'er the dark, secluded, druidical-loolti dells. But jabberiug apes, or large, satyr-like baboons, pertbrming grotesque antics uttering unearthly yells, grate strangely on the ear, and sadly mar the solemnity of scene ; whilst lofty, leafless, and fantastic euphorbia, like huge candelabra, shoot up in profusion from the grey, rocky cliff's, pointing as it were in mockery their skeleton nt the dark and luxuriant foliage around. Other plants of the cactus and milky tri.„ of tliorny, rugged, or smooth and fleshy kinds — stretch forth in every way their bizwi^ nii4-.shapen forms; waving them to the breeze, from yon high, beetling crags, so thicUr^ clothed to their very base with graceful nqjebooms, and drooping, palm-like aloes ; vhoJ tall, slender, and naked stems spring up from amidst the dense verdure of gay ^ flowering mimoans. " Emerging from such darksome glens to the more sunny side of the mountain's bro» there we still find an impenetrable bush, but differing in character from what we have just described— a sort of high, thorny undeiwood, composed chiefly of the mimosa anj portiilacacia tribe ; taller, thickcv, more impenetrable, and of more rigid texture than even the tiger's accuRtomed lair in the far depths of an Indian jungle ; but, withal, so mixeii and mingled with luxuriant, turgid, succulent plants and parasites, as — even durin<» tit driest weather — to be totally impervious to the destroying influence of fire. " The bush is, therefore, from its impassable character, the Kaffir's never-failing place of refuge, both in peace and war. In his naked hardihood, he either, snake-like, U-'m through and creeps beneath its densest masses, or, shielded with the kaross, securely Ma their most thorny and abradiiig opposition. Under cover of the bush, in war, he, panther. like, steals upon his foe; in peace, upon the farmer's flock. Secure, in both instances, fma pursuit, he can in the bush set European power, European skill, and European discipline at nought ; and hitherto, vain has been every effort to destroy by fire this, his iml)^o. nable — for it is impregnable to all save himself — stronghold." A good example of the grandeur of South African scenery, which is mentioned h Colonel Napier, is afforded by the illustration on page 141, which represents a waterfal on the Umzimvubu Biver. The drawing was taken from a sketch kindly furnished Ij Captain Drayson, RA. After a successful hunt, such as has just been described, there are great rejoicings, tli chief of the tribe having all the slaughtered game laid before him, and giving orders fori grand hunting danc& The chief, who is generally too fat to care about accompanying the hunters, takes h seat in some open space, mostly the central enclosure of a kraul, and theje, in compaDj with a huge bowl of beer and a few distinguished guests, awaits the arrival of the gamp. The animals have hardly fallen before they are carried in triumph to the chief, and laiii before him. As each animal is placed on the ground, a little Kaffir boy comes and laji himself over his body, remaining in this position until the dance is over. This curiom custom is adopted from an idea that it prevents sorcerers from throwing their spells upon the game. The boys who are employed for this purpose become greatly disfigured bytb blood of the slain animals, but they seem to think that the goiy stains are ornameDti! rather than the reverse. At intervals, the hunting dance takes place, the hunters arranging themselves regular lines, advancing and retreating with the precision of trained soldiers, shoutii^' leaping, beating their shields, brandishing their weapons, and working themselves uptoi wonderful pitch of excitement. The leader of the dance, who faces them, is, if possible, even more excited than the men, and leaps, stamps, and shouts with an energy tl;at mn i"! 'le almost maniacal. Meanwhile, the chief sits still, and drinks his beer, and siguilis occasionally his approval of the dancers. Besides ihose animals which the Kaffir kills for food, there fire others which he ojlf attacks for the sake of their trophies, such as the skin, claws, and tefeth. The niodt adopted in assailing the fierce and active beasts, such as the lion, is very reniarkaUi Each man furnishes himself, in addition to li4s usual weapons, with an assagai, to the bult end of which is attached a large bunch of ostrich feathers, looking veiy much like tk feather brushes with which ladies dust delicate furniture. They then proceed to thesi<< LION HUNTING. 143 Iben the lion is to be found, and spread themselves so as to make a circle round him. L. jio0 is at first rather disquieted at this proceeding, and, according to his usual custom, ^ to slip off unseen. When, however, he finds that he cannot do so, and that the circle of enemies is closing , him, he becomes angry, turns to bay, and with menacing growls announces his inten- joD of punishing the intruders on his domain. One of them then comes forward, and tcites the lion to charge him, and as soon as the animal's attention is occupied by one hect, the hunters behind him advance, and hurl a shower of assagais at him. With a bible roar the lion springs at the bold challenger, who sticks his plumed assagai into L ground, leaping at the same time to one side. In his rage and pain, the lion does k at the moment comprehend the dece[)tion, and strikes with his mighty paw at the HUNTING UANCS. unch of ostrich plumes, which he takes for the feather-decked head of his assailant finding himself baffled, he turns round, and leaps on the nearest hunter, who repeats the pe process ; and as at every turn the furious animal receives fresh wounds, he succumbs ; last to his foes. It is seldom that in such an affray the hunters come off scathlesa The least hesita- lon ia planting the plumed spear and leaping aside entails the certainty of a severe lound, and the probability of death. But, as the Kaffirs seldom engage in such a hunt Kthout the orders of their chief, and are perfectly aware that failure to execute his com- Bands is a capital offence, it is better for them to run the risk of being swiftly killed by pe lion's paw than cruelly beaten to death by the king's executioners. That sanguinary monarch, Dingau, used occasionally to send a detachment with orders ) catch a Hon alive, and bring it to him. They executed this extraordinary order much I the same manner as has been related. But they were almost totally unarmed, having • weapons but their shields and kerries, and, as soon as the lion was induced to charge, he bold warriors threw themselves upon him in such numbers that they fairly over- rhelmed him, and brought him into the presence of Dingan, bound and gagged, though fill furious with rage, and without a wound. Of course, several of the soldiers lost their Ives in the assault, but neither their king nor their comrades seemed to think that any- 144 THE KAFFIR ?'il thing out of the ordinary course of things had been done. On one occasion, Dingan cot^l descended to play a practical joke upon nis soldiera. I A traveller had gone to see him, and had turned loose his horse, Mrhich was quietltl grazing at a distance. At that time horses had not been introduced among the Kaffiiil and many uf the natives had never even seen such an animal as a horse. It so happenejl that among the soldiers that surrounded Dingan were some who had come from a distaotl part of the country, and who were totally unacquainted with horses. Dingan called thenl to him, and pointing to the distant horse, told them to bring him that lion alive. Tbnl instantly started oif, and, as usual, one stood in advance to tempt the animal to char^l while the others dosed in upon the supposed lion, in order to seize it when it had madil its leap. They soon discovered their mistake, and came back looking very foolish, to tbt| great delight of their chief. The buffalo is, however, a more terrible foe than the lion itself, as it will mostly ti the initiative, and attack before its nresence is suspected. Its habit of living in densest and darkest thicket renders it i' peculiarly dangerous animal, as it will dash fnnl its concealment upon any unfortunate man who happens to pass near its lair ; and as it) I great weight and enormously solid horns onable it to rush through the bush much fasttrl than even a Ktdfir can glide among the mutted growths, there is but small chance oil escape. Weapons are but of little uso when a buffalo is in question, as its armed front j]| scarcely pervious to a rifle ball, and perfectly impregnable against such weapons as Kaffir's spear, and the suddenness of the attack gives but little time for escape. As the Kaffirs do not particularly care for its flesh, though of course they \rill est| it when they can get nothing better, they will hunt the animal for tha sake of iti hide, from which they make the strongest possible leather. The hide is so tough tba^| except at close quarters, a bullet which has not been hardened by the admixture of s( other metal will not. penetrate it. Sometimes the Kaffir engages very unwillingly in vatl with this dangerous beast, being attacked unawares when passing near its haunts. Undetl these circumstances the man makes for the nearest tree, and if he can find time to asc it he is safe from the ferocious brute, who would only be too glad to toss him in the ait| first, and then to pound his body to a jelly bv trampling on lum. CHAPTER XIV. AGKICULTURE. nSIOlf OP I.ABOTTB — HOW LAND 18 PHEPAnKD FOB 8BRD — CLEARINO THE LAND AND flnEAlCTNO UP THR GROITND ^EXHAUSTIVE SYSTEM OP AORICULTURB — CROPS CIXTIVATKD BY KAFFUIS THB STAFF OF LIFE WATCH-TOVKRS AND THEIR V6KH — KEEFINO 0/F THE BIRDS — ENEMIKS OF THE CORN-FIELD — THB CHACUA AND ITS DEPREDATIONS THB BABIANA ROOT USES OF THR OUACMA — THB HIPPOPOTAMUS AND ITS DESTRUCTIVE POWERS THR ELEPHANT BINQULAIl fLAX OF TKRRIFYINO IT ANTELOPES, BUFFALOES, AND WILD SWINE ELABOBATB FORTIFICATION — BIBD KILLING! THB LOCUST CURIOUS KAFFIR LEGEND — FRUITS CULTIVATED BY THE KAFFIB -rOOAOB FOB CATTLB — BUBNINO TUB BUSH AND ITS BEBULTS. by the chase the Kaffirs obtain the greater part of their animal food, so by agriculttire ly jrocure the chief pait of their vegetable nourishment. The task of providing food Idivic'ed between the two sexes, the women not being permitted to take p in the int, r.or to meddle with the cows, while the men will not contaminate their wairior inds with the touch of an agricultural implement. They have no objection to use e-tools, such as the axe, and will cut down the trees and brushwood which may be in way of cultivation ; but they will not carry a single stick off the ground, nor help women to dig or clear the soil When a new kraal is built, the inhabitants look out for a convenient spot in the im- idiate neighbourhood, where they may cultivate the various plants that form the staple South African produce. As a general rule, ground is of two kinds, namely, bush and m ground, the former being the more fertile, and the latter requiring less trouble in iring. The experienced agriculturist invariably prefers the former, although it costs him ttle more labour at first, and although the latter is rather more inviting at first sight. is favourable impression soon vanishes upon a closer inspection, for, as a general rule, ere it is not sandy, it is baked so hard by the sun that a plough would have no nee against it, and even the heavy picks with which the women work cannot make impression without much labour. Moreover, it requires much more water than is pplied from natural sources, and, even when well moistened, is not very remarkable for fertility. Bush land is of a far better quality, and is prepared for agriculture as ows : — The men set to work with their little axes, and chop down all the underwood and tail trees, leaving the women to drag the fallen branches out of the space intended tor field or garden. Large trees they cannot fell with their imperfect instruments, and so y are obliged to content themselves with cutting off as many branches as possible, and 11 l)ringing the tree down by means of fire. The small trees and branches that are ed are generally arranged round the garden, so as to form a defence against the nume- is enemies which assail the crops. The task of building this fence belongs to the men, I when they have completed it their part of the work is done, and they leave the rest the womea Furnished with the heavy and clumsy hoe, the woman breaks up the ground by er manual labour, and manages, in her curious fashion, to combine digging and sowing one operation. Besides her pick, laid over her shoulder, and possibly a baby slung 'OLL L t iV 146 THE KAFFIR m. on her back, she carries to the field a large basket of seed balanced on her head, she arrives at the scene of her labours, she be^'iiis by scatterin^^ the seed broadcast ov^l the ground, nnd then pecks up the earth with her hue to a depth of some three or fui^t inches. The larger i-oots and grass tufts are then picked out by hand and removed, but the smaller are not considered worthy of special attention. This c'^'^stitutes tlie operation of sowing, and in a wonderfully short time a mixed cm of corn t^d weeds shoots up. Wlien both are about a month old, the ground is again hoJ and the weeds are then pulled up and destroyed. Owing to the very imperfect mode J cultivation, the soil produces uncertain results, the corn coming up thickly and ranld; in some spots, while in others not a blade of corn has made its appearance. Wiien tliti Kaffir chooses the open ground for his garden, he does not always troulU himself to build a fence, but contents himself with marking out and sowing a patch i ground, trusting to good foitune that it may not be devastated by the numerous foeswitkl which a Kaffir's garden is sure to be infested. The Kaffir .seems to have very little idea of artificial irrigation, and none at all of novating the ground by manure. Irrigation he leaves to the natural showers, and, beyoi, paying a professional " rain-maker" to charm the clouds for him, he takes little, if anjj trouble about this important branch of agriculture. As to manuring soil, he is totall ignorant of such a proceeding, although the herds of cattle which are kept in every ki would enable him to render his cultivated land marvellously fertile. The fact is, tl land is so plentiful that when one patch of land is exhausted he leaves it, and goes another; and for this reason, abandoned gardens ore very common, their position bcii marked out by remnants of the fence which encircled them, and by the surviving mai; or pumpkin plants which have contrived to maintain an unassisted existence. Four or five gardens are often to be seen round a kraal, each situated so aa^to ti some particular plant. Various kinds of crops are cultivated by the Kaffirs, the pi cipal being maize, millet, pumpkins, and a kind of spurious sugar-cane in great throughout Southern Africa, and popularly known by the name of " sweet reed." two former constitute, however, the necessaries of life, the latter belonging rather to class of luxuries. The maize, or, as it is popularly called when the pods are severed fi the stem, " mealies," is the very staff of life to a Kaffir, as it is from the mealies ii.?t ij made the thick porridge on which the Kaffir chiefly lives. If a European hires a li whether as guide, servant, or hunter, he is obliged to supply him with a stipulated qi tity of food, of which the maize forms the chief ingredient. Indeed, so long as native of Southern Africa can get plenty of porridge and sour milk, he is perfi satisfied with his lot. When ripe, the ears of maize are removed from the stem, the li envelope is stripped off, and they are hung in pairs over sticks iintil they are dry enoi to be taken to the storehouse. A watch-tower is generally constructed in these gardens, especially if they are considerable size. The tower is useful for two reasons : it enables the watcher to see a considerable distance, and acts as a protection against the wild boars and other enei which are apt to devastate the gardens, especially if they are not guarded by a fence, if the fence should be damaged. If the spot be unfenced, a guard is kept on it night, but a properly defended garden needs no night watchers except in one or two wi of the year. The watch-tower is very simply made. Four stout poles are fixed firmly in ground, and a number of smaller poles are lashed to their tops, so as to make a flat pi form. A small hut is built on part of the platform as a protection against the weatl so that the inmate can watch the field while ensconced in the hut, and, if any furred feathered robbers come within its precincts, can run out 'on the platform and frighten tin away by shouts and waving of arms. The space between the platform and ground wattled on three sides, leaving the fourth open. The object of this wattling is twoto' In the first place, the structure is rendered more secure ; and in the second, the inmate the tower can make a fire and cook food without being inconvenienced by the wind. The task of watching the fields is committed to the women and young girls, the thinking such duties beneath them. In order to keep off the birds from the net BABOONS. 147 nrouted corn-blades, or from the just ripening grain, a very ingenious device is employed. i neat number of tall, slender posts are stuck at intervals all over the piece of land, and [tniurs made of bark are led from pole to pole, all the ends being brought to the top of he watch-tower, where they are firmly tied. .As soon as a flock of birds alight on the leld the girl in chaise of the tower pulls the strings violeni.iy, which sets them all librating up and down, and so the birds are frightened, and fly away to another spot. A vstem tdmost identical with this is employed both in the Chinese and Japanese empires, J the complicated arrangement of poles and otrings, and the central watch-tower, is a Itvourite subject for illustration in tbe rude but graphic prints which both nations pro- nce with such fertility. The enemies of the corn-field are innumerable. There are, in the first place, hosts of Ljncnd foes, little birds and insects, which cannot be prohibited from entering, and can Lly be driven away when they have entered. Then there are certain members of the honkey tribes, notably the baboons, or chacmas, which care very little more for a fence than ) the birds, and which, if they find climbing the fence too troublesome, can generally ijinuate themselves through its inter- Kices. This cunning and active animal at times too clever even for the affir, and will succeed in stealing un- erved into his garden, and carrying ' the choicest of the crops. What- ker a man will eat a chacma will eat, \i the creature knows as well as the an when the crops are in the best der. Whether the garden contain aize, millet, pumpkins, sweet seeds, ' fruits, the chacma is suro to select (e best ; and even when the animals detected, and chased out of the Irden, it is very annoying to the pro- lietor to see them go off with a quan- ly of spoil, besides the amount which |ey have eaten. The ordinary food of the chacma is [plant called Babiana, from the use lich the. baboons mike of it. It is I subterranean root, which has the operty of being always full of watery bee in the driest weather, so that it is I incalculable value to travellers who \k not a large supply of water with em, or who find that the regular fountains are dried up. Many Kaffirs keep tamo lacraas which they have captured when very young, and which have scarcely seen any [theur own kind. These animals are very useful to the Kaffirs, for, if they come on a plant or a fruit which they do not know, they offer it to the baboon; and if he ts it, they know that it is suitable for human consumption. On their journeys the same animal is very useful in discovering wate!r, or, at all •ents, the babiana roots, which supply a modicum of moisture to the system, and sei-ve Isupport life until water is reached. Under these circumstances, the baboon takes the id of the party, being attached to a long rope, and allowed to run about as it likes. fhen it comes to a root of babiana, it is held back until the precious vegetable can be len entire out of the ground, but, in order to stimulate the animal to further exertions, |is allowed to eat a root now and then. The search for water is conducted in a similar manner. The wretched baboon is in- ntionally kept without drink until it is half mad with thirst, and is then led by a cord before mentioned. It proceeds with great caution, standing occasionally on its hind :■ l2 BABOON JINDIKG WATER-UOOTS. I M i4. "if 148 ifttE ilAFFIR. legs to sniff the breeze, and looking at and smelling every tuft of ^rass. By what the animal is guided no one can evun conjecture ; but if water is m the ueighbourhoi the baboon is sure to find it. So, although this animal is an inveterate foe of the I garden, it is not without its uses to man when its energies are rightly directed. If the gardens or iields should happen to be near the river side, there is no worse f for them than the hippopotamus, which is only too glad to exchange its ordinary food | the rich banquet which it finds in cultivated grounds. If a single hippopotamus thoi once succeed in getting into a garden, a terrible destruction to the crop takes place. Intl first place, the animal can consume an almost illimitable amount of green food ; and yi\^ it gets among such dainties as corn-fields and pumpkin patches, it indulges its appetite ii oruinately. Moreover, it damages more than it eats, as its broad feet and short thick k trample their way through the crops. The track of any large animal would be injurioi to a standing crop, but that of the nippopotamus is doubly so, because the legs of eith side are so wide apart that the animal makes a double track, one being made wi^ { feet of the right side, and the other with those of the left. Against these heavy and voracious foes, a fence would be of little avail, as the hin potamus could force its way through tho barrier without injury, thanks to its thick hid The owner of tho field therefore encloses it within a tolerably deep ditch, and furthen . defends the ditch by pointed stakes; so that, if a hippopotamus did happen to fidiin the trench, it would never come out again alive. A similar defence is soinrames made against the inroads of the elephants, animals do not often take it into their heads to attack a garden in the vicinity of ho habitations -, but when they do so, it is hardly possible to stop them, except by such i obstacle as a ditch. Even the ordinary protection of a fence and the vicinity of hun habitations is worthless, when a number of elephants choose to make an inroad op some field; and, unless the whole population turns out of the kraal and usesi means at their command, the animals will carry out their plans. The elephant alvaji chooses the night for his marauding expeditions, so that the defenders of the crops double disadvantages to contend against. One weapon which they use against the elephant is a very singular one. Thej L an idea that the animal is terrifiea at the shrill cry of an infant, and as soon as elephiuiti| approach a kraal, all the children are whipped, in hopes that the elephants may b« div| mayed at the universal clamour, and leave the spot. Antelopes of various kinds are exceedingly fond of the young corn-blades, and, if tbl field be without a fence, are sure to come in numbers, and nibble every green shoot dowa j to the very ground. Near the bush the buffalo is scarcely less injurious, and more dangerous to mell with ; and even the porcupine is capable of working much damage. The wild swimj however, are perhaps the worst, because the most constant invaders, of the garden. Eva a fence is useless against them, unless it be perfect throughout its length, for the pigsc force themselves through a wonderfully small aperture, owing to their wedge-shaped hd,! while their thick and tough skins enable them to push their way through thorns m spikes without suffering any damage. The " pigs," as the wild swine are popularly called, always come from the bu8h; when several kraals are built near a bush, the chiefs of each kraal agree to make a f( from one to the other, so as to shut out the pigs from all the cultivated laud. This fenol is a very 'useful edifice, but, at the same time, has a very ludicrous aspect to il EuropeaiL Tho reader has already been told that the Kaffir cannot draw a straight lii^l much less build a straight fence ; and the consequence is, that the builders continuaUjI find that the fence is assuming the form of a segment o^ a circle in one direction, aiij then try to correct the error by making a segment of a circle in the opposite direction! thus making the fence very much larger than is necessary, and giving themselves a rail amount of needless trouble. I As to the winged enemies of the garden, many modes of killing them or driving thml away are employed. One method for frightening birds has already been described, aiil| is tolerably useful when the corn is young and green ; but when it is ripe, the birds i BIRD KILLINO. 149 Vh too bosv to be deterred by such flimsy devices, and continue to cat the com ia [te of the shaking strings. Uuder such ciruunistauces, war is declared against the birds, and a number of Kaffirs »ouDd the enclosure, each being furnished with a number of knob-kerries. A stone is L ^uug into the com for the purpose of stiirtling the birds, and as they rise in a dense ck, a shower of kerries is rained upon them from everv side. As every missilu is ,to go into the flock, and as each Kaitlr contrives to hurl four or five before the birds jKt out of range, it may be imagined that the slaughter is very great. Tchaka, who not above directing the minutiee of domestic lil'e, as well as of leading armies, i ▲FFAOACU OF ELSPHiNTa [sidizing nations, and legislating for an empire, ordered that the birds should be con- pally attacked throughout his dominions ; and, though he did not succeed in kilhng I all, yet he thinned their numbers so greatly, that during the latter years of his life I graminivorous birds had become scarce instead of invading the fields in vast flocks. |Locu3ts, the worst of the husbandman's enemies, could not be extirpated, and, indeed, 1 task of even thinning their numbers appeared impracticable, '^he only plan that w to have the least success is that of burning a large heap of grps' , fj* cks, and leaves 1 to windward of the fields, as soon as the locusts are seen in the di|tance. These cts always fly with the wind, and when they find a tract of country covered with bke, they would naturally pass on until they found a spot which was not defiled with bke, and on which they might settle. |lt is said that locusts were not known in the Zulu ^sryitories until 1829, and that ' were sent by the supernatural power of Sotshangana, a chief in the Delagoa district, |im Tchaka attacked, and by whom the Zulu warriors were defeated, as has already I mentioned on page 126. The whole stoiy w&i told to Mr. Shooter, who narrates it he following words : — 'When they had reached Sotshangana's country, the Zulus wei-e in great want of land a detachment of them coming to a deserted kraal, bej^an, as usual, to search for j In 80 doing, they discovered some large baskets, used for storing com, and their Igry stomachs rejoiced at the prospect of a meal. But when a famished warrior atiently removed the cover from one of them, out rushed a multitude of insects, and ianticipated feast flew about their ears. I" Astonishment seized the host, for they had never beheld such an apparition before; mi ^ If V i \M ;n 150 THE KAFFIB. I' wf every man asked his neiglibotir, but none could 'tell its quality or name.' One of % number at last threw some light on the mysteiy. He had seen the insects in MakaziQ country, and perhaps he told his wandering companions that they had been collected || food. But they soon learned this from the people of the kraal, who had only retired | escape the enemy, and whose voices were hetard from a neighbouring rock. In no i would the fugitives have been likely to spare their lungs, since they could rail and and threaten with impunity; but when they saw that their food was in danger,.. lifted up their voices with desperate energy, and uttered the terrible threat that ifliij invaders ate their locusts, others should follow them home, and carry famine in tbi train. The Zulus were too hungry to heed the woe, or to be very discriminating in l choice of victuals, and the locusts were devoured. But when the army returned hoig the scourge appeared, and the threatening was fulfilled." How locusts, the destroyers of food, are converted into food, and become a benei instead of a curse to mankind, will be seen in the next chapter. As to the fruits of this country, they are tolerably numerous, the most valued klg the banana, which is sometimes called the royal fruit; a Kafftr monarch having] claim to all bananas, and forced his subjects to allow him 4o take his choice before tli^ touched the fruit themselves. In some favoured distiicts the banana grows to a j size, a complete bunch being a heavy load tor a man. Next in importance to food for man is forage for cattle, and this is generally found ij great abundance, so that the grazing of a herd costs their owner nothing but the tnM of driving his cattle to and from the grass land. In this, as in other hot countries, t grass grows with a rapidity and luxuriance that tends to make it too rank for cattiei eat. When it first springs up, it is green, sweet, and tender; but when it has reaclwii| tolerable length it becomes so harsh that the cattle can hardly eat it. The therefore, adopts a plan by which he obtains as much fresh grass as he likes througlt the season. When a patch of grass has been fed upon as long as it can furnish nourishment to tl cattle, the Kaffir marks out another feeding-place. At night, when the cattle are ; penned within the kraal, the Kaffir goes out with a firebrand, and, when he has gonei to windward of the spot which he means to clear, he sets fire to the dry grass. At I the flame creeps but slowly on, but it gradually increases both in speed and ext«nt,t sweeps over the plain in obedience to the wind. On level ground, the fire marches ii^ tolerably straight line, and is of nearly uniform height, except when it happens to s upon a clump of bushes, when it sends bright spires of flame far into the sky. But when it reaches the bush-clad hills, the spectacle becofaies imposing. On nislii the mass of flame, climbing the hill with fearful strides, roaring like myriads of i ruffled in the breeze, and devouring in its progress every particle of vegetation. Noti inhabitant of the bush or plain can withstond its progress, and the fire confera this beiu on the natives, that it destroys the snakes and the slow-moving reptiles, while theswifli antelopes an able to escape. When the^re has done its work, the tract over which it has passed presents a i dismal spectacle, the whole soil being bare end black, and the only sign of former vej tation being an occasional stump of a tree which ;,he flames hud not entirely consuni But, in a very short time, the wonderfully vigorous life of the herbage begins to i itself, especially if a shower of rain should happen to fall. Delicate green blades siw their slender points through the blackened covering, and in a short time the whole t is covered with a mantle of uniform tender greea Nothing can be more beautiful tin the fresh green of the young blades, as they are boldly contrasted with the deep bli hue of the ground. The nearest approach to it is the singularly beautiful tint ofo hedgerows in early spring — a tint as fleeting as it is lovely. The charred ashes of the burned grass form an admirable top-dressing to the i grass, which springs up with marvellous rapidity, and in a very short lime affords ] to the cattle. The Kaffir is, of course, careful not to bum too much at once; but by seb different spots, and burning them in regular succession, he is able to give hisbdovedc fresh pasturage throughout the year. CHAPTER XV. FOOD. BTAJT OF LIPB IN KAFFIBLAND — HOW A DIKMKIl IS COOKBD — BOILINO AND OBmOIKO COBW — TBB KAFVm HILL, AMD MUDE OF USING IT FAin DIVISION OF LABOUB — A KAFFIB DINNKB- PABIX— •DfOINO IN CHOBUS — ACCOUNT OF A KAFFIB MVKTINO AND WAB-80NO — HISTOBY OF THR VAB-SONO, AND ITS VABI0U8 POINTS BXFLAINKD — TCHAKa's VAB-SONO— SONO IN BONOUB or PAKDA — HOW POBBIDGB IS EATEN TABIOU8 SPOONS MADR BY THR NATIVES A VBEFUI. COHBINATION OF SPOON AND 8NVFF-B0X TBB OIBAFFB SPOON — HOW THE COLOURING IS MAXAaKS— PBCUUAB ANGLE OF THB BOWL AND BBASONS FOB IT — KAFFIB KTIQURTTE IN DINING — nWATR LOVE or JOSTICR — A GIGANTIC SPOON — KAFFIB LADLES — LOCUSTS BATBN BY KAFFIRS TBI nSKCT IN ITS DIFFKBKNT STAGES — THR LOCUST ABUIES AND TL.?:IB NCMBBBS — ^DBSTBUCTIVK- KE88 OF THR INSECT — DRSCBIPTI9N OF A FLIGHT OF LOCUSTS — RFFRCT OP WIND ON THB LOCUSTS — BO«r THR INSRCT8 ABB CAUGHT, COOKBD, AND BTOBED— GRNBBAL QUALITT OF THR MEAT OBTAINS!) IN KAFFIB-LAND — JBBKBD HBAT, AND UODB QP COOKING IT — THB HUNOXB-BELT AND m U8RS — EATING SHIELD^-CBBRHONIRS IN BATING BRRF — VARIOUS DRINKS USRD BY THB XAPna — HOW HB DBINKS WATRB FROM THB BIVBB — INTOXICATING DBINKS OF DIFFEBRNT COUNTBIRS — HOW BREB IS BRRWBD IN 80UTHBBN AFRICA— MAKING UAIZR INTO MALT FKB- HRNTATION, bXIMMING, AND STRAINING — QUANTITY OF SERB DBUNK BY A KAFFIB — VESSELS IN VmCHBBRB IS CONTAINED — BBEB-BASKET8— BASKET STORR-HOUSK8 — THB KAFFIB's LOVR FOB HONBV — HOW HR FINDS THR BRRS' NEST THR HONRY-GUIUR AND THR HONRY-RATEL FOUONOUS UO.NRY — POULTRY AND EO forced down the sloping side of the stone, upon a skin which is ready to receive it. TB form of mill is perhaps the earliest with which we are acquainted, and it maybe found L many parts of the world. In Mexico, for example, the ordinary mill is made on \)ndm the same principle, though the lower stone is rudely carved so as to stand on three It It is more than probable that the operation of grinding corn, which is so often iiien.1 tioned in the earlier Scriptures, was performed in just such a mill as the Kaffir von OBINDINO COTtN, AND MIXING IT WITH AUASI. uses. The labour of grinding the com is very severe, the whole weight of the lodjj being thrown on the stone, and the hands being fully occupied in rolling and rocking thel upper stone upon the lower. Moreover, the labour has to be repeated daily, and oftfu-j times the poor hard-worked woman is obliged to resume it several times in the i Only sufficient corn is ground for the con;F>umption of a single meal; and therefore, so | often as the men are hungry, so often has she to grind com for them. The boiled and ground corn takes a new name, and is now termed isicaba; and Milieu I a sufficient quantity has been ground, the woman takes it fi-om the mat, puts it iutuil basket, and brings it to her husband, who is probably asleep or smoking his pipe. She I then brings him a bowl and some clotted milk, and his favourite spoon, and leave.s hiniiol mix it for himself and take his meal, she not expecting to Dartake with him, any moiej than she would expect him to help her in grinding the com. ' The above illustration delineates a scene very common in Kaffirland. A "I happens to be hunjiry, and one of the married women hastens to supply his wants, | On her left hand are the pots in which she has brought the boiled maize from the cookiuj; pot, and she is hard at work with her primitive mill, grinding the softened corn a paste. The boy, who is a notable hunter, as may be seen by the leopard's toolli| DINXEE PARTY. 153 icklace, has t^o vessels before him. That on his left contains amasi, and into the other jcom is put as fast as it is ground, and falls upon the hide which is spread in front of I miU. As for the hard-worked woman, who boils the grain, makes the amasi, and Kids the corn, she will probably be rewarded with the fragments of the meal left by L member of the nobler sex. But, as a young Kaffir has a fine appetite, tlie amouut fhich will be left for her is never very great, and, as a general rule, he can mix and eat L porridge rather faster than she can supply him with the materials. I As, however, the Kaffir is eminently a social being, he likes to take his meals in Lpany, and does so in a very orderly fashion. ^ vv/ A KAFFIB DINNEBPARIY. Wlien a number of Kaffirs meet for a social meal, they seat themselves round the fe, squatted in their usual manner, and always forming themselves into a circle, Katllr Ihioa If they should be veiy numerous, they will form two or more concentric circles, [close to each other, and all facing inwards. The pot is then put on to boil, and while !" mealies," or heads of maize, are being cooked, they all strike up songs, and sing fem uatil the feast is ready. Sometimes they prefer love songs, and are always fond of Igs that celebrate the possession of cattle. These melodies have a chorus thati is perfectly meaningless, like the choruses of many lour own popular songs, but the sinpers become quite infatuated with them. In a weli- |«wn cattle song, the burden of which is E-e-e-yu-yu-yu, they all accompany the words fh gestures. Their hands are clenched, with the palms turned upwards ; their arms pt, and at each E-e-e they drive their arms out to their full extent ; and at each «tition of the syllable " yu," they bring their elbows against their sides, so as to give litiunul emphasis to tlie song. The above illustration represents such a sceuo • n 4 , ''■'1 i — J J 1 1 1m 1 1' ! * t f i 1 J f 154 THE KAFFIR i I VM.-' ftnd is drawn from a sketch by Captain Drayson, E.A., who lias frequently been present j stich 8ceiie8, and learned to take his part in the wilil churus. As to the smoke of i firo, the Kutlirs care nothing for it, although no European singer would be able to utL two notes in such a clioking atmosphere, nor to see what he was do^g in a small hi withotit window or (thimney, and filled with wood smoke. Some snuff gourds are « on the ground, and ou the left hand, just behind a pillur, is the Induna, or head of i kra»d, who is the founder of the foast The number of Kaffirs that will crowd themselves into a single small hut is almoL incredihle. Even in the illustration they seem to be tolerably close together, but the faj is, that the artist was obliged to omit a considerable number of individuals in order t give a partial view of the fire-place and the various utensils. One African traveller gives a very amusing account of a scene similar to that wLkJ is depicted on page 153. In the evening he heard a most singular noise of uiuny void rising and falling in regular rhythm, and found it to proceed fi-oni an edifice which lie li», taken for a haycock, but which proved to be a KafSr hut. He put his head into tin door, but the atmosphere was almost too much for him, and he could only see a few dyia embers, throwing a ruddy glow over a number of Kaffirs squatting round the lire ])hice, and singing with their usual gesticulations. He estimated their number at m thinking that the hut could not possibly hold, much less accommodate, more than thai number. However, from that very hnt issued thirty-five tall and powerful KafiBrs, an they did not look in the least hot or uncomfortable. The song which they were singing with such energy was upon one of the only [A subjects which seem to inspire a Kaffii's muse, namely, war and cattle. This particuli composition treated of the latter subject, and began with " All the calves are dnnkii water." A very graphic account of the method in which the Kaffirs sing in concert is given!, Mr. Mason, who seems to have written his description immediately after witnessing tli scene, and while the impression was still strong on his mind : — " By the light ot a s'lall oil lamp I was completing my English journal, ready for tin mail which sailed ne.xt day ; and, while thus busily employed, time stole away so i that it was late ere I closed and sealed it up. A feai-f'ul shout now burst from tla recesses of the surrounding jungle, apparently within a hundred yai-ds of onr tent; ini moment all was still again, and then the yell broke out with increased vigour, i| it dinned in our ears, and made the very air shake and vibrate with the clamour. " At first we were alarmed, and looked to the priming of our pistols ; but, as the i approached no nearer, I concluded that it must be part of some Kaffir festival, and dettrl mined on ascertaining its meaning; so, putting by the pistol, I started, just as hat,! without coat, hat, or waistcoat, and made my way through the dripping boughs of tlit| jimgle, towards the spot from whence the strange sounds proceeded. " By this time the storm had quite abated ; the heavy clouds were rolling slowly hm\ over the rising moon ; the drops from the lofty trees fell heavily on the dense M below ; thousands of insects were chirping merrily ; and there, louder than all tlie vi, was the regular rise and f>ill of some score of Kafhrs. " I had already penetrated three hundred yards or more into the bush, when T dii' covered a large and newly-erected Kaffir hut, with a huge fire blazing in its centre, jtatl visible through the dense smoke that poured forth from the little semicircular apHrtim| that served for a doorway. These huts of the Kaffirs are formed of trellis-wovk, thatched ; in appearance they resemble a well-rounded haycock, being, generally eijjhtotl ten feet high at the vertex, circular in form, and from twenty to twenty-five feet Mi with an opening like that of a beehive for a doorway, as before described. " But, as it was near midnight, it seemed to me that my. visit might not be a1togetli«| seasonable. However, to have turned back when so near the doorway might haTij brought an assagai after me, since the occupants of the hut would have attribiit(l| a rustling of the bushes, at that late hour, to' the presence of a thief or wild beast. " I therefore coughed aloud, stooped down, and thrust my head into the open doorwaj,| where a most interesting sight presented itself. WAR-SONO. 165 Devonrer of 'Swazi, son of Sobnza. Breaker of the gates of Machobana. Devourer of Ouudave of Muehobana. A moDster in size, of mighty power. Devourer of Ungwati of ancient race ; Devonrer of the kingly Uomape ; Like heaven abovp, raining and shining." < fancy three rows of jet-black Kaffirs, ranged in circles round the interior of the hut, jug knees and nose ^together, waving their well-oiled, strongly-built frames back- ids and forwards, to keep time in their favourite 'Dingan's war-song;' throwing their i about, and brandishing the glittering assagai, singing and shouting, uttering a shrill ling whistle, beating the ground to imitate the heavy tramp of' marching men, and .ing the very woods echo again with their boisterous merriment ''My presence was unobserved for a moment, until an old grey-headed KaflBr (an ndodie) pointed his finger towards me. In an instant, the whole phalanx of glaring was turned to the doorway ; and silence reigned throughout the demoniac-looking n A simxiltaneous exclamation of * Molonga ! Molonga ! ' (white man ! white man !) ras succeeded by an universal beckon for me to come in and take a place in the ring. bis of course I complied with ; and, having seen me coinfortably seated, they fell to ork again more vociferously than ever, till I was well near bewildered with the din, and led with the dense smoke issuing from the huge fire in the centre of the ring." Dingan's war-song, which is here mentioned, is rather made in praise of Dingan's war- j exploits. To a Kaffir, who underatands all tha allusions made by the puet, it is a irvellously exciting composition, though it loses its chief beauties when translated into a ireinn language, and deprived of the peculiar musical rhythm and alliteration which •m the great charms of Kaffir poetry. The song was as follows :-— ! "11100 needy otfsping of Umpikazi, Eyer of the cattle ofmen. Bini of Maube, fleet as a bullet, 81eek, erect, of b<.-autiful parts. Thy cattle like the comb of the bees, bead too larae, too huddled to move. Devourer of Moiielekatze, son of Machobana, If the reader will refer to the song in honour of Panda, which is given on page 89, he [ill see the strong resemblance that exists between the two odes, each narrating some Lents of the hero's early life, then diverging into a boast of his great wealth, and ending nth a list of his warlike achievements. Mr. Shooter mentions a second song which was made in honour of Tchaka, as, indeed, I was told by that renowned chief hiniself. It was composed after that warlike despot lad made himself master of the whole of Kaffirland, and the reader will' not fail to notice be remarkable resemblance between the burden of the song, " Where will you go out to lattle now ? " and the lament of Alexander, that there were no more worlds to conquer. "Thoa hast finished, finished the nations I Where will you go out to battle now ? Hey! whore will you go out to battle now? Thou hast conquered kings ! Where are you going to rattle now T 1 have already mentioned that in eating his porridge the Kaffir uses a spoon. He kes a wonderful pride in his spoon, and expends more trouble upon it than upon any Jther article which he possesses, not even his " tails," pipes, or snuff-box, being thought lorthy of so much labour as is lavished upon his spoons. Although there is a great piety of patterns among the spoons manufactured by the Kaffir tribes, there is a character out them which is quite untnistakeable, and which points out the country of the kaker as clearly as if his name were written on it. The bowl, for example, instead being almost in the same line with the stem, is bent forwards at a slight angle, and, istead of being rather deep, is quite shallow. It is almost incapable of containing quids, and is only adapted for conveying to the mouth the thick porridge which has (ready been described. A number of these spoons are given in the following illustra- ons, all taken from specimens in my collection. Fig. 1 on the next page is a spoon rather more than two feet in length, cut from a stout anch of a tree, as is shown by the radiating circles, denoting the successive annual de- josits of woody fibre. The little dark mark in the bowl shows the pithy centre of the anch. The end of the handle is made to represent the head of an assagai, and the peculiar jonvexity and concavity of that weapon is represented by staining one side of the blade Thou hast finished, finished the nations ! Where are you going to battle now ? Hurrah I Hurrah 1 Hurrah ! Where at« you going to battle now !" (SIL » ^i ) M 156 THE KAFFIR black. This staining process is very simply managed by heating a piece of iron or stone, and charring the wood with it, so as to make an indelible black mark. Part of tk under side of the bowl is stained black in a similar mannerl and so is a portion of the handle, this expeditious and easii mode of decoration being in great favour among the KafiiNi when they are making any article of wood. The heads of tSI wooden assagais shown on page 103, are stained in thesanul fashion. According to English ideas, the bowl is of ud.| pleasantly large dimensions, being three inches and a quartet! in width. But a Kaffir mouth is a capacious one, and he cu| use this gigantic instrument without inconvenience. I Fig. 2 represents a singularly elaborate example of a spooil purchased from a native by the late H. Jackson, Esq. It J more than three feet in length and is slightly curved, whereajl the preceding example is straight The wood of which it J made is much harder than that of the other spoon, andjjl therefore capable of taking a tolerably high polish. The maker of this spoon has ornamented it in a veirl curious manner. Five rings are placed round the stem, andl these rings are made of the wire -like hairs from the elephant')! tail. They are plaited in the manner that is known to sailoul as the " Turk's head knot," and are similar to those that have! .1. 1 .IB been mentioned on page 102, as being placed on the handle ol ^ the assagai. In order to show the mode in which these rinjsl are made, one of them is given on an enlarged scale. At the end of the handle of the spoon may be seen al globular knob. This is carved from the same piece of woojl as the spoon, and is intended for a snuff-box, so that tbel owner is doubly supplied with luxuries. It is cut in ordeil to imitate a gourd, and, considering the very rude tools wliicll a Kaffir possesses, the skill displayed in hollowing it is veijl great. Hound the neck of the opening is one of the elephantJ hair ringrs, and at the bottom there is some rather deep cmim This odd snuff-box is ornamented by being charred, as is tlie| bowl and the greater part of the stem. Sometimes the Kaffirs exert great ingenuity in canintl the handles of their spoons into rude semblances of varioujl animals. On account of its long neck and legs and sloping bacl,| the giraffe is the favourite. Fig. 1 on the next page shows c of these spoons. It is rather more than a foot in length, ani , __ represents the form of the animal better than might be siip-l ■^NN 11 posed from the illustration, which is taken from the front,! and therefore causes its form to be foreshortened andtlnl characteristic slope of the back to be unseen. It is madeo the acacia wood, that being the tree on which the giraffe lovtsl , to feed, and which is called by the Dutch settlers " Kameell dorn," or camel-thom, in consequence. The peculiar attitudej of the head is a faithful representation of the action of tlief giraffe when raising its head to browse among the foliage, anil the spotted skin is well imitated by application of a red-hot iroi I In some examples of the giraffe-spoon, the form of tlnl animal is much better shown, even the joints of the legs km carefully marked, and their action indicated. Sometimal the Kaffir does not make the whole handle into the fonDol| an animal, but cuts the handle of the usual shape, and lea I .,!",, 158 THE KAFFIR % ^ SPOON AND ija>L& », 4, SKIMHEIUi. uppermost ficure represents a ladle about fourteen inches in length. The pattern bu, pretence to daborate detail ; but the whole form is very bold and decided, and the cam has evidently done his work thoroughly, and on a definite plan. The black iuarki& the stem and handle are made by a hot iron, and the under surface of the bovl j decorated with two triangular marlcs made in the same manner. ^ At fig. 5 of the same illustn is shown .a rather remarkable L, It is eighteen inches in length, the bowl is both wide and deep! is made from the hard wood of i acacia, and must have cost the can] a considerable amount of trouble, i carving the ladle, the maker hat i himseff to shape the hau'ile in u a manner that it resembler a buni of small sticks tied torjether by] band at the end ac^ another nJ the middle. So well has he achieve] this feat th ^rhen T iirst saw tli ladle, in a raxiier dim light, I ieal| thought that some ingenious artificer had contrived to make a number of twigs si from one part of a branch, and had carved that portion of the branch into the bo and had tied the twigs together to form the handle. He has heightened the deception charring the sham bands black, while the rest of the handle is left of its natural colour. Figs. 3 and 4 of the same illustration will be presently described. There is an article of food which is used by the natives, in its proper season, and k, not prepossess a European in its favour. This is the locust, the well-known insect wliij Bweeps in such countless myriads over the land^ and which does such harm to thecro find to everything that grows. The eggs of the locust are laid in the ground, and at the proper season the you make their appearance. Tliey are then very small, but they grow with great rapidity-jj Indeed, they ought to do, considering the amount of food which they consume. Until they have passed a considerable time in the world, they have no wings, andc only crawl and hop. The Kaffirs call thesa imperfect locusts " boyane," and the rnk]| settlers term them " voet-gangers," or " foot-goers," because they cannot fly. Even int stage they are terribly destructive, and march steadily onwards, consuming eveiy { thing that they can eat Nothing stops them in their progress short of death, and, on account of their tu myriads, the numbers that can be killed form but an insignificant proportion of the vh' army. A stream of these insects, a mile or more in width, will pwss over a counti)',i scarcely anything short of a river will stop them. Trenches are soon filled up with tli9| bodies, and those in the rear march over the carcases of their dead comrades. Sometii the trenches have been filled with fire, but to no purpose, as the fire is soon put out I the locusts that come crowding upon it. As for walls, the insects care nothing for M but surmount them, and even the very houses, without suffering a check. When they become perfect insects and gain their wings, they proceed, as before,^ vast myriads ; but this time, they direct their course through the air, and not merely d land, so that not even the broadest river can stop them. They generally stai-t as sooui the sun has dispelled the dews and warmed the air, which, in its nightly chill, i them, and renders them incapable of flight and almost uiilible even to walk. Towai evening they always descend, and perhaps in the daytime also ; and wherever they i every green thing vanishes. The sound of their jaws cutting down the leaves andeati them can be heard at a great distance. They eat everything of a vegetable natm Mr. Moffatt saw a whole field of maize consumed in two hours, and has seen themd linen, flannel, and even tobacco. When they rise for another flight, the spot which t leir own course ; bi lly go where it driv leir progress. The FLIGHT OF LOCUSTS. 159 ivB left is M ^^^^ ^ ^^ i*- ^^^ desert land, and not a vestigo of any kind of verdure is be seen upon it. j^veiy excellent description of a flight of locusts is given by Mr. Culo, in his work South Africa:— <• Next day was warm enough, but the wind was desperately high, and, much to my jfflut, right in my face as I rode away on my journey. After travelling some ten miles, iving swallowed several ounces of sand meanwhile, and been compelled occasionally to iDiove the sand-hills that were collecting in my eyes, I began to fall in with some locusts. It first they came on gradually and in small quantities, speckling the earth here and ire, and voraciously devouring the herbage. They were not altogether pleasant, as they are weak on the wing, find quite at the rcy of the wind, which uncivilly dashed many a one into my face with a force that e my cheeks tingle. By degrees they grew thicker and more frequent. My proj-ress now most unpleasant, for they flew into my face every instant Flung against me id my hoi'se by the breeze, they clung io us with the tightness of desperation, till we TO literally speckled with locusts. Each moment the clouds of tlieiii became denser, I at length— I am guilty of no exaggeration in saying — they were as thick in the air as > Hakes of snow during a heavy faU of it ; they covei-ed the grass and the road, so that every step my horse crashed dozens ; they were whirled into mv eyes and those of my ir nag, till at last the latter refused to face them, and turned tail in spite of whip and bur. Tney crawled about my face and neck, got down my shirt collar and up my sleeves [iaaword, they drove me to despair as completely as they drove my horse to stubboin- 1^3, and I was obliged to ride back k mile or two, and claim shelter from them at a [tuse I ha(| passed on my route; fully convinced that a shower of locusts is more unbear- [lie than hail, rain, snow, and sleet combined. " I found the poor farmer in despair at the dreadful visitation which had come upon Ini-aud well he might be so. To-day he had standing crops, a garden, and wide pasture di in full verdure ; the next day the earth was as bare all round as a macadamized «i(l. ^ . " I afterwards saw millions of these insects driven by the wind into the sea at Algoa jay, and washed on shore again in such heaps, that the prisoners and coolies in the town ^re busily employed for a day or two in bur>'ing the bodies, to prevent the evil conse- i;ncethat would arise from the putrefying of them close to the town. No descript? ju ' these little plagues, or of the destruction they cause, can well be an exaggeration. brtanately, their visitations are not frequent, as I only remember three during my five ars' residence in South Africa. Huge fires are sometimes lighted round corn-lands and Irdens to prevent their approach ; and this is an eflective preventive when they can steer leir own course ; but when carried away by such a wind as I have described, they can lly go where it drives them, and all the bonfires in the world would be useless to stay leir progress. The farmer thus eaten out of house and liome (most literally) has nothing I do but to move his stock forthwith to some other spot which has escaped them— happy ' '. can find a route free from their devastation, so that his herds and flocks may not Jrish by the way.* Fortunately, their bodies being heavy in proportion to their wings, they cannot fly linst the wind, and it often happens that, as in the old Scripture narrative, a country I relieved by a change of wind, which drives the insects into the sea, where they are hwned ; and, as Mr. Cole observes, they were driven by the wind into his face or upon i clothes, as helplessly as tlie cockchafers on a windy summer evening. Still, terrible as are the locusts, they have their uses. In the firet place, they afibrd •d to mnumerable animals. As they fly, large flocks of birds wait on them, sweep hong them and devour them on the wing. While they are on the ground, whether in leir winged or imperfect state, they are eaten by various animals ; even the lion and |her formidable carnivoju not disdaining so easily-gained a repast. As the cool air the night renders the locusts incapable of moving, they can be captured without iiiiculty. Even to mankind the locusts are serviceable, being a favourite article of food. It is ) ICO THE KAFFIR. tnio that thpsfi iunecta devour whole crops, but it mav be doubted whether they do confer a benefit on the dusky cultivatoia rather tliau iuiliot an injury. ' As soon as the shades of evening render the locusts helpless, the natives turn onfi a body, with sacks, skins, and everything that can hold the expected prey, thos<> J possess such animals brinfjing pack oxen in order to bear the loads home. The loeJ are swept by millions into the sacks, witliout any particular exertion on the pnrt of t3 rnlives, though not witl'out sonjo danger, ns venomous 8er}>ent8 nre apt to cnme fort 1 urpose of feeding on the insects, and are sometimes roughly handled in the darkness. COOKING THE LOCU.STS. When the locusts have been brought home, they are put into a large covered pot, Sid as has already been described, and a little water added to them. The fire is tlieu liglitei under the pot, and the locusts are then boiled, or rather steamed, until they are sufficientli cooked. They are then taken out of the pot, and spread out in the sunbeams until tlKjl are quite dry; and when this part of the process is completed, they are shaken about ij the wind until the legs and wings fall off, and are carried away just as the chafi" is carnd away by the breeze when corn is winnowed. When they are perfectly dry, they i stored away in baskets, or placed in the granaries just as if they were corn. Sometimes the natives eat them whole, just as we eat shrimps, and, if they can b.,... such a luxury, add a little salt to them. Usually, however, the locusts are treated mi in the same manner as com or maize. They are ground to powder by the mill until iliq, are reduced to meal, which is then mixed with water, so as to form a kind of porriJgtj A good locust season is always acceptable to the natives, who can indulge their enoraoml appetite." to an almost unlimited extent, and in consequenco become quite fat in com parison with their ordinary appearance. So valuable, indeed, t.re the locusts, that if »l native conjurer can make his companions believe that his iucuutatiojia Uave broujjht tliil locusts, be is sure to be richly rewarded by them. HUNGER-BELT. 161 I t bleat, when it can be obtained, is the great laxury of a Kaffir. Beef is his favourite L. i,ui; he will eat that of many of the native animals, thouj:;h there are some, muluding [kinds of fish, which he will not touch. With a veiy few exceptions, such as the y the wild animals of Southern Africa do not furnish very succulent food. Venison Utaken from a semi-domesticated red deer, or a throe-parts domesticated fallow deer, I reiy different meat when obtained from a wild deer or antelope. As a general rule, I gnimaJs have very little fat about them, and their flesh, bv reason of constant tise and small supply of food, is exceedingly tough, and would baffle the jaws of any igvery hungry man. [Fortunately for the Kaffirs, their jth and jaws are equal to any task t can be imposed upon them in the r of mastication, and meat which an .opean can hardly manage to eat I dainty to his dark companions. The t Gordon Gumming, who had as [)h experience in hunter life as most I, used to say that a very good idea ie meat which is usually obtained the gun in Kaffirland may be Led by taking the very worst part of [ton^est possible beef, multiplying I tonghness by ten, and subtracting Ithe gravy. I The Mual plan that is adopted is, I eat at once the best parts of an J, and to cure the rest by drying 1 the ana This process is a very kple one. The meat is cut into thin, ; strips, and hung on branches in I open air. The burning sunbeams I have their effect, and convert the klet strips of raw meat into a sub- nce that looks like old shoe-leather, I is nearly as tough. The mode of ising it is, to put it under the ashes he fire, next to pound it between two lies, and then to stew it slowly in a [just as is done with fresh beef. Of rse, this mode of cooking meat is J employed on the march, when the Biers are unable to take with them I cooking-pots of domestic life. jSometinies, especially when re- ling from an unsuccessful war, I Kaffirs are put to great straits for jit of food, and have recourse to strangest expedients for allaying Iger. They begin by wearing a "hunger-belt," i.e. a belt passed several times round 1 body, and arranged so as to press upon the stomach, and talce off for a time the feeling pint sickness that accompanies hunger before it developes into starvation. As the p pass on, and the faintness again appears, the hunger-belt is drawn tighter and iter. This curious remedy for hunger is to be found in many parts ot the world, and . I long been practised by the native tribes of North America. [Tlie hungry soldiers, when reduced to the last straits, have been known to eat their s-shields, and, when these were finished, to consume even the thongs which bind the / '/■T^A^^ SOLDIERS WITH HUNa£B-B£LT. ;■'<■■ 'X !ili^ V ^i 162 THE KAFFIR. head of the assagai to the shaft. The same process of cooking is employed in makjii the tough skin eatable ; namely, partial broiling «n<^tT ashes, then pounding b-tw. jp j!tr,n'i and then stowing, or boiling, if any substitute for a cooking-pot can bo fouh' w..^ ,jf ,i missionaries relates, in a manner that shows the elastic spirit which anim .' i \'vn i he and his companions were once driven to eat a box which ho hail made Oi ciu^ctrf hide, and seems rather to regret the loss of so excellent a box than to demand aiil sympathy for the hardships which he had sustained. We now come to the question of the liquids which a Kaffir generally consumej Ordinary men are forced to content themselves with water, and there are occasions whei they would only bo too glad to obtain even water. Certain ceremonies demand that I warriors shall be fed pleuteously with beef during the night, but that they shall ^ be allowed to drink until the dawn of the following day. At the beginning of the fei SOLDIERS LAPFINO WiLTEa they are merry enough ; for beef is always welcome to a Kaffir, and to be allowed toe aamuch as he can possibly manage to accommodate is a luxury which but seldom occni However, the time comes, even to a hungry Kaffir, when he cannot possibly eat aojl more, and he craves for something to drink. This relief is strictly prohibited, no << 164 THE KAFFIE. obtained, not by any alteration in the mode of weaving, but by the gradual diminution of the reeds. These strainers are of various sizes ; but my own specimen, which is of the averace dimensions, measures fifteen inches in length, and nine in width across the opening. Beer, like milk, is kept in baskets, which the Kafl&rs are capable of making so elaborately, that they can hold almost any liquid as well as if they were casks made by the best European coopers. Indeed, the fineness and beauty of the Kaffir basket. work may excite the admiration, if not the envy, of civilized basket-makers, who, however artistic may be the forms which they produce, would be sadly puzzled if required to make a basket that would hold beer, wine, or even mUk. 1^ ' ■ f\ KAf FIB WOHEM BBEWINQ BEEB One of the ordinary forms of beer-basket may be seen in the illustration on page 46, the small mouth being for the greater convenience of pouring it out. Others can be seen in the illustration on page 56, representing the interior of a Kaffir hut. Beer-baakete of various sizes are to be found in every kraal, and are always kept in shady places, to prevent the liquid from being injured by heat. A Kaffir chief hardly seems to be able to siipport existence without his beer. Within his own house, or in the shadow of a friendly screen, he will sit by the hour to[;ether, smoking his enormous pipe continually, and drinking his beer at tolerably constant intervals, thus contriving to consume a consideraWe amount both of tobacco and beer. Even if he goes out to inspect his cattle, or to review his soldiers, a servant is sure to be with him, bearing his beer-basket, stool, and other luxurious appendages of state. He generally drinks out of a cup, which he makes from a gourd, and which, in and size, much resembles an emu's egg with the top cut off. For the purpose of the beer out of the basket, and pouring it into the cup, he uses a ladle of some sort. form which is most generally in use is that which is made from a kind of gourd ; not egg- shaped, like that from which the cup is made, but formed very much like an onion v& the stalk attached to it. The bulb of the onion represents the end of the gourd, and it will be seen that when a slice is cut off this globular end, and the interior of the gourd removed, a very neat ladle can bo produced. As the outer skin of the gourd is of a fine yellow colour, and has a high natural poUsh, the cup and ladle have a very pretty appearance. Sometimes the Kaffir carves his ladles out of wood, and displays much skill and taste in their construction, as may be seen by the specimens. Occasionally the beer bowl is carved from wood as well as the ladle; but, on account of its weight when empty, and the time employed in making it, none but a chief is likely to The BASKET-MAKING 165 linake nse of such a bowl. One of these wooden bowls is shown at fig. 2, in the illustration Ion page 63, and ia drawn from a specimen brought from Southern Africa by Mr. HL Ijacksoa It is of large dimensions, as may be seen by comparing it with the nulk-pail at a. 1. The colour of the btwl is black. It is rather remarkable that the Kaffir who carved this bowl has been so used to „asket8 as beer vessels that he has not been able to get the idea out of his mind. The Ibowl is painfully wrought out of a single block of wood, and must have cost an enormous lamount of labour, consideting the rudeness of the tools used by the carver. According to lour ideas, the bowl ought therefore to show that it really is something more valuable than lnsaal, and as unlike the ordinary basket as possible. But so wedded has been the maker Itothe notion that a basket, and nothing but a basket, is the proper vessel for beer, that he Ibas taken great pains to carve the whole exterior in imitation of a basket. So well and liffiularly is this decoration done, that when the bowl is set some little distance, or placed liathe shade, many persons mistake it for a basket set on three wooden legs, and stained ■black. i STOREHOUSES. At fig. 5 of the same illustration is an example of the Kaffir's basket-work. This is e of the baskets used by the women when they have been to the fields, and have to [carry home the ears of maize or other produce. This basket is very stout and strong, and I will accommodate a quantity of com which would form a good load for an average English [labourer. But she considers this hard work as part of woman's mission, asks one of her [companions to assist in placing it on her head, and goes off with her burden, often light- [ening the heavy task by joining in a chorus with her similarly-laden friends. Indeed, as [has been well said by an experienced missionary, in the normal state of the Kaffir tribes J tho woman serves every office in husbandry, and herself fulfils the duties of field-labourer, [plough, cart, ox, and horse. Basket-work is used for an infinity of purposes. It is of basket-work, for example, that the Kaffir maktis his curious and picturesque storehouses, in which he keeps the com that he is likely l^o require for household use. These storehouses are always raised some height from the ground, for the double purpose of keeping vermin from devastating [them, and of allowing a free passage to the air round them, and so keeping their contents 166 THE KAFFIR dry and in good condition. Indead, the very houses are formed of a sort of 'basket-work, I as may be seen by reference to Chapter VII. ; and even their kraals, or villages, are little' I more than basket-work on a very large scale. I Almost any kind of flexible material seems to answer for baskets, and the Kaffiil workman impresses into his service not only the twigs of pliant bushes, like the osier and I willow, but uses grass stems, grass leaves, rushes, flags, reeds, bark, and similar material! 1 When he makes Siose that are used for holding liquids, he always uses fine materials, and I closes the spaces between them by beating down each successive row with an instrumeiitl that somewhat resembles a very stout paper-knife, and that is made either of wood, bonetj or ivory. As is the case with casks, pails, quaighs, and all vessels that are made with] staves, the baskets must be well soaked before they become thoroughly water-tight KAFFIR WOMEN BASKET MAKING. One of these baskets is in my own collection. It is most beautifully made, 8 certainly surpasses vessels of wood or clay in one respect ; namely, that it will bear very | rough treatment without breaking. The mode of weaving it is peculiarly intricate. Av amount of grass is employed in its construction, the work is very close, and the ends ol I the innumerable grass blades are so neatly woven into the fabric as scarcely to be | distinguishable. This basket is delineated in the next illustration. Soon after it came into my I possession, I sent it to a conversazione, together with a large number of ethnological curiosities, and, knowing that very few would believe in its powers without actual prao^ I filled it with milk, and placed it on the table. Although it had been in England foij some time, and had evidently undergone rather rough treatment, it held the milk veiy | welL There was a very slight leakage, caused by a mistake of the former proprietor, v' had sewed a label upon it with a very coarse needle, leaving little holes, through ^hicli I a few drops of milk gradually oozed. With this exception, however, the basket was as j serviceable as when it was in use among the Kaffir huts. Honey is a very favourite food with the Kaffirs, who are expert at attacking the ne and removing the combs in spite of the attacks of the bees. They detect a bees' nest in I many ways, and, among other plans for finding the nest, they set great value on the l " called the Honey-guide. Thore are several species of honey -guide, two of which are tolerably common in I Southern Africa, and all of which belong to the cuckoo family. These birds are remark- able for the trust which they instinctively repose in mankind, and the manner in wbidi j THE HONEY-GUroE. 167 /act as guides to the nest. Whenever a Kaffir hears a bird utter a peculiar cry, which J been represented by the word " Cherr ! cherr ! " he looks out for the singer, and goes the direction of the voice. The bird, seeing that the naan is following, begins to >h the bees' nest, still uttering its encouraging cry, and not ceasing until the nest li found. The Kaffirs place great reliance on the bird, and never eat all the honey, but make a int of leaving some for the guide that conducted them to the sweet storehouse. They ty that the honey-guide voluntarily seeks the help of man, because it would otherwise be wible to get at the bee-combs, which are made in hollow trees, thus being protected in icure fortresses, which the bird could not penetrate without the assistance of some being .Tonger than itself. And as the bird chiefly wants the combs which contain the bee- rabs, and the man wants only those which contain honey, the Kaffir leaves all the ub-combs for the bird, and takes all the honey-combs himself; so that both parties are MILK BASKET. Whether this be the case or not, it is certain that the bird does perform this service tc nkind, and that both tho Kaffir and the bird seem to understaiul <^ach other. The ffoneyEatel, one of the largest species of the weasel tribe, and en animal vhich hi extremely bnd of bee-combs, is said to share with mankind the privilege of ttilif ico with the honey- lide, and to requite the aid of the bird with the comb which it taars out of the hollow ■ee. It is remarkable that both the ratel and the honey-guide arb so thickly defended, he one with fur, and the other with feathers, that the stings of '>e bees canuo'. penetrate ^Dugh their natural armour. It is rather curious, however, that the honey-guide does not invariably lead to the fcests of bees. It has an odd habit of guiding ths attention of mankind to any animal Fhich may be hiding in the bush, and the wary traveller is always careful to have his Weapons ready when he follows the honey-guide, knowing that, although the bird generally leads the way to honey, it has an unpleasant custom of leading to a concealed buffalo, or jion, or panther, or even to the spot where a cobra or other poisonous snake is rt posing. Although honey is much prized by the Kaffirs, they exercise much caution in eating it ; nd before they will trust themselves to taste it, they inspect the neighbourhood, with the purpose of seeing whether certain poisonous plants grow in the vicinity, as in thnt case Jm honey is sure to be deleterious. The euphorbia is one of these poisonous plai!^;s, and Pelongs to a large order, which is represented in England by certain small . plants known p the common denomination of spurge. One of them, popularly called milky -weed,, sun- prge, or wort-spurge, is well kno.vn for the white juice which pours plentifully from p wounded' stem, and which is used in some places as a means of destroying v. arts. M 168 THE KAFFIR. In our own countiy the juice is only remarkable for its milky appearance and its 1 acrid taste, which abides in the mouth for a wonderfully long time; but in Africa! euphorbias grow to the dimensions of trees, and the juice is used in many parts of I continent as a poison for arrows. Some of them look so like the cactus group that L, might be mistaken for those plants ; but they are easily known by the milky juice tb pours from them when wounded, and by the fact that their thorns, when they have and grow singly, and not in clusters, like those of the cactus. The white juice furnishes, wb evaporate(^ a highly-poisonous drug, called euphorbixun. Honey is often found in very singular places. A swarm has been known to possession of a human skull, and combs have been discovered in the skeleton framewoi of a dead elephant like many other nations, the Zulus use both poultry and their eggs for food, both are employed as objects of barter. The unfortunate fowls that are selected for I purpose must be singularly uncomfortablt] for they are always tied in bundles three, their legs being firmly bound gether. While the bargaining is in pn gress, the fowls are thrown heedlessly o| the ground, where they keep up a coi tinual cackling, as if complaining of titeij hard treatment. The Kaffir does not inta to be cruel to the poor birds ; but he 1 really no idea that he is inflicting paino them, and will carry them for miles bytlii legs, their heads hanging down, and thei legs cut by the cords. The accompanying illustration repn sents one of the ingenious houses wlicl the Kaffirs build for their poultry, house is made of rough basket work,! is then plastered thickly with clay, jm like the low walls of ihe coollood mixes some powdered eaitka ■works the blood andthepowl into a paste. Of course! small quantity of aniinnl filj is scraped from the hide mixtd with the paste, aids to bind it more clos together. The paste being ready, the Kaffir rubs it over the clay model, taking care tolayito a uniform thickness. A few minutes in the burning sunshine sutiic i to harden it loltral)! and then a second coat is added. The Kaffir repeats this process until he has obtainedl coating about the twelfth of an inch in thickness. Just before it has become quite 1 he takes his needle or a very finely pointed assagai, and raises a kind of coarse Dap« the surface, so as to bear a rude resemblance to hair. When it is quite dry, the Kaffir cuts a round hole in the top of the head, and \ril| his needle, aided by sundry implements made ol thorns, picks out the whole of the ( model, leaving only the dry coating of paste. By this time the plastic pastel hardened into a peculiar consistency. It is very heavy in proportion to its bulk, pai on account of the earthy mav ter incorporated with it, and partly on account of i extremely compact nature. It is wonderfully strong, resisting considerable without suffering any damage. It is so hard, that contact with sharp stones, spear hei or a knife blade is perfectly innocuous, and so elastic, that if it were dropped from t clouds upon the earth, it would scarcely sustain any injury. My own specimen represents an elephant, the leathern thong by which the pi is retained being ingeniously contrived to play the part of the proboscis. But the Kaf are singularly ingenious in their manufacture of these curious snuff-boxes, and imit:^ the form of almost every animal of their own country. The ox and the elephant ai their favourite models : but they will sometimes make a snuff-box in the form of J rhinoceros; and the very best specimen that I have as yet seen was in the shape f SNUFP-BOX MADE OP COW - iJi.OOU. SMALL GOURD SNUFF-BOX. MODELLING. 176 hgrtebeest, the peculiar recurved horns, and shape of the head, being rendered with Uierl'iil truth. „ . , . , . , Modelliii},' must naturally imply a mind with some artistic powers ; and it is evident jatany one who an form in clay a recognisable model of uuy object, no matter how Ce it miiy ^^> ^'*8 within him some modicum of the sculptor's art. Tliis implies Iportion of the draughtsman's art also, because in the mind of the modeller there must nst a tol('nil)ly accurate conception of the various outlines that bound the object which ( models. Now the example just given of the snuff-boxes shows plainly that a Kattlr can Lke in clay a recognisablo model of certain given animals, and, therefore, must be some- liad of an artist. He can also carve very respectably in wood ; and, as we have seen lien we < ime to the question of a Kaffir's food, and how he eats it, he can carve his oiis into very artistic forms, and sometimes to the shape of certain objects, whether [titicial or natural. There is now before me an admirably executed modol of the. head J a buffalo, carved by a Kaffir out of a rhinoc^ios norn, the peculiar sweep and curve of lel)uffalo'3 enormous horn being given with a truth and freedom that are really wonderful. Yet it is a most remarkable fact that a Kaffir, as a general rul oomprehend it. tie of my friends, who was travelling in South Africa, halted at a well-known spot, and tile there received a copy of an illustrated newspaper, in which was an engi-aving of U idei'tical spot. He was delighted at the opportunity, and called the Kaffirs to come pd look at the print. Not one. of them could form the slightest conception of its leaning, although, by a curious coincidence, a wagon had been represented in exactly (e situation which was occupied by that in which they were travelling. In vain did he )!ain the print. Here was the wagon — there was that clump of trees — there was that t-topped hill — down in that direction ran that ravine — and so forth. They listened fcry attentively, and then began to laugh, thinking that he was joking with them. The gon, which happened to be in the foreground, they recognised, but the landscape they nored. " That clump of trees," said they, " is more than a mile distant ; how can it i on this flat piece of paper ? " To their minds the argument was ended, and there was ) room for further discussion. 1 have another snuff-box, which is remarkable as being a combination of two arts ; nely, modelling ai^d bead-work. The author of this composition does not seem to bve been a man of original genius, or to have possessed any confidence in his power of lodellmg. Instead of making a clay model of some animal, he has contented himself jith imitating a gourd, one of the easiest tasks that a child of four years old could prform. There is nothing to do but to make a ball of clay, for the body of the box, and [ to it a small cylinder of clay for the neck. The ball need not be exactly spherical, [or the neck exactly cylindrical, so that the exigences of art are easily satisfied. This leciraen is shown at fig. 2, on page 173. The maker of this snuff-box has been scarcely more successful in the ornamental liver than in the box itself. With great labour he has woven an envelope made of ads, and up to a certain point has been successful. He has evidently possessed beads ' several sizes, and has disposed them with some ingenuity. The larger are made into fe covei; for the neck oi the box, a number of the very largest beads being feserved to ark the lino where the neck is worked into the body of the bottle. All the boads are _iing upon threads made of sinews, and are managed so ingeniously that a kind ' close network is formed, which fits almost tightly to the box. But the maker has tmmitted a slight error in his measurements, and the consequence is that, although the jiver fits closely over the greater part of the box, it forms several ungainly wrinkles here I'd there ; the maker having forgotten that, owing to the globular shape of the box, the ameter of the bead envelope ought to have been contracted with each row of beads. ^^^^m^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I |5o ^^" R^M £ us 12.0 11.25 III 1.4 IJ4 ^^ ^%. 6^ ^ ^14 V Hiotographic Sciences Corporation ^;^^^-/^ ^^v 23 WIST MAIN STtKT WIBSTIR.N.Y. 14StO (716) •72-4503 4iif k'^ ^ from them a considerable variety can be formed. llie coQunonest pipes are made out of wood, and are formed on the same principle as I well-known wooden pipes of Europe. But the Kafhr has no lathe in which he itam the bowl smooth on the exterior, and gouge out the wood to make its cavity. Itherhas he the drills with which the European maker pierces the stem, nor the ddi- j tools which give it so neat a finish. He has scarcely any tools but Ids assagai and I needle, and yet with these rude implements he succeeds in making a very serviceable, gg^ not a very artistic pipe. One of the principal points in pipe-making among I Kaffin is, to be liberal as regards the size of the bowl. ismalieet Kaffir pipe is nearly three times as large as gindinaty pipe 9f Europe, and is rather larger than the i porcelain pipes so prevalent in Gtermany. But the soousedby the Glermans is very mild, and is employed ) for its deUcate flavour than its potency; whereas the which a Kaffir uses is rough, coarse, rank, and ex- jemely strong. Some of the pipes used by these tribes are I luge that a casual observer might easUy take them for 8, and they are so heavy and unwieldy, especially the bowl, that on an emergency a smoker might Bctually use his pipe as a club, and beat off either |mM beast or a human foe with the improvised weapon. Generally, the bowl is merely hollowed, and then used I goon as the wood is dry ; but in some cases the dusky nofactorer improves his pipe, or at least thinks that he isso, by lining it with a very thin plate of sheet iroiL Sometimes, though rather rarely, a peculiar kind of stone Itised for the manufacture of pipes. This stone is of a green colour, with a wavy kind [pattern, not imlike that of malachite. Many of the natives set great store by this m, and have almost superstitious ideas of its value and properties. The Kaffir possesses to the full the love of his own especial pipe, which seems to iish every smoker, no matter .what his country may be. The Turk has a plain bowl, but encrusts the stem with jewels, and forms the-»mouthpiece of the st amber. The German forms the bowl of the finest porcelain, and adorns it with I own coat of arms, or with the portrait of some bosom friend, while the stem is oiated with silken cords and tassels of brilliant and symbolical colours. Even the Englishman, plain and simple as are the tastes on which he values himself, M a special pride in a good meerschaum, and decorates his favourite pipe with gold lountiDg and amber mouthpiece. Some persons of simple taste prefer the plain wooden or clay pipe to the costliest icimen that art can furnish; but others pride themselves either upon the costly terials with which the pipe is made, or the quantity of gold and sUver wherewith I is decorated Others, again, seem to prefer forms as grotesque and fantastic as ' that are designed by the Western Afncan negro, as is shown by the variety of Dgely-shapod pipes exhibited in the tobacconists' windows, which would not be so ndantly produced if they did not meet with a correspondingly large sale. The North American Indian lavishes all his artistic powers upon his pipe. As ^mor, upon a campaign he contents himself with a pipe " contrived a double debt to /'his tomahawk being so fashioned that the pipe bowl is sunk in the head, while the ndle of the weapon is hollowed, and becomes the stem. But, as a man of peace, I expends his wealth, his artistic powers, and his time upon his pipe. He takes Doamey to the far distant spot in which the sacred redstone is quarried. He utters [vocations to the Great Spirit; gives offerings, and humbly asks permission to take |VOI» I N GnEENSTONR p;fb. 178 THE KAFFIR. f .i I t ^ !,. ' n-^'- :f --3: : some of the venerated stona He returns home with his treasnre, carves the how] v infinite pains, makes a most elaborate stem, and decorates it with the wampum ^im feathers which are the jewellery of a savage Indian. The inhabitant of VancoQT(i3 Island shapes an entire ^ipe, bowl and stem included, out of solid stone, covering it > %. '4 rice, he contents himself with this simple arrangement But, in proportion as hel...„ rich, he indicates his increasing wealth by the appearance of his pipe ; so that whenl has attained affluence, the cocoa-nut shell is encased in gold and silver filagree, while t stem and mouthpiece are covered with gems and the precious metala It is likely, therefore, that the Eafi&r will expend both time and laK. upon the decoration of his pipe. Of artistic beauty he has veiy litUe ida and is unable to give to his pipe the flowing curves which are fou in the handiwork of the American Indian, or to produce the rude yet vigon designs which ornament the pipe of New Caledonia The form of the KafI pipe seldom varies from that which is shown on page 177, fig. 1, and whole energies of the owner seem to be concentrated on inlaying the bovl y lead. The patterns which he produces are not remarkable either for bei. oir variety, and, indeed, are little more than repetitions of the zigzag engnvin upon the snuff-boxes. There is now before me a pipe which has evidently belonged to a _ who was a skilful smith, and on which the owner has expended all L metallurgic knowledge. The entire stem and the base of the bowl ate uml. of lead, and^he edge of the bowl is furnished with a rim of the same metal The pattern which is engraved upon it is composed of lead, and itisi remarkable fact that the lead is not merely let into the wood, but that tin bowl of the pipe is cut completely through, so that the pattern is seen in I inside as well as on the exterior. This pipe has never been smoked, andt pattern seems to be unfinished. The skill which has been employed in making this pipe is veiy gnat, fe^ it must require no small amount of proficiency both in wood carving ai metal working, to combine the two materials together so perfectly as to I air-tight This curious pipe is represented in the accompanying iUusttatiia,! and is sketched. from a specimen in the collection o Major Eoss King. The hookah, or at least a modification of it, is ii| great use among the Kaffir tribes, and is quite as ii-l genious a piece of art as the " hubble-bubble" oithtl Indian peasant It is made of three distinct paili,| First there is the bowl, which is generally carredj out of stone, and is often ornamented with a deeplyl DOiAiD rm. engraved pattern. The commonest bowls, hoMfcTe^ I are made from earthenware, and are very similar hi shape to that of the Indian pipe. Their form very much resembles that of a banei,^] end having a large and the other a small aper^Jtre. The next article is a reed, some four or ^ inches in length, which is fitted tiglitlf| into the smaller aperture of the bowl ; the . , and most important part, is the bodyi^l the pipe, which is always made of the horn of some animal, that of the ox being inoil| usually found. The favourite horn, however, and that which is most costly, is of the koodoo, the magnificent spiral-homed antelope of Southern Africa. A hole ill bored into the horn at some little distance from the point, and the reed, which has alreadjl been attached to the bowl, is thrust into it, the junction of the reed and horn being iiiaiii| air-tight. I The bowl is now filled with tobacco, or with another mixture that will be describdi| and the horn nearly filled with water. In order to smoke this pipe, the native places hit I A SMOKING FAimr. 179 ^h to the broad open end of the horn, presses the edge of the opening to his cheeks, rits to exclude the air, and then inhales vigorously. The smoke is thus obliged to pass iiroagh the water, and is partially freed from impurities before it reaches the lips of the \^t Daring its passage through the water, it causes a loud bubbling sound, which is ^ht to aid the enjoyment of the smoker. Ym tobacco is, however, seldom smoked in this pipe, and, especially among the i tribe, on exceedingly potent mixture is employed. Tobacco is used for the J of giving the accustomea flavour, but the chief ingredient is a kind of hemp, _ "dBglia," which possesses intoxicating powers jlho8e of the well-known Indian hemp. Smoking ^ hemp is exalted into an important ceremony among riople, and is conducted in the following manner : — number of intending smokers assemble together lot in a circle, having only a single water pipe, to- her with a supply of the needful tobacco and the judi hemp, called " dagha" by the natives. The ; in iai]k fills the pipe, lights it, and inhales as ismdke as his lungs can contain, not permitting any it to escape. He then hands the pipe to the man ; him, and closes his mouth to prevent the smoke om escaping. The result of this proceeding is not gg in manifesting itself. Convulsions agitate the dy, firoth issues from the mouth, the eyes seeth to t from the head, while their brilliancy dies away, is replaced by a dull, film-like aspect, and the ires are contorted like those of a person attacked fithepilepjy. This stage of excitement is so powerful that the iman frame cannot endure it for any length of time, nd in a minute or two the smoker is lying insensible he ground. As it would be dangerous to allow a to remain in this state of insensibility, he is \mA by his still sober comrades, wh ' employ means, pt the most gentle, to bring him to his senses. They 1 his woolly hair, they box his ears, and they throw et over him, not in the most delicate manner, and thus awake him from his lethargy. here are, however, instances where these remedial means have fiedled, and the senseless Dokerhas never opened his eyes again in this world. Whence the gratification arises is trd to say, and the very fact that there should be any gratification at all is quite explicable to a European. These dusky smokers, however, regard the pipe as sup- pyJDg one of the greatest luxuries of life, and will sacrifice aknost everything to saessiL -^ Although the Damara tribe are roecial victims to this peculiar mode of smoking, it I practised to some extent by the Kaffirs. These, however, are not such slaves to the |ipe as the Damaras, neither do they employ the intoxicating hemp to such an extent, but se tobacco. Their water pipes are mostly made of an ox horn, one or two of which are I my collection. They sometimes fasten the bowl permanently in its place by means of I brind strap of antelope hide, one part of which goes round the bowl, and the other jHind the stem, so as to brace them firmly together by its contraction. The hair of the ptelope is allowed to remain on the skin, and, as the dark artist has a natural eye for blow, he always chooses some part of the skin where a tolerably strong contrast of W exists. This is the case m the pipe which has been drawn above. The figm-e taken from a specimen in the museum attached to the Nottingham Mechanics' istitute. There is a very singular kind of pipe which seems to be in use over a considerable ^rtion of Southern Africa. The native of this country is never at a loss tor a pipe, and m2 WATER PIPB. 180 THE EAFFIB. Jl.- .? i- 3? ■»*:; ■ .<*» til' 'V- !■ ! I, f iMV! ■hi if ho does not happen to possess one of the pipes in ordinary use, he can make one in i few minutes, wherever he may be. For this purpose he needs no tools, and requires no wood, stone, nor other material of which pipes are generally made. There is a certain grandeur about his notion of a pipe, for he converts the earth into that article, and the world itself becomes his tobacco-^ipe. The method of making this pipe is perfectly simple. First, he povirs some water on the ground, and makes a kind of mud pie. The precise manner in which this pie is made is depicted in Hogarth's well-known plate of the "Enraged Musician." He now lays an assagai or a knob-kerrie on the ground, and kneads the mud over the end of the shaft so as to form a ridge some few inches in length, having a rather large lump of mni at the end. This mud ridge is the element of the future pipe. The next proceeding is to push the finger into the lump of mud imtil it reaches the spear shaft, and then to work it about until a cavity is made, which answers the purpose of the bowl. The assagai is then carefully vith-j drawn, and the pipe is complete, ithe perforated mud ric^ doing i duty for the stem. ] , A few minutes in thebnmiiv sunbeams suffice to bake the mod into a hard mass, and the pipe is ready for use. The ingenious manufacturer then fills the hoiri with tobacco and proceeds to smoke. This enjoyment he man- ages to secure by lying on bis face, putting his lips upon the small orifice, and at the sane time applying a light to the to- bacco in the bowl In some places the pipe ii made in a slightly different man- ner. A shallow hole is scooped in the ground, some ten or twelve inches in diameter, and two or three deep, and the earth that has been removed is then replaced in the hole, moistened and kneaded into a compact mud. A green twig is then taken, bent in the form of a half circle, and the middle of it pressed into the hole, leaving the ends projecting at either side. Just before the mud has quite hardened, the twig is careMy I withdrawn, and at the same time the bowl is made by pushing the finger after the twig] and widening the hole. In such case the pipe is of such a nature that a European could not smoke it, even if he could overcome the feeling of repugnance in \ising it. His projecting nose would be in the way, and his small thin lips could not take a proper hold. But the broad nose, and large, projecting lips of the South African native are admirably adapted for the pni- pose, and enable him to perfonn with ease a task which would be physically impracticable | to the Europeaa It is a remarkable fact that in some parts of Asia the natives construct a pipe i the same principle. This pipe will be described in its proper place. When the Kaffirs can assemble for a quiet smoke, they have another curious cnstom. I The strong, rank tobacco excites a copious flow of saliva, and this is disposed of in « rather strange manner. The smokers are furnished with a tube about a yard in length, and generally a reed, or straight branch, from which the pith has been extracted. A peculiarly handsome specimen is usually covered with the skin of a bullock's tail Through this tube the smokers in turn discharge the superabundant moisture, and it in thought to be a delicate compliment to select the same spot that has been previously used THE POOR HAN'S PIPE. ■til TOBACCO CULTIVATION. 181 r another. Sometimes, instead of a hole, a circular trench is employed* but the mode u „ging it is exactly the same. ^ "Hie accompanving illustration represents a couple of well-bred gentlemen — a married n and a "boy —indulging in a pipe in the cool of the evening. The man has taken ^ f^uro at the pipe, and handed it to bis comrade, who inhales the smoke while he unself is engaged with the tube above-mentioned. Wisbinff to give some little variety -J the occupation, he has drawn an outlined figure of a krau, and is just going to form Imeof the nuts. Presently, the boy will hand the pipe back again, exchange it for the ube and take his turn at the manufacture of the kraal, which will be completed by the ne that the pipe is finished. . v KAFFIR QBirniEHEN 8M0K1KQ. [ajor Boss King describes this curious proceeding in a very amusing manner. "Ketaimng the last draught of smoke in his mouth, which he fills with a decoction of bark and water from a cdabash, he squirts it on the ground by his side, through a long bmamented tube, performing thereon, by the aid of a reserved portion of the liquid, a sort pf boatswain's whistle, complacently regarding the soap-like bubbles, the joint production ' himself and neighbour. "On this occasion, finding a blanketed group sitting apart in a circle, smoking the gha before described^ at their invitation I squatted down cross-legged in the ring, and ^ceiving the rude cow-horn pipe in my turn, took a pull at its capacious mouth, coughing Mently at the sufibcating fumes, as indeed they aU did more or less, and after tasting pe nasty decoction of bark which followed round in a calabash, took the poKtely-ofTered pitting-tube of my next neighbour, signally failing, however, in the orthodox whistle, the unbounded delight of the Fingoes, whose hearty, ringing laughter was most mtagious." Tobacco is cultivated by several of the tribes inhabiting Southern AMca, and is ■epaied in nearly the same method as is employed in other parts of the world, the leaves being gathered, " sweated," and finally dried. Still, they appreciate the tobacco Vhich they obtain from Europeans, and prefer it to that which is manufactured by in „ - 'It . 182 THE KAFFIR Some of tbe Kaffin are veiy successM in their cultivation of tobacco, and find tk a good crop is a very valuable property. A Kaffir -without tobacco is a nuBeralle be and, if it were only.for his own sake, the possession of a supply which will Uit throughout the ^ear is a subject of congratulation. But any tobacco that is not neu for the use of himself or his household is as good as money to the owner, as tiiem few things which a Kaffir loves that tobacco cannot buy. If he sees a set of beads tl particularlv pleases him, and the owner should happen to be poorer thflb himself, he ( purchase the finery by the sacrifice of a little of his fragrant store. Also, he can we respect of the "boys," who seldom possess property of any kind except their sL and spears, and, by judicious gifts of tobacco, can oft^ make them his followers, j being the, first step towards chieftainship. (Generally, a Kaffir makes up the crop tii i garden into a single bundle, sometimes -weighing fifty or sixty pounds, and carel. encases it with reeds, much after the fiuhion that naval tobacco is sewn up in canv, He is sure to place these rolls in a conspicuous part of the houses in order to exti the envy and admiration of his oompanion& KAVriR STAFf. „J BSUOIOUB "^"iroBU)— MO IpOin OF TBI Dl OD Btt «OBT — xm roB SAORin KB AVWITUCO THl Xn OBrtOTS— THE Honu wmoB ati 0? raOPHHOT— FB _tHI FBOBATIOK 0) THB FBOFUXTS TBI OOMFiMY OF CHAPTER XVII. BELIGipN AND 8UFEBSTITI0N. isuoiocs ntenu or thi KAvrm — ma idka or a obbatob — ^how d>ath oaioi nrro m WOBLD — UIO>in>8 AND TBADITIONB — BBUBT IN THB mMOKTAUTT OV THB SOUL — THB ipam or thb diao, amd thub sufposbd nrrLVBiroB — tohaza'b vinoB — a KArm sbbb uiD BU vroBT — ruBtmrs or obpabtbd BFOirrs — thb umits or thbib vowbb — animaui tfUO FOB SAOBinOB TO THBX -- TBMPOBABT TBANSMIOBATIOir — TABIOrS OMBMa, ABD IIBABS fOB AVXBTIirO THBX — ^WHT BAOBinOBS ABB MADB — A NATIVB'b HIBTOBT OB A BACBinOB, AMD in OBJIOTB — THB BBABT OB riBBT-rBUITB — BAOBinOB OB THB BULL, AMD THB BTBAMOB OBBB- KOmS WHICH ATTBMD I^— XAmB PBOPHBTS AMD THBIB OmOBB — ^HBBBDITABT TBAMBMIBBIOir OrPBOFHBOT — BBOOBBBB OB A PBOBHBT — THB OHANOB — IM T BB V IB W WITH AM OLD PBOFHBT -TBI PBOBATIOMABT BTA0B8 OB PBOFHBCT — ^A PBOPHBT'B BBTCBM TO HU BAlOLT— 80H00L 0> THB PB0FUBT8— BBABCH BOB THB BFIBITB — THB OBBAT BAOBinOR, AMD BBOBmON IMTO TEI OOMPAMT or PB0PHBT8 — THB WAMD OB OmCB — ^DBBBS OB A PBOPHBT. ' is not very easy to say whether a KafiKr possesses any religion at all, in onr sense [the word. With superstition he ia deeply imbued, and passes his lifetime in con- denble dread of witchcraft and of evil spirits. But religion which conv^s any sense f moral responsibility, seems to be incomprehensible to the ordinary Kaffir, and even jisnatunlly logical mind inclines him to practical atheism. As far as is known, the Kaffir tribes nave a sort of tradition concerning a Oxeator, wm they call by a compound word that may be translated as the Great-Great, and to iiom th^ attribute the first origin of all tmnss. But it is certain that they offer him worship, and meikB no prayers to him, and nave no idea that they are personally ipoosible to him for their act& Moreover many of the tribes do not even possess this imperfect kn "vledge; and iren in those cases where it does exist, its origin is very uncertain, and it i^ impossible ascertain whether the tradition may not be a corrupted recollection of Instruction wed from some European. Such, indeed, has been known to be the case among the iffii8,and it is probable that the knowledge of a Creator is really derived from European Duces. At all events, such knowledge is by no means universal, and exercises such lall influence on the people that it is scarcely worthy of mention. There are, indeed, one or two legendary stories concerning the Great-Great, relating )the creation of man, and to the duration of human life. The man is supposed to have een created by splitting a reed, from which the first parents of the human race proceeded. l<^^« «^«h * discovery, and will not offer KnlSlT J^' P'"''^'"* '^i^ ^ ^^'^ "^""^ ''' ^^^^ an ancestor would not SLfw^Vin^S.1 ? '"""^ ""V^"^^' '^^'P* ^ ^^^ * ^*">i°g that, unless he were mJ^!^JTAT\'^'^^ evil consequence would follow. In consequence of this I iTlv iL wl?*''^* ^'^*. 1''^^' *° ™°g ^«^P««<« ^^ li^a^ds: not knowing '• Pl?,,i/tr^r^^^^ "^^"^^ ^^^^y *°^a^d« «°°^e dead ancestor who will avenge elf upon them for their want of respect. ^ KtinT J'k-.'^J^ ^"1^^ * ^'^t' *^® K*^ ^o^d ta'^e ^0 notice of it, as these m], are m the habit of entering human dwellings ; but if a sheep wer« to do so. he FINDING A SNAEB. m i ; ■*.; hi tiii i'\ I *. s?^SF \'. 186 THE KAFFIR would immediately fancy that it waa inspired with the shade of one of his anceitoH The same would be the cose with a wild animal of any kind, unless it were a b^gt prey, in which case it mi^ht possibly have made its way into the hut in search of for,. A similar exception would be made with regard to antelopes and other animala wld^ had been hunted, and had rushed into the kraal or crept mto the hut as a refuge fitn their foes. Sacrifices are often made, not only to remove existing evils, but to avert impendiM dancer. In battle, for example, a soldier who finds that the enemy are getting thTapper hand, will make a vow to his ancestors that if he comes safelv out of the fight, he i!i mi^e a sacrifice to them, and this vow is always kept Even if the soldier should be J "boy," who has no cattle, his father or nearest relation would think himself bound tt] ftilfil the vow. Now and then, if he should find that the danger was not so great aa wu anticipated, he will compromise the matter by offering a goat. Unless a sacrifice of gonw kind were made, the vengeance of the offended spirits would be terrible, and no Kaffii would willingly run such a risk. Sacrifices are also offered for the purpose of obtaining certain favours. For example, as has been already mentioned, when an army starts on an expedition, sacrificea an made to the spirits, and a similar rite is performed when a new kraal is built, or a nev field laid out Belatives at home will offer sacrifices in behalf of their absent friendt; and when a chief is away from home in command of a war expedition, the sacrificea foi his welfare occur almost daily. Sacrifices or thank-offerings ought also to be made when the spirits have been propitious ; and if the army is victorious, or the chief retuned in health, it is thought right to add another sacrifice to the former, in token of acknow' ledgment that the previous offering has not been in vain. ^ The Kaffir generally reserves the largest and finest ox in his herd for sacrifice underL very important circumstances, and this animal, which is distinguished by the name otl " Ox of the Spirits," is never sold except on pressing emergency. I Mr. Shooter, who has given great attention to the moral culture of the Kaffir triHl remarks with much truth, that the Kaffir's idea of a sacrifice is simply a present of foodi to the spirit For the same reason, when an ox is solemnly sacnficed, the prophet iil attendance calls upon the spirits to come and eat and adds to the inducement by placisgl baskets of beer and vessels of snuff by the side of the slaughtered animal Indeed,! when a man is very poor, and has no cattle to sacrifice, he contents himself with tbeNl latter offerings. I The account of one of these sacrifices has been translated by Mr. Grout, from tlnl words of a native. After mentioning a great variety of preliminary rites, he proceeds tol say, " Now some one person goes out and when he has come abroad, without the knal,! all who are within their houses keep silence, while he goes round the kraal, the outnl enclosure of the kraal, and says, ' Honour to thee, lord I' (inkosi.) Offering prayers tol the shades, he continues, ' A blessing, let a blessing come then, since you have lealljl demanded your cow ; let sickness depart utterly. Thus we offer your animal' | " And on our part we say, ' Let the sick man come out, come forth, be no longer sick, and slaughter your animal then, since we have now consented that he may have it k his own use. Glory to thee, lord ; good news ; come then, let us see him going about lih other people. Now then, we have given you what you want; let us therefore see whetha or not it was enjoined in order that he might recover, and that the sickness mi^ pass by.' " And then, coming out, spear in hand, he enters the cattle fold, comes up and stall it The cow cries, says yeh ! to which he replies, ' An animal for the gods ought h show signs of distress ; ' it is all right then, just what you required. Then they skini^ eat it, finish it" Sometimes the gaU is eaten by the sacrificer, and sometimes it is rubb over the body. Another kind of sacrifice is that which is made by the principal man of a kraal,! even by the king himself, about the first of January, the time when the pods of tl maize are green, and are in a fit state for food. No Kaffir will venture to eat the prodm of the new year until after the festival, which may be called the Feast of First-ficuita [' ...i;! SAOBIFICINO. wr The feut lasts for several dayn, and in order to celebrate it, the whole army assembles, ^her with the young recruits who have not yet been entrusted with shields. The nphets al*o auemble in great force, their business being to invent certain modes of !Liiur food, which will rendeMhe body of the consumer strong throughout the year. f^ill^tival, also, the veteran soldiers who have earned their discharge are formally Uetied from service, while the recruits are draughted into the ranka The fint business is, the sacrifice of the bull For this purpose a bull is given to the frion, who are obliged to catch it and strangle it with their naked hands. They got'even allowed a rope with which to bind the animal, and the natural conse- fence ia, that no small amount of torture is inflicted upon the poor animal, while the on ore placed in considerable jeopardy of their lives. When the bull is dead, the 'i ■ i ,li 8A0RIFI0INO THE BULL. lief prophet opens it, and removes the gall, which he mixes with other medicines and pes to the king and his councillors. The dose thus prepared is always as unsavoury a kre as can well be conceived, but the Kaffir palate is not very delicate, and suffers tie under the infliction. The body of the bull is next handed over to the " boys," who eat as much as they n,8nd are obliged to burn the remainder. As a general rule, there is very little to be irned. The men do not eat the flesh of this animal, but they feast to their heart's ^tent on other cattle, which are slaughtered in the usual manner. Dancing, drinking, id taking snuff now set in, and continue in full force for several days, until not even jtffir energy can endure more exertion. Then comes 'the part of the king. The subjects form themselves into a vast ring, lo which the king, dressed in all the bravery of his dancing apparel, enters with a bnd, amid shouts of welcome from the people. He proceeds to indulge in one of the TOU8 dances which the Kaffirs love, springing high into the air, flourishing his stick of te, and singing songs in his own praises, until he can dance and sing no longer. oeially, this dance is not of very long duration, as the king is almost invariably a fat 1 unwieldy man, and cannot endure a prolonged exertion. The crowning incident of the feast now takes place. The king stands in the midst m people— Dingan always stood on a small mound of earth — takes a young and green - - * 188 THE KAFFIR -.4, i: I »?;;■ calabash in his hands, and dashes it upon the ground, so as to break it in pieces- by t act declaring the harvest begun, and the people at liberty to eat of the fruits of the r year. A very similar ceremony takes place among the tribes of American Indians consequence of which is frequently that the people abuse the newly-granted per and in a few days consume all the maize that ought to have served them for tl months of winter. The Kaffir has a strong belief in omens ; though perhaps not stronger than credulity in some parts of our own land. He is always on the look-out for omenTj has as keen an eye for them and their meaning as an ancient augur. Anythins t! happens out of the ordinary course of events is an omen, either for good, or evil, and L natural constitution of a Kaffir's mind always inclines him to the latter feeUng. ^ ; the ancient days, the modem Kaffir finds most of his omens in the actions of animals. One of the worst of omens is the bleating of a sheep as it is being slai Some years ago this omen occurred in the kraal belonging to one of Panda's "i ^ or councillors. A prophet was immediately summoned, and a number of sacrifices offer; to avert the evil omen. Panda himself was so uneasy that he added an ox to th sacrifices, and afterwards came to the conclusion that a man whose kraal could be visits by such an infiiction could not be fit to liva He accordingly sent a party of i kill the induna, but the man, knowing the character of his chief, took the alarm in tin and escaped inio British territory in Natal ' If a goat were tb leap on a hut, nothing would be thought of it ; but if' a aog ou eheep were to do so, it would be an omen. It is rather remarkable that among the Koit American tribes the roofs of houses form the usual resting-place of the dogs which svai in every village. If a cow were to eat grain that had been spilled on the groimd, it woil be no omen ; but if she were to ^ush off the cover of a vessel containing grain, ande the contents, the act would be considered ominous. Mention has been made once or twice of the prophets, sometimes, but erroneonsly, -witch doctors. These personages play a most impoi-tant part in the religious system the Kaffir tribes ; and although their office varies slightly in detail, according to thi locality to which they belong, their general characteristics are the same thi-oughont coimtry. Their chief offices are, communicating with the spirit of the departed, ascertaining their wishes ; discovering the perpetrators of crimes ; reversing spells thni by witchcraft ; and lastly, and most important, rain-making. The office of prophet cannot be assumed by any one who may be ambitious of such distinction, but is hedged about with many rites and ceremonies. In the first place, it ii not every one who is entitled even to become a candidate for the office, which is p hereditary. A prophet must be descended from a prophet, though he need not prophet's son. Indeed, as a general rule, the sons of prophets do not attain the ( which their fathera held, the supernatural afflatus generally passing over one generatioi and sometimes two. In the next place, a very long and arduous preparation is nadefc the office, and the candidate, if he passes successfully through it, is solemnly admittedl into the order by a council of seers, who meet for the purpose. When first the spirit of prophecy manifests itself to a Kaffir, he begins by losing all his interest in the events of every-day life. He becomes depressed in mind; prefen] solitude to company ; often has fainting fits ; and, what is most extraordinary of all, los his appetite. He is visited by dreams of an extraordinary character, mainly relating serpents, lions, hysenas, leopards, and other wild beasts. Day by day he becomes nioi and more possessed, until the perturbations of the spirit manifest themselves openly. In this stage of his novitiate, the future prophet uttera terrible yells, leaps here there with astonishing Mgour, and runs about at fcdl speed, leaping and shrieking all tl time. When thus excited he will dart into the bush, catch snakes (which an ordinal Kaffir will not touch), tie them round his neck, boldly fling himself into the water, perform all kinds of insane feats. This early stage of a prophet's life is called by the Kaffira Twasa, a word signifies the change of the old moon to the new, and the change of winter to spring ill PREPAEATIONS FOR PROPHETSHIP. 189 ^ of the year. During its progress, the head of his house is supposed to feel t^ride in the fact that a prophet is to be numbered among the family, and to offer fices for the success of the novice. When the preliminary stage is over, the future het goes to some old and respected seer, gives him a goat as a fee, and remains under [^haiee until he has completed the necessary course of instruction. He then assumes, idie^ and character of a prophet, and if he succeeds in his ofSce he will rise to loonded power among his tribe. But should his first essay be unsuccessful, he is fcrersally contemned as one whom the spirits of the departed think to be unworthy Itheir confidence. I Mr. Shooter gives a very graphic account of the preparation of a prophet, who was her to one of his own servants. The reader will not fail to notice that the man in stioa was entitled by birth to assume the prophet's office. ■ 'M '^ M THB PBOPHErS RETUKN. "Some of the particulars may be peculiar to his tribe, and some due to the caprice of i individual. A married man (whose mother was the daughter of a prophet) had ifested the symptoms of inspiration when a youth ; but his father, not willing to ughter his cattle as custom would have required, employed a seer of reputation to ick the growing ' change.' The dispossession was not, however, permanent ; and when I youth became a man, the inspiration returned. He professed to have constantly urring dreams about lions, leopards, elephants, boa-constrictors, and all manner of Id beasts ; he dreamed about the Zulu country, and (strangest thing of all) that he had lehement desire to return to it. ["After a while he beca»ne very sick ; his wives, thinking he was dying, poured cold ''' over his prostrate person ; and the chief, whose induna he was, sent a messenger ( '^ mm [i^'il !,t ■!' i.i 190 THE KAFFIR to a prophet. The latter declared that the man was becoming inspired, and diiectejt chief to supply an ox for sacrifice. This was disagreeable, but that personage did dare to refuse, and the animal was sent ; he contrived however to delay the sacrifice prudently ordered that, if the patient died in the meantime, the ox should be letonn Having begun to recover his strength, our growing prophet cried and raved likeadeliriol being, suffering no one to enter his hut, except two of his younger children — ^a girl aJ boy. Many of the tribe came to see him, but he did not permit them to apptoacU person, and impatiently motioned them away. " In a few days he rushed out of his hut, tore away through the fence, ran L maniac across the grass, and disappeared in the bush. The two children went after] and the boy (his sister having tired) eventually discovered him on the sea-shore. THE PBOPHETS SCHOOli. the child could approach, the real or affected madman disappeared again, and was seeni more for two or tiiree days. He then returned home, a strange and frightful sped sickness and fasting had reduced him almost to a skeleton ; his eyes glared and out from his shrunken face ; the ring had been torn from his head, which he had coven with long shaggy grass, while, to complete the hideous picture, a living serpent ' twisted round his neck. Having entered the kraal where his wives were in tears, i the inmates in sorrow, he saluted them with a wild howl to this effect : ' People call i mad, I know they say I am mad ; that is nothing ; the spirits are influencing me-ti spirits of Majolo, of Unhlovu, and of my father.' " After this a sort of dance took place, in which he sung or chanted, ' I thought 1 1 dreaming while I was asleep ; but, to my surprise, I was not asleep.' The won (previously instructed) broke forth into a shrill chorus, referring to his departure fio|| home, his visit to the sea, and his wandering from river to river ; while the men d part by singing two or three unmeaning syllables. The dance and the accompan)^ chants were several times repeated, the chief actor conducting himself consistently wit! his previous behaviour. " His dreams continued, and the people were told that he had seen a boa-constricte in a vision, and could point out the spot where it was to be found. They accompanid him ; and, when he had indicated the place, they dug, and discovered two of the lepti' THE "CHANGE" 191 ideavoared to seize one, but the people held him back, and his son struck the animal gttlficient force to disable but not to kill it. He was then allowed to take the mt trhich he placed round his neck, and the party returned home. Subsequently (as he alleged) dreamed about a leopard, the people accompanied him, and found J beast was slain, and carried in triumph to the kraaL When our growing prophet returned home after his absence at the sea, he began to rhter his cattle, according to custom, and continued doing so at intervals until the eweie consumed. Some of them were offered in sacrifice. As the general rule, tbere is beef at a kraal the neighbours assemble to eat it ; but, when an embiyo- jays his cattle, those who wish to eat must previously give him something. It ver the chief were to give him a cow, the people of the tribe would be free to go. case the chief had not done so, and the visitors were obliged to buy their jertainment, one man giving a Qe, another a shilling. An in- ^diiiil,who was unable or un- illing to pay, having ventured piesent himself with emply jids, oar neophyte was exceed- dy wroth, and, seizing a stick, ) Ae intruder a significant Lffbich the latter was not slow "Dniiog the consumption of eattle, the neophyte disap- [i^aijl for two days. When \ns fimshed he went to a with whom he resided I moras— his children taking I food ; and afterwards, to re- tvefiiither instruction, visited seer. He was then oon- leied qualified to practise." Ibe reader may remember that 9 novitiate prophet occasionally himself into water. He «ses the clearest and deepest lol that he can find, and the ^t of doing so is to try whether jrofthe spirits will reveal them- Ives to him at the bottom of the «r, though they would not do I on dry land. In the foregoing story of a [ophet's preparation, tha narrator I not touch upon the space that lervenes between the novitiate the admission into the pro- etic order. This omission can I supplied by an account given [Mr. Grout, by a native who was rra believer in the supernatural powers of the prophets. The state of " change " lasts for a long time, and is generally terminated at the begin- gof the new year. He then rubs himself all over with white clay, bedecks himself h living snakes, and goes to a council of seers. They take him to the water — the sea, ' 7 should be within reach of the coast — ^throw him into the water, 4||id there leave He again goes off into solitude, and, when he returns, he is aooca^jpopied by the PROPHET AND WIFB. -'■ ^ §- .( ' 192 THE KAFHR. : Cle of his kraal, bringing oxen and goats for sacxifl^ He does not sacrifiot vm nse they are silent when killed, whereas an ox lows, and a goat bleats, aod^ needfid that any animal which is slaughtered as a sacrifice must cry out. Aa they are saccessiyely sacrificed, he takes out the bladders and gall-bags, inflates! OLD FBOFHEia with air, and hangs them about his body, as companions to the snakes which he is aln wearing. " He enters pools of water, abounding in serpents and alligators. And now.ifli catches a snake, he has power over that ; or if he catches a leoparcl, he has power ovi the leopard ; or if he catches a deadly-poisonous serpent^ he has power over the moi ZULU PBOFHBT. ^ IM ^leipeni And thus he takes hit degrees, Che degree of leinwxd, that he may [j^opaidq, and of aer^ents, that he may catoh serpents." Not until he has completed ) Dtepuations does he begin to practise his profession, and to exact payment ficom _j wbo oome to ask his advice. flhe iUutration on pa^ 191 is taken firom a photograph whidi represents a Zulu Uet ud his wife. He is not dressed in his official costume, a specimen of which may [^ ic the next illustration, but is merely clad in the ordinaiy dress of every-day lifa Ktoup iB particularly valuable, as showing the singular contrast between the two • the husband and wife scarcely seeming to belong to the same race of mankind. indeed, is generally the case throughout the Kaffir tribes, Ihe Kaffir prophet _^ffl canies a wand of offlcey-generally a cow's tail, iiMtened to a wooden handle and ^ other hand he bears a miniature shield and an asssgaL 16 next engraving represents two prophets, in the roll costume of their professitm. wen both celebrated men, and had attidned old age when their portraits were ^ One of them was peculiarly^ noted for his skill as a rain-maker, and the other was ^for ^s knowledge of medicine and the properties of herbs. Each is arrayed in UrmentB suitable to the business in which he is engaged. Although tiie '^ame man ia i^yaiain-nudcer, a witch-finder, a necromancer, and a physician, he does not wear I Hme costume on all occasions, but indues the official dress which belongs to the sod in many cases the change is so great that the man can scarcely be J one css^ he will be dressed merely in the ordinary Kaffir kilt, with a few inflated |.])Iidden in lus hair, and a snake-skin- wound ovet his shoulders. In another, he will iiabbed his ftce and body with white earth, covered his head with such quantities of .ins that his face can hardly be seen under them, and fringed his limbs with the tails Oft, the long hair4ufts of goats, skins of birds, and other wild and savage adornments ; etuad clanking sound is made at every movement by numbers of small I strung on leathern thongs. His movements are equally changed with hia ;; and a man who will, when invoking rain, invest every gesture with solemn and ck graces will, when acting as witch-finder, lash himseu mto furious excitement, \ in the air, flourish his legs and arms about as if they did not belong to him, fill [til with his shrieks, and foam at the mouth as if he had been taken with an epileptic It is rather curious that, while in some Kaffir tribes a man who is liable te fits ia and repelled, among othert he is thought to be directly inspired by the souls ^ ited chiefit, and is tjMo fada entitled to become a prophet, even though he be not sphetiod descent He is one who has been specially ohoeen by the apints, and may .1^ prophetical office to his descendants. 1 CHAPTER XVIII. BELIOION AND SUPERSTITION- Conttnuetf. DTmiS OF TRa PBOPRBT — X PBOPBICT AlH) HIS OLIKNTS — PBOBABLB BB8ULT OV TBI Ol^nirJ ▲ KAFFIB'b BBLXSr IN OHABMS — 0HABM-STICK8 AND THBU VARIOUS PBOPBBTIB8 — oocu j AND THONDBB CHABHS — A SOUTH AFRICAN THUNDRR8T0BM — LOVB, LION, AND FATIOm i — THE KAFFIR OATTLB DOCTOR — ILLMKSB OF A CHIEF THB WIZARD SUXXOMBD— i| THB VIZARD — A TRBRIBLB SCBNB — KONA'S ILLNB88 AND ITS BB8ULT8 — A FBHAU HOFI AND HBB FROCBBDINOS — INOBNI0U8 MODR OF EXTORTION — THB IHF08TUBE DBTBOTBD— B DITARY CHARACTER OF PBOFHBCY — A PROPHETESS AT HOMB — DEMEANOUR OF FEXALI FBOFl — SUROBBT AND MBDICINB — ^A PBIlflTIVB UODB OF CI7FPINO — A FALSE PROPHET AND BIB li] ~>A BQiaULAB SUPBBSnnON — KA7FIB TAHPIBBS— THB MIOHX CBY — PBOCUBINO BnDIHCl m ^' Thk object for which the KafBr prophet is generally consulted is the discovery of i craft Now, the reader must understand that the belief in witchcraft is universal thno^ out Africa, and in no part of that continent is it so strong as in Kaffirland. Thenj scarcely an ill that can befall mankind which is not believed to be caused by witcha and, consequently, the prophet has to find out the author of the evil The most haul discovery that he can make is, that the charm has not been wrought by any individu but has been the work of offended spirits. All illness, for example, is thougfattol caused by the spirits of the departed, either liecause they are oQ'ended with the suffei or because they have been .worked upon by some necromancer. Mr. Shooter has so well described the course of proceeding in such a case that his on words must be given : — " When people consult a prophet, they do not tell him on what subject they wish j be enlightened. He is supposed to be acquainted with their thoughts, and they men intimate that they wish to have the benefit of his knowledge. Pi-obably he will' ta time to consider,' and not give his responses at once. Two young men visiting hiin,| consequence of their brothers illness, found the prophet squatting by his hut, and salr him. He then invited them to sit down, and, retiring outside the kraal, squatted nmi gate, to take snuff and meditate. This done to his satisfaction, he sends a boy to naHi^ visitors into his presence ; when they immediately join him, and squat " The prophet asks for his 'assa^i' — a figurative expression for his fee— when t applicants reply that they have nothmg to give at present ; after a while, they will ! something to pay him with. ' No,' answers the prophet, not disposed to give credit; ' want to cheat me — everybody tries to do so now. Why don't you give me two sluiiipl They offer him a small assagai ; but he is not satisfied with the weapon, and, pointingf a larger one, says, ' That is mine.' The man who had brought this excuses himself^ saying that it does not belong to him ; but the prophet persists, and it is givea " Having no hope of extorting a larger fee, the prophet says, ' Beat and hear, i people.' Each of the applicants snaps his fingers, and replies, ' I hean' The heatii^| sometimes, and perhaps more regularly, performed by beating the ground with sticks. THE PROPHET AND HIS CLIENTS. 195 "The prophet now pretends to have a vision, indistinct at first, but becoming eventually deanr* vn^ ^^ "^^ ^^^ actual thing which has occurred. This vision he professes to leribe as it appears to him. We may imagine him saying, for instance, ' A cow is ^^no. I see a man ; a man has been hurt' While he runs on in this way, the appli- nti leply to ^^^^ assertion by beating, as at first, and saying, ' I hear.' They carefully staia m>m saying whether he is right or wrong; but when he approaches the truth, the Bple creatures testify their joy by beating and replying with increased vigour. ^The prophet's simulated vision is not a series of guesses, in which he may possibly bitnpon the truth, but a systematic enumeration of particulars, in which he can scarcely Diss it Thus, he may b^in by saying that the thing which the applicants wish to know Klates to some animal with hair, and, going through each division of that clasn, suggests fhatever may be likely to occur to a cow, a cal^ a dog. If he find no indicaticn that the PBOPHKC Ain> INQUraSRS. Alter relates to one ot this class, he takes another, as human beings, and proceeds krough it in the same manner. It is obvious that a tolerably clever practitioner may, in pis way, discover from the applicants whatever may have happened to them, and send pm away with a deep impression of his prophetic abilities, especially if he have any cvioua knowledge of their circumstances. The following sketch will give the reader a jeneral idea of the prophet's manner of proceeding, A few particulars only, as being fficient for illustration, are given : — " ' Beat and hear, my people.' " They snap their fingers, and say, ' I hear.' "'Attend, my people.' " They beat, and say, • I hear. "I don't know what you want; you want to know something abont an animal with w. A cow is sick ; what's the matter with her ? I see a wound on her side — no ; I'm nng. A cow is lost ; I see a cow in the bush. Nay, don't beat, my people ; I'm wrong. ["sadog; a dog has ascended a hut.* Nay, that's not it. I see now — ^beat vigorously ; ! thing relates to people. Somebody is ill — a man is ill — ^he is an old man. No ; I see jwomaQ— she has been married a year : where is she ? I'm wrong ; I don't see yet' t. Thii^ it vill be remembered, is one of the mil omens wbioh a Kaflk fears. 02 196 THE KAFFIB. " Ferhap* he takes snuff, and rests a whUe. * " ' Beat uid hear, my peoplft I see now ; it's a boy— beat vigoroosty. Re ii iu| Where is he siokt Let me see— there' (placing his hand on some i^at of his own mtml " No— beat and attend, my people — I see now. Thsbi 1 ' (indicating the aotnsl plaJI ' Where is he ? Not at his kraal ; he is working with a white man. How hsi he bZI hurt? I see him going to the bush— he has gone to fetch wood ; a piece of wood ft upon him ; he is hurt — ^he cannot walk. I see water; what's the watn fort Him , pouring it over him ; he is fainting— he is veiy ilL The spirits are angiy with hiu- ufher is angiy ; he wants bee£ The bo^ received a cow for his wages; it wsstL cow. No ; I see whita Where is the white 7 a little on the side. The sp^t wsnti < cow ; kill It, and the boy will recover.' " Fortunate indeed are the spectators of the scene if the necromancer makes ndt i|l announcement^ and any one of these would be only too glad to compound ibr twi sacrifice of a cow, if he could be sure of escaping accusation as a wizaod. In the cm of a "boy," or even of a married man of no great rank or wealth, such will pTobeblr) the result of the inquiry— the prophet will get his fee, the spectators will get a feait^ i the patient may possibljr .set better. But when a t a ohurin. His reply, howeyer, is always easy: " He only sate im ^ I' expect BoatKshanns ; if he wanted ox-ohanns, be ought to have OM a oow, or ui least a caJf." Even if an adequate fee has been paid, the answer iMttUy "t^y — ^^* '°'^ ^'^ * wisard, and the spirits of his ancestors were augry with lia tenonblingtbem so much with his conjurations. YoT hft KuBrs will venture out during the stormy season without a thunderoharm it(NWrv*tive against lightning. This object looks just like any other charm, and is, lih^ nothing more than a small piece of wood or root The Kaffir's faith in it is nboanded, i^ in consequence of the awftil severity of thunderstorms, the sale of such mi is a very lucrative part of the prophet's business. We can scarcely wonder that jKiftr bss recourse to such preservatives, for he well knows that no art of man can lil i^iinst the terrific storms of that country. Eraa in England we often witness thunderstorms that fill the boldest witn awe, whila I w«sk«r*minded of both sexes cower in abject fear at the crashing thunder and the ghtnhig streaks. But the worst storm that has been known in England is as compared to the ordinary thunderstorms of Southern Africa — storms in which iuSve, wno has been accustomed to them all his life, can do nothing but crouch to jgionnd, and lav his hand on his mouth in silence What an African storm can be ij be imaffined from the following account by Mr. Cole : — ''EmerE^ng tStet a few days from these freezing quarters, I found myself in the plaiqa rtheGnaf-Reinet district It was pleasant to feel warm again, but what I gained in ilwio I decidedly lost in the picturesque : never>ending plains of burnt grass, treeless^ den, houseless — such were the attractions that greeted my eves. How anything in (Vegetable or animal kingdom could exist there seemed a perfect mystery. Tet the j^ if soon explained. I was there when there had been a lona-continued drought one of ^hose viaitations to which these districts are especially subject One day the (londi began to gather, the wind fell, the air became oppressively sultry, and all gave otioe of an approaching storm. " My horses became restive and uneasy, and for myself I felt faint and weary to loen. My after-rider looked alarmed, for truly the heavens bore a fearful aspect. I conceive nothins more dismal than the deep, thick, blade, impenetrable masses of ub timt surrounded us. It might have been the entrance to the infernal regiona henuelves that stood before us. Suddenly we saw a stream of light so vivid, so intenseH iri2ht,and of such immense height (apparently), that for a moment we were half blinded, jrhile oar horses snorted and turned sharp round from the glare. Almost at the same nt burst forth a peal of thunder, like the artillery of all the universe discharged at I in our ears. "There was no time to be lost: we struck spurs to our horses' flanks, and galloped to Imonntain side, a little way behind us, where the quick eye of my Hottentot had observed ieave. In a few minutes — ^moments rather^-we were within it, but not before the sturm 1 bant forth in all its fury. One moment the country round us was black as ink— the itit was a sheet of living flame, whiter than the white heat of the furnace. One lons- otinoed, never-ceasing roar of thunder (not separate daps as we hear them in England) kfened our ears, and each moment we feared destruction ; for, more than oi ce, huge Mes of rock, detached by the lightning-blast from the mountain above us, rolled down lit ear cavern with the roar of an avalanche. The Hottentot lay on his face, shntting at the light, though he could not escape the sound. "At length the rain-spouts burst forth, and to describe how the water delused the rth would be impossible ; suffice it that though we had entered the cave from the road nthoat passing any stream, or apparently any bed of one, when we again ventnTcd forth ^m our place of shelter, three hours later, a broad and impassable torrent flowed etween ourselves and the road, and we had to crawl along the mountain sides on foot, nth great difficulty, and in the momentary danger of losing our footing on its slippery nrfuce, and being dashed into the roaring torrent for about two miles ere we could find ifordable spot Two days later these plains were covered with a lovely verdure." Other charms are intended for softening the heart of a girl whoir a man wants to 198 THE KAFFIR '*i Ik' ; JiMfy '■',} marry, or of her father, in urder to induce him to bu moderate in his demand for coin I or of th: chief if he should have to prefer a request. All these chanus are exactly alikil to the look, and it is needless to say that they no not possess the least efficacy in onewnl or another. ^* There are some charms which itndoubtedly do possess some power, and others which owe their force to the imagination of the user. The many charms which they hosmi against various kinds of fear belong to this class. For example, if a man meets a lion or a leopard, and nibbles a little scrap of wood, it is plain that the efficiency of tbeit charms is wholly imaginary. In many instances this is undoubtedly the case, if a man, meeting a lion, nibbles a little piece of lion-charm, and the animal moves olT leaving him unmolested, his fears are certainly allayed by the use of the chann, thoud his escape is due to the natural dread of man implanted in the nature of the inferior animal, and nc ' to the power of the charm. In battle, too, a man who thinks that hii charms will render the enemy afraid of him is much more likely to fight with doubled valodr, and so to bring about the result attributed to the charm. In cases of illness, too, we all know how powerful is the healing effect of the imagination in restoration of health. But there are many instances where the material used as a charm possesses mediciiial properties, of which the prophet is perfectly aware. There is, for example, one chann against weariness, the efncacy of which clearly depends upon the properties of the material. One of my friends, who was quite weary after a day's hard hunting, vas peN suaded by one of his Kaffir servants to eat a little of his fatigue-charm. It was evidently made from the root of some tree, and was very bitter, though not unpleasantly so. He tried it, simply from curiosity, and was agreeably surprised to find that in a few minutd he felt his muscular powers wonderfully restored, so that he was enabled to resume hit feet, and proceed briskly homewards, the extreme exhaustion having passed away, Imagination in this case had nothing to do with the success of the charm, and it is evident that the prophet who sold it to the Kaffir was aware of its medicinal properties. So deeply-rooted in the Kaffir mind is the idea that all sickness is caused by witch- jmilb of some kind or other, that even if cattle are ill, their sickness is supposed to have been caused by some supernatural power The first course that is taken is necessarily the propitiation of the spirits, in order that they may overrule the machinations of the evil-doer, and preserve the cattle, which con- stitute the wealth and strength of the kraaL One of the best oxen is therefore sacrificed to them with the usual ceremonies, and, when it is dead, the gall and contents of the stomach are scattered over the cattle pen, and the spirits are solemnly invoked. Here is one of these curious prayers, which was obtained from a Kaffir. "Hail! friend I thou of this kraal, grant us a blessing, beholding what we have done. You see this distress; remove it, since we have given you an animal. We know not what mon you want, whether you still require anything more, or not. Grant us grain that it may be abundant, that we may eat, and not be in want of anything, since we have given yon what you want. Tfiis kraal was built by yourself, father, and now why do you diminish Your own kraal ? Build on, as you have begun, let it be larger, that your offspring, still nere about, may increase, increasing knowledge of you, whence cometh great power." The flL>sh of the slaughtered ox is then taken into a hut, the door is closed, and no one is allowed to enter for a considerable time, during which period the spirits are supposed u be eating the bee£ The door is then opened, the beef is cooked, and all who are present partike of it If the propitiatory sacrifice fails, a prophet of known skill is summoned, and the herd collected in the isibaya, or central enclosure, in readiness against his arrival His iiist proceeding is to light a fire in the isibaya and burn medicine upon it, taking care that the smoke shall pass over the cattle. He next proceeds to frighten the evil spirit out of them by a simple though remarkable proceeding. He takes a firebrand in his hand, puts a lump of fat in his mouth, and then walks up to one of the afflicted oxen. The animal is firmly held while he proceeds to nja.sticate the fat, and then to eject it on the firebrand. The mixed fat and water make a great sputtering in the face of the ox, Nvliich is greatly terrified, and bursts away from its tormentors. SMELLINQ FOR A WIZARD. m This process is repeated upon the entire herd until they are all in a state of fiirious icitement, and, as soon as they have reached that stage, the gate of the enclosure thrown open, and the frightened animals dash out of it All the inhabitants of the 12I nub after them, the men beating their shields with their knob-kerries, the ' •oien tattling calabashes with stones in them, and all yelling and shouting at the top their voices. The cattle, which are generally treated with peculiar kindness, are quite de themselves at such a proceeding, and it is a considerable time before they can ;ver their equanimity. This may seem to be rather a curious method of treating the cattle disease, but, as the ^ of Uie prophet is forfeited if the animals are not cured, it is to be presumed that the unedr is Tioore efficacious than it appears to be. When a chief of rank happens to be ill, and especially if the king himself should be no one has ^e least doubt that sorcery was the cause of the evil And, as the ^^^ ,^.^- , *>" '^ .-i m 'Mm p. ' ta ^'^ CUBING CATTLE. fchiefs are given to eating and drinking, and smoking and sleeping, until they are so fat that they can hardly walk, it is no wonder that they are veiy frequently ill. It thus lecomes the busmess of the prophet to find out the wizard, or " evil-doer," as he is called, f>y whom the charm was wrought. To doubt that the illness was caused by witchcraft would be a sort of high treason, nd afford good grounds for believing that the doubter was himself the wizard. For I Kaffir chief always chooses to think himself above the common lot of humanity— that lie is superior to others, and that he cannot die like inferior men. It is evident, therefore, Ihat any ailment which may attack him must be caused by witchcraft, and that, if the evil- mt can be detected, the spell will lose its potency, and the sufferer be restored to health. Charms which cause ill-health are usually roots, tufta of hair, feathers, bits of bon^ I ' f him, which he was about to preside. The arrival of a partv of men from the 'great i' gave him no other concern than as to what part of the animal he should offer 1 as his guests. In a moment, however, the ruthless party seized him in his kraal ; jben he found himself secured with a rheim round his neck, he calmly said, ' It is my ■fortune to be caught unarmed or it should not be thus.' "He was then ordered to produce the matter with which he had bewitched the son of I chieC He replied, ' I have no bewitching matter ; but destroy me quickly, if my |ief has consented to my death.' His executioners said they must torture him until he duced it, to which he answered, ' Save yourselves the trouble, for torture as you will DDot produce what I have not' He was then held down on the around, and several ^D proceeded t« pierce his body all over with long Kaffir needies. The miserable btim bore this with extraordinary resolution ; his tormentors tiring, and complaining of ' pain it gave their hands, and of the needles or skewers bending. 202 THE KAFFIR "During this time a fire had been kindled, in which large flat stones were heat ; the man was then directed to rise, they pointed out to him the fire, telling "„ was for his further torture unless he produced the bewitching matter. He answereT told you the truth when I said, Save yourselves the trouble ; as for the hot stones, la bear them, for I am innocent ; I would pray to be strangled at once, but that you wod say I fear your torture.' Here his wife, who had also been seized, waa stripped perfectl n.. ':ed. and cruelly beaten and ill-treated before his eyes. " The victim waa then led to the fire, where he was thrown on his back, stretched o with his arms and legs tied to strong pegs driven into the ground, and the stones 001 red hot, were taken out of the fire and placed on his naked body— on the groin, stoma and chest, supported by others on each side of him, also heated and pressed against L body. It is impossible to describe the awful effect of this barbarous process, the stod slipping off the scorched and broiling flesh, being only kept in their places by the 1 of the fiendish executioners. " Through all this the heroic fellow still remained pferfectly sensible, and when i«K« if he wished to be released to discover his hidden charm, said, * Kelease me.' They diJ so, fully expecting they had vanquished his resolution, when, to the astonishment of all] he stood up a ghastly spectacle, broiled alive I his smoking flesh hanging in pieces froi his body ! and composedly asked his tormentors, ' What do you wish me to do nowli They repeated their demand, but he resolutely asserted his innocence, and begged then to put him out of his misery ; and as they were now getting tired of their labour, thei made a running noose on the rheim around his neck, jerked him to the ground, an savagely fragged him about on the sharp stones, then placing their feet on the backc, his neck, they drew the noose tight, and strangled him. His mangled corpse was takei] into his own hut, which was set on fire and burnt to ashes. His sufferings commesct at ten a.m. and only ended at sunset." Kona, whose illness was the cause of this fearful scene, was a son of Macomo, well-krown Kaffir chief, who resisted the English forces for so Icng a time. It seems strange that the Kaffir should act in this Jhanner ; naturally, he is means of a vindictive or cruel nature. Hot-tempered he is, and likely enough to aveni himself when offended, by a blow of a club or the point of an assagai. But, after I heat of the moment has passed away, his good humour returns, and he becomes i cheerful and lively as ever. Even in war, as has already been mentioned, he is 1 generally a cruel soldier, when not excited by actual combat, and it seems rather stn that when a man towards whom he has felt no enmity, and who may, perhaps, be 1 nearest relative, is accused of a criiuc— no matter what it may be — he should be guiltjl in cold blood, of deliberate cruelty too terrible to be described. The fact is, this conduct shows how great is his fear of the intangible power of vit{ craft. Fear is ever the parent of cruelty, and the simple fact that a naturally kiniiJ hearted and good-tempered man will lose all sense of ruth, and inflict nameless toitu on his fellow, shows the abject fear of witchcraft which fills a Kaffir's mind. Sometimes the prophet is not able to hide a charm in a convenient place, obliged to have recourse to other means. If, for example, it would be necessary to shoij that the " evil-doer " had buried the charm in his own hut, the prophet would not H able to gain access to the spot, and would •therefore have the earth dug up, and tr^tj convey surreptitiously some pieces of root or bone into the hole. Mr. Isaacs once detected a notable prophetess in this proceeding, and exposed the trick before the assembled peopl^ Some of his immediate followers were ill, and they sent for a prophetess who ' that the white man did not believe in her powers. So she sent him a message, sayii that, if he would give her a cow, she would detect the charms that were destroying I people, and would allow him to be present when she dug up the enchanted roots. Soli(| sent a cow, and two days afterwards had another message, stating that the cow was t small, and she must have a larger one, or that the difference must be made up in calii At the same time she asked for the services of one of his men, named Maslanifu. U^ sent the calico, but declined the latter portion of the request, knowing that the man n only wanted as a means of gaining information. AN ARROGANT PROPHETESS. 203 The expected day arrived, and, on account of the celebrity of the prophetess, vast nbers of men belonging to various tribes came in bodies, each headed by a chief of a A Messenger after messenger came to announce her advance, but she did not make r appearance, and at last a courier came to say that the spirit would not allow her to ceed any further until some beads were sent to her. The chiefs, of whose arrival she I heard, and on whose liberality she doubtlessly depended, made a collection straight- IV cot together a parcel of beads, and sent the present by the messenger. I The beads having softened her heart, she made her solemn entry into the kraal, foi- led by a guard of fifty warriors, al^ in full panoply of war. The procession moved in temn march to the centre of the baya, and then the warriors formed themselves in a their large shields resting on the ground and covering the body as high as the chin. Wm^u^- ^.:'~^' i' !«s.~i^aeE9 ^:'<'W '\1SJ APPIIOACH OF THE PUOPHETESS. '■■ V^ ! I their assajrais grasped in their rij^ht hanrlg. She was also accompanied by Maslamfu, B very man whom she had asked for. and who was evidently an old attendant of her own. The prophetess was decorated in the usual wild and extravagant manner, and sha had Iproved her complexion by painting her nose and one eyelid with charcoal, and the per eyelid with red earth. She had also allowed all her hair to grow, and had plastered I together with a mixture of charcoal and fat. The usual tufted wand of office was I her hand. Having now made her appearancp, she demanded more beads, which were given to , in order that she should have no excuse for declining to proceed any further in her antations. She then began her work in earnest, leaping and bounding from one side of enclosure to the other, and displaying the most wonderful agility. During this, part the proceedings she sang a song as an accompaniment to her dance, the words of the ' 'J 204 THE KAFFIR song itself either having no meaning, or being quite incomprehensible to the hearen, burden of each stanza was, however, simple enough, and all the assembled host of] joined in it at the full stretch of their lungs. After rushing to several huts, and pretending to smell them, she suddenly sb before the .white men, who were carefully watching her, and demanded another cow the plea that if the noxious charm were dug up without the sacrifice of a second cow « spirits would be offended. At last she received the promise of a cow, under the pioij that the rest of the performance was to be satisfactory. After a variety of strange performances, she suddenly turned to her audience l appointed one of them to dig up the fatal soil The man was a great muscular Kaffir 1 he trembled like a child as he approached the sorceress, and was evidently so teiriL that she was obliged to lay a spell upon him which would counteract the evil influence] the buried charm. She gave nim an assagai by way of a spade, a pot for the roots i directed him successively to three huts, making him dig in each, but was baffled ' vigilant watch which was kept upon all her movements. After she had vainly searched the three huts, she suddenly turned and walked qmc] out of the kraal, followed by the still terrified excavator, her husband, and MasUmfo,! proceeded to a garden, into which she flung an assagai, and told her man to dig up t spot on which the spear felL " Being now outdone, and closel;)^ followed by us i finding all her efforts to ehide our vigilance were vain, for we examined into all hertri with the moat persevering scrutiny, she 8u4denly turned round, and at a quick pace] ceeded to the kraal, where she very sagaciously called for her snuff-box. " Her hvsband ran to her, and presented one. This attracted my notice, as '. had hitherto performed the office of snuff-box bearer, and I conjectured that, ioaini] snuff in the box, her husband had presented her with roots. I did not fail in myn diction ; for, as she proceeded to the upper part of the kraal, she took the spear from 1 man appointed to dig, and dug herself in front of the hut where the people had \m^ took some earth, and added it to that in the pot ; then proceeded as rapidly as posdl to the calf kraal, where she dug about two inches deep, and applied two fingers of the 1 hand to scoop a little earth out, at the same time holding the roots with her other t fingers ; then, in a second, closed her hand, mixing the roots with the earth, and pu them into the pot, saying to the man, ' These are the things you have been looking fw" The natural end of this exposure was, that she was obliged to escape out d t turmoil which was caused by her manifest imposture; and it is needless to say that i did not ask for the cows. The female professors of the art of witchcraft go through a series of ceremonies i similar to those which have been already described, and are capable of traDsmittiogjI any of their descendants the privilege of being admitted to the same rank as thenuelw As may be gathered from the preceding account, they perform the ordinary duties of^ much as do other women, whether married or single ; and it is, perhaps, remarkable t so far from celibacy being considered a necessary qualification for the office, neither i nor women seem to be eligible for it unless they are married. When once admitted into the college of prophets, the members of it always endean to inspire awe into the public by the remarkable style of adornment which they assunei and they are considered at liberty to depart from the \isual sumptuary laws which are j strictly enforced among the Kaffir tribes, and to dress according to their individai caprice. One of the female prophets was visited by Captain Gardiner, and seems to hnj made a powerful impression upon him, both by her dress and her demeanour. " This woman may be styled a queen of witches, and her appearance b( craft.. Large coils of entrails stuffed with fat were suspended round her neck ; while 1 thick and tangled hair, stuck over in all directions with the gall-bladders of aniinal8,gJij to her tall figure a very singularly wild and giotesque appearance. One of her devia which occurred about six months ago, is too characteristic to be omitted. Tpail assembled his army, and was in the act of going out to war, a project which, for som reason, she ^^ought it necessary to oppose. " Finding that all her dissuasions were ineffectual, she suddenly quitted the plac^ DEMEANOUR OF FEMALE PROPHETS. 20$ jcoompanied only by a little girl, entirely concealed herself from obsenration. At respiration of three or four days, she as mysteriously returned ; and holding her side, gently bleeding from an assagai-wound, pretended to have been received, in her ^ce, fiom the spirit of her late husband Maddegan, she presented herself before Tpai. foarbrother's spirit,' she exclaimed, ' has met me, and here is the wound he has made I or side with an assagai ; hi reproached me for remaining with people who had treated «Tpai, either willingly or actually imposed upon by this strange occurrence, counter- jnded the army ; and, if we are to credit the good people in these parts, the wound Cediately healed I For several months subsequent to this period, she took it into* her ^ to crawl about upon her hands and knees ; and it is only lately, I imderstand, that gluts resumed her station in society as a biped." One of the female prophets had a curious method of discovering an " evil-doer." She •it ;; TU Sr THE FBOf HETBSS AT WORK. leaping into the ring of assembled Kaffirs, with great bounds of which a woman «m3 hardly capable. It is possible that she previously made use -^f some preparation Ihich had an exciting effect on the brain, and assisted in working herself up to a pitch of Irrible frenzy. I With her person decorated with snakes, skulls, heads and claws of birds, and iher strange objects — with her magic rattle in one hand, and her staff of office in the Iher— she flew about the circle with such erratic rapidity that the eye could scarcely lUow her movements, and no one could in the least anticipate what she would do next. ler eyes seemed starting from her head, foam flew from her clenched jaws, while at Iterrals she uttered frantic shrieks and yells that seemed scarcely to belong to humanity. •1 \| 1 F 7:fe 206 THE KAFFIR ^S 1 mhf I i, ' I" |F t i i.iaii'(- In short, her appearance was as terrible as can well be imagined, and stue to awe in the simjue-minded and superstitious audience which surrounded her. She did not go through the usual process of smelUng and crawling, but parsuedj erratic course about the ring, striking with her wand of office the man who happen be within its reach, and running off with an almost incredible swiftness. Hie illustration on page 205 represents her engaged in her dread office, been summoned by a rich chief, who is seen in the distance, lying on his mat, andatu, by his wives. The terrified culprit is seen in the foreground, his inmxediate neighL shrhiking from him as the prophetic wand touches him, while others are pointing hiol to the executioners. There is very marked distinction between the Kaffir prophetess and an on woman, and this distinction lies principally in the gait and geneml demeanour, already been observed, the women and the men seem almost to belong to different i. the former being timid, humble, and subdued, while the latter are bold, confident,! almost haughty. The prophetess, however, having assumed so high an office, takes nij herself a demeanour that shows her appreciation of her own powers, and walks aliouti a bold, free step, that has in it something almost regal. In one point, both sexes are alike when they are elevated to prophetical rank, become absolutely ruthless in their profession, and lost to all sense of mercy. Ko one] safe from them except the king himself; and his highest and most trusted councl never knows whether the prophetic finger may not be pointed at him, and the prophei voice denounce him as a wizard. Should this be the case, his rank, wealth, and chandi will avail him nothing, and he will be seized and tortured to death as mercilessly as if] were one of the lowest of the people. Mixed up with these superstitious deceptions, there is among the prophets a ccnsidi able amount of skill both in surgery and medicine. Partly from the constant slaughter a cutting-up of cattle, and partly from experience in warfare and executions, every K has a tolerable notion of anatomy — far greater, indeed, than is possessed by the genen of educated persons in our own country. Consequently, he can undertake various surgicJ operations with confidence, and in some branches of the art he is quite a proficient. F| example, a Kaffir prophet has been known to operate successfully in a case of drop that the patient recovered; while in the reducing of dislocated joints, the setting ot i tured bones, and the treatment of wounds, he is an adept. A kind of cupping is much practised by the Kaffirs, and is managed in xmal I same way as among ourselves, though with different and ruder instruments. Instead t cupping glasses, they use the horn of an ox with a hole bored through the smaller en The operator begins his work by pressing the large end of the horn against the partvbicj is to be relieved, and, applying his mouth to the other end, he sucks vigorously until li has produced the required effect A few gashes are then made with the sharp blade of « assagai, the horn is again applied, and suction employed until a sufficient amount g blood has been extracted. As the Kaffirs are acquainted with poisons, so are they aware of the medicinal \ perties possessed by many vegetable productions. Their chief medicines are obtaiud from the castor-oil plant and the male fern, and are administered for the same coniplaiqtj as are treated by the same medicines in Europe. Sometimes a curious mixture of suigeij and medicine is made by scarifying the skin, and rubbing medicine into it. It is probaW the " witch doctors " have a very much wider acquaintance with herbs and their ] perties than they choose to make public ; and this conjecture is partly carried out by tbj efficacy which certain so-called charms have on those who use them, even when imagii tion does not lend her potent aid. Possessing such terrible powers, it is not to be wondered at that the prophets i sometimes use them for the gratification of personal revenge, or for the sake of gaia I| the former case of action, they are only impelled by their own feelings ; but to the latto they are frequently tempted by others, and an unprincipled prophet will sometimi^ accumulate much wealth by taking bribes to accuse certain persons of witchcraft. How Tchaka contrived to work upon the feelings of the people by means of I THE NiGHT-CRl?: 207 has been already mentioned. Mr. Shooter narrates a curious instance where a sliocusation was made b^ a corrupt prophet. One man cherished a violent jealousy ^t another named Umpisi (t.e. The Hysena), and, after many attempts, succeeded in r 8 prophet to accuse his enemy of witchcraft. This he did in a very curious -DDer, namely, by pretending to have a vision in which he had seen a wizard scattering L)D near the hut. The wizard's name, he said, was Nukwa. Now, Nukwa is a word br women when they speak of the hysena, and therefore signified the same as isL Panda, however, declined to believe the accusation, and no direct indictment was -.fii| THB PBOPHBTS ABX AOVO0ATB8 OF WAB — A PBOPHBT WHO TOOK ADTICB. The highest and most important duty Mrhich falls to the lot of the prophets is thitt rain-making. In Southern Africa, rain is the veiy life of the country ; and, should it I delayed beyond the usual time, the dread of famine runs through the land. The Eaffinl r^7tainly possess storehouses, but not of sufficient size to hold enough grain forthesob-l sistence of a tribe throughout the year — nor, indeed, could the Ka^rs be able to gnil enough food for such a purpose. I During a drought, the pasture fails, and the cattle die; thus cutting oif the supply tfl milk, which is almost the staff of life to a Kaffir — certainly so to his children. The ve^l idea of such a calamity makes every mother in Kaffirland tremble with affright, and then I is nothing which they would not do to avert it, even to the sacrifice of their own lives,! Soon the water-j^ools dry up, then the wells, and lastly the springs begin to fail ; and con-f sequently disease and death soon make dire havoc among the tribes. In England, we can I form no conct ^tion of such a state of things, and are rather apt to suffer from excess of I rain than its absence ; but the miseries which even a few weeks' drought in the height ot| summer can inflict upon this well-watered land may enable us to appreciate some of I horrors which accompany a drought in Southern Africa. Among the prophets, or witch-doctors, there are some who claim the power of forcing | rain to fall by their incantations. Bain-making is the very highest oflice which a . prophet can perform, and there are comparatively few who will venture to attempt it; I because, in case of failure, the wrath of the disappointed people is sometimes kno^l to exhibit itself iv perforating the unsuccessful prophet with an assagai, knocking out bii brains with a knob-kerrie, or the more simple process of tearing him to pieces. Those; I however, who do succeed, are at once raised to the very summit of their profession. Thejl exercise almost unlimited sway over their own tribe, and over any other in which there is not a rain-maker of equal celebrity. The king is the only man who pretend? to exerci!8 any authority over these all powerful beings; and even the king, irregr,')nsi':ie despot though he be, is obliged to be submissive to the rain-maker wmle he is working bii incantations. It is, perhaps, not at all strange that the Kaffirs should place implicit faith in the p 'wer of the rain-makers ; but it is a strange fact that the operators themselves ""''"" INGENIOUS EVASIONS. 209 their own powers. Of course there are many instances where a rain-maker knowingly Ltises imposture ; but iu those cases he is mostly driven to such a courae by the Uces of those who are employing him ; and, as a general fact, the wizard believes in Lfficacy of his own charms quite as firmly as any of his followers. A prophet who has distinguished himself as a rain-maker is soon known far and wide, id does uot restrict his practice to his own district. Potentates from all parts of the nntry send for him when the drought continues, and their own prophets fail to produce In this, as in other countries, the prophet has moi-e honour in another land than in I own, and the confidence placed in him is boundless. Xhis confidence is grounded on th^ fact that a rain-maker from a distant land i A' 'nl CHUUNINO RAIN. 1 often produce rain when others at home have failed. The reason is simple enough, JDuj;hthe KafiSrs do not see it. By the time that thn whole series of native prophets ke gone through their incantations, the time of drougut is comparatively near to a close ; f, if the prophet can only manage to stave off the actual production of rain for a few p, he has a reasonable chance of success, as every hour is a positive gain to him. I It is needless to mention that the Kaffirs are well acquainted with the signs of the ather, as is always the case with those who live much in the open air. The prophets, fdently, are more weather-wise than the generality of their race, and, however much a i-raaker may believe in himself, he never willingly undertakes a commission when the lis of the sky portend a continuance of drought. Should he be absolutely forced into dertaking the business, his only hope of escape from the dilemma is to procrastinate as |icli as possible, w^hile at the same time he keeps the people amused. The most common Je of procrastination is by requesting certain articles, which he knows are almost attainable, and saying that until he has them his incantations will have no effect. Mr. jttffatt narrates a very amusing instance of the shifts to which a prophet is sometimes It, when the rain will not fall, and when he is forced to invoke it. "Tlie rain-maker found the clouds in our country rather harder to manage than those had left. He complained that secret rogues were disobeying his proclamations. TOLL P ■ _, /> MM . i\m%^ 210 THE KAFFIR I. k 'M When ureed to make repeated trials, he would reply, 'You only give me sheep and in. to kill, therefore I can only make goat-rain ; give me for slaughter oxen, and 1 1|! let you see ox-rain.' One day, as he was taking a sound sleep, a shower fell, on wU one of the principal men entered his house to congratulate him, but to his utter aiiia; meut found him totally insensible to what was transpiring. ' U^laka rare t ' (Hallo I my father !) ' I thought you were making rain,' said the intruder, when, arising fromj slumbers, and seeing his wife sitting on the floor shaking a milk-sack in order to obti a little butter to anoint her hair, he replied, pointing to the operation of churuinc 'L you not see my wife churning rain as fast as she can ? ' This reply gave entire satiifM tion, and it presently spread through the length and breadth of the town, that the maker had churned the shower out of a milk-snck. " The moisture caused by this shower was dried up by a scorching sun, and manylom weeks followed without a sinijle cloud, and when these did appear they might somotinid be seen, to the great mortification of the conjurer, to discharge their watery treasures at i immense distance. This disappointment was increased when a heavy cloud would over with tremendous thunder, but not one drop of rain. There had been several guco, sive years of drought, during which water had not been seen to flow upon the gionnl and in that climate, if rain does not fdll continuously and in considerable quantities, it] all exhaled in a couple of houra In digging graves we have found the earth as i as dust at four or five feet depth, when the surface was saturated with raia " The women had cultivated extensive fields, but the seed was lying in the soil as \ had been thrown from the hand ; the cattle were dying for want of pasture, and hundm of living skeletons were seen going to the fields in quest of unwholesome roots aoi| reptiles, wliile many were dying with hunger. Our sheep, as before stated, were soi likely to be all devoured, and finding their number daily diminish, we slaughtered tli remainder and put the meat in salt, which of course was far from being agreeable in e a climate, and where vegetables were so scarce. " All these circumstances irritated the rain-maker very much ; but he was ofteJ puzzled to find something on which to lay the blame, for he had exhausted his skill One night, a small cloud passed over, and the only flash of lightning, from which a 1 peal of thunder burst, struck a tree in the town. Next day, the rain-maker and i number of people assembled to perform the usual ceremony on such an event. It vi) ascended, and ropes of grass and gross roots were bound round diflerent parts of ti) trunk, which in the Acacia giraffa is seldom much injured. A limb may be torn i of numerous trees of that species which I have seen struck by lightning, the tninlj appears to resist its power, as the fluid produces only a stripe or groove along the baikl the ground. "When these bandages were made he deposited some of his nostrums, aii| got quantities of water handed up, which he poured with great solemnity on the wounded tree, while the assembled multitude shoiited ' Fula piila.' This done the tree was liewj down, dragged out of the town, and burnt to ashes. Soon after this unmeaning cen mony, he got large bowls of water, with which was mingled an infusion of bulbs. All the men of the town then came together, and passed in succession before him, whea li(( sprinkled each with a zebra's tail which he dipped in the water. " As all this and much more did not succeed, he had recourse to another stratagem, Hi| knew well that baboons were not very easily caught among the rocky glens and shelvila precipices, there fore,in order lo gain time, lie informed the men that, to make rain, bij must have a baboon; that the animal must be without a blemish, not a hair was to I wanting on its body. One would have thought any simpleton might have seen tliroa^ his tricks, as their being able to present him with a baboon in that state was impossiMei| even though they caught him asleep. Forth sallied a band of chosen runners, *b ascended the neighbou* ing mountain. The baboons from their lofty domiciles had I in the habit of looking down on the plain beneath at the natives encircling and piirsuind the quaggas and antelopes, little dreaming that one day they would themselves be objoc^ of pursuit They hobbled off^ in consternation, grunting, and screaming and leapii from rock to rock, occasionally looking down on their pursuers, grinning and gnasbinj their teeth. After a long pursuit, with wounded limbs, scratched bodies, and brokei ACCOUNT OF A RAIN-MAKERS PROCEEDINGS. 211 a younff one was secured, and brought to the town, the captors exulting as if they obtainiid a great spoil. The wily rogue, on seeing the animal, put on a countenance ibitint! the most intense sorrow, exclaiming, ' My heart is rent in pieces ; I am dumb libitiDg srief;' and pointing to the ear of the baboon, which was scratched, and the tail, ich had lost some hairs, added, ' Did I not tell you I could not make rain if there was liair wanting ? ' "After some days another was obtained; but there was still some imperfection, il lleced. He had often said that, if they would procure him the heart of a lion, he ild show them that he could make rain so abundant that a man might think himself off to he under shelter, as when it fell it mi^'ht sweep whole towns away. He had i^l BRINQINQ THE BABOON. wovered that the clouds required strong medicine, and that a lion's heart would do the isiiiesB. To obtain this the rain-maker well knew was no joke. One day it was [iiounced that a lion had attacked one of the cattle outposts, not far from the town, and party set off for the twofold purpose of getting a key to the clouds and disposing of a liigerou8 enemy. The orders were imperative, whatever the consequences might be, iiich, in this instance, might have been very serious, had not one of our men shot the 41110 animal dead with a gun. "This was no sooner done than it was cut up for roasting and boiling; no matter if it d previously eaten some of their relations, they ate it in its turn. Nothing could jceed their enthusiasm when they returned to the town, bearing the lion's heart,, and iglng the conqueror's song in full chorus ; the rain-maker prepared his medicines, Indled his fires, and might be seen upon the top of the hill, stretching forth his puny uds, and beckoning the clouds to draw near, or even shaking his spear, and threatening p2 I. '5 212 THE KAFFIR m f that, if they disobeyed, they should feel his ire. The deluded populace believed all i and wondered the rains would not fall. " Asking an Experienced and iudicious man, the king's uncle, how it was that go ( an operator on the clouds could not succeed, ' Ah,' he replied, with apparent uli ' there is a cause for the hardheartedness of the clouds if the rain-maker could only i it out.' A scrutinising watch was kept upon everything done by the missionari Some weeks after my return from a visit to Griqua Town, a grand discovery wa« qu that the rain had been prevented by my bringing a bag of salt from that place in i wagon. The charge was made by the king and his attendants, with great gravity i form. As giving the least oifence by laughing at their puerile actions ought alvavsi be avoided when dealing with a people who ai-e sincere though deluded, the case viij | my part investigated with more tlian usual solemnity. Mothibi and his aide-decai] accompanied me to the storehouse, where the identical bag stood. It was open, with i white contents full in view. ' There it is,' he exclaimed, with an air of satisfaction, finding, on examination, that the reported salt was only white clay or chalk, tleY( not help laughing at their own incredulity." An unsuccessful Kaffir prophet is never very sorry to have white men in the comtii because he can always lay the blame of failure upon them. Should they be missionaiij the sound of the hymns is quite enough to drive away the clouds ; and should thev | laymen, any habit in which they indulged would be considered a sufficient reason forti continuance of drought. The Kaffir always acknowledges the superior powers ofi white man, and, though he thinks his own race far superior to any that inhalittll earth, he fancies that the sph'its which help him are not so powerful as tho&o who aid 1 white man, and that it is from their patronage, and not from any menlbl or physje superiority, that he has obtained his pre-eminence. Fully believing in his own rain-making powers, he fancies that the whit* men i as superior in this art as in others, and invents the most extraordinary theories in order] account for the fact. After their own prophets have failed to produce rain, the are tolerably sure to wait upon a missionary, and ask him to perform the office, process of reasoning by which they have come to the conclusion that the missionaiieac make rain is rather a curious one. As soon as the raw, cold winds begin to blov i to threaten rain, the missionaries were naturally accustomed' to put on their oven when they left their houses. These coats were usually of a daik colour, and nothing ( persuade the natives but that the assumption of dark clothing was a spell by which i was compelled to fall It has just been mentioned that the prophets fully believe in their own superaatt powers, Considering the many examples of manifest imposture which continually t place, some of which have already been described, most Europeans would fancy that I prophets were intentional and consistent deceivers, and their opinion of themselves d something like that of the old Roman augurs, who could even look in each other's faq without smiling. This, however, is not the case. Deceivers they undoubtedly are, i many instances wilfully so, but it is equally certain that they do believe that they aretl means of communication between the spirits of the dead and their living relatives. No better proof of this fact can be adduced than the extraordinary series of evejij which took place in 1857, in which not only one prophet, but a considerable nunihero them took part, and in which their action was unanimous. In that year, the Kaffir tribes awoke to the conclusion that they had been gradual but surely yielding before the European settlers, and'^they organized a vast conspirac] by which they hoped to drive every white man out of Southern Africa, and to i establish their own supremacy. The very existence of the colony of Natal was a thoij in their sides, as that country-was almost daily receiving reinforcements from Europe,! was becoming gradually stronger and less likely to be conquered. Moreover, there to continual defections of their own race ; whole families, and even the population of enti villages, were escaping from the despotic sway of the native monarch, and taking reft in the country protected by the white man's rifle. Several attempts had been previousM made under the celebrated chief Sandilli, and the equally famous prophet-warrid KAFFIR PROPHETS IN 1857. 21 iaDDA, to dispossess the colonists, and in every case the Kaffir tribes had been r.^ied i great loss, and were at last forced to offer their submission. In 1867, however, a vast meeting was convened by Kreli, in order to orguuiwB a ilarly planned campaign, and at this meeting a celebrated prophet was expected to be lent He did not make his appearance, but sent a messenger, saying that the spirit ordered the Kaffirs to kill all their cattle. This strange mandate was obeyed by QV of the people, but others refused to obey the prophet's order, and saved their cattle Angiy that his orders had been disobeyed, the prophet called another meeting, and I a private interview with Kreli, in which he said that the disobedience of the people I the reason why the white men had not been driven out of the land. But, if they lid be obedient, and slay every head of cattle in the country, except one cow and one [|t, the spirits of the dead would be propitiated by their munificence, and would give ijiraid. Eight days were to be allowed for doing the murderous work, and on the Ctb— at most on the ninth day — by means of spells thrown upon the surviving cow 1 goat, the cattle would all rise again, and they would repossess the wealth which they I freely offered. They were also ordered to throw away all the corn in their granaries J storehouses. As a sign that the prophecy would be fulfilled, the sun would not rise [til half-past eight, it would then turn red and go back on its course, and darkness, rain, jBiider, and lightning would warn the people of the events that were to follow. 1 # \ WAILINQ OF DECEIVED KAFFIRS. I The work of slaughter then began in earnest ; the goats and cattle were exterminated oughout the country, and, except the two which were to be the reserve, not a cow or a lit was left alive. With curious inconsistency, the Kaffirs took the hides to the ti-ading Itions and sold them, and so fast did they pour in that they were purchased for the pst trifle, and many thousands could not be sold at all, and were left in the interior of ! country. j The eighth day arrived, and no signs were visible in the heavens. This did rot disturb ! Kaffirs very much, as they relied on the promised ninth day. On that morning not a Iffir moved from his dwelling, but feat m the kraal, anxiously watching the sun. From I in the morning until ten they watched its course, but it did not change colour or alter its be, and neither the thunder, lightning, nor rain came on in token that the prophecy f to be fulfilled. I The deluded Kaffirs then repented themselves, but too late, of their credulity. They u killed all their cattle and destroyed all their com, and without these necessaries of ithey knew that they must starve. And they did indeed starve. Famine in its worst 1 set in throughout the coimtry ; the children died by hundreds ; none but those of the "tf St I ' 3 t* ' •gam 2U THE KAFFIR I 'I strongest constitutions survived, and even these were mere skeletons, worn tmA privations, and equally unable to work or to fight l^y this self-inflicted blow tjie K suffered far more than they would have done in the most prolonged war, and rtn themselves incapable of resistance for many years. That the prophets who uttered such strange mandates must have been belieTenigi truth of their art is evident enough, for they sacriticed not only the property of oiIm but their own, and we have already seen how tenaciously a KafAr ciin^jg to bin toi and herds. Moreover, in thus destroying all the food in the country, tliey knevil they were condemning to starvation not only the countryr in general, but themsalvm their families, and a man is not likelv to utter prophecies which, if false, would r him from wealth to poverty, and condemn himself, Iiis family, and all the country t«| miseries of famine, did he not believe those prophecies to be true. Although the influence exercised by tlie prophets is, in many cases, wielded Id i ii\jurious manner, it b not entirely an unmixed evil. Imperfect as their religious gyni is, and disastrous as are too often the consequences, it is better than no religion at^ and at all events it has two advantages, the one being the assertion of the iminortaliiil the soul, and the second the acknowledgment that there are beings in the spiritual voi possessed of far greater powei-s than their own, whether for good or evil. One of the most extraordinary of these prophets was the celebrated Makannaj united in his own person the offices of prophet and general, and who ventured to opn the English forces, and in person to lead an attack on Grahamstown. This remarkable man laid his plans with great care and deliberation, and did i, strike a blow until all his plots were fully developed. In the first place he contriTJ to obtain considerable military informatiun by conversation with the soldiers, and e: cially the officers of the regiments who were quartered at Grahamstown, and in i manner contrived to learn much of the English military system, as well as of i mechanical arts. The object which he proposed to himself is not precisely known, but as farascaij gathered from his actions, he seems to have intended to pursue a similar course to tli which was taken by Tchaka among the nioi-e noiihem Zulus, and to gather together d scattered Amakosa tribes and to unite them in one great nation, of which he should! sole king and priest But his ambition was a nobler one than that of Tchaka, whose c object was personal aggrandizement, and who shed rivers of blood, even among his oil subjects, in order to render himself supreme. Makanna was a man of different noi and although personal ambition had much to do with his conduct, he was clearly inspij with a wish to raise his people into a southern nation that should rival the great Ziil monarchy of the north, and also, by the importation of European ideas, to elevated character of his subjects, and to assimilate them as far as possible with the white w\ their acknowledged superiors in every art. That he ultimately failed is no wonder, because he was one of those enthusiasts i do not recognise their epoch. Most people fail in being behind their day, MakaoJ failed in being before it Enjoying constant intercourse with Europeans, and invariai choosing for his companions men of eminence among them, his own mind had becoi sufficiently enlarged to perceive the infinite sup«riority of European civilization, and-j know that if he could only succeed in infusing their jdeas into the minds of hissubjedf the Kosa nation would not only be the equal of, but be far superior to the Zulu enipiij which was erected by violence and preserved by bloodshed. Conscious of the superstitious character of his countrymen, and knowing that I would not be able to gain sufficient influence over them unless he laid claim to siipi natural powers, Makanna announced himself to be ^ prophet of a new kind. lotlj part of his line of conduct, he showed the same deep \\i lom that had characterised I former pi-oceedings, and gained much religious as well ; s practical knowledge frorati white men, whom he ultimately intended to destroy. He made a point of conveisingj much as possible with the clergy, and, with all a Kaffir's inborn love of aiguma delighted in getting into controversies respecting the belief of the Christians, andtl inspiration of the Scriptures. ATTACK ON ORAHAMSTOWN. 21S Keen and subtle of intellect, and possessed of wonderftil oratorical powen, he would tone time ask question after question for tlie puq)ose of entangling his instructor in a M)biiiiii and at another would burst into a torrent of eloquence in which he would jLitly make use of any unguarded expression, and carry away his audience by the birit and lire of his oratory. In the meanwhile he was quietly working upon the minds of his countrymen so as ipnpare them for his flnal step ; and at last, when he had thoroughly matured hiu Jqi he boldly announced himself as a prophet to whom had been given a special onimiMion from Uhlanga, the iJreat Spirit. Unlike the ordinary prophets, whose utterances were all of blood and sacrifice, either Lr men or animals, he imported i ito his new system of religion many ideas that he had tbtained from the Christian clergy, and had the honour of being the first Kaffir prot)het kho ever denounced vice and enforced morulitv on his followers. Not only did he Ireach against vice in the abstract, but he had the courage to denounce all those who led vicious lives, and was as unsparing towards the most powerful chiefs as towards the ]iumble«t servant. One chief, the renowned- Gaika, waa direfully offended at the prophet's boldness, (Thereupon Makauua, finding that spiritual weapons were wasted on such a man, took to jie spear and shield instead, led an extemporised force against Gaika, and defeated him. Having now cleared away one of the obstacles to his course of ambition, he thought [that the time had come when he might strike a still greater blow. The English had aken Gaika under their protection after his defeat, and Makanna thought that he could ooquer the British forces as he had those of his countrynmn. Accordingly, he redoubled his efforts to make himself revered by the Kaffir tribes. |He !«ldom showed himself, passing the greater part of his time in seclusion ; and when Ijie did appear in public, he always maintained a reserved, solemn, and abstracted air, such |u befitted the character which he assumed, namely, a prophet inspired, not by the spirits lof the dead, but by the Uhlanga, the Great Spirit himself Now and then he would liiinimon the people about him, and pour out torrents of impetuous eloquence, in which Ihe announced his mission from above, and uttered a series of prophecies, wild and [extravagant, but all having one purport ; namely, that the spirits of their fathers would ht for the Kaffirs, and drive the inhabitants into the sea. Suddenly he called together his troops, and made a descent upon Grahamstown, the Iwhole attack being so unexpected that the little garrison were taken by surprise ; and the Icommander was nearly taken prisoner as he was riding with some of his officers. More than 10,000 Kaffir warriors were engaged in the assault, while the defenders Inumbered barely 350 Europeans and a few disciplined Hottentots. The place was very [imperfectly fortified, and, although a few field-guns were in Grahamstown, they were loot in position, nor were they ready for action. Nothing could be more gallant than the conduct of assailants and defenders. Tlie J Kaffirs, fierce, warlike, and constitutionally brave, rushed to the attack with wild war (cries, hurling their assagais as they advanced ; and when they came to close quarters, I breaking their last weapon, and using it as a dagger. The defenders on the other hand contended with disciplined steadiness against such fearful odds, but the battle might I have gone against them had it not been for a timely succour. Finding that the place could not be taken by a direct assault, Makanna detached j several columns to attack it both in flank and rear, while he kept the garrison fully employed by assailing it in front. Just at that moment, an old experienced Hottentot captain, named Boezak, happened to arrive at Grahamstown with a party of his men. Without hesitation he led his little force against the enemy, and, being familiar with Kaffir warfare, and also practised marksmen, he &iid his followers neglected the rank and file of the enemy, and directed their fire upon the leaders who were conducting the final charge. In a few seconds a number of the most distinguished chiefs were shot I down, and the onset received a sudden check. The Amakosa warriors soon recovered themselves and returned to the charge, but the I English had taken advantage of the brief respite, and brought their field-guns to bear. 01 »i; 216 THE KAFFIR. Volley after volley of grape-shot was poured into the thickest columns of the eneinJ and the front ranks fell like grass before the mower's scythe. '' Still, the courage of the Kaffirs, stimulated by the mystic utterances of their pwpy general, was not quelled, and the undaunted warriors charged up to the very moutli the guns, stabbing with their last spears at the artillerymen. But brave as they njini,! be, they could not contend against the deadly hail of grape-shot and musketiy tl ceaselessly poured into their ranks, while as soon as a leader made himself eonspicunuii he was shot by Boezak and his little body of marksmen. Makanna rallied bis foiJ several times, but at last they were put to flight, and he was obliged to accompany U discomfited soldiers. Short as was this battle, it was a terrible one for the Kaffirs. Fourteen hundru bodies were found dead on the field, while at least as many more died of their wounds! After this decisive repulse, Makanna surrendered himself to the English, and w J. sent as a prisoner to Robben Island. Here he remained for a year, with a few followeiJ and slaves whom he was permitted to retain. One day he disarmed the guard, and triedl to escape in a boat, but was drowned in the attempt. I The subjoined spirited rendering of Makanna's gathering song is by Mr. Prin"le, M poet-traveller in Southern Africa. MAKANNA'S GATHERINO. •' Wakp. f AmalcosB, walce ! And arm yourselves for war, As coining winds the forest shake, I hear a sound from far : It is not thunder in the sky, Nor lion's roar upon tho hill. But the voice of him who sits on high, And bids me speak his will ! " He bids me call you forth. Bold sons of Kahahee, To sweep the White Man from the earth, ^ And drive them to the sea : The sea, which heaved them up at first, For Amakosa's curse and bane, Howls for the progeny she nursed. To swallow tnem again. " Then come, ye chieftains bold. With war-plumes waving high ; Come, every warrior young and old, With club and assagaL Remember how the spoiler's host Did through the land like locusts ranee! Your heriis, your wives, your comrades fost,- Reraember, and revenge ! " Fling your broad shields away. Bootless a$rainst such foes ; But hand to hand we'll fight to-dav, And with the bayonets close. Grasp ea<^h man short his stabbing spe» And, when to battle's edge we como, Rush on their ranks in full career, And to their hearts strike home I " Wake ! Amakosa, wake ! And muster for the war : The wizard-wolves from Keisi's brake. The vultures from afar, Are gathering at Uulanga's call. And follow fast our westward way— For well they know, ere evening fall. They shall have glorious prey ! " NECKLACE MADE OF HUMAN FINOER-BONEa There is now before me a remarkable necklace, which was taken from the neck of a j Kaffir who was killed in the attack of the 74th Highlanders on the Iron Mount Tt stronghold of the dark enemies was peculiarly well adapted for defence, and the nativtis THE DAGHASAC. 217 I therefore used it as a place wherein they could deposit their stores but, by a false I ve on their part, they put themselves between two fires, and alter severe loas had to andon the post. The necklace belongs to the collection of Major Ross King, who led > 74th in the attack. It has evidently been used for superstitious purposes, and has belonged to a Kaffir Iho was either one of the prophets or who intended to join that order. It is composed f human finger bones, twenty-seven in number, and as only the last joint of the finger is J it ia evident that at least three men must have supplied the bones in question. From He nature of the ornament, it is likely that it once belonged to that class of which doctors Cake a living, by pretending to detect the evil-doers who have caused the death of chiefs L persons of rank. J5 another exampie of the superstitious ideas of the Kaffirs, I may here describe the rticle which is represented in the aexed illustration. This is one of the small bags Ihich are sometimes called knap- j-ks, and sometime "daghasacs," be latter name being given to hem because their chief use is to old the dagha, or preparation of |emp which is so extensively used |)r smoking, and which was pro- lably the only herb that was usod lefore the introduction of tobacco ■om America. Sometimes the daghasac is ink of the skin of some small , taken off entire ; but in ills instance it is made of small [ieces of antelope-skin neatly Wed together, and having some If the hair still left in the interior. [he line of jimction between the Ipper and lower pieces of skin is Weniously concealed by the strings If black and white beads which |Te attached to it ; and the same leads serve also to conceal a patch [phich is let iu in one side. The bag lended over the shoulders of the wearer by means of a long chain formed ot iron ^ire, the links of which are made so neatly that, but for a few irregularities, they would ! taken for the handiwork of a European wire-worker. From the end of the bag hang two thongs, each of which bears at the extremity a fraliied charm. One of these articles is a piece of stick, about three inches in length, and kbout as thick as an artist's pencil ; and the .other is a small sea-shelL The bone necklace, which has just been described, does really look like a cliarm or an amulet ; but Ihese two objects are so perfectly harmless in appearance that no one would detect their iharacter without a previous acquaintance with the manners and customs of the natives. I The stick in question is formed of a sort of creeper, which seeras to be invariably used In the manufacture of certain charms. It has small dark leaves and pale blue flowers, Wis found plentifully at the Cape, growing among the "Boerbohne" and other bushes, nd twining its flexible shoots among their branches. Major King, to whose collection the daghasac belongs, possesses a large specimen of Ihe same stick, five feet in length and perfectly straight. It was taken from the ^ntre of a bundle of assagnis that had fallen from .the grasp of a Kaffir, who was " ' in a skirmish by the Higlilanders. This stick was employed as a war charm, and THE DAGUASAC. c 218 THE KAFFIR. probably was supposed to have the double effect of making certain the aim of theassai and of guarding the owner from harm. ' Vast numbers of those wooden charms were issued to the soldiers by the celebrat prophet Umlangeni, who prophesied that by his incantations the bullets of the white mi would turn to water as soon as they were fired. As the charm cost nothing except tl trouble of cutting the stick to the proper length, and as he never issued one withoi a fee of some kind, it is evident that the sacred office became in his hands a vei profitable one. As war occupies so much of the Kaffir's mind, it is to be expected that the prophi encourage rather than suppress the warlike spirit of the natioa During times of peace, tiie objects for which the prophet will be consulted are coi paratively few. Anxious parents may come to the prophet for the purpose of performing soi ceremony over a sick child ; or, with much apparent anxiety, a deputation from tl tribe may call him to attend upon the chief, who has made himself ill by eating too muci beef and drinking too much beer ; or he may be summoned in case of sickness, which always a tolerably profitable business, and in which his course of treatment is sure to successful ; or if he should enjoy the high but perilous reputation of being a rain- he may be called upon to perform his incantations, and will consequently receive a number of presents. These, however, are . the sum of the prophet's duties in times of peace, and 1 naturally inclined to foster a warlike disposition among the people. The reader remember that when Tchaka found that his subjects were in danger of settling down to quiet agricultural life, he induced one of the prophets to stir up a renewal of the old martii spirit. And we may be sure that he found no unwilling agents in the prophets, at li three of whom must have been engaged in the deception. In war, however, the prophet's services are in constant demand, and his influence his wealth are equally increased. He retains all the privileges which he enjoyed in timi of peace, in addition to those which belong to him as general adviser in time of war. From the beginning to the tad of the war every one consults the prophet Whei the king forms the conception of making war, he is sure to send for the prophet, am ask him to divine the result of the coming contest, and whatever his advice may it is implicitly followed Then, after war has been announced, another ceremony necessary in order to propitiate the spirits of ancestors, and cause them to fight for tliei descendants, who sacrifice so many oxen to them, and thus enrich their cattle-pen in tlii shades below. Next comes the grand series of ceremonies when the troops are mustei and another, scarcely less grand, when they march off. In the meantime almost every soldier will want a charm of some kind or other, am will pay for it. Moreover, he wUl generally owe the sacrifice of a cow, or at least a] if be return home safely at the end of a campaign, and of all sacrifices the prophet his share. The old men and wives who remain rt home, and are sure to feel anxious aboul their husbands and children who are with the army, are equally sure to offer saorifioi as propitiations to the spirits. When the army returns the prophet is still in request, as he has to superintend various sacrifices that have been vowed by the survivors and their friends. As to tlioi who fell they have already paid their fees, and for the failure of the charm there is ahvay some excuse, which the simple people are quite ready to believe. Mr. Baines has kindly sent me an account of one of these prophets, and the manner ii which he performed his office. Besides the snakes, skins, feathers, and other strange] ornaments with which a Kaffir prophet is wont to bedeck himself, he had hung roimi his neck a string of bones and skulls, an amulet of which he evidently was exceedingl; proud. He was consulted by some of the soldiers about the result of the expedition, am straightway proceeded to work. Taking off the necklace he flung it on the ground, am then squatted down beside it, scanning carefully the attitude assumed by every hone, am drawing therefrom his conclusions. At last he rose, and stated to his awe-struck client3| that before the war was over many of them would eat dust, i.e, bo killed. UNFAVOURABLE PROPHECY. 219 This announcetnent had a ftteat effect up< n the dark soldiers, and their spirits were Igiijly depressed by it. The cunimander, ho\ ever, was a man who was independent of Isucb actions, and did not intend to have his men disheartened by any prophet. So he LdI for the seer in question, and very plainly told him that his business was to foretell m UNFAYOUBABLB FROFHBUY. success, and not failure ; and that, if he did not alter his line of prophecy, he must be prepared to take the consequences. Both the seer and the spirits of departed chiefs took this rather strong hint, and after that intimation the omens invariably proved to be favourable, and the soldiers recovered their lost equanimity. i V .P iw ^m , a fe '-^ 'M ii ■M ■"If 1 1 1 '• H t:« , V^ ^ IHr -.* ••i, ',j Wr ^ % 4 ^^l ! r 1 '• '.4 1 1 ■* 1 1 1 ^.- - --zm M '\i ^^^^1 iv CHAPTER XX. FUNERAL RITES. ■iA, BimiAL OF THR DEAD — LOCALITIES OF THE TOMBS — THE CHIEF S LAST BESTINO-PLACE — SACJtmcn AND LVSTItATION BODIES OF CHIMINALS — HKPUONANCR T0WABD8 DEAD BODIBS — OBDINabv BITES FUNEBAL OF A CHILD— THE DEATH AND BUBIAL OF MNANDB — HEB OBNEBAL CHARACTEB i AND BUSPICIOirS NATDBE OP HEB ILLNESS — TCBAKA'S BEHAVIOVB — A8SEHBLAGF OF THR PEOFll AND TEBBIBLB UASSAOBB — HNANDb's CvJIPANIONS in THR QB/.VK — THB YBAB OF VATCRINO-- A STBANOB OBDINANCE — HOW TCHAKA WBNT OVT OF HOVBNINO — A SUMMABY MODE OF 8EPUUCBI — ABANDONMBNT OF THK AQBD SICK— UB. OALXOM's STOBT. Closely connected with the religion of any country is the mode in which the bodies of the dead are disposed o£ Burial in the earth is the simplest and most natural mode of disposing of a deadlxxly, and this mode is adopted by the Kaffirs. There are slight variations in the melhod of interment and the choice of a giUve, but the general system prevails throughout Kaffir- land. The body is never laid prostrate, as among ourselves ; but a circular hole is dug in the ground, and the body is placed in it in a sitting position, the knees being brought to the chin and the head bent over them Sometimes, and especially if there should te cause for haste, the Kaffirs select for a grave an ant-hill, which has been ransacked by the great ant-bear or aard-vark, and out of which the animal has torn the whole interior with its powerful claws, leaving a mere oven-shaped shell as hard as a brick. Generally, however, a circular hole is dug, and the body is placed in it, as has been already mentioned. As to the place of burial, that depends upon the rank of the dead person. If lie be the head man of a kraal he is always buried in the isibaya, or cattle enclosure, and the funeral is conducted with much ceremony. During the last few days of illness, when it is evident that recovery is impossible, the people belonging to the kraal omit the usual care of the toilet, allowing their hair t grow as it likes, and abstaining from the use of grease or from washing. The worst clothes are worn, and all ornaments are removed They also are bound to fast until the funeral, and there is a humane custom that the children are first supplied with an abundant meal, and not until they have eaten are they told of their father's death. The actual burial is performed by the nearest relatives, and on such an occasion it is not thought below the dignity of a man to assist in digging the grave. The body is then placed in the grave ; his spoon, mat, pillow, and spears are laid beside him : the shafts of the latter are always broken, and the iron heads bent, perhaps from some vague idea that the spirit of the deceased will come out of the earth and do mischief with them, Should he be a rich man, oxen are also killed and placed near him, so that he may go into the land of spirits well furnished with cattle, implements, and weapons. If the Eerson interred should not be of sufficient rank to be entitled to a grave in the isibaya, e is buried outside the kraal, and over the grave is made a strong fence of stones or thorn-bushes, to prevent the corpse from being disturbed by wild beasts or wizards. FUNERAL OF A CHILD. 221 As soon as the funeral partv returns, the prophets send the inhabitants of the kraal to jie nearest stream, and after they have washed therein he administers some medicine to ilieni and then they are at liberty to eut and drink, to milk their cattle, and to dress their ,' Those, however, who dug the grave and handled the body of the dead man are [blised to undergo a double course of medicine and lustration before they are permitted (break their fast. It is not every Kaffir who receives the funeral rites. Those who have been killed by order Lf tlie king are considered unworthy of receiving honourable sepulture, and no matter what jiay be the crime of wliich they are accused, or whether indeed they have not been kUed lliro*i<'h some momentary caprice of the despot, their bodies are merely dragged away by [he lieels into the bush, and allowed to become the prey of the vultures and hysenas. Except when heated by conflict, the Katfir has an invincible repugnance to touching Jcad body, and nothing can show greater respect for the dead than the fact that the Luiediate relatives conquer this repugnance, and perform the last office in spite of their 'atural aversion to such a duty, and with full knowledge of the long and painful fast " licli they must undergo. The friends of the family then assemble near the principal hut, and loudly bewail the Joss which the kraal has sustained. An ox is killed, and its flesh cooked as a feast for Ihe mourners, the animal itself being offered as a sacrifice to the departed chief. Having finished their banquet, and exhausted all their complimentary phrases towards the dead, hey generally become anything but complimentary to the living. Addressing the eldest son, who has now succeeded to his father's place, they bewail his inexperience, condole with the wives upon their hard lot in being under the sway of one so inferior in every way to the deceased, and give the son plenty of good advice, Itelliig him not to beat any of his mothers if he can keep them in order without manual Icorrection, to be kind to all his brothers and sisters, and to be considerate towards the Idependants. They enforce their arguments by copious weeping. Tears always come ]readi!y to a Kaffir, but, if there should be any difficulty in shedding them, a liberal use of pangent snuff is sure to produce the desired result. Such is the mode in which ordinary men and chiefs are buried. The funerals of Ichildren are conducted in a much quicker and simpler manner, as may be seen by the Ifollowing extract from Gardiner's work on Southern Africa He is describing the funeral jofachild belonging to a Kaffir with whom he was acquainted: — "After threading an intricate path, and winding about for some little distance, they ipped. Inquiring if that was the spot they had chosen, Kolelwa replied, • You must Ishonr us.' Ou being again told that it was left entirely for his decision, they proceeded a Ifeff paces further, and then commenced one of the most distressing scenes I ever witnessed, la father with his own hand opening the ground with his hoe, and scooping out a grave for Ihisown child, assisted only by one of his wives— while the bereaved mother, in the bitter- iness of her grief, seated under some bushes like another Hagar, watched every movement, [but dared not trust herself nearer to the mournful spot "When all was prepared Kolelwa returned, with the wife who had assisted him, for jthe body— Nombima, the mother, still remaining half concealed among the trees. Every- J thing was conducted so Silently that I did not perceive their return, until suddenly turn- ling to the spot I observed the woman suppoiting the body so naturally upon her lap, as I she sat on the ground, that at first I really supposed it had been a living child. I "Dipping a bundle of leafy boughs into a calabash of water, the body was first washed jby the father, and then laid by him in the grave ; over which I read a selection from the j Burial Service (such portions only as were strictly applicable); concluding with a short I exhortation to those who were present. The entire opening was then filled in with large Ifagots, over which earth was thrown, and above all a considerable pile of thorny boughs land branches heaped, in order to render it secure from the approach of wild animals." j In strange contrast with this touching and peaceful scene stands the teirible rites by [which Tchaka celebrated the funeral of his mother Mnande. It has already been mentioned, on page 127, that Tchaka was suspected, and not [without reason, of having been accessory, either actively or passively, to his mother's ■f"' M\ i-l I c 223 THE KAFFIR. it. m death ; and it was no secret that she was a turbulent, quarrelsome, bad-tempered woman] and that Tchaka was very glad to be rid of her. Now, although a Kaifir is much despi!! if lie allows his mother to exercise the least authority over him when he has once reach adult age, and though it is thought rather a praiseworthy act than otherwise for a younJ man to beat hi? mother, as a proof that he Is no more a child, the murder of a parent i looked upon as a crime for which no excuse could be offered. Irresponsible despot as was Tchaka, he was not so utterly independent of opinion that he could allow himself to be spoken of as a parricide, and accordiDgw' soon as his mother was beyond all chance of recovery, he set himself to work to make h. people believe that he was really very sorry for his mother's illness. In the first iflaa he cut short a great elephant-hunting party at which he was engaged ; and although 1 was fully sixty miles from the kraal in which his mother was residing, he set off at ona and arrived at home in the middle of the following day. At Tchaka's request, Mr. Fyn went to see the patient, and to report whether there was any chance of her recoveiy. ' account of the interview and the subsequent ceremonies is as follows : — " I went, attended by an old chief, and found the hut filled with mourning womei and such clouds of smoke that I was obliged to bid them retire, to enable me to bieatl within it Her complaint was dysentery, and I reported at once to Tchaka that her ( was hopeless, and that I did not expect that she would live through the day. Thei. ments which were then sitting in a semicircle around him were ordered to their barrac^J while Tchaka himself sat for about two hours, in a contemplative mood, without a va escaping his lips ; several of the elder chiefs sitting also before him. " When the tidings wjre brought that she had expired, Tchaka immediately arose i, entered his dwelling ; and haVing ordered the principal chiefs to put on their war dressea^l he in a few minutes appeared in his. As soon as the death was publicly announced, the] women and all the men who were present tore instantly from their persons every desciip-l tion of ornai lent. I " Tchaka now appeared before the hut in which the body lay, surrounded by hul principal chiefs, in their war attire. For about twenty minutes he atood iu ^ silent^] mournful attitude, with his head bowed upon his shield, on which I saw a few large teahj fall After two or three deep sighs, his feelings becoming ungovernable, he broke out into| frantic yells, which fearfully contrasted with the silence that had hitherto prevailed, signal was enough : the chief and people, to the number of about fifteen thousand, com.] menced the most dismal and horrid lamentations. . . . " The people, from the neighbouring kraals, male and female, came pouring in; eaohl body, as they appeared in sight, at the distance of half a mile, joining to swell the temhlel cry. Through the whole night it continued, none daring to take rest or refresh theniselvesl with water ; while, at short intervals, fresh bursts were heard as more distant r(^imeati| approached. " The morning dawned without any relaxation, and before noon the number increased to about sixty thousand. The cries became now indescribably horrid. Hundredi! I were lying faint from excessive fatigue and want of nourishment; while the carcases of] forty oxen lay in a heap, which had been slaughtered as an offering to the guardian i spirits of the tribe. " At noon the whole force formed a circle, with Tchaka in their centre, and sang a war song, which afforded them some relaxation during its continuance. At the close of it, | Tchaka ordered several men to be executed on the spot, and the cries became, if \ more violent than ever. No further orders were needed ; but, as if bent on convincing I their chief of their extreme gi'ief, the multitude commenced a general massacre— many of them received the blow of death while inflicting it on others, each taking the opportunity of revenging his injuries, real oi imaginary. Those who could no more force tears from their eyes — those who were found near the river, panting for water — were beaten to death | by others mad with excitement. " Toward the afternoon I calculated that not fewer than seven thousand people fallen in this frightful, indiscriminate massacre. The adjacent stream, to .which many I had fled exhausted to wet their parched tongues, became impassable from the number of GIRLS BUEIED ALIVE. S23 I ^f,)ges which lay on each side of it ; while the kraal in which the scene took place .gowing with blood." On the second day after Mnande's death her body was placed in a large grave, near -gpot where she had died, and ten of the best-looking girls in the kraal were enclosed tve m the same grave. Twelve thousand men, all fuUy armed, attended this di-ead *, 'i >-^ -^^^i^^^. '^ •i-. BO \M \iosely had off-|>acked some two hundred ,uj from her, yet the poor wretch kept crawl- ^ and dragging herself up to me, and wuld not De withheld, for fear I should forget to give her the food I promised. " When it was ready, and she had devoured what I gave her, the meat acted as it jAilen does in buc1\ cases, and fairly intoxicated her ; she attempted to stand, regardless of the pain, and sang, and tossed her lean arms about. It was perfectly sickening to witness [he spectacle. I did the only thing I could; I cut the rest of the meat in strips, and tuDsTwithin her reach, and where the sun would jerk (i.e. dry and preserve) it. It was koy dtiys' provision for her. I saw she had water, Hrewood, and gum in abundance, and Gen I left her to her fate." This event took place among the Damaras ; but Captain Gardiner mentions that hnionir the Zulus a dying woman was carried into the bush, and left there to perish in nlitude. That such a custom does prevail is evident, and it is likely that it may be more nnently practised than is generally supposed. People of rank are tended carefully ougli during sickness ; but men and women of low condition, especially if they are old nd feeble, as well as prostrated with sickness, are not likely to have much chance of > nursed in a coun^ where human life is so^Iittle valued. tsi irh ■■:s (>:il CIRCULAR KAFFm SHIELD. (From tht UUt Oordon Cw»,minifi oMutkn,} ■\4 c VOL I CHAPTER XXI. DOMESTIC LIFE. SLKEPINO ACCOHUODATION — ^HOW 80LOIBR8 ON THE CAMPAIGN SLEKP — THE KAPFIr's BED— IONOBAxJ OF WEAVING — POBTABLK FURNITURE A SINOULAR PROJECTILE — THE KAFFIB'b WUOW-iJ MATERIAL AND USUAL SHAPE — A KAFFIR's IDEAS OF ORNAMENT MODE OK HKPOSINQ— DINOAN J HOME — DOMESTIC DISCIPLINE — KAFFIR MUSIC ENERGETIC PERFORMANCE — BOMB NATIVE HFlJ DIES— QUALITY OF VOICE — MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS — THE " HARP " AND MODE OF PLAYDIO n\ PECULIAR TONES OF THE HARP— THE KAFFIR's FLUTE EARTHENWARE AMONG THE KAF WOMEN THE ONLY POTTERS — HOW THE POTS ARE MADE — GENERAL FORM OF THE POTS AND TH USES — EARTHEN GRAIN-STORES — TUBASHINO OUT GRAIN BKFOBE STOWAGE — THE TREM AFRICA — THE THORNS AND THEIR PROPERTIES — THE ORAPPLB-PLANT— THE WAIX-A-BIT, BOOX-AND-SPIKB THOIWB— HONKEy-BOPBS — VABIOUB TIIIBBBS. The sleeping accommodation of a Kaffir is of the simplest kind, and to European mq forms about as uncomfortable a set of articles as can be imagined. Indeed, with nai of the young unmarried men, the only permanent accommodation for sleeping is thJ which is furnished by the floor of the hut, or the ground itself if they should be forced t sleep in the open air. Soldiers on a campaign always sleep on the ground, and as they are forced to leave a their clothes behind them, they seek repose in the most primitive manner imaginably It has already been mentioned that, in order to secure celerity of movement, a KafG soldier carries nothing but his weapon, and is not even encumbered by dress. Hence I has a notable advantage over European soldiers, who would soon perish by disease vei they obliged to go^through a campaign lyithout beds, tents, kit, or commissariat. Our Highland soldiers are less dependent on accessory comforts than most Europ regiments, and will contentedly wrap themselves in their plaids, use their knapsacks pillows, and betake themselves to sleep in the open air. But they have at all events theil Elaid, while the Kaffir warrior has nothing but his shield, which he may use as a M il e likes, and it is, perhaps, fortunate for him that loiig training in hard marches rendeii him totally indifferent as to the spot on which he is to lie. His chief care is that ib place which he selects should not be wet, or be in the close neighbourhood of ants' nest or snakes' haunts, and his next care is to arrange his body and limbs so as to lit M inequalities of the ground. As to the hardness of his extemporized couch, he thinks littlj or nothing of it. But when our KafHr lad is admitted into the ranks of the men, and takes to hinselj his first wife, he indulges in the double luxury of a bed and a pillow — the former \m\ made of grass-stems and the latter of wood. At fig. 3 in the accompanying illustration is represented the ordinary bed of a Kaffirl This article of furniture is almost the same throughout Southern Africa, and, among thj true Kaffir tribes, the bed of the king himself and that of his meanest subject ai-e identic! in material and shape. The figure is drawn from a specimen in my own collection, anJ gives a very good idea of the KafiEur's bed and furniture. SLEEPING ACCOMMODATION. 227 *. <*'*i It ia made of the stems of grasses, some three feet in length, and about as thick jjQvyquills. These are laid side by side, and are fastened together by means of double ujQjN which pass round the grass-stems, and are continually crossed backwards and drwanls so as to form them into a mat about three feet in width and six in length. This oethod of tying the gross-stems together is almost identical with that which is employed Iv the native tribes that inhabit the banks of the Essequibo River, in tying together the Ijender arrows which they project through their blow-guns. The ends of the grass-stems L all turned over and firmly bound down with string, so as to form a kind of selvage, L^cb protects the mat from being unravelled. Ill KAFFIR BED FCRMITURB. Fia 1, 3, i'iUouw. a, ThtUd partly rolled «p. /■ •."*.! On looking at one of these sleeping mats, the observer is apt to fancy that a vast noiint of needless trouble has been taken with it — that the maker would have done his work quicker and better, and that the article itself would have looked much more elegant, 1 he woven the materials instead of lashing them with string. But the Kaffir has not Jthe faintest idea of weaving, and even the primitive hand-loom, which is so prevalent in (different parts of the world, is not to be found in Southern Africa The Kaffir can dress skins as well as any European furrier. He can execute basket ItotIc which no professional basket-maker can even imitate, much less rival He can Imake spear blades and axes which are more suitable to his country than the best Ispeciinens of European manufacture. But he has not the least notion of the very simple loperatiou of weaving threads into cloth. This ignorance of an almost universal art is the linore remarkable because he can weave leather thongs and coarse hairs into elaboratb joraaments, and can string beads together so as to form flat belts or even aprons. Still, |8uch is the fact, and a very curious fact it is. When the sleeper awakes in the morning, the bed is rolled up into a cylindrical form, llashed together with a hide thong, and suspended out of the way in the hut. A bed thus jsuspended may be seen in the illustration on page 115, The student of Scripture will Inaturally be reminded of the command issued to the paralytic man, to " take up his bed land walk," the bed in question being the ordinary thin mattress in use in the East, jwliich is spread flat on the ground when in use, and is rolled up and put away as soon |as the sleeper rises from his couch. If a Kaffir moves from one residence to another, his wife carries his bed with her, jsometimes having her own couch balanced on the top of her head, and her husband's 'to her shoulders. This latter mode of carrying the bed may be seen in the q2 W ? »1 ■:h , 4 .i! ' ''1^ 228 THE KAFFIR. illustration on page 26, where the woman is shown with the bed partly hidden under 1 kaross. Should tho Kaffir be a man of rather a luxurious disposition, he orders his wif I pluck a quantity of grass or iresh leaves, and by strewinjj them thickly on the i;ronJ and spreading the mat over them, he procures a bed which even an ordinary Eurori would not despise. ^ Although tho bed is large enough to accommodate a full-sized man, it is wonderful! light. My own specimen, which is a very fair example of a Kaffir bed, weighs exacil two pounds and one ounce so that the pei-son who carries it is incommotled not so inuJ by its weight as by its bulk. The bulk is, however, greatly diminished by the firmna with which it is rolled up, so that it is made into a cylinder only three or four inches i diameter. The reader may remember a story of a runaway bride, named Uziiito wk rather astonished a Kaffir chief b^ pitching her bed headlong through the door of tU hut. On rofer-nce to the illustration on page 229, it is easy to see how readily tlieb could be thrown through the narrow entrance, and how sharp a blow could be struck it if thrown with any force. The pillow used by the Kaffir is even less comfortable than his bed, inasninch as { consists of nothing but a block of wood. The shape and dimensions of these pillows i extremely variable, but the most common shape is that which is shown in fig^. 1 and 2 c page 227. Both drawings were made from specimens now before me. Tiieir length i fifteen inches, and their height nearly six, and, as they are out out of solid blocks of acacia tree, the weight is considerable. Upon the pill' t No. 1 the maker has bestowed great pains, and has carved the eii, legs in a very elaborate manner, cutting them into pyramidal patterns, and charring tk alternate sides of each little pyramid, so as to produce the contrast of black and vUt] which seems to be the Kaffir's ideal of beauty in wood-carving. It may here be noticed that the Kaffir is not at all inventive in patterns, and tL a curious contrast exists between his architecture and his designs. The former, it inn be remarked, is all built upon curved lines, while in the latter the lines are nearly straighl It is very seldom indeed that an uncivilized Kaffir draws a pattern which is not hm upon straight lines, and even in those instances where he introduces circular patterns tin circles are small. t Comfortless as these pillows seem to us, they are well enough suited to the Kaffir, i even the married men, whose heads are closely shaven, and who have not even the pro tection of their hair against the hardness of the wood, are far better pleased with thei pillow than they would be with the softest cushion that could be manufactured out i down and satin. Nor is this taste peculiar to the Kaffir, or even to the savage. No Englishman win has been accustomed to a hard and simple mattress would feel comfortable if obliged \ sleep in a feather bed ; and many travellers who have been long accustomed to sleep od the ground have never been able to endure a bed afterwards. I have known several suclj travellers, one of whom not only extended his dislike of English sleeping accommoi tion to the bed, but to the very pillow, for which article he always substituted a block o^ oak, slightly rounded at the top. The accompanying illustration represents the mode in which a Kaffir reposes. Tlnl individual who is reclining is the great Kaffir monarch, Dingan, and the readen observe that his bed is a mere mat, and that his pillow is only a block of wood. The kt| which is here represented is the celebrated one which he built at his garrison tow Ukunginglove, and it was specially noted because it was supported by twenty pillatil The fireplace of this hut was remarkable for its shape, which, instead of being the simpler circle in general use among the Kaffirs, resembled in form that ornament which is kDomij to architects by the name of quatrefoil. A few of his wives are seen seated round the apartment, and, as Dingan was so gieatj a man, they were not permitted to stand upright, or even to use their feet in any way, sol that if they wished to move from one part of the hut to another, they were obliged tol shuffle about on their knees. The illustration is taken from a sketch by Captain Gardiner,! KAFFIR MUSIC. 229 van invited by PInjfftn to an interview in the house, and during which interview he !h r ustoniHiied lii^ ^uest by retirin;^ for a nhort tiuw, and then pruHontiiig himself with face limbs, and body entirely covered with red and white spots, like those on toy The reader can form, from the contemplation of this drawing, a tolerablv accurate idea the luxuries afforded by the wild, savage life which some authors are so fond of sising. f 1 'I mi DINOAN AT HOMB. ito music, the Kaffir has rather curious ideas on the subject. His notion of melody is ut very slight, while his timing is perfection itself. The songs of the Kaffir tribes have dready been mentioned, and the very fact that several hundred men will sing the various »ar songs as if they were animated with a single spirit shows that they must all keep |ihe most exact time. In this point they aid themselves by the violent gestures in which the) indulge. A affir differs from an European vocalist in this point, namely, that he always, if possible, kits down when he sings. He and his companions will squat in a circle, sometimes three K four rows deep, and will shout some well-known song at the top of their voices, paying their polished bodies backwards and forwards as if they were one man, and piding the time by thumping the ground with their knob-kerries, and bringing their felbows violently against their ribs so as to expel the notes from their lungs with double pphasis. 230 THE EAFFIB. II ;" ■ ■■ I Some of the tunes which are sung by the Kaffirs at their dances are here given t music being taken from the Rev. J. Shooter's work. The reader will at once seel boldly the time is marked in them, and how well they are adapted for their pu Neither are they entirely destitute of tune, the last especially having a wild and qii„ sort of melody, which is calculated to take a strong hold of the ear, and to haunt I memories of those who have heard it sung as only Kaffirs can sing it. Among so the Bosjesman tribes a sort of harmony — or rather sustained discord — is employ will be seen in a succeeding page, but the Zulus seem to excel in unison songs, the fon of which can be imagined by those who are familiar with the grand old hymns Gregorian tunes that have been suffered to lie so long in obscurity. Of course, the quality of a Kaffir's voice is not that which would please an Europ vocalist. Like all uncultivated songsters, the Kaffir delights in strong contrasts, noil using a high falsetto, and now dropping suddenly into a gruff bass. It is a very remaikablJ fact that this method of managing the voice is tolerably universal throughout the world; and that the accomplished vocalist of Kaffirland, of China, of Japan, of Persia, and o Arabia, sings with exactly that falsetto voice, that nasal twang, and that abrupt transitioi from the highest to the lowest notes, which characterize our uneducated singers in nuall districts. Put a Wiltshire labourer and a Chinese gentleman into different rooms, t the doors so as to exclude the pronunciation of the words, ask them to sing one of theiil ordinary songs, and the hearer will scarcely be able to decide which room holds thsf English and which the Chinese vocalist. In the specimens of music which have beesl given, the readeif will notice in several places the sudden rise or drop of a whole octavd and also the curiously jerking, effect of many passages, both eminently characteristic rf| music as performed in country villages where modem art has not modified the voice. The musical instruments of the Kaffir are very few, and those of the most simple I kind. One is the whistle, which has already been described and figured on page 64, andl which is often diverted from its normal duty as a mere whistle, to become a musicall instrument, which, although it hab no range of notes, can at all events make itself heaid I through any amount of vocal accompaniment. And, as a Kaffir thinks that a song is no I song unless it is to be sung with the whole power of the lungs, so does he think that \k\ whistle in question is a valuable instrument in his limited orchestra. Thei-e is, however, one musical instrument which is singularly soft and low in its | tones, and yet which is in great favour with the Kaffir musicians. This is the instru-i ment which is sometimes called a harp, sometimes a guitar, and sometimes a fiddle, which has an equal right to either title, inasmuch as it has not the least resemblance to I either of those instruments. For the sftke of brevity, we will take the first of these] names, and call it a harp. HARP. 231 At first sight, the spectator would probably take it for an ordinary bow, to which a noid had been tied by way of ornament, and, indeed, I have known the instrument ' lie thus described in a catalogue. Xhe instrument which is represented in the illustration is taken from a specimen fhich was brought from the Natal district by the late H. Jackson, Esq., to whom I am »"1 n i J- '■ !■ m HASP. for so many of the weapons and implements which appear in this work. The iTabout five feet in length, and is made exactly as if it were intended to be used for propelling arrows. The true Kaffir, Ihowever, never uses the bow in Iwarfare, or even in hunting, thinking jit to be a cowardly sort of weapon, InnwoTthy of the hand of a warrior, janci looking upon it in miich the liaine light as the knights of old [looked first on the cross-bows, and I afterwards on fire-arms, neither of I which weapons give fair play for a I warrior's skill and strength. The cord is made of twisted hair, land is much longer than the bow, 80 that it can be tightly or loosely I strung according to the tone which 1 dusky musician desires to pro- Iduce. Near one end of the bow a round hollow gourd is firmly lashed by meaas of a rather complicated irraDgement of leathern thongs. When the gourd is, in its place, and the string is tightened to its proper I tension, the instrument is complete. When the Kaffir musician desires I to use it, he holds it as represented I in the illustration, and strikes the cord with a small stick, producing a series of sounds which are certainly rather musical than otherwise, but which are so faint as to be scarcely audible at the distance of a few yards. Although the sound is so feeble, and the instrument is in- tended for time rather than tone, the Kaffirs are veiy fond of it, and will play on it by the hour together, their enthusiasm being quite unin- ' " "Me to an European ear. i P'///^?y55$r KAFFIR MUSICIAN. f -• r ^f tf *^5l 232 THE EAETIR Generally the performer is content with the tones which he obtains by strinoi I the bow to a certain note, but an expert player is not content with such an arrange^'?! He attaches a short thong to the string, just opposite the place which is occupied bv til left hand, and to the end of the thong he fastens a ring. The forefinger of the left hand i passed tlu-ough the ring, and the peiTormer is able as he plays to vary the tone by alteriifl the tension of the string. The object of the calabash is to give depth and resonance to th I sound, and it is remarkable that a similar contrivance is in use in many parts of th I world, hollow bamboo tubes, earthenware drums, and brass vessels being used forth! I same purpose. " The reader may perhaps remember that in the middle ages, and indeed in goig,! districts up to a comparatively later time, a single-stringed fiddle was used in the country tt was simply a bow, with a blown bladder inserted between the string and the staff and! WOMBN XAKWO FOTS. looked veiy much like the Kaffir instrument with the gourd turned inside, so as to allow the string to pass over it. Instead of being merely struck with a small stick, it was played with a rude kind of bow ; but, even in the hands of the most skilful performer, its tones must have been anything but melodious. The Kaffir harp is used both by men and women. There is also a kind of rude flageolet, or Hute, made of a reed, which is used by the Kaffirs. This instrument is, however, more general among the Bechuanas, and will be described in a future page. In the course of the work, mention has been made of the earthenware pots used by the Kaffirs. These vessels aid of the rudest imaginable description, and afford a curious contrast to the delicate and elaborate basket-work which has been already mentioned. POT-MAKING. 233 „u a "KaBx makes his baskets, whether be be employed upon a small milk-vessel or yZgm store-house, he invents the ndost delicate and elaborate patterns, and, out of the lainnlest possible materials, produces work which no European basket-maker can surpass, when vessels are to be made with clay the inventive powers of the maker seem to a and the pattern is as inferior as the material Perhaps this inferiority may be the result of the fact that basket-making belongs to ; men, who are accustomed to cut patterns of various kinds upon their spoons and mda, whereas the art of pottery, which implies really hard work, such as digging and Itoeading clay, is handed over to the women, who are accustomed to doing drudgery. I The illustration shows a number of women engaged in making earthen pots. iThe Kaffir has no 'knowledge of machinery, and, just as he is ignorant of the rudest Iform of a loom for weaving thread into fabrics, so is he incapable of making the simplest Ibnd of a wheel by which he may aid the hand in the shaping of pottery. This is Iperhaps the more remarkable, as the love of the circular form is so strong in the Kaffir Imind that we might naturally imagine him to invent a simple kind of wheel like that Lhicb is employ^ by the peasants of India. But, as may be conjectured from the lonly attempts at machinery which a Kaffir makes, namely, a bellows whereby he saves Ibis breath, and the extremely rude mill whereby he saves his teeth, the construction of a lievolviBg wheel is far beyond him. In Biaidog their pots the women break to pieces the nests of the white ant, and, „;erpoanding the material to a fine powder, mix it with water, and- then knead it until li^is of a proper consistency. Th^ then form the clay into rings, and build up the pots Iby degrees, laying one ring regularly upon another imtil the requisite shape is obtained. I It is evident therefore, that the manufacture of a tolerably large pot is a process which joccBpies » considerable time, because it has to be built up very slowly, lest it should sink lunder its own wer'i'htv The only tocl v ?*1> is used in the manufacture of Kaffir pottery is a piece of wood, Ivith which the «. t r scrapes the clay rings as she applies them, so as to give a Itolerably smooth ; if ■■), and with which she can apply little pieces of clay where there lis a deficiency. The mode in which the various operations are conducted can be seen by reference to 3 illustration. The yoimg girl who is coming forward is bringing newly-kneaded clay |for the Bse of the principal operator. Tilt idbapes of these pots and pans are exceedingly clumsy, and their ungainly look lis inonied by the frequency with which they become lop-sided in consequence of limpflrfiBiBt diving. Examples of these articles may be seen in several parts of this work. [At the fiuitner end of the illustration on page 66 may be seen several of the larger ts, which are used for holding grain after it has been husked. The operation of husking, by the way, is rather a peculiar one, and not at all pleasant [for the spectators who care for their eyes or faces. The dry heads of maize are thrown in upon the hard and polished floor of the hut, and a number of Kaffirs sit in a circle Iround the heap, each being furnished with the ever-useful knob-kerry. One of them [strikes up a song, and the others join in full chorus, beating time with their clubs upon [the heads of maize. This is a very exciting amusement for the performers, who shout Ithe noisy chorus at the highest pitch of their lungs, and beat time by striking their Iknob-kerries upon the grain. With every blow of the heavy club, the maize grains are Istruck from their husks, and fly about the hut in all directions, threatening injury, if not I absolute destruction, to the eyes of all who are present in the hut. Yet the threshers appear to enjoy an immunity which seems to be restricted to them- . ("8 and blacksmiths ; and while a stranger is anxiously shading his eyes from the jsliower of hard maize grains, the threshers themselves do not give a thought to the jsafety of their eyes, but sing at the top of their voice, pound away at the com cobs, and luiake the grains fly in all directions, as if the chorus of the song were the chief object I in life, and the preservation of their eyesight were unworthy of a thought. I After the maize has been thus separated from the husk, a large portion is hidden laway in the subterranean granaries, which have already been mentioned, while a con- I *■ 8- 1 m 'M •V- --= tF-- ;f ' 234 THE KAFFIR lite :^- K siderable quantity is placed in their large earthen jars for home consumption. ThJ narrow-mouthed vessels in this illustration are not jarsi but milk baskets. The genenJ shape of those which are used for cooking is seen in the accompanying illustration. Ti, order to show the form of the actual cooking vessel, a smaller specimen is placed in thJ foreground. In boiling meat, two pots are employed, one being used as a cover invert over the other, and the two are luted tightly together so as to preserve the flavour ( the meat Except for the three purposes of preserving grain, cooking food, and boilia beer, the Kaffir seldom uses earthenware vessels, his light baskets answering ever purpose, and being very much more convenient for handling. WOMEN QUARBELLmO. From the preceding pages, the reader may form a tolerable idea of the haWts a customs of the tribes which inhabit this portion of the world, and of whom one race I been selected as the typical example Of the many other tribes but slight notice will be I taken,* and only the most salient points of their character will be mentioned. On the whole it will be seen that the life of a South African savage is not so repnl- sive as is often thought to be the case, and that, bating a few particulars, a Kaffir lives I a tolerably happy and peaceful lifa He is of course called upon to serve in the army for a certain time, but he shares this liability with inhabitants of most civilized nations of Europe, and when he returns after the campaign he is rewarded for good conduct byaj step in social rank, and the means whereby to maintain it. Domestic life has, of course, its drawbacks among savages as among civilized nations I and there are, perhaps, times when the gallant soldier, who has been rewarded with avvife pr two for his courage in the field, wishes himself once more engaged on a var march. The natural consequence of the low esteem in which the women are viewed, and f state of slavery iu which they are held, is that they are apt to quarrel fiercely among I THORNS. 236 ItheiDselYes, and to vent upon each other any feelings of irritation that they are forced to ppiesfl before their lords and masters. Even among ourselves we see how this querulous spirit is developed in propoiiion to Ifint of cultivation, and how, in the most degraded neighbourhoods, a quarrel starts up Itietveen two women on the very slightest grounds, and spreads in all directions like fire lio tow. So, in a Kaffir kraal, a couple of women get up a quarrel, and the contagion l^ediately spreads around. Every woman within hearing must needs take part in the Iqoarrel, just like dogs when they near their companions fighting, and the scene in the Iknal becomes, as may be seen by the illustration, more lively than pleasant. I Even this drawback to domestic life is not without its remedy, which generally takes Idle shape of a stick, so that the men, at least, pass tolerably tranquil lives. Their chief Ichancteristics are the absolute power of their king, and their singular subservience to IsnpeTstition ; but, as they have never been accustomed to consider their lives or their Invfierty their own, they are quite happy under conditions which would maJce an llngluhman miserable. Ant account of Southern Africa would be imperfiect without a short description of IcDeoitvo of tho conspicuous trees, especially of tne thorns which render the " bush" so THORNS OF ACACIA. impervious to an European, but which have no effect on the naked and well-oiled skin of a Kaffir. Fiequently the traveller will pursue his journey for many days together, and will see scarcely a tree that does not possess thorns more or less formidable. These thorns maybe roughly divided into two groups, narnely.' the straight and the hooked ; and in the I accompanying illustrations examples are shown of both kinds. The straight thorns are produced by trees belonging to the great group of Acacias, in I which Southern Africa is peculiarly rich. They are too numerous to be separately noticed, and it is only needful to say that the two chief representatives of this formidable tree are theKameel-dorn {Acada giraffce) and the Karroo-dorn {Acacia Capends). Tlie former tree las sharp brown thorns, very thick and strong, arid is remarkable for the fact that its pod does not open like that of most trees of the same group. It is called by the Dutch colonists the Kameel-dorn, because the giraffe, or kameel, grazes upon its delicate leaves ; but its native name is Mokdala, and by that title it is known throughout the greater part I of Southern Africa. The wood of the Kameel-dorh varies in colour, being pale red towards the circum- . 'f •Ji y- k 236 THE KAFFIR ference of the trunk, and deepening towards the centre into dark reddish brown, very heart of the tree, which is extremely heavy, and of a very dark colour, is used in tU manufacture of knob-kerries, and similar articles, the chief of which are the handles of thj feather-headed sticks, which have already been mentioned in the chapter upon huntins The tree is found almost exclusively on rich sandy plains where is little water. The other species, which is known by the name of Karroo-dom, or White-tlioni m generally found on the banks of rivers or water-courses, and is therefore a most valuablj tree to the thirsty traveller, who alwajrs looks out for the Karroo-thorn tree, knowing thJ it is generally on the bank of some stream, or that by digging at its foot he may finl water. The leaves of this tree are extremely plentiful ; but they are of so small a sizl that the tree affords but very little shade, and the effect of the sunbeams passing throiuilil a thick clump of these trees is most singular. ^ I Several stems generally rise from the same root, and it is a remarkable fact that tbel older trees can easily be known by the dead branches, which snap across, and then faul downward, so that their tips rest on the ground, while at the point of fracture theya«| still attached to the tree. Insects, especially the wood-devouring beetles, are supposed tot be the cause of this phenomenon, as the dead branches are always found to be perlbratedl with their burrows. I Every branch and twig of this tree is covered with the sharp white thorns, wbichl grow in pairs, and vary much in length, averaging generally from two to four inches.! Those which are represented in the illustration are longer and larger than usual The I slender pair are nearly seven inches in length, and are as sharp as needles. The stouterl pair are five inches in length, but their deficiency in length is more than compensated byl their great thickness, one of thetn measuring nearly two inches in circumferenca Theyl are white in colour, and are hollow, the thickness of their walls scarcely exceeding thatofl a quilL [ They are, however, exceedingly strong, and are most formidable impediments to anyl who encounter them. There is a story of a lion, which I could not bring myself to believe I until I had seen these thorns, but which now seems perfectly credible. The lion hadl sprung at his prey, but had slipped in his spring, and fallen into a thorn-bush, vheiehel lay impaled among the sharp spikes, and so died from the effects of his many wo If the bush should have been composed of such thorns as those which have been I described, it would have been a much more wonderM thing for him to have escaped than! to have perished. I The danger, as well as annoyance, which are caused by these thorns may be imagined I from an accident which befel one of Le Vaillant's oxen. The animal happened to be driven against an acacia, and some of the thorns penetrated its breast, of course breakinj; into the wound. All those which could be seen were extracted with pincers; but several of them had broken beneath the skin, and could not be touched. These caused so violent I an inflammation that, after waiting for twenty-four hours in hopes of saving its life, itw found necessary to put it to death. This thorn is very useful for various reasons. In the first place, its bark is employed in the manufacture of the strings with which the natives weave their mats together, and which they often use in tying together the flexible sticks which form the frameworkof their huts. From the thorns of the tree the young maidens form various ornaments, and with these thorns they decorate their heads, if they should not be fortunate enough to procure the quills of the porcupine for that purpose. Moreover, the dried wood makes an excellent fire, burning easily and rapidly, and throwing out a brisk and glowing, though rather transient heat. Several of the acacias are useful even as food-providers, the gum which exudes from them being eaten as a regular article of diet. The reader may remember that the poor Damara woman, who was left to die in the wilderness, was supplied with giira as an article of food. Several of the trees supply the gum in very large quantities. Mr. Burchell, the well-known traveller, thinks that the gum which exudes from these trees is so clear and good that it might largely take the place of the gum-arabic of commerce, and form as THE THOENY ACACIA. 237 ^lar article of merchandise as the ivory, hides, and feathers which form the staple of i)Uth African trade. " On the branches of these acacias, which have so great a resemblance to the true m of the ancients, or the tree which yields the gum-arabic, as to have been once cen- tred the same species, I frequently saw large lumps of very good and clear gum. " Wherever they had been wounded by the hatchets of the natives, there most com- nonly the gum exuded ; and by some similar operations it is probable that the trees nieht, without destroying them, be made to produce annually a large crop. And if a jompntation could be made of the quantity that might be obtained from those trees only rhicb line the banks of the Gariep and its branches, amounting to a line of wood Ifreckoning both sides) of more than two thousand miles, one would feel inclined to sup- Jiiose that it might be worth while to teach and encourage the natives to collect it This [^ certainly would be ready to do, if they heard that tobacco could always be obtained 1 exchange. « But if to the acacias of the river arc <\dded the myriads which crowd almost every liiver in extra-tropical Southern A*''" \ en between the Cape ■""' the Gariep only, we lioayfeel satisfied that there lire trees enough to supply a quantity of this drug more [than equal to the whole con- ion of Great Britain. Ibf the productiveness of the xAeoM Capensis, as compared Ivith that of the Acacia vera, |l Lave no information that 8 me to give an opinion Iktwith respect to the quality, 1 1 think we may venture to Qounce it to be in no way I Inferior." These are fair representa- Itives of the straight-thomed I plant of Southern Africa. The [best example of the hook- Ithomed vegetation is that which is described by Burchell as the Grapple-plant; but it is better known by the expres- sive name of Hook-thorn. The scientific title of this plant is Uhcaria procumbens, the former name being given to it on account of the hooks with which it is armed, and the latter to the mode in which it I grows along the ground. When in blossom, this is a singularly beautiful plant, the large flowers being of a rich I purple hue, and producing a most lovely effect as they spread themselves over the ground, or hang in masses from the trees and shrubs. The long, trailing branches are furnished throughout their length with sharp barbed thorns, set in pairs. Unpleasant as are the branches, they become worse when the purple petals fall and the seed-vessels are I developed. Then the experienced traveller dreads its presence, and, if he can do so, keeps clear of the ground which is tenanted by such a foe. The large seed-vessels are covered with a multitude of sharp and very strong hooked thorns, the form of which can be seen I by reference to the illustration. When the seed is ripe, the vessel splits along the middle, and the two sides separate widely from each other, so that they form an array of hooks which reminds the observer of the complicated devices used by anglers in pike-fishing. The illustration represents a still closed seed-vessel, and, formidable as it looks, its powers are more than doubled when It is open and dry, each half being covered with thorns pointing in opposite directions — OBAFFLE PLANT. 1. t H A ,,^' ft*!'- If' '■ J/ :'■ IfH 1/ ^t5 li,.. 238 THE KAFFIR thorns as sharp as needles, and nearly as strong as if they were made of the lan material. The reader may easily imadne the horrors of i bush which is beset with tM weapons. No one who wears clothes has a chance of escape from them. If only gj hooked thorn catches but his coat-sleeve, he is a prisoner at once. The first movemen bends the long, slender branches, and hook after hook fixes its point upon him. Stm.! gUng only trebles the number of his thomed enemies, and the only mode by which! he can free himself is to " wait-a-bit," cut off the clinging seed-vessels, and, wheil he is clear of the bush, remove them one by on& This terrible plant was most fatal to| our soldiers in the last Kaffir wars, the unwieldy accoutrements and loose clothing of thil soldier being seized by the thorns, and holding the unfortunate man fast, while the naked! Kaffir could glide among the thorns unharmed, and delive: his assagai with impunity. | If the reader would like to form an idea of the power of these thorns, he can do so brj thrusting his arm into the mividle of a thick rose-bush, and mentally multiplying thel number of thorns by a hundred, and their size by fifty. In shape the thoms have J singular resemblance to the fore-cUws of the lion, and they ceitainly, though inanimatej are scarcely less efficacious. I There is one of the acacia tribe (Acacia detinena) which is nearly as bad in its way u| the grapple-plant. In Burchell's " Travels " there is a very good account of this ahruU which is known to the colonists by the title of Vachi-een-hidgte, or Wait-a-bit thorn. " Th»| largest shrubs were about five feet high — a plant quite unknown to me, but well known I to the Klaarwater people . . . and is the same thorny bush which gave us so much annoy- [ ance the night before, where it was above seven feet high. I " I was preparing to cut some specimens of it, which the Hottentots observing, warned I me to be very careful in doing so, otherwise I should be certainly caught fast in itil branches. In consequence of this advice, I proceeded with the utmost caution ; but, with I all my care, a small twig got hold of one sleeve. While thinking to disengage it qnietljl with the other hand, both arms were seized by these rapacious thorns; and the morel I tried to extricate myself, the more entangled I became ; till at last it seized my hat i and convinced me that there was no possibility for me to free myself but by main force,! and at the expense of tearing all my clothes. i " I therefore called out for help, and two of my men came and released me by cutting I off the branches by which I was held. In revenge for the ill-treatment, I determined to I give to the tree a name which should serve to cautioi^ future travellers against i themselves to venture within its clutches." The monitory name to which allusion \ been made is that of detinens, as applied to that particular species of acacia. Besides these plants, there is one which deserves a brief mention, on account of it) I remarkable conformation. This is the Three-thorn, a species of Rhigozum, which is very! common in parts of Southern Africa. It is a low shrub, somewhere about three or four | feet in height, and its branches divide very regidarly into threes, giving it a quaint i altogether singular aspect. There is another remarkable species, called the Haak-een-steek, or the Hook-and-prick I thorn. In this species the thorns are very curiously arranged. Firat comes a sliort, hooked thorn; and if the traveller contrives to be caught by this hook, and tries to pull I himself away, he forces down upon himself a pair of long, straight thorns, two inches in| length, and as sharp as needles. It will be seen that the variety of thorns which beset the traveller is very great j indeed. Dr. Kirk ingeniously divides them into three classes, namely, those which I the flesh, those which tear the clothes, and those which tear both — this last class being by | far the largest. The reader may remember that the "Stink-wood" has occasionally been mentioned. I This same tree with the unsavoury name seems to have been rath« r neglected, if we may believe the account written by Le Vaillant nearly a century ago. He remarks of this tree, that it grows plentifully in several parts of Southern A'rica, and is found near! Algoa Bay, whence it is transported to the Cape, and there Uf jd in the manufacture of| furniture. Ill PARASITIC TREES. 289 The tree is A ^fuj elow-growin^ one, and, like such trees, produces wood of a very ltd texture. When freshly out it is pale, but after the lapse of time it gradutJIy ^en> iQ^ ^ ^^^ chestnut varied with olack. Like the hard woods, it is susceptible [ I very high polish, and possesses besides the invaluable pronerty of being free from Lint vhicn seem to perceive even in the dried wood the unpleasant odour which dis- Jghes it when green. In general look and mode of growth this tree much resemblra f oek of our own country. ^en a traveller first enters a South African forest, he is rather surprised by two gtanoes ; the first being that the trees do not surpass in size those which grace an English copse, and that in many cases they are far inferior both in size and Mtv. Tho next point that strikes his attention is, the vast number of creepers which niead thoir slender branches from tree to tree, and which, in somo instances, envelop the npporting tree so completely that they wholly hide it from view. They have the faculty ' roiining up the trunks of trees, pushing their branches to the very extremity of the aghs, and then letting drop their slender filaments, that are caught by lower bougha dhang in festoons from them. At first the filaments are scarcely stronger than packthread, but by degrees they ^me thicker and thicker, until they are as large as a man's arm. These creepera nultiply in Buch profusion that they become in many places the chief features of the «Deiy, all the trees being bound together by the festoons of creepers which hang from inch to branch. The Dutch settlers call them by the name of Bavians-tow, or Baboon-ropes, because ) baboons and monkeys clamber by means of them to the extremities of the branches [rhete the fruit grows. The scientific name for the plant is Cynanohum obttutfolium, lieoiatives, ever watchful for their own interests, make great use of these creepers, ad the Kaffirs use them largely in lashing together the various portioi 4' their huts. Ibe fruit of the Bavians-tow is only found at the extremity of the branci. js, where the roang filaments shoot out When npe it is something like a cherry, and is of a bright jrimsoD colour. It goes by the popular name of "\nld grape," and is much liked by Donkeys, birds, and men. From the fruit a kind of spirit is distilled, and a very good eserve can be made from it. These baboon-ropes are not the only parasitic growths upon trees. In many parts (the country there is a kind of long, fibrous moss which grows upon the trees, and is [ten in such profusion that it completely covers them, hiding not only the trunk and knnches, but even the twigs and leafaga This mossy growth extends to a considerable tength, in some cases attaining as much as ten or twelve feet. It is yellow in colour, and ihen short is very soft and fine, so that it can be used for most of the purposes to which lotton or tow are applied. But, when it reaches the length of six or seven feet, it becomes uni and wiry, and is comparatively useless. I have now before me a quantity of this ov-like lichen, which had been used in packing a large box full of Kamr weapons and mpletnents. There is a tree which furnishes a very useful timber, called from its colour, ["Geele-hout," a yellow wood. This tree is a species of Texrta, but there are at least two pecies which produce the wood. The timber is much used for beams, planks, and ailding purposes generally. Many travellers have thought that these and several other trees would form valuable liiticles of merchandise, and that they might be profitably brought over to Europe. That they afford really valuable woods, and that some of them would be extremely useful in jlelicate and fancy work, is indisputable. The only difficulty is, that to cut and transport pern at present involves so much expense that the arrangement would hardly be ' profitable for the investment of so much capital. 1^ CHAPTEE XXII. THE HOTTENTOT BACEa OOMnUSTRD ftAOBS — lIirrUAL BBPCLnON BSTirSBN THB KAVFIB AMD THS HOTTBITOT. KATIVB ALUSS — APFBABANOR OP THB UOTTBNTOT RACB ; THBIK COM PLBXION AND VBAT — BBSKMBLANOB TO THB CHINB8B — THB SON AND ITS SVPPOBBO BPPBCT ON COLOUB~i HOTTBNTOT IN YOUTH AND AOB — BAPID DBTBBIOBATION OP POBH — SINOtn^B POBMATION Oil HOTTBNTOT WOMBN — POBTBAIT-TABINO WITH A SBXTANT — OBOWTH OP THB HAIB— OKNBBAL CHA.| BAOTBR OP THB H0TTBNT0T8 — DRB88 OP THB MBN — WOMBN'S DBB88 AMD 0BNAHENT8— OSTUChI B0O-8HBLL8 V8BD AS AN OBNAMENT — A CCBIOrS PRONTLBT — OBBASB, 8IBILO, AND BCCHr-l MATCBB OP THB 8IBIL0, AND THB HODB IN WHICH IT IS PBOOUBBD V8B OP THB BCCBTJ~| IfODB OP PBEPABINO SKINS — THB TANNINQ-TAT — BOPB-MAKINO — BOWLS AND JABS — Hmil BOPBS AND THRIB MANUPACTVBB — THB HOTTBNTOT SPOON — A NATIVB PLY-TBAP — HAT-VAKn»| — HOTTBNTO'f ABOHITBCTiniB — 8DIPLB ItODB Of ATOIDINO VXBimf — MOIIAD HABITS OF m| H0TTBNT0T8 — THB DI0OINO-8TICK. Bbtore proceeding with the general view of the remaining tribes which inhabit Africa,! it will be necessary to give a few pages to the remarkable race which has lived for sol long in close contact with the Kaffir tribes, and which presents the cunous phenomenal of a pale race living in the same land with a black race, and yet having pre<>«rved itij individuality. | About three centuries ago, the whole of Southern Africa was inhabited by various tribeil belonging to a large and powerful nation. This nation, now known collectively underl the name of Hottentot, was at that time the owner and master of the land, of which it| had held possession for a considerable period. Whether or not the Hottentots were the| aboriginal inhabitants of Southern Africa, is rather doubtful ; but the probability is, tha(| they came from a distant source, and that they dispossessed the aborigines, exac%| as they themselves were afterwards ejected by the Eafi&rs, and the Kaffirs supplanted bjj the Europeans. The Hottentots have a deadly and almost instinctive hatred of the Kaffir race. He I origin of this feeling is evidently attributable to the successive defeats which tlieyl suffered at the hands of the Kaffirs, and caused them to become merely tolerated | inhabitants of a land in which they were formerly the mastera The parents b handed down this antipathy to their children, and, as is often the case, it seems to h. grown stronger in each generation, so that the semi-civilized Hottentot of the preseotj day, though speaking our European language, and wearing European clothing, hates the I Kaffirs as cordially as did his wild ancestors, and cannot even mention their name without | prefixing some opprobrious epithet. In consequence of this feeling, the Hottentot is an invaluable cow-herd, in a li where Kaffirs are professional cow-stealers. He seems to detect the presence of a Kaffir I almost by intuition, and even on a dark night, when the dusky body of the robber can! hardly be seen, he will discover the thief, work his stealthy way towards him, and killl him noiselessly with a single blow. In the late South African war, the Hottentotjj became most useful allies. They were docile, easily disciplined, and were sinipl][| invaluable in bush-fighting, where the English soldier, with all his apparatus of belts f accoutrements, was utterly useless. APPEARANCE OF THE HOTTENTOT RACE. Stt ^c-i It is nther a remarkable fact that, in every country into which we have carried our the natives have become our best allies against their own countrymen, and have ,vfed services without which we could scarcely have kept our footing. No one can 'k up and capture the Australian native rebel so effectually as a native policeman, native African assists us against those wno at all eveucs inhabit the same land, lueh they may not happen to belong to the same race. The natives of China gave us at assistance in the late Chinese war, and the services which were rendered to us by ire forces during the great Indian mutiny can hardly be overrated. However much the Hottentot may dislike the Kaffir, the feeling of antagonism is liprocal, and the vindictive hatred borne by the defeated race towards their conquerors scarcely less intense than the contemptuous repugnance felt by the victors towards vanquished. Neither in colour nor general aspect do tho Hottentots resemble the dark races around JUL Their complexion is sallow, and much like that of a veiy dark person sufiTering jm jaundice. Indeed, the com- lexion of the Hottentots much lemblesthatof the Chinese, and general similitude between .etwo nations is very remarkable. geofmy friends who lived long Isouth Africa, had a driver who Hike a Hottentot, and who, fall appearance, was a Hottentot ne day, however, he astonished lis master by declaring himself a binese, and proving the assertion r removing his hat, and showing g long pig-tail twisted round his ad. He was, in fact, a Chinese olie, who had been imported Southern Africa, and who, a the fashion of his people, I accommodated himself to the anners and customs of those nongwhom he lived. Mr.MoiTutt, missionary author, mentions lat he saw two Chinese children, iiom he would have taken for lottentots had he not been in- ffmed of their true character. The existence' of this light- [iloured race in such a locality a good proof that com- lexion is not entirely caused by h sua There is a very popular m that the hot sun of tropical Wntries produces the black jolour of the negro and other I and that a low temperature Peaches the skin. Yet we have 1 Hottentots and their kindred i)e8 exhibiting pale skins in a [ountry close to the tropics, while e Esquimaux, who live amid eternal ice, are often so dark that they might almost > mistaken for negroes, but for the conibrmatiou of their fiaces and the length of leir hair. VOL I. , B Lyy^Z HOTTENTOT TOUNO MAN. 242 THE nOTTENTOT. r'' ■'-'"', > '^&^z..: :; - .,,__.., ^ ~ \ '^^-JrJ-ri ---.r. .'"■' '-Sdr ^ "-'^i^HBl ^ V -s: ' j^^Uj^H HBt^'rT- ■ V^, -, -.1=^: - ^^^^B^^^H ^B^L~-''. -; _ /^_,-J.,---^l>^7-,; ' -; ~- •— 'j^SB^^^^^B ^^^~' ■1 ttiiH The shape of the Hottentot face is very peculiar, as may' be seen by reference to u engravings which illustrate scenes in Ifoctentot life. The cheek-bones project shatoll from the face, and the long uhin is narrow and pointed. These characteriHtica are not J visible in youth, but seom to grow stronger with age. Indeed, an old Hottentot, wliethi man or woman, seems to have scarcely any real face, but to be furnished with a juei skin drown tightly over the skull. What were the manners and customs of the Hottentots before they were dist by the Kaffirs, or deteriomtod by contact wit'.i bad specimens of European civUization i extremely difficult to say, as no trustworthy historian of their domestic economy hu liJ among them. Kolben, whose bw of travels has long been acceptt as giving a true account of thi Hottentot, is now known to \ utterly unworthy of belief, injt much as his information is seconj hand, and those from whom ol)»ained it have evidently amu. themselves by imposing upon 1 incredulity. As this work treats only i the hormal habits and customs o the various parts of the world, anl has nothing to do with the modi ficationsofcivilization,theaccou of the Hottentot will be ne sarily brief. In shape the Hottentots alt« strangely according to tlieiraj;^ "When children, they are not at a agreeable objects — at least, to i unaccustomed eye, being thin iJ the limbs, with an oddly projectinj stomach, and a correspoiidinj; faU in the back. If toleralily \vtl| fed, they lose this strange sli when they approach tlie peria of youth, and as young men asJ girls are almost models of peij fection in form, though tlieij faces are not entitled to as mud praise. But they do not retain ^ beauty of form for any long peaoi' some few years generally compw C/^ft. ^ — 7 ^^^j^ ^^ ^^^s^^JSgtir, ^ bending its beginning anditsendJ ^^ ^==-ae= |i*Mi '9«««% „ jj^ gyg jjj. g^jj yga^ after theij HOTTENTOT WOMAN. arrival at womanhood," i»rit< Burchell, " the fresh plumpnesso youth has already given way t the wrinkles of age ; and, unless we viewed them with the eye of commiseration anl philanthropy, we should be inclined to pronounce them the most disgusting of huniffl beings." Their early, and, it may be said, premalure symptoms of age, may perhaps, vritl much probability, be ascribed to a hard life, an uncertain and irregular supply; of fooo exposure to every inclemency of weather, and a want of cleanliness, which increase with years. These, rather than the nature of the climate, are the causes of this quid fading and decay of the bloom and grace of youth. SCIENTIFIC PORTRAITURE. 243 The appearance of an ordinary Hottentot woman can been seen by reference to the accom- Djing illustration, taken from a sketch by the uutlior wIioho words liuve just been oted. The subject of the druwinp looks as if she w«iio sixty years old at the very lit, thou(;h, on account of the early deterioration of torni, hIiu luiglit be any ase from lenty-seven upwcrds. It is hardly possible to conceive tliat so short a pttriod would ingethe graceful form of the Hottentot girl, as shown on page 246, with the withered Jwrinkl^ hag who is here depicted, but such is really the case, and the strangest part I, that it is scarcely possible to tell whether a woman be thirty or sixty years of age by I looks alone. Not the least remarkable point in the Hottentot women is the singular modification of s to which they are often, though not universally, subject — a development of which celebrated " Hottentot Venus ' affbrut-d an excellent example. A very amusing icription of one of these women is given by Mr. (jalton, iu his well-known work on uAera Africa : — " Mr. Hahn's household was large. There was an interpreter and a sub-interpreter, and 1 others, but all most excellently well behaved, and showing to great advanta<,'e t! o ifluence of their master. These servants were chiefly Hottentots, who had migrated with [r.Habn from Hottentot-land, and, like him, had picked up the lang«i ge of the Damaro :. "The sub-interpreter was married to a charming person, not only a Hotten' t in e, but in that respect a Venus among Hottentots. I was perfectly aghast tn her brelopment, and made inquiries upon that delicate point as far as I dar^ri amoug my isionary friends. The result is, that I believp Mrs. Petrus to be thb lady w< ) ranks Kond among all the Hottentots for the beautiful outline that her back affords, Jonker's rife ranking as the first* the latter, however, was slightly pasa^e, while Mrs. Petrus Vdi iMtmhonpoint. "I profess to be a scientific man, and was exceedingly anxious to obta?'.i '^ la'. i 246 THE HOTTENTOT. ground which he has to traverse is exceptionally rough and thorny. These sandals a in use throughout a large portion of Southern Africa, and the best are made bv tl^ i Bachapins, a sub-tribe of the Bechuanas. ^ '* ' The dress of the women is essentially the same as that of the men, although it is m i complicated, and there is more of it. As is the case with the Kaffir, the children of botl sexes wear no clothing at all until they are eight or nine years old, and then the oi ] assume the little leathern apron called the " makk&bi." This portion of dress is soin what similar to that which t worn by the Kaffir girls, and i, i simply a flat piece of leather cut into thin strips. The thongs aregeneraJlyloDMr than those worn by the Kaffir, and sometimes reach nearly to the knea Over this is sometimes but not universally, worn a seconi apron of skin, ornamented with i beads, bits of shining metal, and ' similar decorations. The beads are arranged in patterns, an idea of | which can be gained from the accompanying illustration, \\hich represents a Gonaqua Hottentot girl, about sixteen years of age, This girl was a special favourite of Le Vaillant's, and certainly seems from his account to have been a singularly favourable instance of unsophisticated human nature. The attitude in which she is de- picted is a very characteristic ore, being that which the Hottentot girls are in the habit of assuming. It is remarkable, by the way, that the pleasing liveliness for . which the Hottentot youth are notable departs toj^ether with youth, the demeanour of the men and women being sedate andalmost gloomy. Around the loins is fastened a much lary(;r apron witho* any decoration. This is of variable size and shape, but the usual form is that which is shown in the illustration. Its name is "musesi," and, like the " staart/-rheim " of the men, is not thought to be a necessary article of clothing, being put on more for ceremony than for use. This apron is also variable in size, sometimes being so long as nearly to touch the ground, and sometimes barely reach- ing to the knee. The Dutch settlers call these aprons the " Ibre-kaross," and "hind-kaross," words which sufficiently explain themselves. The bather thongs which encircle the leg are mostly ornamented with wire twisted round them, and sometimes a woman will wear on her legs one or two rinjis entirely composed of wire. Sometimes there are so many of these rings that the leg is covered with them as high as the knee, while in a few instances, four or five rings are even worn above the knee, and must be extremely inconvenient to the wearer. Heads of various t//j£^ n^^^ii^"^ -"^^"i;^^^^^ HOTTENTOT GIRU DRESS Am) OENAMENT. 247 olonn aw also worn profiisely, sometimes strung together on wire and hung round the gjlf waist, wrists, and ankles, and sometimes sewn upon different articles of apparel. ' Before beads were introduced from Europe, the natives had a very iugenious metliod f making ornaments, and even after the introduction of beads, the native ornament was uch prized. It was made by laboriously cutting ostrich-shells into thin circular discs, rving in si?^ from the sixth of an inch to nearly half an inch in diameter, and pierced joh the middle. Many hundreds of these discs are closely strung together, so as to form a sort of circular rope, white as if made of ivory. Sometimes this rope is long lOugh to pass several times round the body, against which the shining white discs ■produced a very good effect. T Burchell mentions a curious kind of ornament which was worn by a young Hottentot Lj and which seemed to be greatly prized by her. It consisted of three pieces of ivory jbottt the size and shape of sparrow's eggs, each tied to the end of a thong, and so < ;i M FRONTLKT. arranged that one of them hung over the nose and another on each cheek. As she moved her head in conversation these ivory beds swung about from side to side, and in her estimation produced a very telling effect. I have in my collection a good specimen of a similar frontlet, which is shown in the accompanying illustration. It consists of a leathern thong three feet in length, at each end of which is a cowrie shell. One foot in length of its centre is composed of a double row of the ostrich egg- rope which has just been described, so that, when the frontlet is tied on the head, the white egg-shell ropes cross the forehead. From the exact centre fall six short thongs, at the end of each of which is an ornament of pearly-shell or toitoise-shell. Four of these thongs are covered with native beads, made from the bone of the ostrich, and are further ornamented with a large scarlet seed in the middle. At each end of the egg-shell rope are two shell-clad thongs, exactly like those which have been described, and when the frontlet is in its place, these ornaments hang upon each cheek. The illustration shows the frontlet as it appears when bound upon the head of a Hottentot belle. Tliis excellent specimen was presented to me by Mr. E. Wilkinson. ^- -, *: \ 248 THE HOTTENTOT. I: ' ■ The dress of the married woman is, of course, more elahorate than that of the yon J girl. Although they sometimes appear with a very slight costume, they usually p^fertS Be tolerably well clad. With married women both the aprons are larger than vith M gills, and they wear besides a shorter apron over the breast Their kaross, too, is comparatively large siza The Hottentot females always wear a cap of some kind, the usual material beinJ leather, which is dressed in the same manner as the skin of which the kaross andtlii aprons are made. The hair is plentifully imbued with grease, in which has been mixed a quantity t the metallic powder of which the Hottentots are immoderately fond, and which is calleu by the Dutch colonists " Black-klip," or Shining Eock, on account of its glittering appeal ance. The natives call it by the name of Sibilo, which is pronounced as if it venl written Sibeelo. I The sibilo is extremely local, being only known to exist in one part of Africa, andisl dug from a rock called Seusavan. It seems to be a very friable kind of iron ore, plentifullyl interspersed with minute particles of mica, the union of these two substances giving it the I appearance which is so much admired by the natives This substance is a " shining, powdery iron ore^ of a steel-grey or bluish lustre, l.. and greasy to the touch, its particles adhering to the hands or clothes, and staining them I of a dark red or ferruginous lustra The skin is not easily freed from these glossy particles, I even by repeated washings, and whenever this substance is used everything becomes con^ taminated, and its glittering nature betrays it on every article which the wearer handles," I Burchell goes on to say that oxidization gives to the iron ore that peculiar rust-ted of | which the Hottentots are so fond, while the micaceons particles impart to it that spai glitter which is scalrcely less prized. To the Sensavan rock come all the surrounding tribes for a supply of this pieciom I substance, and those who are nearest are in the habit of digging it, and using it as a means of barter with more distant tribes. By d^irees the rock has b«en quarried so deeply that a series of caverns have been worked into it, some penetrating for a considerable distance. Burchell relates an anecdote of a party of Hottentots who were engaged in digging the sibilo, and who were overwhelmed by the fall of the cavern in which they were working. The various caverns are never without inhabitants, for by day they are full of bats, and by night they form the resting-place of pigeons. Besides the sibilo, another substance called Buchu is in universal use among the Hottentots. This is also a powder, but it is of vegetable, and not of mineral origin. It is not nearly as valuable as the sibilo, although considered to be nearly as necessaiy an article of adornment, so that any one who is not bedaubed with sibilo, and peri'umed with buchu, is considered unworthy of entrance into polite society. Sibilo, as the reader may remember, is to be obtained oidy from one spot, and is therefore a peculiarly valuable material, whereas the buchu can be obtained from several sources, and is accordingly held in lower esteem. Buchu (pronounced BooJcoo) is mostly obtained from a species of Diosma, and is made by reducing the plant to a powder. It possesses a strong odour, which to the nostrils of a Hottentot is extremely agreeable, but which has exactly the opposite effect upon the more sensitive organs of an European. When a number of Hottentots are assembled in one of their rude huts, the odour of the buchu, with which the karosses as well as the hair of the natives are plentifully imbued, is so exceedingly powerful, that no one except a native can breathe in such an atmosphere. The Hottentots have a wonderful veneration for this plant, and use it for various pur- poses. It is thought to form an admirable application to a woiind, and for this purpose the leaves of the plant are infused in strong vinegar, and are generally steeped for so long a time tliat they form a kind of mucilage. Tliere are several species of plants from which the indispensable buchu is made, and one of them is a kind of fragrant croton, named by Burchell Croton gratissimum, from its pleasant aromatic odour. It is a handsome bushy shrul^ from four to seven feet in height. Both flowers and leaves possess an agreeable Bceat^ and the buchu is made by drying sai TANNING. 249 jiding the latter, which are lance-shaped, green above, and whitish below. The powder i'ased as a perfume, which to the nostrils of the Hottentot is highly agreeable, but to the jaropean is simply abominable, especially when mingled with the odour of rancid grease odloiog-worn skin dresses. Skins are prepared in some places after a different manner to that which has been scribed when treating of the Kaffirs, and undergo a kind of tanning process. When a rfottentot wishes to make a leathern robe, or other article of di-ess, he deprives the skin [its hair by rolling it up with the furry side inwards, and allowing it to undergo a partial flttefiwjtion- In the meanwhile he prepares his tanning-vat, by fixing four stakes into Je ground, connecting their tops with cross-bars, and lashing a tolerably large hide loosely a. so as to form a rude kind of basin or tub. M m HOTTENTOTS FBEFARINQ HIDES. A quantity of the astringent bark of the karroo thorn is placed in the vat together Iwith the skin, and a sufficient quantity of ley is poured over them until the vessel is full. JThe bark of this acacia not only possesses a powerful tanning principle, but at the same jtime imparts to the leather that reddish hue which is so much admired by Hottentots, land which is afterwards heightened by the sibilo and buchu which are rubbed upon it. I Mr. Raines is, however, of opinion that this mode of preparing skins, primitive as it Imajr appear, is not the invention of the Hottentot race, but is due to the superiority of the Iwhite settlers. The tanning- vat of hide appears simple enough to have been invented by la savage race, but, as it is only used near European settlements, the idea has probably been Iborrowed by the Hottentots. In places remote from the white settlers, and where their iMuence is not felt, the Hottentots do not tan the hides by steeping them in ley, but [prepare them by manual labour in a manner somewhat similar to that which is used by {the Kaffir. When a large cow-hide is to be prepared, several men take part in the proceeding, and jraake quite a festival of it. They sit in a circle, with the hide in their midst, and work jit with their hands, occasionally rubbing in some butter or other grease. They sing songs the while, and at regular intervals they gra-sp the hide with both hands, and give it a violent pull outwards, so as to stretch it equally in every direction. J * r.'"" f , i- ■^r Uh?-va '^ W r V.i 250 THE HOTTENTOT. The cord or string of which the Hottentots make so much rise is twisted in a simple manner. The bark of the ever-useful acacia is stripped from the branches, and divided ., fibres by being steeped in water, and then pounded between two stones. SometimestL Tope-maker prefers to separate the fibres by chewing the bark, which is thought to \^ an agreeable flavour. i When a sufficient quantity of fibre has been prepared, the workwoman seats heiselj on the ground, takes two yarns of fibre, and rolls them with the palm of her hand upo the thigh. She then brings them together, gives them a quick roll in the opposite dir« tion, and thus makes a two-stranded rope with a rapidity that could hardly be conceive seeing that no tools of any kind are used. If any of my readers should happen to L skilled in nautical affairs, they will see that this two-stranded rope made by the Hots tentots is formed on exactly the same principle as the " knittles " which are so importanU in many of the nautical knots and splices. ] Rope-making is entirely a woman's business, and is not an agreeable one. ProhblJ it is remitted to the women for that very reason. The friction of the rope against tW skin is apt to abrade it, and makes it so sore that the women are obliged to relieve theml selves by rolling the rope upon the calf of the leg instead of the thigh, and by the timJ that the injured portion has recovered the other is sore ; and so the poor women have tol continue their work, alternating between one portion and another, until by long practice! the skin becomes quite hard, and can endure the friction without being injured by it Among all the tribes of Southern Africa the taste for hide ropes is universal. B(^.. of some £nd are absolutely necessary in any country, and in this paH of the \irorld,'as| veil as in some others, ropes made of hide are very much preferred to those vhich aiel formed from any other material. The reason for this preference is evidently owing to thel peculiarities of the country. There are plenty of fibrous plants in Southern Africa which! would fumiah ropes quite equal to those which are in use in Europe, but ropes formed of) vegetable fibre are found to bo unsuitable to the climate, and, as a natural consequence,! they have been abandoned even br European colonists. j The mode of preparing the hide ropes varies but UtUe, except in unimportant details, I and is briefly as follows : — The first process is to prepare a vessel full of ley, which is made by steeping tliel ashes of several plants, known under the generic title of Salsola. The young shoots of | these plants are collected for the purpose, burned, and the ashes carefully collected. AYJienl an ox is killed, the hide is cut into narrow strips, and these strip ? are placed in the tub I of ley and allowed to soak for some four-and-twenty hours. At the expiration of tht| time, a sufficient number of the strips are joined together, loosely twisted, and passi over the horizontal branch of a tree, a heavy weight being suspended from each end, as to keep the thongs always on the stretch. A couple of natives then set to work, one I stationing himself at each end of the rope, and twisting it by means of a short sticic passed between the st'^ands, while by the aid of the sticks they drag the rope backwards and forwards over the bough, never allowing it to rest on the same spot for any length of time, and always twisting the sticks in opposite directions. The natural consequence is, tliat the rope becomes very pliant, and at the same time is equally stretched throughout its length, the regularity of the twist depending on the skill of the two rope-makers. No otlier treatment is required, as the powerful liquid in which the raw thongs have been steeped enacts the part of the tanning " fat," and the continually dragging over the branch senes to make it pliant, and to avoid the danger of " kinking." The use of this rope among the European settlers affords a good example of tk reaction that takes place when a superior race mingles with an inferior. The white men have taught the aborigines many useful arts, but at the same time have been obliged to them for instruction in many others, without which they could not maintain their hold of the country. The reader will notice that the hide ropes are made by men, because they are formed from that noble animal, the ox, whereas ropes made of ignoble vegetable fibre are handed | over to the women. BOWLS AND JAES. 251 A remarkable substitute for a spoon is used by this people. It consists of the stem a fibrous plaut, called Uraphombo, and is made in the following manner. The stem, A is flattish, and about an inch in width, is cut into suitable lengths and soaked in a, It is then beaten between two stones, until the fibres separate from each other, 1)19 to form a sort of brush. This is dipped in the liquid, and conveys a tolerable rtion to the mouth. Ibe mention of this brush-spoon recalls a curious method of catching flies. The reader „ remember that in Southern Africa, as well as in other hot parts of the world, the 3 are so numerous as to become a veritable plague. They come in swarms into the ises, and settle upon every article of food, so that the newly-arrived traveller scarcely lOffs how to eat his meals. Being thii-sty creatures, they especially affect any liquid, „ will plunge into the cup while its owner is in the act of drinking. The natives contrive to lessen this evil, though they cannot entirely rid themselves [it, and mostly do so by the following ingenious contrivance : — Tliey first shut the doors of the hut, and then dip a large wisp of hay in milk, and fiatr it tc the roof All the flies are attracted to it, and in a few seconds nothing can be !en but a large, seetliing mass of living creatures. A bag is then gently passed over iem, and a smart shake given to the trap, ^-hich causes all the flies to fall in a mass to he bottom of the bag, Tlie bag is then removed, so as to allow a fresh company of ilies ) settle on the hay wisp, and by the time that the first batch of flies is killed, another is jiy for immolation. Sometimes nearly a bushel of flies will be thus taken in a day. it is most likely that the natives were led to this invention by seeing the flies cluster loiind their brush-spoons when they had been laid aside after use. In some parts of the country, the flies are captured by means of the branches of a bush jeipnging to the genus Eoridula. This is covered with a glutinous secretion, and, when- Iver the flies settle upon it, they are held fast and cannot escape. Branches of this useful Want are placed in different parts of the hut, and are very effective in clearing it of the Ktttle pests. Many of these flies are Identical with the common house-fly of flijland, but there are many other ecies indigenous to the country. The Hottentot is a tolerably good arver in wood, not because he has nuch idea of art, but because he has pimitable patience, and not the least idea of the value of time. Bowls and jars are carved from Iwood, mostly that of the willow tree, jgnd the carver prefers to work while the Isap is still in the wood. A kind of Iwilloff grows by the water side, as is Ithe case in this country, and this is cut down with the odd little hatchets which are used jin this part of the world. These hatchets are made on exactly the same principle las the hoes which have been so often mentioned, and which are represented on pages |a3, 91, &c. The head, however, is very much smaller, and the blade is set in a line with Ithe handle instead of transversely. They are so small and feeble, that the labour of several I men is required to cut down a tree only eighteen inches or so in diameter; and the work phich an American axeman would complete in a few minutes occupies them a day or two. When the trunk has been at last severed, it is cut into convenient lengths by the same jlaborious process, and the different portions are mostly shaped by the same axe. If a bowl J is the article to be made, it is partly hollowed by the axe, and the remainder of the work is done with a knife bent into a hook -like shape, as is seen in the accompanying illus- Itration. These bowls are, on the average, a foot or eighteen inches in diameter. Making bowls is a comparatively simple business, but the carving of a jar, such as I seen by the bowl, is a most laborious task. In making jars, the carver is forced to depend almost entirely upon the bent knife, and from the shape of the article it is evident KNIFE, JAB, AND BOWL. I '■*! w^^^v \m m 't'^:. 262 THE HOTTENTOT. that, when it is hollowed, the carver tniist work in a very constrained manner. Sti as time is of no value, the jar is at last completed, and, like the bowl, is well rubK with fat, in order to prevent it from splitting. Generally, these jars hold about a ffall!, but some of them are barely a quarter of that size, while others are large enough to c tain five gallons. An European, with similar tools, would not be able to make the smi sizes of these jars, as he would not be able to pass his hand into the interior. The hu of the Hottentot is, however, so small and delicate, that he finds no ditficulty ia the I The jar is called Bambus in the Hottentot language. Unlike the Kaffirs, the Hottentots are rather a nomad race, and their huts are so mat, that they can be taken to pieces and packed for transportation in less than an hour vbil a couple of hours' labour is all that is required lor putting them up afresh, even whti the architect works aS deliberately as is always the case among uncivilized natives. Qq,. sequently, when a horde of Hottentots travels from one piece to another, a village seen to spring up almost as if by magic, and travellers who have taken many Hottentots their train have been very much astonished at the sudden transformation of tho scenft In general construction, the huts are made on the same principle o those of ! Kaffir, being formed of a cage-like framework, covered with lighter matevial. The Kt^ however, interweaves the withes and reeds of which the hut is meu: among the ftm work, and binds them together with ropes, when, if he is going to settle determinatelvL one spot, or if he builds a hut in a well-established kraal, he p ers the interior with dau 80 as to make the structure firm and impervious to weather. '1 The Hottentot, on the contrary, covers his hut with reed mats, which look very mm like the sleeping-mats of the Kaffirs, and can be easily lashed to the framework, and i easily removed. These mats are made of two species of reed, one of which is soft, an. can be easily manipulated, while the other is hard, and gives some trouble to the mtk^l But the former has the disadvantage of being very liable to decay, and of lasting but i| short time, whereas the latter is remarkable for its powers of endurance. Th jse plantil are called respectively the Soft Keed and the Hard lieed, and their scientific titles an I Cyperus textUis and 8criptus tegctalis. I The method of making the mats is somewhat similar to that which is employed br I the Kaffirs. The reeds are cut so as to measure six feet in length, and are placed in a I heap by the side of the mat-maker, together with a quantity of the bark-string which hajl already been mentioned. He then pierces them with a bone or metal needle, or \ntlial mimosa thorn if he does not possess a needle, and passes the string through the holes,! so as to fasten the reeds together. Even considering the very slow and deliberate mannet in which the Hottentot works, the mats can be made with considerable rapidity, and it is needless to observe that three Hottentots do not get through nearly as much vork as an average Englishman. In some cases, the Hottentot substitutes the skins of sheep or oxen for mats, bat the I latter are most generally in use — probably because the skins are too valuable as articles of I apparel to be employed for the mere exterior of a house. Owing to the manner in which j these huts are made, they are more impervious to weather than those of the Kaffir, and, ai a necessary consequence, are less capable of letting out the smoke. An European can, on a pinch, exist in a Kaffir hut, but to do so in a skin-covered Hottentot house is ahiioit| impossible. To a restless and ever-moving people like the Hottentots, these mats are a1 neccessaries. A hut of ordinary size can be packed on the back of an ox, while another I ox can carry all the simple furniture and utensils, together with the young children; and thus a whole family can be moved at a few minutes' notice, without much inconvenience, The huts are, in fact, nothing but tents made of mats, and resemble, in many particulars, the camel-hair tents of the equally nomad Arabs. No one — not even the owner — knows, on seeing a Hottentot hut, whether he will find it in the same place after a few hours have elapsed. Sometimes, a Hottentot wife will set to work, pull the hut to pieces, but, instead of packing it on the back of an ox, rebuild her house within twenty or thirty yards of its original locality. The object of this strange | conduct is to rid herself and family from the fleas, which, together with other vermin, w ^---\... ^\^. swarm excecdi: related. These unpl sheepskins, ma a stick. Suffi( seen, they forci Ir- .:."■ ^ SIMPLE MODE OF AVOIDING VERMIN. • 263 '**= X ""*~"~^^w»«i(Pi *'-i..iiifi3« ^*yfk», s . ^tj,^ -..»• ' ;,'■? J iilKTfM .fv> 'V TV* •S.*',* V -p^i '^■^^ Bi^a*r«;:: >;-,/? ^^^■^1 !l-i#^^^B^if ,M \ r 1 ,.,,^^-Mr^ !^.fi '•lUrf -^S^^K-- f ». ^^^B — .'— '^'~" " _^ «^* ' — "-- r^ ^i ^ ^-A-- a| ^ ^1 HOTTENTOT KRAAU swarm exceedingly in a Hottentot's house, and drive the inmates to escape in the manner related. These unpleasant parasites are generallj'' attacked in the early morning, the mantles, flhcepskins, mats, and other articles, being taken outside the hut, and beaten soundly with ft stick. Sufficient, however, remain to perpetuate the breed, and' at last, as has been seen, tiiey force the Hottentot fairly to remove the house altogether. »i * 1^: 264' THE HOTTENTOT. IF ■ ' IHI *•"' ^1 w^^ II 1 1 »' ■■ %. "* ■, ^1 I As to the Hottentots themselves, they suffer but comparatively little inconveni J from the bites of these creatures, against which thu successive coatings of grease Li y and sibilo act as a partial defence. But, whenever the insects are fortunate enoJi i attack a clean-skinned European, they take full advantage of the opportunity, and drivj him half mad. Gordon Gumming relates an amusing account of a small adventure wh | happened to himself in connexion with these insecta He was extremely tired, and f i asleep among his followers, one of whom compassionately took off the kaross which I was wearing, and spread it over him. Presently the sleeper started up in a state of L bearable irritation from the bites of the numerous parasites with which the karosa ^ stocked. He was obliged instantly to remove every single article of apparel, and \m them all beaten and oetirched before he could again resume them. As may be seen by inspection of the illustration, the huts are not of quite the sanl shape as those belonging to the Kaffirs, the ends being flattened, and the apertures sq instead of rounded, the door, in fact, being simply made by ihe omission of one mij The nomad life of the Hottentots is necessitated by their indolent habits, and their utteil want of forethought The Kaffir is not remarkable foi* the latter quality, as indeed the case with most savage nations. But the Kaffir is, at all events, a tolerable aericulJ turist, and raises enough grain to supply his family with food, besides, in many caseJ inclosing patches of ground in which to plant certain vegetables and fruits. The Hot^ tentot, however, never had much notion of agriculture, and what little he attempts is i the rudest deaoription. DIGOINCHmCK. T1 e unwieldy h 'e with which the Kaffir women break up the ground is a Bufficiectlyl rude I ind clumsy instrument, but it is perfection itself when compared with the diggii stick of the Hottentot. This is nothing more than a stick of hard wood shaipened at onel end, and weigh ed by means of a perforated stone through which it is passed, and vhicbl is held in its place by a wedge. With this rude instrument the Hottentot can break up I the ground faster than might be imagined, but he oftener uses it for digging up wild I plants, and unearthing sundry burrowing animals, than for any agricultural purposes. I The life of a Hottentot does not tie him to any particular spot. A sub-tribe or horde, which tolerably corresponds with the kraal of the Kaffir, settles down in some localit}' which they think will supply nourishment, and which is near water. Here, if the spot be favourable, they wiU sometimes rest for a considerable time, occasionally for a space of several years. Facility for hunting has much to do with the length of time that a horde remains in one spot, inasmuch as the Hottentots are admirable hunters, and quite rival the Kaffirs in this respect, even if they do not excel them. They are especially notable | for the persevering obstinacy with which they will pursue their game, thinking a whole day well bestowed if they succeed at last in bringing down their prey. - -^i CHAPTER XXIII. IfliPOM 0» TH« HOTTKNTOT AND THKIR VtK — HIS VOBACITT, AND CAPABILTTT OF BBABINO HtWOKB ^KOSI OF COOKING — FOWRR OF BLRRP — DISTINCTION BETWKBN UOTTRNTOT0 AND KAFFIRS — CATTLB AND THKIB USES — THE BAKEtEYB OB FIOUTINO OXEN A "OTTBNTOt'B lUHOBY FOB A dOY^KABBIAOB — POLYGAMY NOT OFTEN FBACTI8ED WANT OF III >.IUION — LANOUAOB OF TUB B0TTBNTOT8 THB CHABACTEBI8TI0 " CLICKS " AUUBEMENTS OF TUB UOTTENTOTS BINOINO AND BANCINO— SUBJECT OF THEIB BONOS — THB HAN's DANCB — ALL AMU8EUENTB BBBTBIOTED TO NIOHT — THK UELON DANCB " CABD-PLAYING " — LOVB OF ▲ PBACTICAL JOKB — INABILITY XO laEAflUIlB TQIS— WABFABB — BICKNKB8, DEATH, AND BCBIAL. i I The weapons which the Hottentots use are mostly the bow and arrow. These weapons lin almost identical with those employed by the Bosjesmans, and will be described in a liiituie page. They also employ the assagai, but do not seem to b^ particularly fond of it, I lacking the muscular strength which enables the Kaffir to make such terrible use of it. {Moreover, the Hottentot does not carry a sheaf of these weapons, but contents himself |ffith a single one, which he does not throw until he is at tolerably close quarters. Heis, nowever, remarkable for his skill in throwing the knoo-kerry, which is always I of the short form, so that he can carry several of them in his belt In fact, he uses the keny much as the Kaffir uses the assagai, having always a quantity of them to his hand, and hurling them one after the other with deadly accuracy of aim. With these weapons, so useless in the hands of an ordinary European, he can match himself against most of the ordinary animals of Southern Africa, excepting, of course, the larger elephants, rhinoceros, and hippopotamus, and the predacious felido), such as the lion or leopard. These, how- ever, he can destroy by means of pitfalls and other ingenious devices, and if a Hottentot hunter sets himself determinedly to kill or capture any given animal, that creature's I chances of life are but small. When he has succeeded in killing game, his voracity is seen to equal his patience. Hunger he can endure with wonderful indifference, t-'4litening his belt day by day, and contriving to support existence on an almost inappreciable quantity of food. But, when he can onlv procure meat, he eats with a continued and sustained voracity that is almost incredible. For quality he cares but little, and so that he can obtain unlimited supplies of meat, he does not trouble himself whether it be touj^h or tender. "Whenever one of a horde of Hottentots succeeds in killing a large animal, such as an elephant or hippopotamus, and it happens to bo at a distance from the kraal, the inhabitants prefer to strike their tent- like houses and to remove them to the animal rather than trouble themselves by making repeated journeys to and fro. The chief reason for this strange conduct is, that if they took the latter alternative, they would deprive themselves of one of the greatest luxuries which a Hottentot can enjoy. Seldom tasting meat, they become semi-intoxicated under its influence, and will gorge themselves to the utmost limit of endurance, sleeping after the fashion of a boa-constrictor that has swallowed a goat, and then awaking only to gorge themselves afresh, and fall asleep again. There is an excuse for this extraordinary exhibition of gluttony, namely, that the hot climate causes meat to putrefy so rapidly that it must be eaten at once if it is eaten at all. 1"^ j5k ■ 1 : TJ^mM 4 c '-tII^I ^tfCr^^^^^^H diH^IHife? -> 1 ^HH^H ^Hb^^^Hr^ ^y^H '^Kisaas '■^^'im^ 't^B|^H^ "^"'^1' '^^^I^HMNk^ iji '^ t-^#f ^^^p imJ 256 THE HOTTENTOT. t %'tf Even u it is, the Hottentots are often obliged to eat meat that is more than tainted inji from which even the greatest admirer of high game would recoil with h rror Tho/d I not, however, seem to trouble themselves about such trifles, and devoir, lii,. uintud ■Lfl] as eagerly as if it were perfectly fresh. Whatever may be the original quality of the meat, it owes nothing \, '^e h^^j ■ which it is dressed, for the Hottentots are perhaps the very worst cooks in the world. They take an earthen pot, nearly fill it with water, put it on the fire, and allow it to boil 'fhtT then cut up their meat into lumps as large as a man's fist, throw them into the pot, and permit them to remain there until they are wanted. Sometimes, when the feuoterg an asleep themselves, they allow the meat to remain in the pot for half a dav or so, durim? whien time the women are obliged to keep the water continually boiJmg, it may M imagined the ultimate resiUt of their cooking is not particularly palatcablo. It has already been mentioned that the Hottentot tribes are remarkable for theii appetite. They are no less notable for their power of sleep. A thorough-bred Hottentot can sleep at any time, and it is almost impossible to place him under conditions in which he will not sleep. If he be pinched with hunger, and can see no means of obtaining food either by hunting or from the ground, he lies down, roUi himself up in his kaross, and in a few moments is wrapped in slumber. Sleep to bin almost answers the purpose of food, and he can often say with truth that " he who gleru dines." When he sleeps his slumber is truly remarkable, as it appears more like a | lethargy than sleep, as we under- stand the word. A gun may be ] fired close to the ear of a sleeping Hottentot and he will not notice it or, at all events, will merely turn himself and sink again to repose. Even in sleep there isadistinc- tion between the Kaffir and the Hottentot. The former lies at full length on his mat, while the other coils himself up like a human hedge- hog. In spite of the evil atmosphere of their huts, the Hottentots are companionable even in their sleep, and at night the floor of a hut will be covered with a number of Hot- tentots, all lying fast asleep, and so mixed up together that it is scarcely possible to distinguish the various bodies to which the limbs belong. The cattle of the Hottentots have several times been mentioned. These, like the Kafhr oxen, are used as beasts of burden and for riding, and are accoutred in the same manner, i.e. by a leathern rope passed several times round the body, and hauled tight by men at each end. Perhaps the reader may remember that in days long gone by, when ihe Hottentots were a powerful nation and held the command of Southern Africa, their kraals or villages were defended by a peculiar breed of oxen, which were especially trained for that purpose, and which answered the same purpose as the watch-dogs which now beset the villages. These oxen were said to be trained to guard the entrance of the kraal, and to know every inhabitant of the village, from the oldest inhabitant down to the child which could only just crawl about Strangers they would not permit to approach the kraal except when escorted by one of the inhabitants, nor woiild they suffer him to go out again except under the same protection. This story is generally supposed to be a mere fabrication, and possibly may be so. There is, however, in my collection an ox-horn which was brought from Southern Africa by the Kev. Mr. Shooter, and of which no one could give an account. It is evidently very old, HOTTENTOTS ASLEKP. \ LANGUAGE OF THE HOTTENTOTS. 267 I although the horn of a domesticated variety of cattle, is auite unlike the horns of Eeoxen which belong to the native tribes of the present day, oeina twice as luij^o, and rrioK altogether a different aspect. It is just such a horn as might have belonged to the U aforesaid, and, although it cannot be definitely said to have grown on the head of of these animals, there is just a possibility that such may have been the case. Like the KatQr, the Hottentot has a wonderful recollection of an ox. If he but sees one r a minute or two he will remember that ox again, wherever it may be, and even after i lapse of several years. He will recognise it in the midst of a herd, even in a strange Me where he could have no expectation of meeting it, and he will remember its lipoor," and be able to trace its footsteps among the tracks of the whole herd. He has lea been known to discover a stolen cow by seeing a calf which she had produced after L was stolen, and which he recognised from its likeness to its mother. The marriages of the Hottentots are very simple ail'airs, and consist merely in paying Icertain price and taking the bride home. In Kolben's well-known work there is a most laborate and circumstantial description of a Hottentot marriage, detailing with needless cision a number of extraordinary rites performed by the priest over the newly-wedded Now, inasmuch as the order of priests is not known to hove existed among the Hottentots, and certainly did not exist in Kolben's time, the whole narrative falls to the ound The fact is, that Kolben found it easier to describe secondhand than to investi- Lte for himself, and the consequence was, that the Dutch colonists, from whom he Ued his information, amused themselves by imposing upon his credulity. Polygamy, although not prohibited among tl»e Hottentots, is but rarely practised. lome men have several wives, but this is the exception, and not the rule. As they have no priests, so have they no professional doctors. They are all adepts in ke very slight amount of medical and surgical knowledge which is required by them, and Eive no idea of a separate order of men who practise the healing art. Unlike the Kaflirs, fho are the most superstitious of mankind, the Hottentots are entirely free from superstition, lasmuch as they have not the least conception of any religious sentiments whatsoever. Ibe present world forms the limit of all their ideas, and they seem, so far as is known, to equaUy ignorant of a Creator and of the immortality of the soul. The language of the Hottentot races is remarkable for a peculiarity which is, I jelieve, restricted to themselves and to the surrounding tribes, who have evidently learned it om them. This is the presence of the " click," which is found in almost all the tribes at inhabit Southern Africa, with the exception of the Amazulu, who are free from this lirions adjunct to their language, and speak a tongue as soft as Italian. There are three of these " clicks," formed by the tongue, the teeth, and the palate, and ich of them alters the signification of the word with which it is used. The tirst, which is in greatest use, is made by pressing the tip of the tongue against the bper front teeth, and then smartly disengaging it The sound is exactly like that which [produced by some persons when they are annoyed. The second click is formed by pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth, and ten sharply withdrawing it, so as to produce a sound like that which is used by grooms pn urgmg a horse. It has to be done, however, with the least possible force that will duce the effect, as otherwise the click and the syllable to which it is joined cannot ! sounded simultaneously. The last click is much louder than the others, and is formed by drawing the tongue £k as far as possible, and pressing the tip against the back of the palate. It is then jrced rapidly towards the lips, so as to produce a much deeper and more sonorous sound an can be obtained by the two former modes. In the few words which can be given to this branch of the subject, we will distinguish lese several sounds by the titles of " clack," " click," and " cluck." The reader will find I very difficult to produce either of these sounds simultaneously with a part of a word, pt, if he should desire to make himself understood in the Hottentot dialect, it is abso- [tely necessary that he should do so. How needful these curious adjuncts are has been 11 shown by Le Vaillant. For instance, the word Aap, without any click at all, signi- ts a horse, but with the click it signifies an arrow, and with the clack it becomes the I VOL L g 11 I i. ^ " ^' I ' > T 5 - ^ T -^ 258 THE HOTTENTOT. name of a river. It is, of course, impossible to reduce this language to any hnm alphabet, and the necessary consequence is that hardly any two travellers who hi written accoimts of the Hottentot tribes have succeeded in spelling words so that thJ should be recognised, or in such a manner that the reader should be able to pronoun them. The general mode of expressing these clicks is by prefixing the letters ts on to the word, and the reader may find a very familiar example in the word Gnoo, vthll ought really to be spelt without the g, and with some prefix which would denote t kind of click which is used with it. The amusements of the Hottentots consist chiefly of singing and dancing, tonefl with playing on a curious instrument called the Goura. This instrument, howevl belongs rather to the Bosjesman group of the Hottentot race, and will therefore bedesciilx in a future page. Their songs are also evidently derived from the same source, and their melodies u identical Examples of Bosj esman songs will be presently given, together with the descril tiou of the Goura. In the words of the songs, however, the Hottentots have the advantaif as they always have some signification, whereas those of the Bosjesmans have not evj the semblance of meaning, and are equivalent to the do, re, mi, &c. of modem music Le Vaillant mentions that the subject of the songs which the Hottentots sane almost always some adventure which had happened to themselves, so that, like theneVv they can sing throughout the whole night, by the simple expedient of repeating the ni of their song over and over again. They prefer the night to the day for this puiposj because the atmosphere is cooler, and the tasks of the day are over. 1 " When they are desirous of indulging in this amusement, they join hands and foml circle of greater or less extent, in proportion to the number of male and female danceii who are always mixed with a kind of symmetry. When the chain is made, they tuil round from one side to another, separating at certain intervals to mark the measure, an! from time to time clap their hands without interrupting the cadence, while with M voices they accompany the sound of the instrument, and continually chant ' Hoc ! Hoo] This is the general burden of their song. " Sometimes one 9f the dancers quits the circle, and going to the centre, performs tlieJ alone a few steps after the English manner, all the merit and beauty of which consist i| performing them with equal quickness and precision, without stirring from the sp where he stands. After this they all quit each other's hands, follow one another carelessJ with an air of terror and melancholy, their heads leaning to one shoulder, and their eya cast down towards the ground, which they look at with attention ; and in a moment afta they break forth in the liveliest demonstration of joy, and the most extravagant merrimenl " They are highly delighted with this contrast when it is well performed. All tliisi at bottom but an alternate assemblage of very droll and amusing pantomime. It mm be observed that the dancers nake a hollow monotonous kind of humming, which neva ceases, except when they join the spectators and sing the wonderful chorus ' Hoo ! HooJ which appears to be the life and soul of this magnificent music. " They usually conclude with a general ball ; that is to say, the ring is broken andthei all dance in confusion as each chooses, and upon this occasion they display all tliei strength and agility. The most expert dancers repeat, by way of defiance to each oflieij those dangerous leaps and musical quivers of our grand academies, which excite lauglii as deservedly as the ' Hoo ! Hoo ! ' of Africa." Whether for singing, dancing, or other relaxation, the Hottentots never assemblJ except by night, the day being far too precious for mere amusement. During the day tti men are engaged in the different pursuits of their life, some being far from their home oij the track of some animal which they are hunting, and whose flesh is devoted to tin support of themselves and tl At families. Others are laboriously making snares, diagini pitfalls, or going the rounds of those which are already made, so that animals \vliic3 have been captured may be removed, and the snares reset. They have also to make theiil bows, arrows, spears, and clubs, operations which absorb much time, partly because tlieiij tools are few and imperfect, and partly because all their work is undertaken with adeg of deliberation which is exceedingly irritating to a Europe an spectator. SINGING AND DANCING. 259 hich consist jHrards me women, too, are engaged in their own occupations, which are infinitely more labo- tban those of the men, and consist of all kinds of domestic work, including taking n and putting up the huts, collecting wood for the evening fires, and preparing the j for the men when they return home. iWith the shades of evening all attempts at industry are given up, and the Hottentots Lse themselves throughout nearly the entire night. The savage does not by any means 1 to bed with the birds and arise with them, as is popularly supposed, and almost kariably is an incorrigible sitter-up at night, smoking, talking, singing, dancing, and Lwise amusing himself, as if he had done nothing whatever all day, IPerhaps he may owe the capability of enduring such constant dissipation to the fact that lean command sleep at will, and that his slumber is so deep as to be undisturbed by jclamour that is going on around him. If, for example, a Hottentot has been hunting jdav and has returned home weary with the chase and with carrying the animals, [wiil not think of sleeping until he has had his supper, smoked his pipe, and enjoyed hour or two of dancing and singing. But, as soon as he feels disposed to cease from I amusements, he retires from the ' 'cle, rolls himself up in his kaross, lies down, and in lev seconds is fast asleep, unheeding the noise which is made close to his ears by his jpanions who are still pursuing their revels. [There is a singular dance which is much in vogue among the young Hottentot girls, I which is, as far as I know, peculiar to them. As a small melon is the chief object of sport, it goes by the name of the Melon Dance, and is thus performed : — In the evening, when the air is cool, the girls assemble and choose one of their number 8 leader. She takes a small round melon in her hands, and begins to run in a circle, iving her arras and flinging about her limbs in the wildest imaginable way. The others ;ow her and imitate her movements, and, as they are not impeded by many trammels of IS, and only wear the ordinary cap and girdle of leathern thongs, their movements are of wild grace. As the leader runs round the course, she flings the melon in the air, catches it, flings igain, and at last stoops suddenly, leaps into the air, and throws the melon beneath her the girl who follows her. The object of this dance is twofold. ITie second has to catch the melon without ceasing from her course, and the first has to throw it len she fancies that the second is off her guard. Consequently, she makes all kinds of is, pretending to throw the melon severed times, and trying to deceive by every means her power. If the second girl fails in catching the melon the first retains her leader- ip, but if she succeeds she becomes leader, and goes through the same niarceuvres. Jn th's way the melon goes round and round, and the sport is continued until the icers are too fatigued to continue it. From the above description some persons might fancy that this dance oifends the sense decorum. It does not so. It is tnie that the style of clothing which is worn by the cers is not according to European notions, but, according to their own ideas, it is ivenient and according to usage. Neither is there anything in the dance itself which ht to shock a rightly constituted mind. It is simply an ebullition of youthful spirits, has nothing in common with dances in many parts of the world which are avowedly intendedly licentious, and which, whether accompanied by more or less clothing than worn by these Hottentot girls, are repulsive rather than attractive to any one who !sses any amount of self-respect. In this instance the dance is conducted in perfect innocence, and the performers have more idea of impropriety in the scanty though graceful and artistic dress they wear, m has an English lady at appearing with her face unveiled. As long as clothing is not nipted, it does not seem to be required, but, when any portion of European clothing is lunied, the whole case is altered. Mr. Baines narrates a little corroborative incident. was travelling in a wagon, accompanied, as usual, by Hottentots and their families. le latter, mostly females, were walking by the side of the wagon, wearing no costume ' the slight leathern girdle. It so happened that some old shoes were thrown out of the wngon, and immediately Topriated by the women, who have an absurd hankering after European apparel No s2 260 THE HOTTENTOT. sooner had they put on shoes than they looked naked. They had not done so teforp even that slight amount of civilized clothing seemed to suggest that the whole bod ' to be clothed also, and so strong was this feeling that Mr. Baines found nieans of reml the obnoxious articles of apparel. The Hottentots have a remarkable game which they call by the name of Card-pL apparently because no cards are used in it. This game is simply an exhibition of actii and quickness of hand, being somewhat similar in principle to our own boy's game of and Even. It is thus described by Burchell : — " At one of the tires au amusement of a very singular and nearly unintelligible was the source of great amusement, not only to the performers themselves, but to a "^■-^.^i G^ CABD-PLAYINa bystanders. I'hey called it Card-playing, a word in this instance strangely misapplj Two Hottentots, seated opposite each other on the ground, were vociferating, as if? rage, some particular expressions in their own language : laughing violently, throw their bodies on either side, tossing their arms in all directions — at one moment witht hands close together, at another stretched out wide apart ; up in the air at one tima in an instant down to the ground ; sometimes with them closed, at other times exMbi^ them open to their opponent. "Frequently in the heat of the game they started upon their knees, falllLgl immediately on the ground again; and all this in such a quick, wild, extraotdim manner, that it was impossible, after watching their motions for a long time, to dis the nature of their game, or to comprehend the principle on which it was founded, i more than a person entirely ignorant of the moves at chess could learn that by mei looking on. " This is a genuine Hottentot game, as every one would certainly suppose, on i the uncouth manner in which it is played. It is, they say, of great antiquity, i present practised only by such as have preserved some portion of their original cu and they pretend that it is not every Hottentot who possesses the talent necessaiyj playing it in perfection. "I found some difficulty in obtaining an intelligible explanation, but learned atl that the principle consists in concealing a small piece of stick in one baDd INABILITY TO MEASURE TIME. 291 mnsly that the opponent shall not be able, when both closed hands are presented to to distinguish in which it is held, while at the same time he is obliged to decide by jjgn or motion either on one or the other. As soon as the opponent has gained a M number of guesses, he is considered to have won a game, and it then becomes his ,to take the stick, and display his ingenuity in concealing it and in deceiving the •in this manner the games are continued alternately, often the whole night long, or L[^g players are exhausted with fatigue. In the course of them various little inci- s either of ingenuity or of -mistake, occur to animate their exertions, and excite the harmless mirth of their surrounding friends." The reader wUl probably see the close Iffliblance between this game played by the Hottentots of Southern Africa and the well- luffnirame of " Morro," that is so popular in several parts of Southern Europe. J The^Hottentot seems to be as fond of a practical joke as the Kaffir, and to take it Ijood-liumouredly. On one occasion, when a traveller was passing through Africa with ffe party, several of the Hottentots, who ought to have been on the watch, contrived to to near the fire, and to fall asleep. Some of their companions determined to give them Ihoiough fright, and to recall to their minds that they ought to have been watching and sleeping. Accordingly, they went ofif to a little distance, and shot a couple of Bosjes- I arrows close to the sleepers. jDeep as is a Hottentot's slumber, he can shake off sleep in a moment at the approach [dancer, and, although the loudest sound will not wake him, provided that it be of a J^ character, an almost inaudible sound will reach his ears, provided that it pre- er. As soon as the sleeping Hottentots heard the twang of the bow, they sprang 'in alwrn, which was not decreased by the sight of the arrows falling close to them, r to the wagon for their arms, and were received with a shout of laughter. However, they soon had their revenge. One dark evening, the young men were ar msing selves with setting fire to some dried reeds a few hundred yards from the camp. iOe they were enjoying the waves of fire as they rolled along, driven by the wind, Hottentots stole behind the reeds, and with the shell of an ostrich egg imitated the rof aa approaching lion so accurately, that the young men began to shout in order j drive the lion away, and at last ran to the camp screaming with terror. Of course [e songs that were sung in the camp that night were full of reference to Bosjesmaus [d lions. The Hottentot has a constitutional inability to compute time. A traveller can never over the age of a Hottentot, partly because the man himself has not the least notion ' his age, or indeed of annual computation at all, and partly botnuse a Hottentot looks I old at thirty-five as at sixty-five. He can calculate the time r>; day by the positioii of ismi with regard to the meridian, but his memory will not v.i-ve him so far as to lable him to compute annual time by the height of the Gun ebove the ho':izon. A8 is the case with most savage races, his unit of time is the Vivw moon, and he makes his reckonings of time to consist of so many moons. An amusing instance of this leficiency is given by Dr. Lichtenstein, in his " Travels in South Africa :' — "A Hottentot, in particular, engaged our attention by liiu simplicity \^ii.h which he ^Id his story. "After he had harangued for a long time in broken Dutch, we collected so wiuch as at he had agreed with a colonist to serve him for a certain time, at fixed wages, as jeiidsman, but before the time expired they had parted by mutual agreement. The dis- ute was how much of the time remained ; consequently, how much wages the master had [right to deduct from the sum which was to have been paid for the whole time. "To illustrate this matter, the Hottentot gave us the following account: — 'My Baas,' iidhe, 'wiU have it that I was to serve so long ' (and here he stretched out ?\i3 left arm ad hand, and laid the little finger of his right hand directly under the arm) ; 'but I say bat I only agreed to serve so long,' and here he laid his right hand upon tl'ie joint of the eft. Apparently, he meant by this to signify that the proportion of the time h"- Had served ph that he had agreed to serve was the same as the proportion of what he pointed out ' the arm to the whole length of it. At the same time he showed us a small square •■\W..i p ■■■■ if 1 1 m i'«*'p 1 '.J 262 THE HOTTENTOT. M )•: 1^^ stick, in which, at every full moon, he had made a little notch, with a double one at lull moon when he quitted the colonist's service. ' " As the latter was present, and several of the colonists and Hottentots, who attenl as auditoi-s, could ascertain exactly the time of entering on the service, the concln was, as is very commonly the case, that both the master and the servant were somen in the wrong ; that the one reckoned too much of the time expired, the other too Htt and that, according to the Hottentot's mode of measuring, the time expired came to i the knuckle. " The Hottentots understand no other mode of mea.suring time but by lunar m and days ; they have no idea of the division of the day into hours. If a man f Hottentot how far it is to such or such a place, he either makes no answer, or poil to a certain spot in the heavens, and says : ' The sun will be there when you get to it" Warfare among the Hottentots scarcely df^serves the name, because we can k use such a term as warfare where there is no distinction of officer or private, wl there is no commander, and no plan of action. The men who are able to wield bow and arrow advance in a body upon the enemy, and are led by any one who thjl himself brave enough to take the command. When they come to close quarters u the enemy, every one tights in the way that suits himself best, without giving support] those of his own side, or expecting it from his comrades. Even the chief man of a horl is not necessarily the leader, and indeed his authority over the horde is more nomil than real A mere boy may assume the leadership of the expedition, and, if M courageous enough to take the lead, he may keep it until some still braver warrior com to the front. It is evident that such warfare is merely a succession of skirmishes or duels, mill as was the case in the days of Hector and Achilles, each soldiei selecting his own paj cular adversary, and fighting him until one of the two is killed, runs away, or rendJ himself prisoner. 1 As far as is known, the Hottentots never made war, according to the usual acceptatiJ of the word. If insulted or aggrieved by having their cattle stolen, they woiild go oBaJ make reprisals, but they had no idea of carrying on a war for any political object. Thi is probably the reason why they were so completely overcome by the Kaffir tribes, wU had some knowledge of warfare as an art, and who drove them further and further awi from their own domains, until their nationality was destroyed, and they were reduced I a mere aggregation of scattered tribes, without ''.xiity, and consequently without power. Howuver nationally unwarlike the Hottentot may be, and however incapable he nal be of military organization, he can be made into a soldier who is not only useful, bi[ unapproachable in his own peculiar line. Impatient, as a rule, of military discipline, b hates above all things to march in step, to go through the platoon exercise, and to perfon those mechanical movements which delight the heart of a drill-sergeant. He is, as a rule, abhorrent of anything like steady occupation, and this tendency i mind incapacitates him from being an agriculturist, while it aids in qualifying him foi the hunter's life. Now, as a rule, a good hunter makes a good soldier, especially of ttil irregular kind, and the training which is afforded by the pursuit of the fleet, powerful] and dangerous beasts of Africa, makes the Hottentot one of the best ii-regular soldiers ia the world. But he must be allowed to fight in his own way, to choose his own time for attack, to make it in the mode that suits him best, and to run away if flight happens to stiil hira better than battle. He has not the least idea of getting himself killed or woimdet on mere points of honour ; and if he sees that the chances of war are likely to go ffiMcliI against him, he quietly retreats, and " lives to tight another day." To this mode of actionl he is not prompted by any feeling of fear, but merely by the common-sense view of 1 case. His business is to kill the enemy, and he means to do it. But that desirable objeetl cannot be attained if he allow.s them to kill him, and so he guards himself against tkej latter event as mucli a« possible. Indeed, if he is wounded when he mii,'ht liave avoided a wound, he feels heartilyl ashamed of himself for having committed such an error; and if he suceeeds in killing orj TENACITY OF LIFE. 268 ^diog SQ enemy without suffering damage himself, he glories in his superior ingenuity, j makes merry over the stupidity of his foe. Fear— 88 we understand the word — has very little influence over the Hottentot soldier, letherbe be trained to fight with the white man's fire-arms, or whether he uses the bow 2IX0W of his primitive life. If he must fight, he will do so with a quiet and dogged ilour, and any enemy that thinks to conquer him will find that no easy task lies ^ore him. jlr. Christie has narrated to xn". several incidents which show the obstinate courage iitb which a Hottentot can fight w len pressed. One of them is as follows : ' "During the Kaffir war of 184 , a body of Hottentots were surrounded by a large jty of Kaffirs, and, after a severe struggle, succeeded in cutting their way through their irk foes. One of the Hottentots, however, happened to be wounded near the spine, so jatbe lost the use of his legs, and could not stand. Even though suffering under this kere injury, he would not surrende but dragged himself to an ant-hill, and supported iback against it, so that his arms ei'e at liberty. "In this position he continued ) load and fire, though completely exposed to the Inllets and assagais of the Kaffirs. }~ ) true was his aim, even under these circumstances, tat he killed and wounded a consi lerable number of them ; and, when a reinforcing •tvcame to their help, the brave f( low was at the point of death, but still breathing, Itough his body was completely riddk d with bullets, and cut to pieces with spears." This anocdote also serves to show the extraordinaiy tenacity of life possessed by this jgce— a tenacity which seems to rival that of the lower reptiles. On one occasion, Mr. Christie was in a surgeon's house in Graharastown, when a Hottentot walked in, and isked the surgeon to look at his head, which had been damaged on the previous night ij; a blow from a knob-kerry. He took off his hat and the handkerchief which, according to custom, was wrapped ■ound his head, and exhibited an injury which would have killed most Europeans on the Ipot, and certainly would have prostrated them utterly. On the crown of his head there ifas a circular wound, about an inch in diameter, and more than Jialf an inch deep, the one having been driven down on the brain by a blow from the heavy knob of the ifeapon. The depressed part of the skull was raised as well as could be done, and the re- nainder cut away. The operation being over, the man replaced his hat and handkerchief, land walked away, apparently little the worse for his accident, or the operation which Bucceeded it. On another occasion, the same fjentleman saw a Hottentot wagon-driver fall from his Jseat under the wheels. One of tho fore-wheels passed over his neck, and, as the v.-agon (was loaded with some two tons of firewood, it might be supposed that the man was on the spot. To the surprise of the beholder, he was not only alive when free of Ithe wheel, but had }:; jsence of mind to roll out of the way of the hind wheel, which jotherwise must have gone over him. Mr. Christie ran to him, and helped him to his feet. Iln answer to anxious questions, he said that he was not much hurt, except by some Ismail stones which had been forced into his skin, and which he asked Mr. Christie to jreniove. Indeed, these men seem not only to be tenacious of life, but to suffer very little Ipaiufrom injuries that would nearly kill a white man, or at all events would cause him Ito be nearly dead with pain alone. I Yet, callous as they are to bodily injuries, thej' seem to be peculiarly susceptible to jpoison that mixes with the blood, and if bitten by a snake, or wounded by a poisoned jarrow, to have very nmch less chance of life than a European under similar conditions. I We will conclude this history of the Hottentots with a few remarks on their treatment [of sickness and their burial of the dead. When Hottentots are ill they obey the instinct which seems to be implanted equally I in man and beast, and separate themselves from their fellows. Sometimes they take the trouble to have a small hut erected at a distance from the kraal, but in all cases they keep themselves aloof as far as possible, and do not mix with their companions until their health is restored. Of professional physicians they know nothing, and have in this respect ■jli ''If 'W , iT / 'I 'A 4 ^ Wp ifi tj.'.'iL »4i' ^ ■ ft v|hM^^Hm| "i iU fe' ;'~™|ffl ^1^ K* ' t ijt- ft' •i m^ M^ >i^/,(if "m^ t ■MB& -^ 'A ^^■r^ " ' ^t v^i i-^ mM am-^ '><> 264 THE HOTTENTOT. i&iH- i: Is.,' a decided advantage over the KafArs, who are horribly tormented in their hours of sickna by the witch-doctur, who tries, by all kinds of noisy incantations, to drive out the spirit which is tormenting the sick man. There are certainly some men among them who possess a kind of knowledoe on pharmacy, and these men are liberal enough of their advice and prescriptions. BuUheJ do not form a distinct order of men, nor do they attempt to work cures by superhun means. They are mbre successful in treating wounds and bodily injuries than in th4 management of diseases, because in the former case there is something tangible vithi which they can cope, whereas they cannot see a disease, nor can they produce any inuQe.! diate aod visible effect, as is the case with a bodily injury. Sometimes a curious kind of ceremony seems to be performed, which is proW analogous to the shampooing that is in vogue in many parts of the earth. The patientl lies prostrate while a couple of women, one on either side, pound and knead him witj their closed fists, at the same time uttering loud cries close to his ear. This apparentlrl rough treatment seems to have some amount of efficacv in it, as Sparrman mentions tliatl he has seen it practised on the apparently lifeless body of a young man who eventuaHyl recovered. I Of all diseases the Hottentots dread nothing so much as the small-pox ; and if asinnlel member of the horde be taken with it they leave him in his hut, strike all their habiLl tioia. ciiid move off mto the desert, where they remain until they think that the danoerisl past All ties of relationship and affection are broken through by this dread malady, fui| wh- 1 they know no cure, and which always rages with tenfold violence among savacej.! Tu 1 idband will abandon his wife, and even the mother her children, in the hope ofl «heckuig the spread of the disorder, and the wretched sufferers are left to perish either! iVom i ' i disease itself or from privation. I Wion a Hottentot dies the funeral is conducted without any ceremony. The body \i\ ilisa ! ia as small a compass as possible, —indeed, into tiie attitude that is assuniejl duji; ' ieep, and the limbs and head are iirmly tied together. A worn-out kaross is I then loiied round the body, and carefully arranged so as to conceal it entirely. The place I of burial is, with certain exceptions, chosen at a distance from the kraal, and the corpse is | then placed in the gmve, which is never of any great depth. Earth is then thrown on the body ; and if there are any stones near the spot, they are I mixed with the earth, and heaped above the grave in order to defend it from the hyienasl and jackals, which are sure to discover that an interment has takon place. If stones I cannot be found, thorn-bushes are used for the same purpose. Generally, the grave is so I shallow, and the stones are so few, that the whole process of burial is practically rendered I nugatory, and before another day has dawned the hysenas and jackals have scattered tiie I frail defences, dug up the body, and devoured it. Should the head-man of the kraal die, there are great wailings throughout the kiaal I These cries are begun by the family, taken up by the inhabitants of the village, and the whole night is spent in loud bowlings and lamentation. His body is usually buried in the middle of the cattle-pen, as it is a safe place as long as the cattle are in it, which are watched throughout the night, and over his remains a considerable pile of stones is I raised. CHAPTER XXIV. THE BOSJESMAN OB BUSHMAN. '• I or THB KAHK — THBOBtKS SK^PECTINO THEIR OBIOIK — THBIB LAKGUAOB Ain> ITS FECTT- jjABIXnS — THE OESTUBB-LANOUAGE — SMALL 8IZB OF THB B08JE9HAN8 — THEIR COMPLEXION AND aKNBBAL APPEABANCB — A BTBANOE VI8IT0B — THB BOSJESMAN'b PIPE AND MODE OF SMOKING _8AID TO HAVE NO NAMES, AND NO DISTINCTIONS OF BANK — SOCIAL L!FB AMONG THB B0UK8UANS — MATRIMONY AtfD ITS TROUBLES — INOmDUALITT OF THE BOSJESMAN — HIS INDIF- FBBKMCB TO PAIN — A CULPRIT ADD HU PUNISHMENT — DBE88 OF BOTH BBXB8 — THR BOBJBSMAM nOM INFANCY TO AQB. . . f degradation which can scarcely be conceived. But ■ the liosjesinans are not without the avernf,'*' share of intellect which, in their pecu- liar conditions, they could ? • expected to possess, it is possible that the statement may be rather too .sweeping. It is well known that among many savage nations in different pai ; s of the oarth, there is a great disinclination to allow the name to be known. As has already been mentioned, the Kaffirs will not allow a stranger to hear their true names, and, if asked for their n^uies. will only entrust him with their titles, hut never with their true nanios. It is tlierei'ore very probable that the Bosjesmans maybe actuated by similar motives, and pretonil to have no names at all, rather than take the trouble of inventi .g fa) onr-s. They have not the least objection to tiiVo European names, mostly prefening those ol "Dvi'.ch parentage, such as Ruyter, Kleinboy, Andries, Booy, &c.; and as they clearly c )mprchend that those names are used iu order to distinguish them from their fellows, it seems scjmjely possible to believe that they have not some nomen- clature among themselves. Whatever may be the case with regard to their names, it is certain that the Bosjes- mans have no idea of distinctions in rank, differing, however, from the natives which surround them. The Kaffir tribes are remarkable jfor the elaborate code of etiquette which they possess, and which could not exist unless social distinctions were definitely marked. The Hottentots have their head-men, who possess . upreme power in the kraal, though they do not exhibit any external mark of dignity. But the Bosjesman has not the least notion of rank, and affords the most complete example of anarchic hfe that can be conceived. In the small hordes of Bosjesmans who wander about the country, there is no chief, and not even a head-uian. E'^h horde, as a general rule, consists of a single family, unless members of other hordes may choose to leave their own friends and join it. But the father of the family is not recognised as its head, much less does he exercise any power. The leadership of the kraal belongs to the strongest, and he only holds it until some one stronger than himself dispossesses him. It is the same with the social relations of life. Among the Kaffirs and Hottentots — especially among the former — the women are jealously watched, and infidelity to the marriage compact is severely punished. This, however, is not the case with the Bosjesmans, who scarcely seem to recognise any such compact, the marriage tie being dissoluble at the will of the husband. Al^ough the man .t'j WAGON-DKIVINO. adergone no change for many upon him. ,Tlie Kaffira, the iiitiy, and have driven him lurof these powerful foes, kcin divorce his wife whenever he chooses, the woman docs not possess the same [puwer— not because either party has anv regard to the marriage tie, but because ' fe is th) stronger of the two, aud would beat her if she tried to go away without liis permiMiou- Even if a couple should be pleased with each other, and do not wish to separate, they cannot be sure that they will be allowed to remain together ; for if a man who is stronger than the husband chooses to take a fancy to the wife, he will take her away by force, and keep her, unless some one still stronger than himself happens to think that she will suit his tasta As to the woman herself, she is not consulted on the subject, and is either mveu up or retained without the least reference to her feelings. It is a curious fact, that in the various dialects of the Bosjesmans, there are no words that express the distinction between an unmarried girl or wife, one word being indiscriminately used. In this extraordinary social conditio', the Bosjesman seems to have lived for centuries, and the earliest travellers in Southern Africa, who wrote accounts of the inhabitants of that strange land, have given descriptions which exactly tally with narratives which have been published within the last few years. The character of the true Bosjesman seems to hn^ hundreds of years. Civilization has made no impn Dutch, and the English have in turn penetrated into further into the wilderness, but he has never submittt Dorhas he condescended to borrow from them any of the arts of civilization. Both Kaffirs and Hottentots have been in so far subjected to the inroads of civilization that they have placed themselves under the protection of the white colonists, and have learned from them to substitute the blanket for the kaross, and the gun for the spear or aiTDv?. They have also acted as domestic servants to the white men, voluntarily hiring themselves for pay, and performing their work with willingness. But the Bosjesman has preserved his individuality, and while the Hottentots have become an essentially sub- servient race, and the Kaffirs have preferred vassalage to independence, he is still the wild man of the desert, as free, as untameable, as he was a thousand years ago. Kaffirs, Dutch, and English have taken young Bosjesmans into their service, llie two former have made them their slaves ; the latter has tried to educate them into paid servants. Bat they have been equally unsuccessful, and the Bosjesman servant cannot, as the saying is, be trusted further than he can be seen, and, by a wise master, not so far. His wild nature is strong within him, and, unless closely watched, he is apt to throw off all appearance of civilization, and return to the privations and the freedom of his native state. The principal use to which a Bosjesman servant is put is to serve the office of " fore- louper," i.e. the guide to the oxen. When a wagon is harnessed with its twelve or fourteen oxen, the driver sits on the box— which really is a box — and wields a most formidable whip, but has no reins, his office being to urge, and not to guide. His own department hi fulfils with a zest all bis own. His terrific whip, with a handle like a salmon-rod, and a lash nearly as long as its line, can reach the foremost oxen of the longest team, and, when wielded by an experienced driver, can cut a deep gash in the animal's hide, as if a knife, and not a whip, had been used. A good driver can deliver his stroke with equal certainty upon the furthest ox or upon those that are just beneath him, and so well are the oxen aware of this, that the mere whistle of the Plaited cord through the air, or the sharp crack of its lash, will cause every ox in the teaiu to bend itself to its work, as if it felt the stinging blow across its back, and the hot blood trickling down its sides. But the driver will not condescend to guide the animals, that task being considered the lowest to which a human being can be put, and which is in consequence handed over to a Hottentot boy, or, preferably, to a Bosjesman. The " fore-loupr'e " business is to walk just in front of the leading oxen, and to pick out the track which is most suitable for the wheels. There is now before me a beautiful photograph of a harnessed wagon, with the driver on his seat, and the fore-louper in his place in front of the oxen. He is a very i ^H^^^^^H|^ .^~ M^ _„ C!l .ffifiSflPttiiElP^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) -J^.^^i^ A* ^ ^ ^Z^ ^4^ 1.0 1.1 lis ^^ i^B itt I2ii 12.2 12.0 14^0 M |l.25 ,1 U , L6 < 6" ► ^ A* 4 Photografiiic Sciences Corporation -<^> ^^^ 79 WIST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 145S0 (716)S72-4S03 '^ ^ 270 THE BOSJESMAN OR BUSHMAN. little man, about four feet six inches in height, and, to judge from his &ce, may be of m\ age from sixteen to sixty. How the fore-louper will sometimes behave, if he thinks that his master is not l. experienced traveller, may be seen from the following account by a traveller viho ^\ already been quoted : — I " My ' leader ' (as the boy is called who leads the two front oxen of the span), on nyl first wagon journey, was a Bushman; he was about four feet high, and decidedly thai ugliest specimen of the human race I ever beheld, without being deformed in body otl limbs ; the most prominent feature in his face was the mouth, with its huge, thick, sensuil lips. The nose could scarcely be called a projection ; at all events, it was far less digtiQ.j guishable in the outline of the side face than the mouth ; it was an inverted (or concave) I Boman, — ^that is to say, the bridge formed a curve inwards ; the nostrils were very wide! and open, so that you seemed, by means of them, to look a considerable distance into! his head. " With regara to the eyes, I am guilty of no exaggeration when I assert that yon could not see the eyeballs at all as you looked at his profile, but only the hollows which contained them ; ' it was like looking at a mask when the eyes of the wearer are far re- moved from theinOrifices cut for them in the pasteboard. The cheek-bones were immense, the cheeks thin and hollow ; the forehead was low and shelving — in fact, he could scarcely be said to have a forehead at all. He was two or three shades from being black, and he I had even less hair on his head than his countrymen generally ; it was composed of little | tight woolly knots, with a considerable space of bare skin between each. " So much for the young gentleman's features. The expression was diabolically bad, and his disposition corresponded to it I firmly believe that the little wretch would have been guilty of any villany, or any cruelty, for the mere love of either. I found the only way to keep him in the slightest control was so inspire him with bodily fear— no easy task, seeing that his hide was so tough that your arms would ache long before you pro- duced any keen sense of pain by thrashing him. " On one occasion the wagon came to the brow of a hill, when it wap the duty of the leader to stop the oxen, and see that the wheel was well locked. It may readily be imagined that a wagon which requires twelve oxen to draw it on level ground could not be held back by two oxen in its descent down a steep hill, unless with the wheel locked. My interesting Bushman, however, whom I had not yet offended in any manner, no sooner found himself at the top of the hill, than he let go the oxen with a yell and ' whoop,' which set them off at a gallop down the precipitous steep. The wagon flew from side to side of the road, destined, apparently, to be smashed to atoms every moment, together with myself, its lucldess occupant. I was dashed about, almost unconscious of what could be the cause, so suddenly had we started on our mad career. Heaven only knows how I escaped destruction, but we positively reached the bottom of the hill uninjured. " The Bushman was by the wagon-side in an instant, and went to his place at the oxen's heads as coolly%nd unconcernedly as if he had just perfonned part of his ordinary duties. The Hottentot driver, on the contrar}', came panting up, and looking aghast with horror at the fear he had felt. I jumped out of the wagon, seized my young savage by the collar of his jacket, and with a heavy sea-cowhide whip I belaboured him with all my strength, wherein, I trust, the reader will think me justified, as the little wretch had made the most barefaced attempt on my life. I almost thought my strength would be exhausted before I could get a sign from the young gentleman that he felt my blows, but at length he uttered a yell of pain, and I knew he had had enough. Next day I dropped him at a village, and declined his further services." Missionaries have tried their best to convert the Bosjesman to Christianity, and have met with as little success as those who have endeavoured to convert him to civilization. Indeed, the former almost presupposes some amount of the latter, and whatever may be done by training up a series of children, nothing can be done with those who have once tasted of the wild ways of desert life. The dress of the Bosjesman bears some resemblance to that of the Hottentot, but is, if possible, even more simple. DBESS OF BOTH SEXES. 271 like the Hottentot, tbe Boa^jesman likes to cover his head, and generally wears a head* ,.ess made of skin. Sometimes he pulls out the scanty tufts of hair to their fullest itent— an inch at the most — and plasters them with grease until they project stiffly from ie head. Sometimes also ht3 shaves a considerable portion of the head, and rubs red bgy and grease so thickly into the remaining hair that it becomes a sort of a felt cap. fothis odd head-dress he suspends all kinds of small ornaments, such as beads, fragments f ostrich shells, bright bits of metal, and other objects. When a Bosjesman kills a bird, he likes to cut off the head, and fasten that also to hair-cap in such a manner that the beak projects over his forehead. Mr. Baines men- ions two Bosjesmans, one of whom wore the head of a secretary bird, and the other that ; a crow. One of these little men seemed to be rather a dandy in his costume, as also wore a number of white feathers, cut short, and stuck in his hair, where they diated like so many curl-papers. As for dress, as we understand the word, all that the Bosjesman cares for is a kind |of small triangular apron, the broad end of which is suspended to the belt in front, and he narrow end passed between the legs and tucked into the belt behind. Besides this fiton, if it may be so called, the Bosjesman has generally a kaross, or mantle, made from he skin of some animal. This kaross is generally large enough to hang to nearly the Ifeet when the wearer is standing upright, and its chief use is as an extemporized bed. iike the Hottentot, the Bosjesman rolls himself up in his kaross when he sleeps, gathering elf together into a very small compass, and thus covering himself completely with |i mantle which would be quite inadequate to shelter a European of equal size. As to the women, their dress very much resembles that of the Hottentot. They wear I piece of skin wrapped round their heads, and the usual apron, made of leather cut iuto now thongs. They also have the kaross, which is almost exactly like that of the men. These are the necessities of dress, but the female sex among this curious race are leqaally fond of finery with their more civilized sisters. Having but little scope for oma- Iment in the apron and kaross, they place the greater part of their decoration on the head, |and ornament their hair and countenances in the most extraordinary way. Water, as been already observed, never touches their faces, which are highly polished with ise, so that they shine in the sunbeams with a lustre that is literally dazzling. To jtheir hair they suspend various small ornaments, like those which have been mentioned las forming part of the men's dress. Among these ornaments, the money-cowrie is often Iseen, and is much valued, because this shell does not belong to the coast, but is used as I money, and is thus passed over a very great portion of Southern Africa as a sort of Icuitency. A curious and very inconvenient ornament is mentioned by Burchell, and the reader [will see that it bears some resemblance to the frontlet which is drawn on page 247. The girl who was wearing it had evidently a great idea of her own attractions, and ieed, according to the writer, she had some grounds for vanity. She had increased the JDower of her charms by nibbing her whole dress and person thickly with grease, while I her arms and legs were so loaded with leathern rings, that she evidently had an admirer who was a successful hunter, as in no other way could she obtain these coveted decora- tions. Her hair was clotted with red ochre, and glittering with sibilo, while her whole person was perfumed with buchu. Her chief ornament, however, was a frontlet composed of three oval pieces of ivoty, about as large as sparrow's eggs, which were suspended from her head in such a way that one fell on her nose, and the other two on her cheeks. As she spoke, she coquettishly moved her head from side to side, so as to make these glittering ornaments swing about in a manner which she considered to be very fascinating. However, as the writer quaintly observes, " her vanity and affectation, great as they were, did not, as one may sometimes observe in both sexes in other countries, elate her, or produce any alteration in the tone of her voice, for the astonishing quantity of meat which she swallowed down, and the readiness with which she called out to her attendants for more, showed her to be resolved that no squeamishness should interfere on this occasion." H IB 7t ■^^.J 27S THE BOSJESMAN OR BUSHMAN. u 1 As is the case with the Hottentots, the Bosjesman female is slightly and delicatdi formed while she is young, and for a few years is almost a model of symmetry. Butt season of beauty is very short, and in a few years after attaining womanhood the feati are contracted, sharpened, and wrinkled, while the limbs look like sticks more than a.„ and legs of a human being, The accompanying illustration, which represents a Bogjei man woman with her child, will give a. good idea of the appearance which these peori present. *^ Even naturally, the bloom of youth would fade quickly, but the decay of yonth i accelerated by constant hardships, uncertain supply of food, and a total want of perswi cleanliness. The only relic of beauty tit remains is the hand, which is marvelloo&. small and delicate, and might be enviei by the most refined lady in civ countries, and which never become^ coai or disfigured by hard work. The children of the Bosjesn quite as repulsive in aspect as their elden though in a different manner, being stupendously thick in the body as theiij elders are shapelessly thin. Their Wn eyes, continually kept nearly closed, ^ order to exclude the sandflies, look as i they had retreated into the head, so con pletely are they hidden by the piojectin cheek-bones, and the fat that surroundi them. Their heads are pretematuralljl ugly, the skull projecting exceedingly 1 hind, and the short woolly hair growiii; 80 low down on the forehead that thejl look as if they were afflicted with hydto-l cephalus. In fact, they scarcely seem tol be human infants at all, and are abso-l lutely repulsive, instead of being viniiiiig| or attractive. They soon quit this stage of formation, and become thin-limbed and potj bellied, with a prodigious udl in the back, which is, in fact, a necessary consequence c the, former deformity. It is astonishing how soon the little things learn to lead an independent life. At t| few months of age they crawl on the sand l3ce yellow toads of a larger size than i and by the time that they are a year old they run about freely, with full use of anus asl well as legs. Even before they have attained this age, they have learned to search fotl water bulra which lie hidden under the sand, and to scrape them up with their handsj and a short stick. From eight to fourteen seems to be the age at which these people are most attiac-l tive. They have lost the thick shapelessness of infancy, the ungainliness of chilOhooii| and have attained the roundness of youth, without having simk into the repiilsiYe| attributes of aga At sixteen or seventeen they begin to show i. .:s of age, and from that time to ^e| end of their life seem to become more and more repulsive. At the age when our yo"^' begin to assume the attributes of manhood, and to exhibit finely-knit forms and ^ developed muscles, the Bosjesman is beginning to show indications of senility. Furrows | appear on his brow, his body becomes covered with wrinkles, and his abdomen fall in successive fold& This singularly repulsive development is partly caused by the natnnl of the food which he eats, and of the inegularity with which he is supplied. He is always I either hungry or gorged with food, and me natural consequence of such a mode of life » I the unsightly formation which has been mentioned. As the Bosjesman advances in yean, I the wrinkles on his body increase in number and depth, and at last his whole body is n WOMAN AMD CHILD. PECULIABITY OF THE SENSES. 278 J with hanging folds of loose skin, that it is almost impossible for a stranger to 0w whether he is looking at a man or a woman. Itlifls abready been mentioned that the eyes of the Bosjesman are small, deeply sunken I the head, and kept so tightly closed that they are scarcely perceptible. Yet the sight 3 Bosjesman is absolutely marvellous in its penetration and precision He need^ no .ope, for his unaided vision is quite as effective as any ordinary telescope, and he has _ known to decide upon the precise nature of objects which a European could not ^tify, even with the assistance of his glass. Ibis power of eyesight is equalled by the delicacy of two other senses, those of hearing 1 smelL The Bosjesman's ear catches the slightest sound, and his mind is instantly dy to take cognizance of it He understands the sound of ih.e winds aS they blow over J land, the ciy of birds, the rustling of leaves, the hum of *insects, and draws his own jclosions &om them His wide, flattened nostrils are equally sensitive to odours, and I some c&ses a Bosjesman trusts as much to his nose as to his eyes. Yet these senses, delicate as they may be, are only partially developed. The sense of lell, for example, which is so sensitive to odoius whidi a civilized nose could not per- nre, is callous to the abominable emanations from his own body and those of his ades, neither are the olfactory nerves blunted by any amount of pungent snuff. The 3 of taste seems almost to be in abeyance, for the Bosjesman will eat with equal relish ; which has been just killed, and which is tough, stringy, and juiceless, or that which I been killed for several days, and is in a tolerably advanced state of putrefaction. Mer seems to have little effect on him, and the sense of pain seems nearly as blunt I it is m the lower animals, a Bosjesman caring nothing for ii^uries which would at 3 prostrate any ordinary European. ii'r fc'i CHAPTER XXV. THE BOSJESMAN— Conftniwrf. BOMBS OP THE B08JB8MAN8 THB HOCK-CAVE — THE BCSM-HOUSK — TF.MPORARY HABnATlOxi POOD, AND MODE OP OBTAININO IT — HUNTING — CHASE OP THE OSmiCH — A 8IN0IILAK 8TRaj.J OEM — 08TBICU FEATHERS, AND METHOD OP PACKING THEM — USES OP THE OSmiCH EOO-gBljl CUNNING BOBBERS CATTLE-STEALING — WARPARE — PETTY SKIRMISHING B08JRKMAN8 AT BatT SWIMMING POWERS OP THE B08JESMANS THE " WOODEN HORSE " BENEVOLENT CONnml OP B0SJESMAN8 THB WEAPONS OP THB B08JE8MAN8 THE ARROW, AND ITS C()N8THUCT10K-.| HOW ARROWS ARE CARRIED — POISON WITH WHICH THE ARROW IS COVERED — VABIors HKTHOjjl OP MAKING POISON— IRRITATING THB SERPENT— THE n'oWA, k'aA, OR POISON «ntB, AND inl TERRIBLR EFFECTS THB GRUB IN ITS DIFFKBENT STAGKS ANTIDOTE POISONED WATJJ^I UNEXPECTED CONDUCT OF THB B08JE8MAN8 — THE QUIVEB, SPEAR, AND KNIFE. Havino now glanced at the general appearance of the Bosjesman, we will rapidly levii the course of his ordinary li^. Of houses or homes he is nearly independent. A rock cavern is a favourite with the Bosjesman, who finds all the shelter he needs, without being obliged to exert m labour in preparing it. But there are many parts of the country over which lie roani8,ij which there are no rocks, and consequently no caves. In such cases, the Bosjesman imitates the hare, and makes a " form " in which b conceals himself He looks out for a suitable bush, creeps into it, and bends the bouglu down so as to form a tent-like covering. The mimosa trees are favourite resorts with the Bosjesman, and it has been well remarked, that after a bush has been much used, nnd th« young twigs begin to shoot upwards, the whole bush bears a great resemblance to a hum bird's nest The resemblance is increased by the habit of the Bosjesman of lininj:; these primitive houses with hay, dried leaves, wool, and other soft materials. The Tarcoimiitlinj forms the usual resting-place of these wild men, its pliant branches being easily bent into the required shape. These curious dwellings are not only used as houses, but are employed as Itirking. places, where the Bosjesman can lie concealed, and whence he launches his tiiiy but (Ifcadlj arrows at the animals that may pass near the treacherous bush. It is in consequence of this simple mode of making houses that the name of liosjesman, or Bushman, has been given to this group of South African savages. This, of course, is the Dutch title; theii name, as given by themselves, is Saqua. In places where neither rocks nor bushes are to be found, these easily contented people are at no loss for a habitation, but make one by the simple process of scratching a hole in the ground, and throwing up the excavated earth to windward. Sometimes they become rather luxurious, and make a further shelter by fixing a few sticks in the ground, ani throwing over them a mat or a piece of hide, which will answer as a screen ajjainst the wind. In this hole a wonderful number of Bosjesmans will contrive to stow them. selves, rolling their kaross round their body in the peculiar manner which has already Ixeii TEMPOIURY CAMP. 275 »» -*^i L r ned Tl»e sliglit screen forms their only protection against the wind— the kaross '" ■ defence against the rain. Wl en a horde of Bosjesraans has settled for a time in a spot which promises good ley generally make tent-like houses by fixing flexible sticks in the ground, • ■;: - jjjgm ^0 aa to force them to assume a cage-like form, and then covering them with ■mats made of reeds. These huts are almost exactly like the primitive tents in f h the L'ipsifs of our own country invariably live, and which they prefer to the most 1 10U8 chamber that wealth, luxury, and art can provide. "si'inuch for his houses. As to his food, the Bosjesman finds no difficulty in sup- ■ ff himself with all that he needs. His wants are indeed few, for there is scarcely , which a human being can eat without being poisoned, that the Bosjesman does K use tor ^ythin}, ■ — ^ jj^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^ jg^^ prejudice against any kind of edible substance TEMPORARY CAHF. id, provided that it is capable of affording nourishment, he asks nothing more. His ixuries are comprised in two words — tobacco and brandy ; but food is a necessary of le, and is not looked upon in any other light. There is not a beast, and I believe not a bird, that a Bosjesman will not eat. Snakes hd otiier reptiles are common articles of diet, and insects are largely used as food by this jople. liOcnsts and white ants are the favourite insects, but the Bosjesman is in no wise fitidious, and will eat almost any insect that he can catch. Roots, too, foi-m a larjie prtioii of the Bosjesman's diet, and lie can discover tlie water-root without the sistance of a baboon. Thus it happens that the Bosjesman can live where other men would perish, and to I the wild desert is a congenial lionie. All that he needs is plenty of space, because I never cultivates the ground, nor breeds sheep or cattle, trusting entirely ibr his food to |te casual productions of tlie earth, whetlier they be animal or vegetable. It has already been mentioned that the Bosjesman obtains his meat by hunting. Though one of the l)est hunters in the world, the Bosjesman, like the Hottentot, to |honi he is nearly related, has no love of the chase, or, indeed, for any kind of exei-tion, Qd would not take the ti;ouble to pursue the various animals on which he lives, if he t2 '''''! K *!>« 876 THE BOSJESMAN OR BUSHMAN. could ohtain their flesh without the trouble of hunting them. Yet, when he hog f • started on tl»e chase, there is* no nam more dogyedly persevering; and even the Esqui.*" seal-hunter, who will sit for forty-eight hours with harpoon iu hand, cannot 8urpaija7! in endurntice. Small as he is, he will match himself against the largest and the fiercest ani of Southern Africa, and proceeds with perfect equanimity and certainty of success ti"!'] chase of the elephant, the rhinoceros, the lion, and the leopanl. The former ani',* whose sking are too tough to be i)ierced with his feeble weapons, he entraps by sii' ingenious devices, while the latter fall victims to the deadly poison with which his arl are imbued. Tlie skill of tlie Bosjesman is severely tested in the chase of tlie ostrid' bird which the swiftest horae can barely overtake, and which is so wary as well as s '' that a well-mounted hunter, armed with the best rifle, thinks himself fortunate wli™ i can kill one. The little Bosjesman has two modes of killing these birds. If he happens to find of their enormous nests while the parent birds are away, he approaches it verj- cautiniHj lest his track should be seen by the ever- watchful ostrich, and buries himself in thesa among the eggs. The reader will doubtless remember that several ostriches deposit tl "l eggs in one nest, and that the nest in question is simply scraped in the sand, and is enormous dimensions. Here the tiny hunter will lie patiently until the sun has gone down, when he kiio» that the parent birds will return to the nest. As they approach in the distiujce, he can fidly ♦'ts a poisoned arrow to his bow, and directs its point towards the advancin ostriciibS. As soon as they come within range, he picks out the bird which has tS plumpest form and the most luxuriant plumage, and M'ith a single arrow seals its fate. The chief drawback to this mode of hunting is, that the very act of discharging tK arrow reveals the form of the hunter, and frightens the other birds so much that a seconJ shot is scarcely to be obtained, and the Bosjesman is forced to content himself with on dead bird and the whole of the eggs. Forti?nately, he is qjiite indiflerent as to the quality of the eggs. He does not vea much care if any of them should be addled, and will eat with perfect composure an e The needless destruction which they work among the cattle, which to a Ilottentnt a Kaffir are almost the breath of life, has exasperated both these iwonle to such a dm ' that they will lay aside for a time their differences, and unite in attacking the Hosipst ' who is equally hated by both. This, however, they do with every precaution, knowin "f, i^ well the dangerous character of the enemies ogninst whom they are abotit to udvaucir, i not attempting any expedition unless their nruiibcrs are very strong indeed. ' " ] Of systematic warfare the Hosjesmans know nothing, although they are porhnps tJ most dangerous enemies that a man can have, his first knowledge of their presence \mni the clang of the bow, and the sharp whiiTing sound of the arrow. Sometimes a hank i Bosjesmans will take offence at some Hottentot or Kaffir tribe, and will keep \m desultory sort of skirmish for years, during which time the foe knows not what a quJij night means. i The Bosjesmans dare not attack their enemies in open day, neither will they ventiJ to match themselves in fair warfare ngninst any considerable number of antagonists. M not a man dares to stray from the protection of the huts, unless accompanied by arnieiB comrades, knowing that the cunning enemies are always lurking in tlie neiphhourhnoiM and that a stone, or bush, or tree, will allord cover to a IJosjt'smaa These tiny iJ formidable warriors will even conceal themselves in the sand, if they fancy that strajiiilerJ may pass in that direction, and the pufl-udder itself is not more invisible, nor its fen^ . more deadly, than the lurking Bosjesmau. " On the bare cliffs they can conceal themselves with marvellous address, their yellow skins being so like the colour of the rocks that they are scarcely visible, even when there! is no cover. Moreover, they have a strange way of huddling themselves up in a luiidkl so as to look like conical heaps of leaves and sticks, without a semblance ui' huuiauitTi about them. I Open resistance they seldom offer, generally scattering and escaping in all directions if I a direct charge is miule at them, even if they should be assailed by one solitary iiicmyl armed only with a stick. But they will hang about the outskirts of the hostile tribe fori month<< together, never gathering themselves into a single band which can be assnultedl and conquered, but separating themselves into little parties of two or three, a<,'ainst whom I it would be absurd for the enemy to advance in force, which cunnot be con(iuiied by equal numbers, and yet which are too formidable to be left unmolested. I The trouble and annoyance which a few Bosjesmans can inflict upon a large body of I enemies is almost incredible. The warriors are forced to be always on the watch, and never venture singly without their camp, while the women and children have sm li a dread of the Bosjesmans, that the very mention of the name throws them into paroxysms of terror. The difficulty of attacking these pertinacious enemies is very much increased by the nomad character of the Bosjesmans. The Hottentot tribes can move a village in half a day, but the Bosjesmans, who can exist without fixed habitations of any kind, and whose most elaborate hou-ses are far simpler than the worst specimens of Hottentot architecture, can remove themselves and their habitations whenever they choose ; and, if neccssaiy, can abolish their rude houses altogether, so as not to allbrd the least sign of tlieir residence. Sometimes, but very rarely, the Kaffirs, exasperated by repeated losses at the hands of theBosjesmaiis.have determined to trace the delinquents to their home, and to extiq)at« the entire community. The expedition is one which is fraught with special danijcr, as there is no weapon which a Kaffir dreads more than the poisoned arrow of the Ikisjtsnian. In such cases the overwhelming numbers of the assailants and the absolute necessity COURAGE OF THE ROSJESMANS. 981 . ^ijjpii they hftve set themselves, are sure to lead to ultimate success, and neither ' r women are Hparod. ^Th . verv younj; children arc sometimes carried off and made to act as slaves, but, as \ mo, *'»" KuHlrs look upon the Rosjesmans much as if they were a set of ' ^*'"**''i9 siTPtitit". '"'•' kill them all with as little compunction as thoy would feel itt """'•ini! ft fii"'''y *'f co^'™" or p" A'- adders. hhiis Itf'cn mentioned that the Boajcsmans will seldom offer any resistance in open k SonK'tiniea iiowever, they will ilo so, but only in case of being driven to bay, f rrinii usuiiUy to lie in wait, and in the dead of nij,dit to steal upon their foes, send [/ loisotu'd arrows among them, and steal away under cover of the darkness. KAFFmS AKD POSJESMAXa Yet when flight is uselefss, and they are fairly at bay, thoy accept the position, and lecomc as tfrrihlc foes as can bo met; losing all sense of fear, and fighting with desperate cur.ige. A small band of them has often been known to figlit a large party of enemies, nJ to continue their stniggles until every man has been killed. On one such occasion, I had been liillcd except one man, who liad ensconcetl himself so closely behind a stone khat his enemies could not m.inage to inllict n moi-tal wound. With his bow he drew kovanls liini tlie unspent arrows of his fallen kinsmen, and, though exhausted by loss bf blood from many wounds on bis limbs, be continued to hurl the arrows at his foes, icconipanying each witli some abusive epithet. It was not until many of his enemies |had fallen by his hand, that he exposed himself to a mortal blow. On reference to tlie illustrntion, the reader will see that several of the fallen wan'iora jiave arrows stuck in tlieir head-dress. Tins is a curious custom of the Bosjesman, ifiio likes to have his arrows ready to hand, and for this purpose carries them in his \' ' .;f^ ]'i iP 'T Tffi 1 VI ») 1 v" Vj n. A . ' 'n 1 /I a\ M' 282 THE BOSJESMAN OB BUSHMAN. It head-dress, just as an old-fashioned clerk carries his pen behind his ear. GenemiiJ he keeps them in his quiver with their points reversed, but, when he is actively eiw " in fighting, he takes them out, turns the points with their poisoned ends outw I" and arranges them at each side of his head, so that they project like a couple of skeh j fans. '^ They give a most peculiar look to the features, and are as sure an indication of jon as the spread hood of the cobra, or the menancing " whirr " of the rattlesnake. He m [ great use of them in the war of words, which in Southern Africa seems invariabl I accompany the war of weapons, and moves them just as a horse moves his ears. wJil one movement of the head he sends them all forward like two horns, and with anotl he shakes them open in a fan-like form, accompanying each gesture with rapid frnJ" like those of an angry baboon, and with a torrent of words that are eloquent enoivrh " those who understand them. ° He does not place all his an-ows in his headdress, but keeps a few at hand in tiJ quiver. These he uses when he has time for a deliberate aim. But, if closely press 1 he snatches arrow after arrow out of his head-dress, fits them to the string, and slionS them with a rapidity that seems almost incredible. I have seen a Bosjesman send thr3 successive arrows into a mark, and do it so quickly that the three were dischaiwd J less than two seconds. Indeed, the three sounds followed one another as rapidly as tin blows could have been struck with a stick. Traversing the country imceasingly, the Bosjesman would not be fit for his ordinn life if he could be stop'pcd by such an obstacle as a river ; and it is accordingly found M they can all swim. As the rivers are often swift and strong, swimming across them il a straight line would be impossible but for an invention which is called " Houte-paardJ or wooden horse. This is nothing more than a piece of Mood six or seven feet in kmu with a peg driven into one end. When the swimmer crosses a stream, he places thisi against his right slioulder so that tlie wood is under his body, and helps to support it. HnJ this machine works may be seen from the following anecdote by Dr. Ijchstensteinvhipi not only illustrates the point in question, but presents the Bosjesmans in a nioi-e amiaba light than we are generally accustomed to view them. " " A hippopotamus had been killed, and its body lashed to the bank with leathcri ropes. The stream, however, after the fashion of African streams, had risen suddenU and the current swept downwards with such force, that it tore asunder the ropes i question, and carried off the huge carcase. Some Bosjesmans went along the bank I discover the lost animal, and at last found it on the other bank, and havui" crossed tL river, carrying with them the €nds of some stout ropes, they tried unsuccessfully to m the dead animal to the other sida " Some other means of accomplishing th^ proposed end were now to be devised i many were suggested, but none found practicable. The hope of retrieving the pna however, induced a young colonist to attempt swimming over; but, on account of tiievai force of the stream, he was constrained to return ere he had reached a fourth part of thi way. In the meantime, the two Bosjesmans who had attained the other side of the wat«^ having made a large fire, cut a quantity of the fat off the monster's back, which w baked and ate most voraciously. " This sight tempted five more of the Bosjesmans to make a new essay. Each to( a light flat piece of wood, which was ..latened to the right .shoulder, anc' under the am, when in the water the point was placed directly across the stream, so that the great fon of water must come upon that, while the swimmer, with the left arm and the fee struggled against the stream, in the same manner as a ship with spread sails, whei according to the sailor's language, it sails before the wind. They arrived quicker tk the first, and almost without any effort, directly to the opposite point, and immediatJ applied all their strength, though in vain, to loosening the monster from the rock i which it hvn^. " In the meantime, a freed slave, belonging to the Governor's train, an eafjer, spiritJ young fellow, and a veiy expert swimmer, had the boldness to attempt following t savages without any artificial aid, and got, though slowly, very successfully about Iia 'Jnm SWIMMING POWERS. 283 Here however, his strength failed him ; he was carried away and sunk, but if "'^"ftgain above the water, struggling with his little remaining powers to reach the jippeareci^^^^^j.^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ . j^^ ^^ forced to abandon himself to the stream ; but P"^ i a turu in the river, which soon presented itself, he was carried to the land |ackily> ai' * ^^Je^e Bosjesnians, when they saw his situation, quitted their fire, and hastening to his ." * aiTived at the spot just as he crawled on shore, exhausted with fatigue, and ff 4 with cold. It was a truly affecting sight to behold the exertions made by the tn recover him. Tliey threw their skins over him, dried him, and rubbed him gviiges 10 ic .... ... . ........ . he fire" that he might be thoroughly warmed, rubbing his benumbed limbs over with • 1, thpir hands, and, when he began somewhat to revive, carried him to the fire and im efii f r tiie entire restoration of the unfortunate adventurer, it was necessary for the , . ' jq^q by it. They then made him a bed with their skins, and put more wood vfflted fat of the" river-horse. But evening was now coming on, and, in order to I 1, 1 mrty to resolve on passing the night where they were. Some of the Bosjesmans tUs side exerted themselves to carry the poor man's clothes over to liim, that Ihe m rlit not be prevented by the cold from sleeping, and recovering strength for '"Early the next morning the Bosjesmans were seen conducting theh protegS along the I M of the stream, to seek out some more convenient spot for attempting to cross it. V soon arrived at one where there was a small island in the river, which would of ■e much diminish the fatigue of crossing ; a quantity of wood was then fastened lhi!ether on which he was laid, and thus the voyage commenced. " The young man, grown timid with the danger from which he had escaped, could not 1 jjjjgr the water again without great apprehension ; he with the whole party, however, ived very safely and tolerably quick at the island, whence, with the assistance of his P friend?, he commenced the second and most toilsome part of the undertaking. Two f the Bosjesmans kept on each side of the bundle of wood, while the young man himself exerted «" his remaining powers to push on his float •' When they reached a bank in the river, on which they were partially aground, Jiavin" water only up to the middle, he was obliged to stop and rest awhile ; but by this dime he was so completely chilled, and his limbs were so benumbed with the cold, that it teemed almost impossible for him to proceed. In vain did his comrades, who looked Anxiously on to see the termination of the adventure, call to him to take courage, to make, ifithout delay, yet one more effort; he, as well as an old Bosjesman, the best swimmer of he set, seemed totally to have lost all thought or presence of mind. « At this critical moment^ two of the Bosjesmans who had remained on our side of the irater were induced, after some persuasion, to undertake the rescue of these unfortunate dveaturerfl. A large bundle of wood was fastened together with the utmost despatch ; on Jie eud of this they laid themselves, and to the middle was fastened a cord ; this was held by those on shore, so that it might not fall into the water and incommode them iu imming. « It was astonishing to see with what promptitude they steered directly to the right ot, and carao, notwithstanding the rapidity of the sti-eam, to the unfortunate objects they iou"ht. The latter had so far lost all coolness and presence of mind, that they had not the lense immediately to lay hold of the cord, and their deliverers were in the utmost danger jiif being carried away the next moment by the stream. At this critical point, the third, irho was standing on the bank, seized the only means remaining to save his companions. He pushed thorn before him into the deep water, and compelled them once more, in onjunction with him, to put forth all their strength, while the other two stniggled with heir utmost might against the stream. In this manner he at length succeeded in making hem catch hold of the rope, by means of which all five were ultimately dragged in safety I the shore." We will now proceed to the weapons with which the Bosjesman kills his prey and finhts his enemies. The small but terrible arrows which the Bosjesman uses with such deadly efifect are "fill 1' 'I I it 6 ' jM^jS^ 1 H iffl ' 1" ^k 284 THE BOSJESMAN OR BUSHMAN. II Mi ii ■*' constructed with very great care, and the neatness -mth which they are made is reali I surprising, when we take into consideration the singularly inefficient tools which I used. The complete arrow is ahout eighteen inches in length, and it is made of four ^u: ^ parts. First, we have the shaft, wliich is a foot or thirteen inches long, and not as tV tl as an ordinary black-lead penciL This is formed from the common Kaffir reed whul when dry, is both strong and light At either end it is bound firmly with the split nj flattened intestine of some animal, which is put on when wet, and when dry, shrink? closely, and is very hard and stiff One end is simply cut off transversely, and the oth I notched in order to receive the bowstring. "' Next comes a piece of bone, usually that of ostrich, about three inches in length. One end of 'li is passed into the open end of the shaft, and over tl! I other is slipped a short piece of reed, over wliichi a strong " wrapping " of intestine has been placeil This forms a socket for the true head of the arrow J the piece of ostrich bone being only intended to giwf the needfid weight to the weapon. ** " The head itself is made of ivory, and is sli much like the piecy of bone already described. Onai end of it is sharpened, so that it can be slipped int] the reed socket, and the other is first bound Vm intestine, and then a notch, about the eighth of sui inch deep, is made in it. This notch is for the recprJ tion of the triangular piece of flattened iron, wLicli' we may call the blada The body of the arrow is now complete, and that is required is to add the poison whicli niakesla so formidable. The poison, which is first reduced J the consistency of glue, is spread thickly over ih] entire head of the arrow, including the base of tin head. Before it has quite dried, a shoit spike of itoi or qxiill is pushed into it, the point being directtl backwards, so as to form a barb. If the mU strikes a human being, and he pulls it out of thj wound, the iron blade, wb'ch is but loosely attadia to the head, is nearly sure to come off and rmaia in the wound. The little barb is added for tho sam] purpose, and, even if the arrow itself be inmiediatelyj extracted, enough of the poison remains in the wounilj to cause death. But it is not at all likely that the arrow will 1 extracted. The head is not fastened permanently td the shaft, but is only loosely slipped into it. Con-j sequently the shaft is pulled away easily enough, but the head is left in the wound, and aflbrds no handk whereby it can be extracted. As may be seen frem the illustration, a considerable amount of the p is used upon each arrow. This little barb, or barblet, if the word may lie| used, is scarcely as large as one nib of an ordiiia quill pen, and lies so close to the arrow tiiat itl would not be seen by an inexperienced eye. In form it is triangular, the broader end] being pressed into the poison, and the pointed end directed backwards, and lying alinosU parallel with the shaft. It hardly seems capable of being dislodged in the wound, but] the fact is, that the poison is always soft in a warm climate, and so allows the BOSJESUAN QUIVER AND ABROWS METHODS OF PROCURING POISON. 283 . ^gjy slightly inserted, to remain in the wound, a poition of poison of course [gillienng.^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ structui-e of a good arrow, but the weapons are not exactly alike. f tl [not """ jjjjj"ai.e not employed in the peaceful pursuit of game. Hunting arrows [vliich |ieri:_ ^'"Vtliem have only a single piece of bone by way of a head, while many are [Some ^.^j^ ^j^^ triangular blade. Arrows that possess this blade are intended "I and are not employed in the peaceful pursuit of game. Hunting arrows *^ehead shaped much like a spindle, or, to speak more familiarly, like the street cat,"' t I^Vheii not in [have t le '^"r^^gjjjg^toierably thick in the middle and tapering to a point at each end. I ' "fftt bein'^ tOieraoiy iniUK lu lue luiuuiu auu tupenuj^ lo u, puiiiii ai «auii euu. \nnl» Tiot in actual use, the Bosjesman reverses the head, so that the poisoned end is nto the hollow shaft, and thus is debarred from doing useless harm. These h ] are uot nearly as thick as those which are used for war, neither do they need as "The specimens which are shown in the illustration were taken from the dead body of lii, • owner, and were kindly sent to me by H. Dermett, Esq. They are peculiarly I I able because they are in all stages of manufacture, and show the amount of labour l^'care which is bestowed on these weapons. There is first the sin)ple reed, having both I 'ds carefully bound with sinew to prevent it from splitting. Then comes a reed with a "ce of bone inserted in one end. On the next specimen a small socket is formed at the l^'d of the bone, iii order to receive the ivory head ; and so the arrows proceed until the H'ect weapon is seen. I As to the poison which is used in arming the arrows, it is of two kinds. That which Is in ordinary use is maae chiefly of vegetable substances, such as the juice of certain I nnhorbias, together with the matter extracted from the poison-gland of the pufl' adder, [fobra, and other venomous serpetits. In procuring this latter substance they are singularly [courageous. When a iUosjesman sees a serpent which can be used for poisoning arrows, he does not .1 it at once, but steals quietly to the spot where he is lying, and sets his foot on his Ineck. The snake, disturbed from the lethargic condition which is common to nil reptiles, [starts into fuiious energy, and twists and struggles and hisses, and does all in its power to I inflict a wound on its foe. This is exactly what the Bosjesnian likes, and he excites the (gerwiit to the utmost pitch of fury before he kills it. The reason of this conduct is, that Itbe desire to bite excites the poison-gland, and causes it to secrete the venomous substance I in large quantities. The Bosjesinans say that not only is the poison increased in volume, but that its [venomous properties are rendered more deadly by exciting the anger of the reptile before litis killed. The materials for making this poison are boiled down in a primitive kind of [pot made of a hollowed sandstone, and when thoroughly inspissated, it assumes the colour [lud consistency of pitch. It is put on very thickly, in some parts being about the eighth [of an inch thick. In some arrows, the little triangular head is only held in its place by [the poison itself, being merely loosely slipped into a notch and then cemented to the shaft [with the poison. In this case it acts as a barb, and remains in the wound when the arrow lis withdrawn. In this climate the poison becomes hard, and is exceedingly brittle, cracking in various Idirections, and being easily pulverized by being rubbed between the fingers. But in the I comparatively hot tempeiature of Southern Africa it retains its soft tenacity, and even in [this country it can be softened before a fire and the cracked portions mended. It is very [bitter, and somewhat aromatic in taste, and in this respect much resembles the dreaded [wourali poison of tropical Guiana. In some places the poison bulb is common, and in its prime it is very conspicuous, [being recognised at a considerable distance by the blue undulated leaves which rise, as [it were, out of thft ground, and spread like a fan. 8oon, hoM'ever, the leaves fall off and [dry up, and nothing is seen but a short, dry stalk, which gives little promise ot the bulb [below. In some parts of the Rosjosmans' country, the juice of amaryllis is used for poisoning [arrows, like that of euphorbia, and is tlien mixed with the venom extrncted from a large I black spider, as well as that which is obtained from serpents. An antidote for this mixed ■ 'L' '''■. Sii ■ 4 I] '. tl If 4 m BSlT^t; lifpi ■ 111-- ' " .3 I m^ 286 THE BOSJESMAN OR BUSHMAN. poison is not at present known to white men, and whether the Bosjesmans are acquaint with one is at present unknown. ^ It would be a Rreat boon, not only to science, but to the inhabitants of tliat part Africa, if a remedy could be discovered, inasmuch as such a discovery would at deprive the Bosjesmans of the only means whereby he can render himself terribl.T those who live in his nei^'hbourhood. Property would then be rendered cotnparativ i safe, and the present chronic state of irregular warfare would be exchanged for peace l quiet. ^ The two-fold nature of the poison, however, renders such a discovery a matter exceeding difficulty, as the antidote must be equally able to counteract the veoetall poison as well as the animal venom. * '* Terrible as is this mixed poison, the Bosjesman has another which is far more cm I its effects. If a human being is wounded with an arrow armed with this suiTers the most intolerable agony, and soon dies should stone' m poison, bg Even if a small portion of this poj J Id touch a scratch in the skin, the result is scarcely less dreadful, and, in Livj*''' 's graphic words, the sufferer " cuts himself, calls for his mother's breast, as it he J^' > returned in idea to his childhood again, or flies fi-om human habitations a ra^'injr mauia^'" The non suffers in much the same way, raging through the woods, and biting the trees anH I the ground in the extremity of his pain. The poison which produces .such ten-ible effects is simply the juice which cxiules fm a certain grub, calle t-l',.' ii 290 TEE BOSJESMAN OR BUSHMAN. example of Bosjesman workmanship. The hide of which it is made is that of roio* large animal, such as the ox ol: the eland, but as the hair has been carefully removed, do due is left as to the precise animal which furnished the skin. The wtxxlen quivers are almost invariably made from one of the aloes (Aloe diehotom\ which has therefore received from the Dutch colonists the name of " Kokerboom," oi Quiver-trea Occasionally, however, they are made from the karree tree, a species i Bhus, which grows on the banks of rivers, and in habits and appearance much resemblei the English willow. The Bosjesman has a very ingenious method of carrying his weapons when upon a joumev, the bow, quiver, and knob-kerry being tied together, and the whole group sluni over the back. A perfectly-equipped Bosjesman, however, has a kind of skin case, q which he places his weapons. Sometimes it is merely a leathern bag, but in its best form it is composed of an entire antelope-skin, the body of which forms the case, and the legs acting as straps by which it can be hung on the back. One of these bow-caset can be seen in the illustration on page 276. The bow is extremely small and simple, inasmuch as the Bosjesman cares little aWt its strength, because he never shoots at objects at more than a few yards' distance. It is mostly made of a species of Tarchonanthus, but the Bosjesman -is not particular abont its material, so that it be tolerably elastic. Neither is he fastidious about its size, \vhich is seldom more than four feet in length, and often less ; nor about its shape, for the curve is often extremely irregular, the thickest portion of the bow not having been kept in the centra Any little boy can make, with a stick and a string, a bow quite as good as that which is used by the Bosjesman. In using it, the Bosjesman does not hold it vertically, after the manner of the ordinal; long-bow, but horizontally, as if it were a cross-bow — a fact which explains the extremely indifferent aim which can be token with it. The Bosjesman generally carries an assagai, but it is not of his own manufacture, as he is quite ignorant of the blacksmith's art. Even the little triangular tips which are placed on the arrow-heads are hammered vith infinite labour, the iron being laid cold on one stone, and beaten perseveringly vith another, until it is at last flattened. Of softening it by heat the Bosjesman knows nothing, nor does he possess even tke rude instruments which are necessary for heating the iron to the softening point. The assagai is usually the work of the Bechuanas, and is purchased from them by the Bosjesman. Now and then, an ordinary Kaffir's assagai is seen in the hand of the Bosjesman, and in this case it is generally part of the spoils of war, the original owner having been killed by a poisoned arrow. From the same source also is derived the knife which the Bosjesman usually wears hanging by a thong round his neck, the instrument being almost invariably of Bechuana manufacture. The Bosjesman, indeed, makes nothing with his own hands which is not absolutely necessary to him. The assagai and the knife are rather luxuries than necessaries, and ^re obtained from strangers. The bow and poisoned arrow, however, with which he fights human enemies, or destroys the larger animals, nre absolutely necessary to him, and so is the knob-kerry, with which he obtains the smaller animals and birds. He also beats his wife with it, and perhaps considers it a necessary article of property on that score also. These, therefore, every Bosjesman can make for lumsel^ and considers himself sufficiently equipped wher he possesses them. OHAPTEE XXVL THE "BOaJESHAN— Concluded. ■'•■ 'fcl * ill m tfli '-ij:t ,MJDn 'MM ij {td AHTmmirrs ov thb bobSsbhak — how hb sicokxb — ^ms sancb — cttbious ATTmn>i DANCINO-BATrLBS THB VATEB-DBUH 8FECIMBN8 OF BOSJE8HAN HrSIC — ITS 8INOULAB 8CALB AND OrrBBVALS — SUCCBDANBUK FOB A UANOKBBCHIRF A TBAVELLBB'b OPINION OF THB DANCE AND BONO — ^THB OOUBA — 1T8 C0N8TBUCTI0N, AND MODE OF USING IT — QDAUTY OF THE T0NE8 PBODUCBD BY XT — A B08JE8HAN MELODY AS PRBFOBUBD ON THB OOTntA — THB JOVH-JOVM AND THB PBBFOBUBB — SOOTHING EFFECT OF THB INSTBCMENT — ABT AMONO THB B08JE8UAN8 ^MB. CHBISTIB's DESCBIPTITB SKETCH — TUB BOSJESHAM's BBUSH AND COLOUBS — HIS APPBE- CUnON OF A DBA WING — ANECDOTES OF B08JE8HANS. The amusements of the Bosjesmans are very similai; to those of the Hottentots, and can be generally comprised in two words, namely, singing and dancing. Both these words are to be understood in their South African sense, and are not to be taken in our European I signification. ^ Perhaps smoking ought to be included in the category of amusements. How a Bos- I jesman smokes after a meal has already been narrated. But there are seasons when he does not merely take a few whifis as a conclusion to a meal, but deliberately sets to work at a smoking festival He then takes the smoke in such quantities, swallowing instead of ejecting it, that he is seized with violent coughing fits, becomes insensible, and falls down in convulsions. His companions then take upon themselves the duty of restoring I him, and do so in a rather singular manner. As is usual in smoking parties, a supply of fresh water is kept at hand, together with I reeds, through which the smokers have a way of discharging the smoke and water after a fashion which none but themselves can perfectly accomplish. When one of their number falls down in a fit of convulsions, his companions fill their mouths with water, and then spirt it through the tube upon the back of his neck, blowing with all their force, BO as to produce as great a shock as possible. This rather rough treatment is efficacious enough, and when the man has fairly recovered, he holds himself in readiness to perform I the like office on his companions. The dance of the Bosjesman is of a very singular character, and seems rather oddly I calculated for producing amusement either in performers or spectators. " One foot," writes Burchell, " remains motionless, while the other dances in a quick, wild, irregular manner, changing its place but little, though the knee and leg are turned from side to side I as much as the attitude will allow. The arms have but little motion, their duty being to support the body. "The dancer continues singing all the while, and keeps time with every movement, sometimes twisting the body in sudden starts, until at last, as if fatigued by the extent i of his exertions, he drops upon the ground to recover breath, still maintaining the spirit of the dance, and continuing to sing and keep time, by the motion of his body, to the voices and accompaniments of the spectators. In a few seconds he stait-:i up again, and proceeds with increased vigour. U2 THE BOSJESMAN OR BUSHMAN. ,i I !•* I n '.•■.T. V " When one foot is tired out, or has done its share of the dance, the other comes f ward and performs the same part ; and thus, changing legs from time to time, it aeeo'"^ as though lie meant to convince his friends that he could dance for ever." When the Bosjesman dances in a house he is not able to stand upright, and con».d quently is obliged to support himself between two sticks, on which he leans with his l^ bent forward. Very little space is required for such a dance, and in consequence the h 1 is nearly filled with spectators, who squat in a circle, leaving just space enough in tkl centre for the dancer to move in. I In order to assist him in marking time, he has a set of rattles which he ties round hiil ankles. These rattles are shown in the accompanying illustration. They are made off the ears of the spring-bok, the edges being sewn together, and some fragments of ostrichi shell placed loosely ^u the interior. As may be seen on relereuce to the drawing, they atel tied on the outside jf the ankle. ' I The dances which I have seen performed by the Bo^'esmans resembled those describedl by Burchell, the dancer supporting himself on a long stick, though he was in the open air I and occasionally beating time vithi the stick upon the ground to thel peculiar Bosjesman measure. I The spectators, whether men otl women, accompany the dancer in Ms I song by a sort of melody of their own, I and by clapping their hands, or beat- ing sticks on the ground, in time I with his steps. They also beat a shnple instm- ment called the Water-Drum. TUjI is nothing more than a wooden bowl, I or "bambus," such as is shown oi Eage 251, on which a piece of skin as been tightly stretched. A little water is previously poured into the bowl, and by its aid the skin is kept continually wet. It is beaten with the forefinger of the right hand, and is kept to the proper pitch by pressing the thumb and forefinger of the le^ hand upon the skin. Not being skilled in the Bosjesmans' language, I was unable to distinguish a single syllable used by the Bosjesman in dancing, but Mr. Burchell gives them as follows, The dancer uses the word " Wawa-koo," repeated continually, while the spectators sing " Aye-0," separating the hands at the first syllable, and bringing them sharply together at the second. The effect of the combined voices and dances may be seen by the following notation, which was taken by BurchelL This strange combination of sounds, which | f is so opposed to our system of music, is grateful to the ear of most South Africans, and in principle is prevalent among many of the tribes, though there are differences in tbeii modes and measures. I _ A f iiii f f. I DANCING BATTLES. Spbotatobs. Dahcbh. Watui-Diium. Wawa koo wawa koo wawa koo wawa koo wawa koo wawa koo m ^^ :*=|t ^ 1 — r r^tzjt ad fo/ttittvN BOSJESMAN MUSIO. 293 When engaged in this singular performance, the dancer seems so completely wrapped I IP in his part, that he has no thought except to continue his performance in the most ipproved style. On the occmion above mentioned, the dancer did not interrupt his DOV«ineat for a single moment when the white man made his unexpected entrance , into the hut, and, indeed, seemed wholly unconscious of his presence. Shaking and twisting each leg alternately until it is tired does not seem to our eyes to be a particularly exhilarating recreation, especially when the performer cannot stand apright,ui obliged to assume a stooping posture, and has only a space of a foot or two in diameter in which he can move. But the Boi^esman derives the keenest gratificalion gom this extraordinary amusement, and the more he fatigues himself, the more he seems to enjoy it _ ^ . As is likely in such a climate, with such exertions, and with an atmosphere so close ind odorous utat an European can scarcely live in it, the perspiration pours in streams from the performer, and has, at all events, the merit of acting as a partial ablution. By way of a handkerchief, the dancer carries in his hand the bushy tail of a jackal fastened to a stick, and with this implement he continuallv wipes his countenance. He seems to have hoROwed this custom from the Bechuanas, who take great pains in their manufacture of this article, as will be seen when we come to treat of their habits. After dancing until he is unable even to stand, the Bosjesman is forced to yield his place to another, and to become one of the spectators. Before doing so, he takes off the tattles, and passes them to his successor, who assumes them as an essential to the dance, I and wears them until he, in his turn, can dance no longer. Here is another dancing tune taken down by Mr. Burchell on the same evening:— taOoiaun. Dixon. * WitorDtxm. ^^ F==t Aye aye $ f±< ^ aye aye eh aye 6 ^ WSSi ^m i Lok a tay Lok a tay Lok a tay It may seem strange that such odd music could have any charms for an European I who knew anything of music. Yet that such can be the case is evident from the words of the above-mentioned traveller. " I find it impossible to give, by means of mere description, a correct idea of the pleasing impi-essions received while viewing this scene, I or of the kind of effect which the evening's amusements produced upon my mind and \ feelings. It must be seen, it must be participated in, without which it would not be I easy to imagine its force, or justly to conceive its nature. "Thei-e was in this amusement nothing which can make me ashamed to confess that I derived as much enjoyment from it as the natives themselves. There was nothing in I it which approached to vulgarity, and, in this point of view, it would be an injustice to these poor creatures not to place them in a more respectable rank than that to which the notions of Europeans have generally admitted them. It was not rude laughter and boisterous mirth, nor drunken jokes, nor noisy talk, which passed their hours away, but [ the peaceful, calm emotion of harmless pleasure. " Had I never seen and known more of these savages than the occurrences of this y, and the pastimes of the evening, I should not have hesitated to declare them the j happiest of mortals. Free from care, and please^ with a little, their life seemed flowing I on, like a smooth stream gliding through flowery meads. i "Thoughtless and unreflecting, they laughed and smiled the hours away, heedless of ftturity, and forgetful of the past. Their music softened all their passions, and thus they IM THE BOSJESMAN OB BUSHMAN. lulled themMlTM into that mild and tranauil itate in which no evil thought* apprntU the mind. The soft and delicate voices of the girls, instinctively accordant to tho«e ofl fire, were circumstances so combined and fitted to produce the most soothing efTecti oq the senses, that I sat as if the hut had been my home, and felt in the midst of tbia hordil as though I had been one of them ; for some few moments ceasing to think of science ml of Europe, and forgetting that I was a lonely stranger in a land of untutored meo." I Nor is this a solitaiv example of the eflTect of native music in its own land, for otbtrl travellers have, as we shall see, written in equally glowing terms of the peculiar charm* ui the sounds oroduced by the rude instruments of Southern Africa, accompanied by the human voice. We now come to the instrument which is, par eaxdUnce, the characteristic instrument of Southern Africa. The waterKlrum is a rather curious musical instrument, but there is one even mon remarkable in use among the Busjesmans, which is a singular combination of the stri>d and wind principles. In general form it bears a great resemblance to the Kaifir baiubat it has no gourd by way of a sounding-board, and the tones are produced in a diffeKiit manner. This instrument is called the Ooura, and is thus described bv Le YaiUant:-- " The goura is shaped like the bow of a savage Hottentot. It is of the same 8ize,iDd a string made of intestines, fixed to one of its extremities, is retained at the other by t knot in the barrel of a quill which is flattened and cleft This quill being opened, forms a very long isosceles triangle, about two inches in length ; and at the base of this triangle the hole is made that keeps the string fast, the end of which, drawn back, is tied at the otlier end of the bow with a very thin thong of leather. This cord may be stretched so as to have a greater or less d^ree of tension according to the pleasure of the muaiciao, but when sevejal gouras play together, they are never in unison. QTJIU, or OOUBA. « *'Such is the first instrument of a Hottentot, which one would not suppose to be a wind instrument, though it is undoubtedly of that kind. It is held almost in the same manner as a huntsman's horn, with that end where the quill is fixed towards the pe^ former's mouth, which he applies to it, and either by aspiration or inspiration draws hm it very melodious tonea The savages, however, who succeed best on this instrument^ cannot play any regular tune ; they only emit certain twangs, like those drawn in a particular manner from a violin or violoncello. " I took great pleasure in seeing one of my attendants called John, who was accotinted an adepts regale for whole hours nis companions, who, transported and ravishec^ inta* rupted him every now and then by exclaiming ' Ah I how charming it is ; begin that ag^' John began again, but his second performance had no resemblance to the first: for, as I have said, these people cannot play any regular tune upon this instrument, the tunes of which are only the effect of chance, and of the quali^ of the quilL " The best quills are those which are taken from the wings of a certain species oi bustard, and whenever I happened to kill one of these bird^ I was always solicited to make a small sacrifice for the support of our orchestra." In playing this remarkable instrument, the performer seats himself, brings Hba quiU to his mouth, and steadies himself by resting his elbows on his knees, and putting the right fbxefinger into the conespoading ear, and the left forefinger into his wide nostril PLAYING THE GOURA. 295 Aflwd performer uses miich exertion in order to bring out the tones properly, tnd it is icarioua fact, that an accompliahed plaver contrives tu produce octaves bv blowing with icMied strength, just as is done wiw the flute, en instrument on which the sound of ggoon can ha tolerably represented. 121 jJ 21 ^1 II ^1 M i ' The same traveller contrived to write down the air which was played by a celebrated «rformer, and found that he always repeated the same movement The time occupied in Iplaying it through was seventy seconds. I "When a woman plays the goura, it changes its name merely because she changes the Inanner of playing it, and it is then transformed into ^^joum-joum,. Seated on the ground, |(he places it perpendicularly before her, u the same manner as a harp is held jin Europe. She keeps it firm in its Iposition by putting her foot between e bow and the string, taking care not |to touch the latter. "With thA rght hand she grasps the llowin the mjddle, and while she blows vith her mouth in the quill, she strikes the string in several placelf with a small stick five or six inches in length, which ihe holds in the other hand. This pro« daces some variety in the modulations, but the instrument must be brought close to the ear before one can catch dutjiictly all the modulations of the Is. This manner of holding the goura struck me much, especially as it greatly added to the graces of the female who performed on it." Hie reader will see from this descrip- tion that the tunes of the goura are not unlike those of the Jew's-harp, though inferior both in volume and variety to those which can be produced fix)m a tolerably good instrument Both the Hottentots and Boejesmans soon learn to maaBg^ PLATINO Cf'URA. ii:ff:;| m '^ ... 'iV .'It: 296 THE BOSJESMAN OR BUSHMAN. the jew's-harp, and, on account of its small size and consequent portability, it has alnun superseded the native ^ura. Two more musical instruments are or were used by these people. One is the native guitar, or Kabouquin, which somewhat resembles the "banjo" of the negro. It consists of a triangular piece of board, furnished with alaida over which are stretched three strings, made of the twisted intestines of animals. % strings ere attached to pegs, by which they can be tightened or loosened so as to prodtL, the required note. As Le Vaillant quaintly observes : " Any other person might perhaiiL Sroduce some music from it and render it agreeable, but the native is content \ni rumming on the strings with his fingers at random, so that any musical effect is a matter of chance." The last instrument which these natives possess is a kind of drum, made of a hollowed log over one end of which a piece of tanned skin is tightly stretched. The drum is mm times beaten with the fists and sometimes with sticks, and a well-made drum will (Tivgi out resonant notes which can be heard at a considerable distance. This drum is callei by the name of Romelpot The effect of native music on an European ear has already been mentioned on page 293.1 Dr. Lichtenstein, himself a good musician, corroborates Burchell's account, and speaks n J less highly, though in more technical and scientific language, of that music, and tl peculiar scale on which it is formed. " We were by degrees so accustomed to the monotonous sound that our sleep wajl never disturbed by it ; nay, it rather lulled us to sleep. Heard at a distance, there ]A nothing unpleasant in it, but something plaintive and soothing. Although no more than I six tones can be produced from it, which do not besides belong to pur gamut, but fonsl intervals quite foreign to it, yet the ^ind of vocal sound of these tones, the uncommoal nature of the rhythm, and even the oddness, I may say wildness, of the harmony, give to I this music a charm peculiar to itself I " I venture to make use of the term 'harmony,' for so it may indeed be called, since; I although the intervals be not the same as ours, they stand in a proportion perfectly legukil and intelligible, as well as pleasing to the ear. I "Between the principal tones and the octave lie only three intervals ; the first is at | least somewhat deeper than our great third ; the second lies in the middle, between little and great fifth ; and the third between the great sixth and little seventh ; so that a I person might imagine he hears the modulation first in the smallest seventh accord. Yet I every one lies higher in proportion to the principal tone; the ear feels less the desire of | breaking off in the pure triple sound ; it is even more satisfied without it. " Practised players continue to draw out the second, sometimes even the third, interval, I in the higher octave. Still these high tones are somewhat broken, and seldom pure octaves of the corresponding deep tones. Melodies, properly speaking, are never to be heard; it is only a change of the same tones long protracted, the principtif tone being struck hefon every on& It deserves to be remarked, that the intervals in question do not properly ! belong to the instrument ; they are, in truth, the psalmodial music of the African savages.' There is nothing more easy than to theorize, and nothing more difficult than to make the theory " hold water," as the saying is. I knew a learned philologist, who elaborated a theory on the structure of language, and illustrated it by careful watching of his sue* cessive children, and noting the mode in which they struggled through their infantile lispings into expression. First came inarticulate sounds, which none but the mother could understand, analogow to the cries of the lower animals, and employed because the yet undeveloped mind had not advanced beyond the animal stage of existence. Then came onomatopoeia, or imi- tative sounds, and so, by regular degrees, through substantives, verbs, adjectives, and pro- nouns, the powers of language were systematically developed. This theory answered very well with the first two children, but broke down utterly with the third, whose first utte> ance was, " Don't tease, go away." So has it been with the Bosjesman race ; and while they have been described as the most degraded of the great human family, signs have been discovered which show that they PAINTINa 297 gome knowledge of the radiments of art I allude here to the celebrated Bosjesman itiium which are scattered through the country, mostly in caves and on rocks near water nM^and which are often as well drawn as those produced so plentifully by the ^ican Indians. They almost invariably represent figures of men and beasts, and in loy cases the drawing is sufficiently good to enable the spectator to identify the par- X animals which the native artist has intended to delineate. The following account of some of 'these drawings is taken from the notes of Mr. Christie, liich he has liberally placed at my disposal :— "I cannot add much to what is wr' sn of them, except to allude to what are termed __j paintings, found in caverns aui* on flat stone surfaces near some of their perma- jt water supplies. I have only met with two instances of the former pointings, and leywere in a cave in the side of a krantz, in the north part of the Zw^rt Euggens. I me npon them while hunting koodoos. "One side of the cavern was covered with outlines of animals. Only the upper part distinguishable, and evidently represented the wildebeest, or gnoo, the koodoo, wa, &c. The figures were very rudely drawn, and the colours used were dull red and Oand perhaps white; the latter ifiay possibly have been a stalactite deposition from iter. "The other instance was near an outspan place on the Karroo road to Graff Eeinet, jown as Fickle Fountain, where there is a permaneui spring of fresh water, near the Cuise of an ancient stream now dry. On a flat piece of sandstone which had once formed „jof the bank of the stream were the remains of a drawing, Which may have been the latline of a man with a bow and arrow, and a dog, but it was so weather-worn that little note could be made out than the fact of its being a drawing. The colours used, as in the lave, were red and black. "At the time of my seeing the drawings, I had with me a Bushman, named Booy (who J bom near what is marked in the map as the Commissioners' Salt Pan), but he could tve me no information on the subject of the paintings, and I am rather inclined to think At they are the work of one of the Hottentot tribes now extinct. "My Bushman was a very shrewd fellow, but, although I had been at that time for lome years among the natives, I had not become aware of the poverty of their intellect. [ had shown them drawings numberless times, had described them, and listened to their smarks, but had not then discovered that even the most intelligent had no idea of a picture beyond a simple outline. They cannot understand the possibility of perspective, nor how a curved surface can be shown on a flat sheet of paper." Together with this account, Mr. Christie kindly transmitted a copy of a similar Idrawing found in a cavern in the George district. The colour used in the dmwings is red, upon a yellow ground — the latter tint being that of the stone on which they were de- llineated. The diagonal marks represent veins in the rocks. 1 1 t -! ' *f \4 ;l \' -Wife 1*-' i , ■; BOSJKSHAN FAHITINO. ■'J§^% '•"fe The subject of the drawing is rather obscure. The figures are evidently intended to I represent men, but they are unarmed, and present the peculiarity of wearing head-dresses, ' i 1' k Y T 298 THE EOSJESMAN OB BUSHMAN. such as are not used by any of the tribes with whom the Bosj^mans could have come contact They might have often seen the Kaffirs, with their war ornaments of featJ and the Hottentots, with their rude skin caps, but no South African tribe wears a hn dress which could in any way be identified with those which are represented in drawing. Partly on this account, and partly because the figures are not armed with bows arrows, as is usual in figures that are intended to represent Bosjesmans, Mr. Christie iH opinion that many years ago a boat's crew may have landed on the coast, and ' Bosjesmans who saw them recorded the fact by this rock-picture. The tools of the Bosjesman artist are simple enough, consisting of a feather d. grease, in which he has mixed coloured days, and, as Mr. Baines well observes, hrnevl rails to give the animals which he draws the proper complement of members. likel child, he will place the horns and ears half down the neck, and distribute the legs J partially along the body ; but he knows nothing of perspective, and has not the least idJ of foreshortening, or of concealing one limb or horn behind another, as it would m to the eya The same traveller rather differs ftom Mr. Christie in his estimation of the „ powers of the Bosjesman, and his capability for comprehending a picture. Accordiiigt nim, a Bosjesman can understand a coloured drawing perfectly. He can name any tiei, bird, animaX or insect, that has been drawn in colours, but does not seem to appreciate j perspective drawing in black and white. " When I showed them the oil-painting of tl| Damaru fiaunily, their admiration knew no bounds. The forms, dress, and ornaments g the figures were freely commented on, and the distinctive characteristics between thei and the group of Bushmen pointed out The dead bird was called by its name, and.vk I hardly expected, even the bit of wheel and fore part of the wagon was no difficdtyt them. They ei^oyed the sketch of Kobis greatly, and pointed out the figures in the groii of men, horses, and oxen very readily. Leaves and flowers they had no difficulty ^ and the only thing they failed in was the root of the markwhae. But when it is sidered that if this, the real blessing of the desert, were lying on the surface, an m perienced Englishman would not know it from a stone at a litUe distance, this is nott be wondered at The dead animals drawn in perspective and foreshortened weie a named as fast as I produced them, except a half-finished, uncoloured sketch of I brindled gnoo. They had an idea of its proper name, but, said they, ' We can see oiil]| one horn, and it may bd a rhinoceros or a wild boar.' " The following anecdotes have been kindly sent to me by Captain Diayson, HA, vloj was engaged in the late Kaffir war :— " The haibits of the Bushman are those of a thoroughly wild hunter ; to him cattle i merely an incumbrance, and to cultivate the soil is merely to do himself what Nature vil do for him. The country in which he resides swarms with game, and to kill this is tol a Bushman no trouble. His neighbours keep cattle, and that is as a last resource a meansl of subsistence ; but, as the Bushman wanders over the country, and selects those spots inl which the necessaries of life abound, he mrely suffers from want I " If a young Bushman be captured, as sometimes happens when the Dutch Biterssetl out on an expedition against these thieves, the relatives at once track the captive to ital prison, and sooner or later recover it I once saw a Bushboy who had been eight yean I in a Dutchman's family, had learned to speak Dutch, to eat with a knife and fork, and tol wear clothes; but at the end of that time the Bushboy disappeared. His clothes vetel found in the stables in the place of a horse which he had taken with him. The spoor I being rapidly followed, was found to lead to thd'Di^kensburg Mountains, among the fail nesses of wmch the Boers had no fancy to follow, for from every cranny and inaccessible I ridge a poisonous arrow might be discharged, as tiie youth had evidently rejoined his long'' lost relatives. " It was a great surprise to notice the effect on our Dutch sporting companions of tlu intimation of 'Bushmen near.' We were riding on an elevated spur of the Draakensbiu^ I near the Mooi Biver, when a Boer suddenly reined up his horse, and exclaimed: ,4i .1, AITECDOTES OF BUSHMEN. 299 • Gess, kek die spoor von verdamt Boschmen ! ' "Jampiiig off his horse he examined the ground, and then said : 'A man it is ; one I foot, the other with a velschoen.' The whole party immediately became intensely _J,they scattered in all directions like a pack of hounds in cover ; some galloped l^earest ridge, others followed on the spoor, all in search of the Bushman. ' He oas Lj»gone,'saidoneof my companions; 'be ready.' T"^y for what 7 ' I inquired "Beady to shoot the schelm. "Would you shoot him ? ' I asked. I ojost so as I would a snake.' "And then my companion explained to me that he had not long since bought at a it price a valuable horse which he had taken to his farm. In three weeks the horse Jitolenby Bushmen. He followed quickly, and the animal being fat, begun to tire, [tfo Bushmen who were riding it jumped off, stabbed it with their arrows, and left it. Kborse died that night Again, a neighbour had about twenty oxen carried off. The Mhmen were the thuves, and on being followed closely stabbed all the jxen, most of hichdied. "Many other similar tales were told, our informant winding up with these remarks i~~ 'I have heard that every creature God makes is useful, and I think so too ; but it is ,, nseful in its place. A puff-adder is useful where there are too many toads or firogs ; iwben he comes into my house he is out of place, and I kill him. A Bushman near r jiim is out of place, and I shoot him; for if I let him alone he poisons my horses and tde; and very likely me too.' 'Only twice did I ever see the Bushman at home ; on the first occasion it was just ra fearful storm, and they had sought shelter in a kloof near our quarters. They jged about 300 yards in advance of us, and immediately made off like the wind. Not [be unconventional, we sent a bullet after them, but high over their head : they stayed t for another. "On a second occasion I was close to them, and was first made aware of their presence ^consequence of an arrow striking a tree near ; not aimed at me, but at some Daas, or rabbits, which were on the rocks close by. With no little care and some speed I it^ from the neighbourhood of such implements as poisoned arrows, and then by aid a glass saw the Bushmen first find their arrow and then my spoor, at which latter they nk £^t^ and disappeared in a neighbonxing kloot" P I .1/ M sufficient^ ient custom^ tcfathers, in M f nature, 80 ^ ■ we| rfare CHAPTEE XXVII. THE KOBANNAS AND NAMAQUA& NOMAD CBAAAOTIB OV THS TBIBB — THBIB OBNEBAX. CHABACTBB — ^DISTINCT FBOM THB B0& TBDB — THBIB H0B8B8 AND CATTLB — OOVBBNUBNT — DBBS8 OF THB KOBANNAS — BIMOUUb HOdJ. OF DAKOINO— DBBIBB OF OBTAININO KNOWLBDOB — THK MUSICAL ALPHABET — " ACLD LANOgyiJj TBNAOIOVS HKMOBY OF A YOUNQ KOBANNA — HI8 OBOTRSQUB APPBABANCB— FONSMBSS MBDIOINB— THB NAIIAQUA TBIBB — CHABACTBB OF OBBAT NAUAQUA-LAND— TICISSITCSBS OF 1 OLIMATB— BFFBOT ON THB INHABITANTS — AFBICANBB, AND BIS HI8T0BT — ^DBESS OF THB HA]u| QITAS — THBIB IDEAS OF BBLIOION — 8UPEB8TITI0N8 — 8T0BT OF A NAHAQUA HTmiEB AND B08JB8MAir WOHAN — BAIN-UAKINO — HEAUNO THB SICK — THB OOCTOB^S PANACEA— POLTQa] AND DIVOBOB— >0ATTI.>-TBAININO— CBUBLTT TOWABDS THB INFIBM AND AOBD— ADOPTIOH i FABBNTS. In accordance with the plan of this work, we will now glance slightly at a few of th more conspicuous tribes which inhabit Southern Africa from the Cape to that part of tin continent which is occupied by the negro races. Among the offshoots of the Hottentots is a tribe called indifferently Eora, EoTaqnii] Eorans, or Korannas. On accoimt of their nomad habits, it is impossible to fix an;] particular locality for them, and besides it often happens that they extend their pen grinations into the territories of tribes more adherent to the soil, and for a time are i completely mixed up with them as if 'hey belonged to the same tribe. Owing to theiil want of civilization, and general manners, some travellers have considered them as a rudel tribe of Bosjesmans, but they have been satisfactorily proved to belong to the Hottentokl They seem to be quiet and well-behaved, and possessed of much curiosity. Burchell relates one or two anecdotes of the latt«r quality, and gives an amusing description on their astonishment at the sight of a coloured drawing which he had made of a yelloTJ fish. One of them had struck one of these fishes, and Burchell had borrowed it ia i ' to makb a coloured drawing of it When the owner came to take it back, he happened to glance at the drawing, and vasl struck dumb with amazement, gazing at it with mouth and eyes wide open. At last hel found his tongue, and called his companions to see the new wonder. At the sight of tliel drawing, they behaved much as a company of monkeys might be supposed to conduct| themselves, turning the paper to look at the back of it, feeling it with their fingers, i being quite unable to comprehend how an object could at once be rounded to the eje,| and flat to the touch. Of the general character of the Eoranna Hottentots, Dr. lichtenstein has vmttenl 80 adnurable an analysis in so small a compass, that I cannot do better than give hit| own words:— " These Koranfl are the oldest original inhabitants of the country ; they are a tolerably I numerous race, mild, and well-disposed, speaking almost the same language that wail formerly spoken by the Hottentot tribes within the colony, but which has not hitherto I _ "TheKor L they are at Vb and Vaall Ltry. Theyl [haiemankis aiT ) Hottentots I iolefaceismi "They have I ■ peculiar wile [[together the e «trulyavolu I « Their clotl Lir cattle, or fcrm from that wether. A fa ■ imt indarms. "The cattle jhese creatures felebrated for icknowledge tl ftat they use ft C^great deal of | Biem; 'tis suffii ^mounts, to h )ol by degrees sheep's or a g 8 in no danger "The Kora ipherical huts, lind mats, on ^ 1 the form of nboo canes, jiife of the ] leather bag, or iking fire. "Theyha\ arrying with which their hi pall compass Wd in full mi kither Hottent header of the ; jany judicial lone considers lever pretend ■against a foi Ithe attack. GENERAL CHABAOTEB OF THE EOKANNAS. 801 gufSciently known by the Europeans to acquire from it much insight into the '^ient customs and habits of the people. They still live, after the manner of their r fathers, in small villages or kraals, in huts of a hemispherical form, and are slothful I nature, so that they are not so successful in breediQg cattle — ^though their couutnr ifextremely well adapted to it, as the stronger and more industrious Kaffir tribes. With who are their nearest neighbours, they live on very good terms ; but a perpetual iifaie subsists between them and the Bosjesmans; the latter are hated by them "The Korans have hitherto been very erroneously confounded with the Bosjesmans, y they are a totally distinct people, having their principal residence on the banks of the Karb and Vaal rivers, north-east from where we now were, and south of the Bechuana nontry. They are divided into several tribes, the principal of which are called the aremankis and the Khuremankis. In their size and corporeal structure they resemble ihe Hottentots very much, but the cheek and chin bones are less prominent, and the Lhole face is more oval than some other of the Hottentot tribes. "They have all a kind of voluptuous expression about the mouth, which, united with peculiar wild roll of the eye, and a rough, broken manner of speaking, give them Uto^ther the appearance of intoxication, nor indeed are they falsified by it, since they 'truly a voluptuous race, deficient in bodily strength, and destitute of martial courage. "Their clothing consists of a mantle of prepared skin, made either from the hides of iieir cattle, or from those of the antelopes : it is smaller, and of a somewhat different Im &om that worn by the Bechuanas, and is never made of several small skins sewed ether. A favourite mode with them is to scrape figures of various kinds on the hairy tde of these mantles. Thr^ <>rade with the Bechuanas for ornaments for the ears, neck, nd arms. # "The cattle are held in high estimation by them ; they take much more care of liese creatures than the other tribes, or than most of the colonists. They are so much xlebrated for training the oxen as riding and draught animals, that the Bechuanas pledge them to be in this instance their masters, and purchase of them those iiat they use for riding. These animals go an exceedingly good trot or gallop, and clear 1 in^t deal of ground in a very short time. There is no occasion ever to be harsh with Ihem; 'tis sufficient to touch them with a thin osier. The rider never neglects, when he ismounts, to have the animals led about slowly for a quarter of an hour, that he may ol by degrees. The bridle is fastened to a wooden pin, stuck through the nose, and eep's or a goat's skin serves as a saddle. On this the rider has so firm a seat, that he i m no danger of being thrown by even the wildest ox. "The Korans do not apply themselves at all to agriculture ; their dwellings are pherical huts, very much like those of the Koossas, but not so spacious. Some skins ^nd mats, on which they sleep, some leather knapsacks, and a sort of vessel somewhat 1 the form of cans, which are cut out of a piece of solid wood, with some calabashes and oboo canes, compose the whole of their household furniture. Most of them wear a nife of the Bechuana manufactory, in a case slung round their necks, with a small peather bag, or the shell of a tortoise, in which is the pipe, the tobacco, and the flint for king fire. "They have no fixed habitation, but often move from one place to another, always arrying with them, as is the custom among the other tribes, the staves and mats of ffhich their huts are built. All the goods and chattels are packed together within a very [small compass on the back of the patient ox ; and thus a whole Koran village is struck, and in full march in a few moments. Their form of government is the same as with the other Hottentot tribes ; the richest person in the kraal is the captain or provost ; he is the [leader of the party, and the spokesman on all occasions, without deriving from this office Jany judicial right over the rest. His authority is exceedingly circumscribed, and no lone considers himself as wholly bound to yield obedience to him, neither does he himself lever pretend to command them. Only in case of being obliged to defend themselves ■against a foreign enemy he is the first, because, being the richest, he suffer most from ■the attack. V 803 THE KORANNAa 'M»f<(Hi-| ^ , "It, i t0m I '5 I .', ^ ii I . "Pluraliiy of wires is not contrary to their institutions; yet I never heard anybody who had more than one wife. They are by nature good-tempered • buttlv ue indolent, and do not take any great interest for others; less cunning thanl Hottentot, therefore easy to be deceived in trafficking with them ; and, from tU rimplicity, easily won to any purpose by the attraction of strong liquors, tobacco and » like luxuries." ' ' The accompanying illustration represents a Korauna chief dressed as described liohtenatein. The kaross worn by the individual from whom the portrait was tak was so plentifully bedaubed wit| red earth and grease, that it y traces of his presence whewvi he went, and if the wearer hai penedto lean against anything caused a stain which could m easily be removed. Suspended ti his neck is seen the all-pervadim Bechuana knife, and exactly i! front is the shell of a small tortoi in which he kept his snuff. The leathern cap is univeu among them as among other Ifoi tentots, and as the fur is retaim it can be put on with somedei of taste, as. may be seen by ference to the portrait The ui of sibilo is common among tl Korannas, and, like other Hoi tentot tribes, the women loadtliejji hair so thickly with this substance; that they appear to be wearing i metal cap. Their language is fi of clicks, but not so thickly studded! with them as that of the Hotten- tots, and in a short time any person who understands the ordinary Hot- tentot dialect will be able to lean that of the Korannas. These tribes have a dancewhich is very similar to that of Bosji* mans, a drum being used, made of a joint of aloe over which an undressed sheepskin is stretched. The women sit on the ground in a circle, with their arms stietched towards the dancer, and singing a song very much resembling tiie " Aye, 0," of the Bosjesmans. The if. ^' FOBTBATT OF KOBANNA OHIBF. dancer leans against two sticks, as if they were crutches, twines his arms around '. and sways himself backwards and forwards, bending first towards one of the Toinc.,! then towards anotlier, until he loses his balance, and as he faUs is caught in the out- 1 stretched arms of the woman who happens to be nearest to him. Of course, she falls on the groimd with the shock, and as soon as they can rise to ihc. '^^t he resumes his place in the circle, replaces the sticks under his arms, and dana with reaewed vigour, while she takes her seat again, in order to catch him if he should happen to fall again in her direction. The women, by the way, are liable to that extraordinary conformation which ha3 V,, ^ MUSICAL ALPHABET. 808 dy been mentioned when treating of the Hottentot, and to European eyes their beauty lut increased by it, though a native sees nothing remarkable in it. It is a curious fact jit this development should occur in the country which produces an analogous fonnation I the sheep, whose bodies are thin and meagre, but whose tails are of enormous size, d little but masses of pure fat Xheir names are, as far as can be ascertained, nicknames, given to them on account ' any remarkable incident that may have happened to tiiem, and in consequence, riable from day to day. Mr. Moffatt, speaking as a missionary, has a very hijgh opinion of the Koranna tribe. L, found them docile, good-tempered, and not only willing, but impatiently desirous of lining knowledge. After preaching and attending the sick all day, in the evening he »raQ to teach some of the younger Korannas the rudiments of learning, when some ^'the principal men heard of the proceedings, and insisted on being taught aJso. The lole scene which followed was very amusing. "It was now late, and both mind and body were jaded, but nothing would satisfy lem; I must teach them also. After a search, I found among some waste paper a large beet alphabet with a comer and two letters torn off. This was laid on the ground, when all lelt in a circle round it, and of course the letters were viewed by some just upside down. "I commenced pointing with a stick, and when I pronounced one letter, all hallooed nt to some purpose. When I remarked that perhaps we might manage with somewhat >S3 noise, one replied that he was sure the louder he roared, the sooner would his tongue st accustomed to the 'seeds,' as he called the letters. "As it was growing late, I rose to straighten my back, which was beginning to tire, rhea I observed some young folks coming dancing and skipping towards me, who, rithout any ceremony, seized hold of me. ' Oh 1 teach us the ABC with music,* every One cried ; giving me no time to tell them it was too late. I found they had made this covery through one of my boys. There were presently a dozen or more surrounding ne, and resistance was out of the question. Dragged and pushed, I entered one of the argest native houses, which was instantly crowded. The tune of * Auld Lang Syne ' was pitched to A B 0, each succeeding round was joined by succeeding voices until every igue was vocal, and every countenance beamed with heartfelt satisfaction. The longer He song, the more freedom was felt, and ' Auld Lang Syne ' was echoed to the farthest jendof the village. The strains which inspire pleasurable emotions into the sons of the ^orth were no less potent among the chil(h:en of the South. "Those who had retired to their evening's slumber, supposing that we were holding night service, came ; for music, it is said, charms the savage ear. It certainly does, particularly the natives of Southern Africa, who, however degraded they may have tome, still retain that refinement of taste which enables them to appreciate those tunes nrhich are distinguished by melody and softness. "After two hours' singing and puffiug, I obtained permission, though with some |difficulty of consent, and greater of egress, to leave them, now comparatively proficient. (It was between two and three in the morning. Worn out in mind and body, I laid nyself down in my wagon, cap and shoes and all, just to have a few hours sleep pre- Iparatoiy to departure on the* coming day. As the ' music-hall ' was not far from my Ipillow, there was little chance of sleeping soundly, for the young amateurs seemed Innwearied, and A B C to 'Auld Lang Syne' went on tiU I was ready to wish it at |John o' Groat's House. "The company at length dispersed, and, awaking in the morning after a brief repose, 11 was not a little surprised to hear the old tune in every comer of the village. The jmiids milking the cows, and the boys tending the calves, were humming the alphabet lover again." Perhaps this fine old tune may be' incorporated into Koranna melodies, just las the story of " Jane Eyre " has taken a place among Arab tales. I During this sojourn among the Korannas, Mr. Moffatt observed a singular instance of jretentive memory. He had just finished a sermon, and Was explaining portions of it to poupa of hearers, when his attention was attracted by a young man who \»'as holding I forth to a crowd of attentive hearers. On approaching the spot, he was more than i-*! >>'j| 804 THE NAMAQUAS. snrprised to find that this ^oung man was preaching the sennon second-hand to I audience, and, more than this, was reproducing, with astonishing fidelity, not only words of ^a discourse which he had heard but once, but even the gestures of the spMk When complimented on his wonderful powers of memory, he did not seem at all flatten^ but only touched his forehead with his finger, saying, that when he heard anyth great, there it remained. This remarkable youth died soon afterwards, having been previously conTertedi Christianity. When preaching, he presented a sin^ar, not to say grotesque appea<^N being dressed in part of one leg of a quondam pair of trousers, a cap made of the sk stripped from a zebra's head, with the ears still attached, and some equally fantag ornament about his neck. The contrast between the wild figure and the solemnity oft subject, which he was teaching with much earnestness, was most remarkable. It has been mentioned that "ilix. Motfatt was engaged in attending upon the sick. TbJ is an invariable part of a missionary's duties, as the natives have unbounded faith in til medicinal powers of all white men, and naturally think that those who come to heal thei souls must know how to heal their bodies. Fortunately, their faith makes them excellei patients, and is in itself the best cure for afiections of a nervous character, to which i men seem liable, no matter what may be the colour of their skin. They are passionately desirous of medicine, and it is impossible to mix a draught tk can be too nauseous for them ; in fact, the more distasteful it is, the greater they tbini its efficacy. On one occasion, a woman came for some medicine for her husband who wai ill, and two very little doses were given her, one to be taken at sunset and the other aL midnight. However, she settled that point by immediately taking both draughts hcrselil stating that it would equally benefit her husband whether he or she happened to taiceil^ f THE NAMAQUAS. The termination of the word Namaquas shows that it is a Hottentot term, and cowl qnently that the people who bear that name belong to the Hottentot nation. The suffiil Qua is analogous among the Hottentots to the prefix Ama among the Kaffir trihes, i signifies " mea" Thus the terms Namaqua, Griqua, Eoraqna, Gonaqua, &c. signify that I those tribes are branches of the Hottentot nation. Namaquas themselves, however, prefer I to be called by the name of Oerlam, a word of uncertain derivatioa The Namaquas, unlike the Korannas, can be referred to a totally distinct locality, their I habitation being a large tract of country on the south-west coast of Africa, lying nortbl of the Orange Kiver, or Gariep, and being called from its inhabitants Great Namaqua- 1 land. It is a wild and strange country — dry, barren, and rugged, and therefore with i very thinly scattered population, always suffering from want of water, and at times I seeming as parched as their own land. For several consecutive years it often happens that no rain falls in a large district, and the beds of the streams and rivers are as dry as the plains. Under these circumstances, the natives haunt the dried water-courses, anii, by sinking deep holes in their beds, contrive to procure a scanty and precarious supply I of water at the cost of very great labour. Sometimes these wells are dug to the depth of | twenty feet, and even when the water is obtained at the expense of so much labour, iti in comparatively small quantities, and of very inferior quality. Branches of trees are I placed in these pits by way of ladders, and by their means the Namaquas hand up the water in wooden pails, first filling their own water-vessels, and then supplying their cattle by pouring the water into a trough. This scene is always an animated one, the cattle, [ half mad with thirst, bellowing with impatience, crowding round the trough, and thrusting | one another aside to partake of its contents. A similar scene takes place if a water-h AFRICANER. 306 IB discovered on the march. A strong guard, mostly of women, is placed round the lirecious spot, or the cattle would certainly rush into it in their eagerness to drink what Ifiter they could get, and trample the rest into undrinkable mud. In this strange country, the only supplies of rain are by thunderstorms, and, much III the natives dread the lightning, they welcome the distant rumble of the thunder, and llook anxiously for its increasing loudness. These thunderstorms are of terrific vio^ '^e Ifhen they break over a tract of country, and in a few houra the dry watercourses .e ItoDverted into rushing torrents, and the whole country for a time rejoices in abundant Inoisture. The effect on vegetation is wonderful. Seeds that have been lying in the parched .jund waiting in vain for ihe vivifying moisture spring at once into life, and, aided by lie united influence of a burning sun and moist ground, they spring up with marvellous liapidity. Tiiese storms are almost invariably very partial^ falling only on a limited strip ■of country, so that the traveller passes almost at a step out of a barren and parched Icuuntry, with scarcely a blade of grass or a leaf of herbage, into a green tract as Ixixuriaut LanKnglish meadow. I Tlie geological formation is mostly granite, and the glittering quartz crystals are Littered so profusely over the surface, that a traveller who is obliged to pursue his journey |at noon can scarcely open his eyes sufiiciently to see his way, so dazzling are the rays iTeflectedoa every side. In many parts the ground is impregnated with nitre, which forms la salt-like incrustation, and crumbles under the feet, so that vegetation is scarcely possible, leven in the vicinity of water. There seem to be few inhabited lands which are more |depressing to the traveller, and which cause more wonder that human beings can be found |wlio can endure for their whole lives its manifold discomforts. Yet they appear to be happy enough in their own strange way, and it is very likely that they would not exchange |their dry and barren land for the most fertile country in the world. The euphorbia best flourishes in the ravines, but, from its poisonous nature, adds little jto the comfort of the traveller. Even the honey which the wild bees deposit in the rocks |is tainted with the poison of the euphorbia flowers, and, if eaten, causes most painful jsensatioos. The throat first begins to feel as if cayenne-pepper had been incautiously hwallowed, and the burning heat soon spreads and becomes almost intolerable. Even in a |cool country its inward heat would be nearly unendurable, but in such a place as Namaqua- |land, wliat the torture must be can. scarcely be conceived. Water seems to aggravate |instead of allaying the pain, and the symptoms do not go off until after the lapse of jgeveral days. On account of their privations, which they are constantly obliged to endure, the linhabitants are, as a rule, almost hopelessly ignorant, and without the martial spirit which |distinguishes so many tribes which inhabit Southern Africa. Still, the celebrated chief, Africaner, contrived to make good soldiers out of the iNaraaquas, and under his leadership they made his name dreaded throughout a large |portion of South-western Africa. He revolutionized the ordinary system of warfare, |which consisted in getting behind bushes and shooting arrows at each other, by which much time was consumed and little harm done, and boldly led his men on at the run, |driving his astonished antagonists out of their sheltering places. In this way he subdued |the neighbouring tribes, especially the Damaras, who looked upon him as a sort of wild Ikast in human form. Not only did he fight against native enemies, but matched himself successfully against Ithe Dutch boers, in this case having recourse ^o stratagem when he knew he could not jsucceed by open force in face of such an enemy . On one occasion, when the Dutch forces jhad made a raid on Africaner's territory, and carried off all his cows, he pursued them, jswara a river at dead of night, fell upon the unsuspecting enemy as they slept,, killed jnuiubers of them, and recovered all his own cattle, together with those belonging to the lassailants. It will be seen therefore that the military spirit is not wanting in the jUamaqua character, but that it merely slumbers for want of some one to awake it. In former days they may possibly have been a warlike nation, inasmuch as they ■possessed rather peculiar weapons, namely, the bow and arrow, and an enormous shield VOL. I. . X " 1 '' ' ' ! ■ if I f \ Hit . ,? h '^ J 306 THE NAMAQUAS. 1^1 ^%,\ made of the entire skia of an ox, folded singly. They also used the assagai, but in thJ present day civilization has so far penetrated among them that the only weapon whi I they use is the gun, and it is many years since a Namaqua has been seen with th ancient weapons of his nation. Like other Hottentots, the Namaquas are fond of wearing European apparel and usual in such cases, look very bad in it The men are merely transformed from resiiectl able savages into disreputable vagabonds, and to them it is not so very unsuitable but I the women it is peculiarly so, owing to the odd manner in which they paint their fao A girl, dressed in her little skin apron and ornamented with coils of leathern thongs, nial )aint iier face as much as she pleases without appearing grotesque. But nothing ook more ridiculous than a girl in a striped cotton dress, with a red handkerchief round ler Iiead, and the outlines of her cheeks, nose, and eyelids defined with broad stripes )Iue paint. The costume of the men resembles that of the women, mmm the skin apron the place of which is taken by the ends of the leathern thongs. The Namaquas are ven fond of bead-work, and display some taste in their designs. They are not contented wita buying gloss beads from Europe, but manufacture thor^e ornaments themselves. Tlii mode of manufacture is simple enough. A resinous gum is procured, moistened thoroiichly and kneaded with charcoal. It is then rolled between the hands into long cylinden] which are cut up into small pieces, and again rolled until a tolerably spherical shape il obtained. They also have a great love for glittering ornaments made of metal, an| decorate themselves profusely with native jewellery, made of polished iron, brass, and copper. They also tattoo their skins, and make great use of the buchu perfumo. 1 As the Namaquas have not been accustomed to exercise their minds on any subjecl except those immediately connected with themselves, it is found very difficult, to urivi any new ideas into their heads. Son-? writers say that mmy of them have no names, and not a single one has thJ least idea of his own age, or of counting time by years. Indeed, counting at all is aa intellectual exertion that is positively painful to them, and a man who knows the numbeq of his lingers is scarcely to be found among them. Such statements are often the resultl of ignorance, not of the savages but of their visitors, who must needs live among then for years, and be thoroughly acquainted with their language, before they can venture! generalize in so sweeping a fashion. Mr. Moffatt, who did live amrrrj the Namaquas, ani knew their language intimately, says that he never knew a man who had not a name, m that mere children are able to count beyond the, number ten. Of religion they appear to have but the faintest glimmering, and it is more than! suspected that even their rude and imperfect ideas on the subject are corruptions oif information obtained from Europeans. Superstitions they have in plenty, some of tlieail resembling those which are held by the tribes which have already been mentioned. Thdir idea of the coming of death into the world is one of these odd notious. Itl seems that in former days, when men were first made, the hare had no cleft iu its lip,[ The moon sent a hare to the newly created beings with this message, " As I die, and ami born again, so you shall die. and be born again." The hare, however, delivered the messiigel wrongly, " As I die and am not born again, so you shall die and not be bom again." Thel moon, angry at the hare's disobedience, threw a stick at it as it fled away from his \mth,f and split its lip opea Froiu that time the hare has a cleft lip, and is always I'unuiiigj away. In consequence of this legend, the Namaquas will not eat the hare. They have suial a horror of it, that if a man should happen even to touch a fire at which a hare has been! cooked he is banished from his community, and not readmitted until he has paid| a fine. During the terrible thunderstorms which occasionally pass over the country, tliel Namaquas are in great dread of the lightning, and shoot their poisoned arrows at the | clouds in order to drive it away. As may be imagined, there is no small danger inthisj performance, and a man has been killed by the lightning flash, which was attracted by liis I pointed arrow. Other tribes have a similar custom, being in the habit of throwing stones j or other objects at the clouds. SUPEBSTITION. t9^ Ag far fts can be ascertained, their only notion of a supreme being is one wlio v df tborof deatli and inflicter of pain, and one consequently whom they ftur, but . ot h & Still, all statements of this nature made by savages must be rticeived with \ erf at caution, owing to the invincible repugnance which they feel towards revealing y portion of their religious system. They will rather state anything than the truth, d will either invent a series of imaginative stories on the spur of the moment, or say Ciatcver they think is likely to please their interrogator. Even if they are converted to faristianity, sufficient of the old nature remains to render them averse to speaking on to former supeistition, and they will mostly fence with the question or evade it rather itellthe whole truth. BHOOIINa AT THB STORIL Being superstitious, they have, of course, sorcerers in plenty. Besides the usual pre- Itensions of such personages, they claim the power of voluntary transmigration, and their jfoUowers implicitly believe that they can assume the form of any beaat which they Ichoose to select They fancy, however, that their own sorcerers or witch-doctors share this power with [the Bosjesman race. Sir J. E. Alexander narrates the following legend in support of this Istatement. " Once on a time a certain Namaqua was travelling in company wi*h a Bush- jwomau carrying a child on her back. They had proceeded some distance on cheir journey phen a troop of wild horses (zebras) appeared, and the man said to the woman, ' I am IliungTy, and as I know you can turn yourself into a lion, do so now, and catch us a wild Ihorse that we may eat.' The woman answered, ' You will be afraid.' "'No, no,' said the man, ' I am afraid of dying of hunger, but not of you.' m 806 THE NAMAQUAS. m ■ * ^ w " Wliilst he was speaking, hnir began to appear at the back of the woman's necl 1 nails nsauinud t)ie appearance of claws, and liur features altered. She set down the ch iJ " The nmn, alarmed at the change, clinubed up a tree close >)y, while the woman cla at him fearfully ; and going to one side, she threw off her skin petticoat, wht-n a perl lion rushed out into the plain. It bounded and crept among the bushes towards tl'e «! horses, and, springing on one of them, it fell, and the lion lapped its blued. TIk u then came buck to the place where the child was crying, and the man called from th tree, ' Enough ! enough I Do not hurt me. Put off your lion's shape. I will uevtn to see this again.' " The lion looked at him and growled. • I'll remain here till I die ! ' exclaimed th man, ' if you do not become a woman again.' The mane and tail began to disappear tb lion went towards the bush where the skin petticoat lay ; it was slipped on, and th woman in her proper shape took up the child. The man descended, partook of horse's Hesh, but never agam asked the woman to catch game for him." Their notions about the two chief luminaiies seem rather variable, though there j certainly a connecting link between them. One account was, that the sun was made (. people living iu the sea, who cut it in pieces every night, fried the fragments, put theik togetlier agam, and sent it afresh on its journey through the sky. Another stoiy, as toll to Mr. Anderson, is to the effect that the sun is a huge lump of pure fat, and that wheil it sinks below the waves, it is seized by the chief of a white man's ship, who cuts off i piece of it, and then gives it a kick which throws it into the sky again. It is CTidein that this story has at all events received some modiBcation in recent times. As to worship, the Namaquas seem to have little idea of it ^They are very mncll afraid of a bad spirit, but have no conception of a good one, and therefore have nj worship. Of praise they have not the least conception. So far are they from feelind gratitude to a supreme being, that their language does not possess a word or a phrase M which they can express their thanks to their feUow-creatures. Some travellers who havi lived among them say that they not only do not express, but do not feel gratitude, non feel kindness, and that, although they will feign friendship for a superior in order to geJ whnt they can from him, they will desert him as soon as he can give no moi-e, anl ridicule him for his credulity. In sliort, " they possess every vice of savages, and uontl of their noble qualities." This, however, seems rather too sweeping an assertion, especially as it is contTadictedl by others of equal experience, and we may theiefore calculate that the Jfamaqtul Hottentot is, in his wild state, neither worse nor better than . the generality of savages,] and that higher feelings cannot be expected of him until they have been implanted iol him by contact with a higher raca I Rain-making is practised by Namaqua witch-doctors, us well as by the prophets of the! Eaf&r tribes, and we whole process is very similar, deriving all its efficacy from thel amount of the fee which the operator receives. These men also practise the art of| healing, and really exercise no small amount of ingenuity. They nave a theory, i like theorists in general, they make their practice yield to their theory, which is,! that the disease has insinuated itself into the patient in the guise of some small reptile, [ and must be expelled. They seem to be clever conjurers, for they perform the task ofj exorcism with such ingenuity >hat they have deceived, not only the credulous, but tk [ sharper gaze of Europeans. One such performance was witnessed by a Dutchman, who fully believed that thel operation was a genuine one. A sheep was killed as soon as the doctor arrived, and thel sinews of the back rolled up and made into a kind of pill, which was administered to the patient, the rest of the animal being the fee of the dd ' or. The mysterious pill was then left for a day or two to transform the disease into a visiiil< shape, so that it could be removed before the eyes of the spectators. On the return of t le doctor, he solemnly cut some little holes in the stomach of the patient, from which there issued, firet a small snake, then a lizard, and then a whole series of smaller creatures. As is the case among the Kaffirs, the richer a patient is, the larger is the animal required for the production of the sacred pill. If he be a man of no particular couse- HEALINO THE SICK (Dce, t goot or a iheep will work the charm, while, if he should happen to be a chief, itdiseitiW will condescend to ossunio bodily form unless instigated oy an ox or a cow. Die witch-doctors have another theory of disease, namely, that a great snake has shot liorisible arrow into the sufferer. Of course, this ailment has to be treated in a similar inner. The reader may perhaps call to mind the very similar superstition which once j^ in our own country, namely, that cnttlo were sometimes shot with fairy arrowa, jch had to be extracted by the for(;o of counter charms. The great panacea for diseases is, however, a sort of charm which requires several for its production, and which has the property of becoming more powerful every When a man is initiated into the mysteries of the art, he puts on a cap, which he _j continually. In the course of time it becomes saturated with grease, and is iu a iribly filtl>y condition. Not until 1 1 ten is it thought to possess healing properties ; but ten it is in such a state that no one with ordinary feelings of cleanliness would touch the hidden virtues are supposed to be developed. The mode of administering the jniedy is by washing a little portion of the cap, and giving the patient the water to nnk. One of the chiefs, named Amral, assured Mr. Anderson that he possessed a cap ' this kind, which was absolutely infallible. He would not use it unless every other nedy failed, but, whenever he did so, the cure was certain. The Namaquas have great faith in amulets and charms of various kinds, the strangest /which is a rather curious one. When a chief dies, cattle are sacrificed, in order to nroish a great feast One of the sons of the deceased succeeds his father in the chieftain- ihip,and, in recognition of his new rank, the fat and other choice ])ortions are brought to lim as they had been to his father in his lifetime. The young chief places the fat on his d, and allows it to remain there until the fat has been melted out of it by the sun's lays, and only the inclosing membrane remains, dry and shrivelled. This is thought to le a powerful charm, and is held in great estimation. The reader will notice the fact hat there seems to be in the mind of the Namaquas some connexion between the head od the power of charming. On the tombs of chief's the Namaquas have a habit of flinging stones, each throwing Lne stone upon it whenever he passes by. Why they do so, they either cannot or will hot tell— probably the latter ; but in process of time, the heap attains a considerable sizot ^his is the only superstition which ;ive8 any indication of their belief 1 a future life, for thgy have a Ud of dim notion about an in- e, but potent being, whom they name Heitjeebib, or Heit- [ekobib, who, they think, is able grant or withhold prosperity. ^rit though he be, they localize kirn in the tombs, and the casting bf stones has probably some re- lerence to him. Like other savage nations, they lave certain ceremonies when their fouth attain manhood, and at that lime the youth is instructed in the frecepts which are to govern his life for the future. Tliese are rather pf a negative than a positive na- ure, and two very important en- actments are, that he must never pt the hare, and must cease from sucking the goats. The latter injunction requires a little explanation. As long as the Namaquas are children, they are accustomed to visit the female goats, drive away he kids, and take their place. This, however, is considered to be essentially a tUCKINO GOAT& I r * 5 ^M ''■m ^1 f 210 THE NAMAQUAS. M% m I ? 1 M ■? cldldish occupation, to be abandoned for ever when the boy seeks to be admitted amoiul the men. ^ As far as is known, there are few, if any, matrimonial ceremonies among the Namannji Hottentots. When a man wishes to marry any particular woman, he goes to her pareltJ and simply demands her. If the demand is acceded to, an ox is killed outside the dooH of the bride's house, and she then goes home to her new husband. Polygamy is r^A mitted among this people, and, as is the case in other countries, has its draM'backs as LuL as its advantages. In a country where the whole of the manual labour is performed b^J the women, such al state is necessary, each woman being a sort of domestic servant, andl in no sense the equal companion of the man. Its drawbacks may be summed up in the! word "jealousy," that being a failing to which the Namaqua women are very subject i which generally finds its vent in blows. If a man becomes tired of his wife, he needs no divorce court, but simply cuts the! conjugal knot by sending the woman back to her family. She has no redress ; and, h ever much she and her parents may object to the proceeding, they cannot prohibit it. In peaceful arts they have some skill, especially in training oxen. This is a difficoltl process, and is managed with great cara The young animal is first induced to step into! the noose of a rope which is laid on the ground, and as soon as it has done so, a numbetl of men seize the other end of the rope, and, in spite of his struggles, hold the animall tightly. Sometimes the infuriated animal charges at them, and in that case they let ml the rope and scatter in all directions, only to renew their hold when the fuiy of the I animal is exhausted. I Another rope is then thrown over his horns, and by sharply pulling this and his tail, I and at the same time jerking his leg off the ground, the trainers force the animal to falil His head is then held on the ground, and a sharp stick thrust through his nostrils, a| tough leathern thong being then attached to each end of the stick, and acting as I a bridle. The more an ox struggles and fights, the more docile he becomes afterwards, and the more is he valued, while an ox which is sulky, especially if he lies down and declines to| rise, is never of much use. Loads, carefully graduated^ are then fastened on his back, bf^ginning with a simple skin or empty bag, and ending with the full burden which nn ox | is supposed to carry. The hide rope with which the burden is lashed on the back of the ox is often one hundred and fifty feet in length,, and consequently passes round and | round the body of the animal The chief difficulty is, to train an ox that will act as leader. 'The ox is naturally! gregarious animal, and when he is associated with his fellows, he never likes to walk for I any distance unless there is a leader whom he can follow. In a state of nature the leader would be the strongest bull, but in captivity he finds that all are very much ahke in point of strength, while their combative powers have been too much repressed to allow any one animal to fight his way to the leadership. Very few oxen have the quahties which enable them to be trained as leaders, but the Namaquas, who have excellent eyes for the chief points of an ox, always select for this purpose the animals of lightest build and most sprightly look, so that they may keep their followers at a brisk pace when on the march. Their activity would naturally induce them to keep ahead of their companions, | so that the Namaquas merely assist nature when they select such animals to m leadens. The dreadful practice of abandoning the aged prevails in Namaqualand. A slight | fence is built round the unfortunate victim of so cruel a custom, who is then abandoned, having been furnished with a little food, fire, and water, which are destined to play the part of the bread and water placed in the tomb of an offending vestal. Travellers through this country sometimes come upon the remains of a small fence, within wiiich are a heap of ashes, the remains of a water vessel, and a heap of whitened bones, and they know that these are the memorials of an old Namaqua who has been left to perish with hunger and thirst Such persons must be very old when they succumb to such a death, for some have been known to live to the age of ninety, and now and then a centenarian is found. "3 ADOPTION OF PARENTS. 811 Tl It is hardly credible, thougli true, that the Namaquas are so used to this parricidal I stom that they look at it with indifference. They expect no other fate if they them- ,3 should happen to live until they are so old as to be an encumbrance to their lie and the strangest tiling is the acquiescence with which those who are thus »jdoned resign themselves to their fate. Mr. Muffatt mentions an instance where an I'ld woman, whom he found in a most pitiable state of suffering, refused to be taken away iL him and fed. It was the custom' of the tribe, she said ; she was already nearly dead, li did not want to die twice. Their amusements are so similar to those which have already been mentioned that there is no need to describe them separately. As to work, the men do little or nothing, preferring to lounge about in the sun for days together, and will sit half dead with hunger and thirst, mther than take the trouble to go and look for food and water. They have an odd\way of comparing a man who works with the worms of the ground, and that comparison is light to be a sufficient reason why a man should not work. One very curious custom prevails among the Namaquas. Those who visit them are expected to adopt a father and mother, and the newly-made relations are supposed to have their prdperty in common. This is probably a native practice, but the Namaquas have had no scruples in extending it to Europeans, finding that in such cases a community of goods becomes rather a lucrative speculation. 1 > I i *'VS AFRICAN AXE IX)S CHOPPmG WOOIX CHAPTER XXVIII. THE BECHUANAS. THEm NAMB AND I.AN01TA0E — THKIB DBSSS — SKILL IN THE ABTS OF PEACE — THE BKCHTASaI KNIFR SKILL IN CAHVING — TUB BECHVANA ASSAGAI, OB "KOVEH" INQEMIOUS BKLLOis-l A METAL APBON — DBBSS OF THE VOHEN, AND THEIR FONDNESS FOB HBTALLIO OBNAMEMTS- 1 CHABACTEB OP THE BECHUANAS — THEIB TENDENCY TOWARDS LYINO AND THIEVING — DISREQABD FOB HUMAN LIFE BEDEEMINO QUALITIES OF THE BECHUANAS — MODE OF OOVEBNMKNT— TBI NATIVE FABLIAMENT MB. MOFPATT's ACCOUNT OP A DEBATE — CUSTOMS AFTEB BATTLE— THB ORDEB OP THE SCAB, AND MODE OF CONPEBBINQ IT — A DISAPPOINTED WABBIOB — AN I'NPLEABASI | CEBBHONY— HODS OP MAKING WAR — THE BBCHUANA BATTLE-AXE. We now leave the Hottentot race, and take a passing glance at the appearance of a few other tribes. Chief among these is the veiy large tribe called by the name of Bechuana, which includes a considerable number of sub-tribes. Just as the Hottentot names are recognised by the affix Qua, so are the Bechuanas by the prefix Ba. Thus, the Bakwains, Barolongs, Batlapis, and Bahurotsi, ali belong to the great Bechuana tribe. It is rather curious that in this language prefixes are used where suffixes, or even separate words, might be expected. Thus, a man will speak of himself as Mochuana, i.e. a Chuanaman; the tribe is called Bechuanan, i.e. the Chuana men, and they speak Sichuana, i.e. the Chuana I language. Nearly every syllable ends with a vowel, which gives the language a softness ' of pronuiiciation hardly to be expected in such a countiy. The love of euphony ami the Bechuana tribes causes them to be very indifferent about substituting one letter for 1 , another, provided that by so doing a greater softness of pronunciation can be obtained. I In appearance they are a fine race of men, in some respects similar to the Kaffirs, ! with whom they have many customs in common. Their dress is not very remarkable, except that they are perhaps the best dressers of skins that ar3 to be found in Africa, the pliancy of the slun and the neatness of the sewing beijg unrivalled. They are good workers in metal, and supply many of the surrounding tribes both with ornaments and weapons, Perhaps the Bechuana knife is the most common of all the implements made by this ingenious tribe. The general form of this knife may be seen from the two figures on page 313, one of which was taken from a specimen in my own collection. It is ten inches in length inclusive of the handle, and the blade, which is double-edged, is nearly flat, beinga little thicker along the middle than at the edges. In fact, it is simply a spear-liead inserted into a handle. The sheath is made of two pieces of wood, hollowed just sufficiently to receive the blade tightly, and then lashed firmly together with sinews. On one side of the sheath a kind of loop is carved out of the solid wood, through which the wearer can pass the string by which he hangs it to his neck. The ordinary forms are simply a handle, sheath, and blade, all without any ornament, but the ingenious smith often adds a considerable amount of decoration. One favourite ^ mode of doing so is to make the handle of ivory, and carve it into the form of some animal. My own specimen represents a hysena, and, in spite of the rudeness of the < ■•■! THE BECHUANA KNIFE. 313 plptnre, no naturalist could posp'My mistake the animal for which it is intended. The uidle is often cut into the form ot the hippopota nus or the giraffe, and in all cases the laracter of the animal is hit off exactly by the native carver. Along the sheath is wnerally » pattern of some nature, and in many instances it is really of an artistic Karacter, worthy to be transferred to European weapons. A thong of leather passes " igthe opposite sile of the sheath, and is attached by the same sinews which bind the n halves of the sheath together. All the Hottentot and Bosjesman tribes use this jculiar knife, as do sundry other inhabitants of Southern Africa. They always suspend ttotheirnecks, and use it for a variety of purposes, the chief of which is cutting up t when they are fortunate enough to procure any. ■ ■ mi -THB BKCHTJASA IWU8 BEU0V8- •IC OBNAMENTS- nNO DISREQABJ )VEBNMENT— iHg EB BATTI,K-IHJ -AN I'NPlEASiKI t^nm Colona lana Fox'i CottietUm.) BECHUANA KNIVKS. a. ■hi {Fron my own ^teintn. PI P. \m.f 'fit,'! The carved work of the knife, sheath, and handle is, however, not done with this kind bf knife, but with one which has a very short blade and a tolerably long handle. One of Ihese knives is shown in the illustration on page 314, and in this instance the handle |3 made of the end of an antelope's horn. With this simple instrument are cut the Various patterns with which the Bechuanas are so fond of decorating their bowls, spoons, pnd other articles of daily use, and with it are carved the giraffes, hyaenas, and other limals, which serve as hilts for their dagger- knives, and handles to their spoons, Sometimes the bowls of the spoons are covered on the outside with carved patterns of I singularly artistic character, some of them recalling to the spectator the ornaments on pld Etruscan vases. They have a way of bringing out the pattern by charring either the c ^'l wW' -:M 314 THE BECHUANAS. plain surface or the incised pattern, so that in the one case the pattern is white on Mack ground, and sometimes vice versd. The pattern is generally a modification of till zigzag, but there are many instances where curved lines are used without a single ansli them, and when the curves are traced with equal truth and freedom. One of the best specimens of Bechuana art is a kind of assagai which they forge a Trhich is equally to be praised for its ingenuity and execrated for its abominable cnieltvl KNIFE AND ASSAGAI HEADS. Two forms of this dreadful weapon are given in the accompanying illustration. Thel upper figure shows the eutiie head of the assagai and parts of the shaft, while the oihetl are representation^ of the barbs on a larger scale. I On examining one of these weapons carefully, it is seen that the neck of the assagai! has first been forged square, and then that the double barbs have been made by cuttingl diagonally into the metal and turning up the barbs thus obtained. This is very cleatl with the upper assagai, and is still better seen in the enlarged figure of the same weapoal But the other is peculiarly ingenious, and exhibits an amoimt of metallurgic skill which I could hardly be expected among savage nations. I These assagais bear a curious resemblance to some arrows which are made in Central I Africa, and which will be figured in a future page. Indeed, the resemblance is so great,! that an arrow if enlarged would serve admirably as an assagai. This resemblance-! unknown to Mr. Burchell — confirms his idea that the art of making these weapons camel from more northern tribes. I The use to which these terrible weapons are put is, of course, to produce certain death, I as it is impossible that the assagai can tiu ler be drawn out of the wound, or removed hn being pushed through it, as done with other barbed weapons. As, however, the temporary I loss of the weapon is necessarily involved in such a case, the natives do not use it except I on special occasions. The native name for it is "k6veh," and it is popularly called the I " assagai of torture." It is generally used by being thrust down the throat of the victim | — generally a captured chief — who is then left to perish miserably. The bellows used by the Bechuana blacksmith are singularly ingenious. In all I skin bellows used by the natives of Southern Africa there is one radical defect, namely, I the want of a valve. In consequence of this want the bellows cannot be worked quickly, as they would draw the fire, or, at all events, suck the heated air into their interior, and so destroy the skin of which they are made. The Bechuana, however, contrives to avoid | this difficulty. The usual mode of making a bellows is tu skin a goat, then sew up i skin, so as to make a bag, insert a pipe — usually a horn one — into one of the legs, t then use it by alternately inflating and compressing the bag. Bellows of this kind can be seen in the illustration on page 98. • i ft METALLIC ORNAMENTS. 316 mm The Bechuana smith, however, does not use a closed bag, but cuts it completely open ne side, and on either side ^f the slit he fastens a straight stick. It is evident that Larating these sticks he can admit the air into the bag without drawing the fire into' He tube, and that when he wants to eject the air, he has only to press the sticks together. Vs ingenious succedaneum for a valve allows the smith to work the bellows as fast as hands can move them, and, in consequence, he can produce a much fiercer heat than 1 be obtained by the ordinary plan. The accompanying figure is an example of the skill with which they can work in metals. It is a woman's apron, about a foot square, formed of a piece of leather entirely [overed with beads. But, instead of liflff ordinary glass beads, the maker 5 preferred those made of metal , ^e creater part of the apron is formed } iron beads, but those which pro- l(iace the pattern are made of brass, Ijnd when worn the owner took a iride in keeping the brass beads ,_ ed as brilliantly as possible. lin shape and general principle of itnicture, this apron bears a close liesemblance to that which is shown page 25, fig. 2. This specimen is lin the collection of Col. Lane Fox. In the same collection is an orna- _ it ingeniously made from the spoils of slain monkeys. A part of [the upper jaw, containing the incisive jnd canine teeth, has been cut off, [cleaned, and dried. A whole row of ese jaws has then been sewn on a strip of leather, each overlapping its predecessor, so as to form a con- [tinuous band of glittering white Iteeth. As to dress, the Bechuanas, as a [rale, use more covering than many ofthe surrounding tribes. The women especially wear several aprons. The Ifiist is made of thongs, like those |of the Kaffirs, and over that is gene- 1II7 one of skin. As she can afford it she adds others, but always con- Itrives to have the outside apron deco- ited with beads or other adornments. This series of aprons, however, is ill that a Bechuana woman considers necessary in the way of dress, the kaross being adopted merely as a defence against the weather, and not from any idea that covering to the body is needed for the purpose of lelicacy. In figure they are not so prepossessing as many of the surrounding tribes, being [usually short, stout, and clumsy, which latter defect is rendered still more conspicuous l)y he quantities i)f beads which they hang in heavy coils round their waists and necks, and ' multitude of metal rings with which they load tlreir arms and ankles. They even load heir hair as much as possible, drawing it out into a series of little twists, and dressing hem so copiously with grease and sibilo, that at a few yards they look as if their heads. ere covered with a cap composed of metallic tags, and at a greater distance as if they ere wearing bands of polished steel on their heads. AFBON. ORNAMENTS MADB OF MONKEYS' TEETH. t •! 316 THE BECHUANAS. I ! •»tre oblii,'(^d tu yield. He once invited Mr. Baines to see hitn exhibit his skill in the eveniu''. " A circle of girls and women now surrounded the wizard, and commenced a pleasing hut monotonous chant, clapping their hands in unison, while he, seated alternately on a carved stool and on a slender piece of reed covered with a skin to prevent its hurting him, kept time for the hand-clapping, and seemed trying to work himself up to the required state of inspiration, till his whole flesh quivered like that of a person iu the ague. " A few preparatory anointings of the joints of all his limbs, his breast and forehead, 03 well as uf those of his choristers, followed ; shrill whistlings were interchanged with spasmodic gestures, and now I found that the exhibition of the evening was a bond fjk medical operation on the pereon of a man who lay covered with skin t outside of the circle. The posterior portion of the thigh was chosen for scarification, but, as the fire mve no light in that direction, and the doctor and the relatives seemed not to like my touching the patient, I did not ascertain how deep the incisions were made. Most probably, from the scara I have seen of former operations of the kind, they were merely deep enough to draw blood. "The singing and hand-clapping now grew more vehement, the doctor threw himself upon the patient, perhaps sucked the wound, at all events pretended to inhale the disease. Strong convulsions seized him, and, as he was a man of powerful frame, it required no little strength to hold him. At length, with upturned eyes and face exp-it:.:sive of suffoca- tion, he seized his knife, and thrusting it into his mouth, took out a large piece apparently nf hide or flesh, which his admiring audience supposed him to have previously drawn from the body of the patient, thus removing the cause of the disease." Sometimes the Bechuana doctor uses a sort of dice, if such a term may be Uocd when speaking of objects totally unlike the dice which are used in this country, in form they are pyramidal, and ure cut from the cloven hoof of a small antelope. These articles do not look very vabi- a))le, but they are held in the highest estimation, inasmuch as very few know how to prepare them, and they are handed down from father to son through successive generations. The older they are, the more powerful are they sup- posed to be, and a man who is for- tunate enough to possess them can scarcely be induced to part with them. Those which are depicted in the illus- tration are taken from specimens that were, after a vast amount of bargaining, purchased by Dr. lichtenstein, at the price of an IX for each die. These magic dice are used when the proprietor wishes to know the result of some undertaking. He smooths a piece of ground with his hand, holds the die between his fingers, moves his hands up and down several times, and then allows them to fall. He then scans them carefully, and judges from their position what they foretell The reader may remember the in.stance where a Kaffir prophet used the magic necklace for the samo purpose, and in a similar manner. The characters or figures described on the surface have evidently some meaning, but what their signification was the former possessor either did not know, or did not choose to communicate. The children, when they first begin to trouble themselves and their parents by the process of teething, are often furnished with a kind of amulet, which is shown in the illustration on page 324. It is made of a large African beetle, called scientifically, Brachycerus apienis. A number of them are killed, dried, and then strung ou leathern thongs, so as to be worn round the neck. These objects have been mistaken for whistles. y2 MAGIC DIOB. 324 THE BECHUANAS. 'It { m \m ' m" m I7.' if' i-lf:':;; fS;T 11 The Bechuanas have great faith in their powers when used for teething; and think that they are efficacious in preventing various infantine disorders. Like the Kaffirs, the Bechuanas make use of certain religious ceremonies before, thev go to war. One of these rites consists in laying a charm on the cattle, so that they shall not be seized by the enemy. The oxen are^ biought singly to the priest, if we may so ",all him, who is furnished with a pot of black paint, and a jackal's tail by way of a brush With this primitive brush he makes a certain mark upon the hind leg of the animal while at the same time, an assistant, who kneels belund him, repeats the mark in miniature upon his back or arms. , To this ceremony they attribute great value ; and, as war is almost invariably made for the sake of cattle, the Bechuanas may well be excused for employing any rite which they fancy will protect such valued possessions. Among one branch of the Bechuana tribe, a veiy remarkable ceremony is observed when the boys seek to be admitted into the rank of men. The details are kept very secret, but a few of the particulars have been discovered. Dr. Livingstone, for example, hap. pened once to witness the second stage of the ccTe< monies, which last for a considerable time. A number of boys, about fourteen years of age, without a vestige of clothing, stood in a row, and opposite those was an equal number of men, each having in his hand a long switch cut from a bush )be- longing to the genus Grewia, and called in the native language moretloa. The twigs of this bush are very strong, tough, and supple. Both the men and boys were engaged in an odd kind of dance, called " koha," which the men evidently enjoyed, and the boys had to look as if they enjoyed it too. Each boy was furnished with a pair of the ordinary hide sandals, which he wore on his hands instead of his feet. At stated intervals, the men put certain questions to the boys, respecting their future life when admitted into the society of men. For example : " Will you herd the cattle well ? " asks the man. " I will," answers the boy, at the same time lifting his sandalled hands over his head. The man then leaps forward, and with his full force strikes at the boy's head. The blow is received on the uplifted sandals, but the elasticity of the long switch causes it to curl over the boy's head with such force that a deep gash is made in his back, some twelve or eighteen inches in length, from which the blood spirts as if it were made with a knife. Ever afterwards, the lesson that he is to guard the cattle is supposed to be iudeiibly impressed on the boy's mind. Then comes another question, " Will you guard the chief well ? " " I will," replies the boy, and another stroke impresses that lesson on the boy's mind. And thus they proceed, untU the whole series of questions has been asked and properly answered. The worst part of the proceeding is, that the boys are obliged, under penalty of rejection, to continue their dance, to look pleased and happy, and not to wince at the terrible strokes which cover their bodies with blood, and seam their backs with scars that last throughout their lifetime. Painful as this ordeal must be, the reader must not think that it is nearly so formid- able to the Bechuanas as it would be to Europeans. In the first place, the nervous system of an European is £Eff more sensitive than that of South African natives, and AMULETS FOR CHILDRBN. SPARTAN PRACTICES. 926 injuries vhich would lay him prostrate have but little effect upon them. Moreover, 4eir skin, from constant exposure to the elements, is singularly insensible, so that the gtripes do not inflict a tenth part of the pain that they \rould if sufiered by an Only the older men are allowed to take part in this mode of instruction of the boys, ind if any man should attempt it who is not qualified, he is unpleasantly reminded of his presumption by receiving on his own back the stripes which he intended to inflict on tiie boys, the old men being in such a case simultaneously judges and executioners. No ■Af} i SPARTAN PRACTICES. elevation of rank will allow a man to thus transgress with impunity, and on one occasion, Sekomi himself, the chief of the tribe, received a severe blow on the leg fiom one of his own people. This kind of ordeal, called the Sechu, is only practised among three tribes, one of which is the Bamangwato, of which Sekomi was the chief. The reader will probably see that the ceremony is rather of a civil than a religious character. The other stage of the rite, which is called by the general name of Boguera, is also of a secular character. It takes place every six or seven years, so that a large number of boys are collected. These are divided into bands, each of which is under the command of one of the sons of the chief, and each member is supposed to be a 'companion of his leader for life. They are taken into the woods by the old men, where they reside fpr some time, and where, to judge from their scarred and seamed backs, their residence does not appear to be of the most agreeable description. When they have passed through the different stages of the Ixiguera, each band becomes a regiment or " mopato," and goes by its own name. r 1 > 4 ■ MS a26 THE BECHUANAS. mi:- According to Dr. Livingstone, "they recoftnise a sort of equality and partial com. munion atterwards, and address each other by the name of Molekane, or comrade. In cases of offence against their rules, as eating alone when any of their comrades are within call, or in cases of dereliction of duty, they may strike one another, or any member of at vouiiger mopato, but never one of an older band ; and when three or four companiej have been made, the oldest no longer takes the field in time of war, but remains asa guard over the women and children. When a fugitive comes to a tribe, he is directed to the mopato analogous to that to which in his own tribe he belongs, and does duty at a member." * ' 1^ THB OIBLSr OBDBAIfc The girls have to pass an ordeal of a somewhat similar character befoi-e they an admitted among the women, and can hope to attain the summit of an African girl's hopes, namely, to be married. If possible, the details of the ceremony are kept even more strictly secret than is the .case with the boys, but a part of it necessarily takes place in public, and is therefore well known. The girls are commanded by an old and experienced woman, always a stem and determined personage, who carries them off into the woods, and there instructs them in all the many arts which they will have to practise when married. Clad in a strange costume, composed of ropes made of melon-seeds and bits of quill, the ropes being passed over both shoulders and across their bodies in a figure-of-eight position, they ai-e drilled into walking with lai^e pots of water on their heads. Wells are purposely chosen which are at a considerable distance, in order to inure the girls to fatigue, and the monitress always chooses the most inclement days for sending them to the greatest distance. They have to carry heavy Ijads of wood, to handle agricultural tools, to build houses, and, in fact, to practise before marriage those tasks which are sure to fall to their lot MILK-BAG& 827 ((tenrardfl. Capability of enduring pain is also insisted upon, and the nonitress tetits their powers by scorching their arms with burning charcoal Of course, aU these severe labours require that the hands should be hard and homy, and accordingly, the last test irhich the girls have to endure is holding in the hand for a certain time a piece of hot iron. Bough and rude as this school of instruction may be, its purport is judicious enough ; isasiauch as when the girls are married, and enter upon their new duties, they do so with a fall and practical knowledge of them, and so escape the punishment which they would issoredly receive if they were to fail in their tasks. The name of the ceremony is called Daring the time that it lasts, the girls enjoy several privileges, one of which is highly prized. If a boy who has not passed through his ordeal should come in their way, he is at once pounced upon, and held down by some, while others bring a supply of thorn- h 'IS j ?'■ r ■;: ' DANCINO-CAP AND MILK-BAO. branches, and beat him severely with this unpleasant rod. Should they be in sufficient numbers, they are not very particular whether the trespasser be protected by the boguera or not; and instances have been known when they have captured adult men, and dis- ciplined them so severely that they bore the scars ever afterwards. In their feeding they are not particularly cleanly, turning meat about on the fire with their lingers, and then rubbing their hands on their bodies, for the sake of the fat which adiieres to them. Boiling, however, is the usual mode of cooking ; and when eating it, they place a lump of meat in the mouth, seize it with the teeth, hold it in the left hand so as to stretch it as far as possible, and then, with a neat upward stroke of a knife or spear- head, cut off the required morsel. This odd mode of eating meat may be found among the Abyssinians and the Esquimaux, and in each case it is a marvel how the men avoid catting off their noses. Here is a representation of one of the milk-bags. It is made from the skin of some large animal, such as an ox or a zebra, and is rather more than two feet in length, and one m v/idth. It is formed from a tough piece of hide, which is cut to the proper shape, and then turned over and sewn, as shown in the illustration ; the seams being particularly firm and strong. The hide of the quagga is said to be the best, as it gives to the milk a peculiar flavour, which is admired by the natives. The skin is taken from the back of the animal, that being the strongest part. It is first stretched on the ground with wooden pegs, and the hair scraped off with an adze. It is then cut to the proper shape, and soaked in water until soft enough to be worked Even with care, these bags are rather -t-1.3^ Z2f THE BECHUANAa perishable articles ; and when tused for water, they do not last so long as when fher aiel employed for milk. I A rather laige opening is left at the top, and a small one at the bottom, both of whichl are closed by conical plugs. Through the upper oriBce the milk is poured into the Ua\ in a fresh state, and removed when coagulated ; and through the lower aperture the w^l is drawn off as wanted. As is the case with the Katlir milk-baskets, the Bechuana milk. I baffs are never cleaned, a small amount of sour milk being always left in them, so as to I aid in coagulating the milk, which the natives never drink in a fresh state. I When travellmg, the Bochuanas hang their milk-bags on the backs of oxen; and it I sometimes happens that the jolting of the oxen, and consequent shaking of the bag, caiises the milk to be partially churned, so that small pieces of butter are found floating in ij The butter is very highly valued ; but it is not eaten, being reserved for the more impor- tant office of greasing the hair or skia The spoons which the Bechuanas use are often carved in the most elaborate manner. ' In gener^ shape they resemble those used by the Kaffirs — ^who, by the way, sometimes 1 purchase better articles from the Bechuanas — but the under surface of the bowl is entirely covered with designs, which are always effective, and in many cases are absolutely artistic from the boldness and simplicity of the designs. I have several of these spoons, in all of which the surface has first been charred and polished, and then the pattern cut rather deeply, so as to leave yellowish white lines in bold contrast with the jetty black of the I uncut portion. Sometimes it happens that, when they are travelling, and have no spoons with them, the Bechuanas rapidly scoop up their broth in the right hand, throw it into the palm of the left, and then fling it into the mouth, taking care to lick the hands clean after the operation. Music is practised by the Bechuana tribes, who do not use the goum, but merely employ a kind of reed pipe. The tunes that are played upon this instrument are of a severely simple character, being limited to a single note, repeated as often as the per- former chooses to play it. A very good imitation of Bechuanan instrumental music may be obtained by taking a penny whistle, and blowing it at intervals. In default of a whistle, a key will do quite as well. Vocal music is known better among the Bechuanas than among the preceding trihes- or, at all events, is not so utterly opposed to European ideas of the art. The melody is simple enough, consisting chiefly of descending and ascending by thirds ; and they have a sufficient appreciation of harmony to sing in two parts without producing the continuous discords which delight the soul of the Hottentot tribes. These reed pipes, called " lich3,ka," are of various lengths, and are blown exactly like Pandean pipes, i.e. transversely across the orifice, which is cut with a slight slope. Each individual has one pipe only, and, as above stated, can only play one note. But the Bechuanas have enough musical ear to tune their pipes to any required note, which they do by pushing or withdrawing a moveable plug which closes the reed at the lower end. When a number of men assemble for the purpose of singing and dancing, they tune their pipes beforehand, taking great pains in getting the precise note which they want, and being as careful about it as if they belonged to an European orchestra. The general effect of these pipes, played together, and with certain intervals, is by no means inharmonioui^ and has been rather happily compared to the sound of sledge or wagon bells. The correct method of holding the pipe is to place the thumb againsi the cheek, and the forefinger over the upper lip, while the other three fingers hold the instrument firmly in its place. These little instruments run through a scale of some eleven or twelve notea The dances of the Bechuanas are somewhat similar to those of the Amakosa aud other Kaffirs ; but they have the peculiarity of using a rather remarkable head-dress when they are in full ceremonial costume. This is made from porcupine quills, arranged in a bold and artistic manner, so as to form a kind of coronet. None of the stiff and short quills of the porcupine are used for this purpose, but only the long and slender quills which adorn the neck of the animal, and, in consequence of their great proportionate length, bend over the back in graceful curvea SUBSTITUTE FOR HANDKERCHIEF. 329 head-dresses are xtrom hj the men, who move themselves about so as to cause the tauills to wave backwards and forwards, and so contrive to produce a really graceful ' The head-diess is not considered an essential part of the dance, but is used on _j occasions. f^en dancing, they arran^ themselves in a ring, all looking inwards, but without Mine themselves about their number or any particular arrangement. The size of the -tdeMiids entirely upon the number of dancers, as they press clo-sely together. Each la [fbeity to use any step which he may think proper to invent, and Iblov his reed pipe at any intervals that may seem m.ost agi^eable IhinL But each man contrives to move very slowly in a slanting Lction, so that the whole ring revolves on the same spot, making, UnaTwage, one revolution per minute. f lie direction in which it moves seems perfectly indifferent, as lone time it will revolve from right to left, and then, without any nuent reason, the motion is reversed. Dancers enter and leave ging just as they feel inclined, some of the elders only taking jtin the dance for a few minutes, and others dancing for hours Lccession, merely retiring occasionally to rest their wearied limbs. L dancers scarcely speak at all when engaged in this absorbing CLemeat, though they accompany their leed whistles with native Bound the dancers is an external ring of women and girls, who r them as thoy revolve, and keep time to their movements by lapping their bands. As is usual in this country, a vast amount of exertion is used in J dance, and, as a necessary consequence, the dancers are bathed fperspiration, and further inconvenienced by the melting of the ease with which their heads and bodies are thickly covered. A ndkerchief would be the natural resort of an European under such Kuinstances ; but the native of Southern Africa does not possess ^h an article, and therefore is obliged to make use of an implement lich seems rather ill adapted for its purpose. It is made from ; bushy tail of jackals, and is prepared as follows : The tails are noved from the animals, and, while they are yet fresh, the skin is [ripped from the bones, leaving a hollow tube of fur-clad skin. Three j[ four of these tails are thus prepared, and through them is thrust [stick, generally about four feet in length, so that the tail forms a lirt of kige and very soft brush. This is used as a handkerchief, lot only by the Bechuanas, but by many of the neighbouring tribes, \ii is thought a necessary part of a Bechuana's wardrobe. The stick 1 which they are fixed is cut from the very heart of the kameel- jorn acacia, where the wood is peculiarly hard and black, and a m great amount of labour is expended on its manufacture. The jame of this implement is Kaval-klusi, or Kaval-pukoli, according ) the animal from which it is made; the "klusi" being apparently lie common yellow jackal, and the "pukoli" the black-tailed jackal. [he natives fancy that the jackal possesses some quality which jenefits the sight, and therefore they may often be seen drawing pe kaval-klusi across their eyes I A chief will sometimes have a far more valuable implement, pch he uses for the same purpose. One of these fans or ndkerchiefs is represented in the illustration. Instead of being ide of mere jackal tails, it is formed from ostrich feathers. It was the property of the tug of -the Bechuana tribe, and was given by him to Dr. Lichtenstein. I The remarkable excellence of the Bechuanas in the arts of peace has already been Mentioned. They are not only the best fuiHli'essers and metal-workers, but tiliey are pre- CEATHSR HANDKEB. CHIEF. *1 -^ ft I 880 THE BECHUANAS. n r' ji eminent among all the tribes of that portion of Africa in their architecture. Not I nomad people, and being attached to the soil, they have no idea of contenting thec~. Mrith the mat-covered cages of the Hottentots, or with the simple wuttle-and-daub hil the Kaffirs. They do not merely build huts, but erect houses, and display an inrngJ in their construction that is perfectly astonishing. Whence they derived their ansk tural knowledge, uo one knows. Why the Kaffirs, who are also men of the soil g) not have learned from their neighbours how to build better houses, no one can tell fact remains, that the Bechuana is simply supreme in architecture, and there is no i bouring tribe that ia even worthy to be rajiked in the second class. ,- itf^WiLitj'. fv^'t:i''U^ -i-j^Wi' llvf.^ ^?s»:;-= rSHALB ABCHITBCra We have already seen that the house of Dingan, the great Kaffir despot, was exactlj like that of any of his subjects, only larger, and the supporting posts covered with bea Now a Bechuana of verv moderate rank would be ashamed of such an edifice bv wav o a residence ; and even the poor — if we may use the word — can build houses lor them selves quite as good as that of Dingan. Instead of being round-topped, like so many wickerwork ant-hills, as is the case ml the Kaffir huts, the houses of the Bechuanas are conical, and the shape may be rougWi defined by saying that a Bechuana's hut looks something like a huge whipping-top m its point upwards. A man of moderate rank makes his house in the following manner — or, rather, ordeij his wives to build it for him, the women being the only architects. First, a number o posts are cut from the kameel-dom acacia-tree, their length varying according to the ( " which they have to fulfil. Supposing, for example, that the house had to be sixteen oJ twenty feet in diameter, some ten or twelve posts are needed, which will be about i CONSTRUCTION OF THE HOUSES. 331 lia height when planted in the ground. Thesb are placed in a circle, and firmly fixed ile»bly eq^*^^ distances. S^jt comes a smaller circle of much taller posts, which, wheA fixed in the ground, nie from fifteen to eighteen feet in height, one of theni being longer than the rest. ^e circles of posts are connected with beams which are fastened to their tops. i next process is to lay a sufficient quantity of rafters on these posts, so that they loeet at one point, and these are tightly lashed together. This point is seldom in the V centre, so that the hut always looks rather lop-sided. A roof made of reeds is then I apon the rafters, and the skeleton of the house is complete. ) thatch is held in its place by a number of long and thin twigs, which are bent, t the ends thrust into the thatch. These twigs are set in parallel rows, and hold the tch finnly together. The slope of the roof is rather slight, and is always that of a 1 cone, as may be seen by reference to the illustration. FNext come the walls. The posts which form the outer circle are connected with a lljometimes about six feet high, but frequently only two feet or so. , But the wall jch connects the inner circle is eight >r * ■ eet in height, and sometimes reaches ri» to the roof of the house. These 's u- -^nerally made of t\n n , osa thorns, 1 are 80 ingeniously woven that the garmentb v,x those who pass by aiu in no danger, they effectually prevent even the smallest animal from creeping through. The I of the wall is strengthened as well as smoothed by a thick coating of clay. The BECHUANA HOUUB. ive in the central compartment of the house, while the servants inhabit the outer brtion, which also serves as a verandah in which the family can sit in the day time, and pjoy the double benefit of fresh air and shade. The accompanying illustration gives an idea of the ordinary construction of a !cliuana hut. Around this house is a tolerably high paling, made in a similar fashion [ posts and thorns, and within this enclosure the cattle are kept, when their owner is kli enoun;h to build an enclosure for their especial use. This fence, or wall, as it may properly be called, is always very firmly built, and bmetiraes is of very strong construction. It is on an average six feet high, and is about Vo feet and a half wide at the bottom, and a foot or less at the top. It is made almost ^tirely of small twigs and bmnches, placed upright, and nearly parallel with each other, ut so firmly interlaced that they form an admirable defence against the assagai, while • the bottom the wall is so strong as to stop an ordinary bullet. A few inches from le top, the wall is strengthened by a double baud of twigs, one band being outside, and pe other in the interior. The doorways of a Bechuana hut are rather curiously constructed. An aperture is de in the wall, larger above than below, so as to suit the shape of a, hum an being, I shoulders are wider than his feet. This formation serves two purposes. In the m ■ t. I 832 THE BECHUANAS. first place it lessens the size of the aperture, and so diminishes the atnoant of dnJ and, in the next place, it forms a better defence against an adversary than if it ^ larger size, and reaching to the ground. The fireplace is situated outside the hut, though within the fence, the Becli having a very wholesome dread of fire, and being naturally anxious that their elaborl built nouses should not be burned down. Outside the house, but within the enclosnl the corn-house. This is a smaller hut, constructed in much the same manner ul dwelling-house, and containing the supply of com. This is kept in jars, one of ^y of prodigious size, and would quite throw into the shade the celebrated oil jars in A the " Forty Thieves " hid themselves. There is also a separate house in tvhich I servants sleep. I This com-jar is made of twigs plaited and woven into form, and strengthened! sticks thnist into the ground, so that it is irremovable, even if its hu^e dimensiom I not answer that purposa The jar is plastered both on the outside and the interiors clay, so that it forms an admirabk' protection for the corn. The height of these jaiii sometimes six feet in height and th.'ee in width, and their shape almost exactly resetDH that of the oil jars of Europe. The best specimens are raised six or seven inches j the ground, the stakes which form their scaffolding answering the purpose of Every house has one such jar ; and in the chode of wealthy persons there is generally] lai^^e jar and a number of smaller ones, all packed together closely, and soneti^ entirely filling the store-house. Iv ' ^i SKCTION OF A BOOSB. As is the case with the Kaffirs, the Bechuanas build their houses and walls in I circular form, and have no idea of making a wall or a fence in a straiglit lira Mr. Burchell accounts for it by suggesting that they have discovered the greater capacia of a circle compared with any other figure of equal circumference, and that they mal circular houses and cattle-pens in order to accommodate the greatest number of mend cattle in the least possible space. I rather doubt the truth of this theory, because the! geople cannot build a straight wall or a square house, even if they wished to do so, w elieve that the real cause must be looked for in their mental conformation. We will now examine the accompanying illustrations, which exhibit a plcn and) section of the house belonging to a Bechuana chief named Molemmi. It is takeu iioii Burchell's valuable work. Encircling the whole is the outer. wall, and it will be seen that the enclosure i divided by means of cross walls, one of which has a doorway. At the top of the plani the corn-house, in which is one large jar and one of the smaller sort. The shaded portioJ represents that part of the building which is covered by the roof. The servants' house ijl also separate, and may be seen on the right of the plan. The firepl.ce is shown by the! small circle just below the cross wall on the right hand of the plan. In the middle ill the house itself, with its verandahs and passages covered by a comrron roof. In theveiyl centre is the sleeping place of the family ; immediately outside it ie the passage where the! servants sit, and outside it again is the veraivdah. The little circ1(» upon the plan itiiitii>| sent the places occupied by the posts. MR BAINES'S VISIT. 333 jve is t^^ section of the same house, the line of section passing nearly through jti« of the plan, from the top to the bottom. On the left is the eutrauce into the enclware, and next we see the successive passages, with their oddly-shaped door- the little cjrlindrical room in the centre being the sleeping-place of the chief The inse occupies the extreme right, and, as may be seen, tne line of section passes ^ly through the large corn-jar. further explanation of the exceeding care that a Bechuana bestows on his house, I [ye a portion of a letter kindly sent to me by Mr. T. Baines, the eminent African Jkr. pAbont 1850, while that which is now ee State was then the Orange Biver mty, my friend Joseph Macabe and lying at Coqui's Drift on the Vaal Fdlov-dun) Biver, and, needing com and lies, we spanned-in the cattle and jeH to the village. This we found [prettily situated among bold and toler- f well-wooded hills, against whose dark I the conical roofs, thatched with light Irish reeds, contrasted advantageously. f As usual, the tribe was beginning to lay Ltfl the surrounding country by reck- Uy cutting down the wood around their igs, a process by which in many in- .1 they nave so denuded the hills that [jittlo springs that formerly flowed from UK no longer protected by the overhang- e, and are evaporated by the fierce t of the sun upon the unsheltered earth. I this process, old Lattakoo, the former idence of the missionary Moffatt, is a nota- I example, and it is proverbial that when- t a native tribe settles by a little rivulet, the water in a few years diminishes and jnp. ["The women and children, as usual in villages out of the common path of travellers, ihalf in fear and half in timidity at our approach, and peeped coyly from behind the i of mud or reeds as we advanced. I "We left our wagon in the outskirts of the village, and near to the centre found I chief and his principal men seated beneath a massive bower or awning of rough |iber, cut with the most reckless extravagance of material, and piled in forked trunks 1 standing in the earth, as if the design of the builders had been to give the least lible amount of shade with the greatest expenditure of material. . . . ["Most of the men were employed in the manufacture of karosses or skin-cloaks from spoils of various animals killed in the chase. Some were braying or rubbing the I between the hands to soften them, others were scraping the inner surface, so as to ! the nap so much prized by the natives, and others, having cut the skins into shape |th their knives or assagais, were slowly and carefully sewing them together. One man I tinkling with a piece of stick on the string of a bow, to which a calabash had been i in order to increase the resonance, and all looked busy and happy. Our present of ** was received with intense gratification, but very few of them were extravagant iigh to inhale the precious stimulant in its pure state, and generally a small portion placed upon the back of the left hand, and then a quantity of dust was lifted |h a small horn spoon, carefully mixed with the snuff, and inhaled with infinite pisfaction. "Their habitations were arranged in concentric circles, the outermost of which encloses noie or less spacious court or yard, fenced either with tall straight reeds, or with a wall FLAM OF H0U8& it: I' I'i il'' I M THE BECHUANAa ii i V ^ I t i; li' I of fine clay, oatefViUy smoothed and patted up by the hands of the women. It jg wards covered with transverse lines, the space between which are variously etched parallel lines, either straight, waved, or zigzag, according to fancy. The floor of court is (ilso smoothed with clay, and elevations of the same material in the f( segments of a circle serve for seats, the whole being kept so clean that dry food eaten from the floor without scruple. " T*^ walls of the hut are also of clay, plastered upon the poles which support conical roof, but the eaves project so as to form a low verandah all around it. L^ at intervals give this also an additional support, and a " stoep " or elevation, about inches high and three feet broad, surrounds the house beneath it. " The doorway is an arch about three feet hi^h. The inside of the wall, as nav perceived from the drawing, is scored and etched into compartments by lines traced! the fingers or a pointed stick. Sometimes melon or pumpkin seeds are stuck into clay in fanciful patterns, and al wards removed, leaving the L lows lined with their sfightlTU trous bark. | " Within this again is anotj wall, enclosing a still sBialj room, which, in the case oft chief's hut, was well stored i soft skin mantles, and, as he t must have been most ag warm as a sleeping' apartmenil the cold weather, more especiii as the doorway might be wy| or partially closed at pb Pilasters of clay were wroui over the doorway, raouldingai run roimd it, and zigzag omaneij in charcoal, or in red or yi clay, were plentifully used. circular mouldings seen m what maybe called the ceiling a really the bands of reeds up the underside of the roof, by which those that form the thatch are secured. " The space between the inner chamber and the outer wall extended all round the hij and in it, but rather in the rear, were several jars and calabashes of outchualla, or natii beer, in process of fermentation. My first impression of this beverage was, that it i sembled a mixture of bad table-beer and spoiled vinegar, but it is regarded both as fot and drink by the natives and travellers who have become accustomed to it. A host coij aiders that he has fuliilled the highest duties of hospitality when he has set before I guest a jar of beer. It is thought an insult to leave any in the vessel, but the guest i give to his attendants any surplus that remains after he has satisfied himself." The burial of the dead is conducted after a rather curious manner. The funeral ( monies actually begin before the sick pei«on is dead, and must have the effect of hai3teiiiii| dissolution. As soon as the relations of the sick man see that his end is near, they tbn over him a mat, or sometimes a skin, and draw it together until the enclosed individm is forced into a sitting, or rather a crouching posture, with the arms bent, the head bod and the knees brought into contact with the chin. In this uncomfortable position t° last spark of life soon expires, and the actual funeral begins. The relatives dig a grave/ generally within the cattle-fence, not shaped as is the i in Europe, but a mere round hole, about three feet in diailleter. The interior of thi strangely-shaped grave is then rubbed with a bulbous root. An opening is then madeii the fence surrounding the house, and the body is carried through it, still enveloped in tin mat, and with a skin thrown over the head. It is then lowered into the giave, andp^ INTBIUOB OF OHIBF'S HODSB. FUNERAL RITES. 835 taken to place it exactly facing the north, an operation which consumes much but which is achieved at last with tolerable accuracy. fwben they have settled this point to their satisfaction, they bring fragments of an Lull which, as the reader may remember, is the best and finest clay that can be pro- Tand lay it carefully about the feet of the corpse, ovpt which it is pressed by two who stand in the grave for that purpose. More and more clay is handed down in Vd bowls, and stamped firmly down, the operators raising the mat in proportion as the ^ rises. They take particular care that not even the smallest pebble shall mix with ^rth that surrounds the body, OBionr of thb daxabas— divivionb or thb tbib> — tb> bioh A:n> poob damabab— CHABAOTBB OF THK COUNTBT — APPBABAMCB OF TUB PBOPLB — THBIB PHTBt AL CONSTITUTIOIf— man's DBK88 —THB PECULIAR SANDALS, AND MODR OF ADOBNINO THB HAUi— WOMBn's DBf:«S COVrUMK OF THB OIRLS — FOBTBAIT OF A DAMABA GIRL BR8TINO HRB8BLF — 8INGVLAB CAP OK THB MABBIXD WOURN — FASTIDI0V8NBSS OONOBBNINO 0BR8S — OATTLB OF THB DAHARAB "CRCA^^MO" rOB BOOTS AND WATRR — ABCHITBCTVBR AND FVRNITURB — INTBLLBCT OF THR DAMaRAS— AKITHHBTIOAL DIFFICULTIES — WBAPONS — THB DAMABA AS A SOLDIER — ^THB DIFFRRRN . CASTES OB IANDA8— FOOD, AND MODE OF OOOUNO DAMABA DANCES AND MUSIC — MATRIMONIAL AFFAIRS — VABI0U8 8UPRB8TITIONS — THB SAOBBD FIRR AND ITS PRIRSTBBS — APPARITIONS — DRATH A; <> BURUL OF A CHIBF — CBBRM0NIAL8 ON THB ACCB88I0N OF HIS BON — THB DAMABA OATH. I If the reader will refer to the map on page 36, and look at the western coast of Africa, just below lat. 20° S., he will see that a large portion of the country is occupied by a pple called Damaras, this word being a euphonious corruption of the word Damup, which signifies " The People." Who the Damaras originally were, how long they have occupied the land, and the place where they originally came from, are rather dubious, and I they themselves can throw no light on the subject. The tribe is a very interesting one. Once of great power and importance, it spread I over a vast tract of country, and developed its own peculiar manners and customs, some of which, as will be seen, are most remarkable. Its day of prosperity was, however, but I a short one, as is the case with most tribes in this part of the world. It has rapidly sunk from its high estate, has suffered from the attacks of powerful and relentless I enemies, and in a few more years will probably perish off the fac of the earth. So rapid have been the changes, that one traveller, Mr. Anderssen, remerk.s ' aat within his own I time, it has been lus fate to witness the complete ruin and dowjJall of the once graat ! Damara nation. Such being the case, it is my intention to give a brief nrcount of the tribe, noticing only those peculiarities which serve to distinguish it from other tribes, and which might in the course of a few years be altogether forgotten. The account given in the following pages has been partly taken from Mr. Anderssen's " Lake Ngami," partly from Mr. Galton's work on Southwestern Africa, and partly from the well-known book by Mr. Baines, to whom I am also indebted for many sketches, and much verbal and written information. As far as can be ascertained, the aborigines were a race called, even by themselves, the Ghou Damup — a name quite untranslatable to ears polite, and therefore euphonized by the colonists into Hill Damaras, though in reality there is no connexion between them. The Ghou Damup say that their great ancestor was a baboon, who married a native lady, and had a numerous progeny. The union, however, like most unequal matches, was not a happy one, the mother priding herself on her family, and twitting her sons with TOLL g 838 THEDAMABAS. i^t i their low connexions on the paternal side. The end of the natter was, that a split took place in the family, the sons behaving so badly that they dared no longer face their high. bom Hottentot connexions, and fled to the hills, where they have ever since dwelt The Damaras may be ^roughly divided into two bodies, the rich and the poor, % former being those who possess cattle, and live chiefly on the milk, and the lattet I those who have either no cattle, or only one or two, and who, in consequence, live by the chase and on the wild roots which they dig. For the Damaras are not an agricul. tural people, probably because their soil is not, as a general rule, adapted for the laisio? of crop& ' The poor Damaras, called Ovatjumba, are looked down upon by the richer sort, and, in fact, treated as if they were inferior beings. Their usual position is that of servitude to the wealthy, who consider them rather as slaves than servants, punish them with great severity, and do not hesitate even to take their lives. It will be seen from this fact that the primitive simplicity of the savage life is not precisely of an Arcadian character; and that savages are not indebted to Europeans for all their vices. For some undoubtedly they are, and display a singular aptitude in acquiring them ; but most of the greatest evils of the world, such as drunkenness, cruelty, immorality, dishonesty, lying, slavery, and the like, are to be found in full vigour among savage nations, and existed among them long before they ever saw an European. To say that the vices above mentioned were introduced to savages by Europeans is a libel on civilization. Whenever a savage can intoxicate himseK he will do so, no matter in what part of the world he lives. So determinedly is he bent on attaining this result, that he will drink vast quantities of the native African beer, which is as thick as ordi- nary gruel, or he will drink the disgustingly-prepared kava of Polynesia ; or he will smoke hemp in a pipe, or chew it as a sweetmeat ; or swallow tobacco smoke until he is more than half choked, or he will take opium if he can get it, and intoxicate himself with that. Similarly, the savage is essentially cruel, not having the least regard for the sufferings of others, and inflicting the most frightful tortures with calm enjoyment. As for morality, as we understand the word, the true savage has no conception of it, and the scenes which nightly take place in savage lands are of such a nature that travellers who have witnessed them are obliged to pass them ever in discreet silence. Honesty, in its right sense, is equally unknown, and so is truthfulness, a successful theft and an undetected falsehood being thought evidences of skill and ingenuity, and by no means a disgrace. Slaveiy, again, thrives mightily among savages, and it is a well-known fact that savages are the hardest masters towards their slaves on the face of the earth. The land in which the Damaras live is rather a remarkable one, and, although it is of very large extent, only a small portion is habitable by human beings. The vegetation is mostly of the thorny kind, while water is scarce throughout a great portion of the year, the rainy season bringing with it sudden floods, which are scarcely less destructive than the piBvious drought. "Being situated in the tropic of Capricorn, the seasons are naturally the reverse of those in Europe. In the month of August, when our summer may be said to be at an end, hot v/esterly winds blow, which quickly parch up and destroy the vegetation. At the same time, whir' winds sweep over the country with tremendous velocity, driving along vast columns of sand, many feet in diameter, and several hundred in height At times, ten or fifteen of these columns may be seen chasing each other. The Damaras designate them Orukumb'ombura, or, Rain-bringers, a most appropriate name, as they usually occur just before the first rains fall. " Showers, accompanied by thunder and vivid lightning, are not unusual in the months of September and October ; but the regular rains do not set in till December and January, when they continue, with but slight intermission, till May. In this month and June, strong easterly winds prevail, which are i;ot only disagreeable but injurious to health. The lips crack, and the skin feels dry and harsh. Occasionally at this time, tropical rains fall, but they do more harm than good, as sudden cold, which annihilates vegetation, is invariably the result In July and August the nights are the coldest, and it is then no unusual thing to find ice half au inch thick.', PHYSICAL CONSTITUTION. 339 The Damaras have a very odd notion of their origin, thinking that they sprang from tree which they call in consequence the Mother Tree. All the animals had the s^me * . jjj'. and, after they had burst from the parent tree, the world was all in darkness. A Damatti then lighted a fire, whereupon most of the beasts and birds fled away in terror, while a few remained, and came close to the blaze. Those which fled became wild uiimals, such as the gnoo, the giraffe, the zebra, and others, while those which remained ^the sheep, the ox, the goat, and dog, and became domesticated. The individual tree ■*'l:;'; I; 'Ml ^^^ ?:^^^:^^^^:^^!?i««c^ DAMARA WABRIOR AND WIFE. is said still to exist at a place called Omariera, but, as it happens, every sub-tribe of the Damaras point to a different tree, and regard it with filial affection as their great aucestor. The natives call this tree Motjohaara, and the particular individual from which they believe that they sprung by the name of Omumborombonga. The timber is very heavy, and of so close and hard a texture, that it may be ranked among the ironwoods. In appearance the Damaras are a fine race of men, sometimes exceeding six feet in height, and well proportioned. Their features are tolerably regular, and they move with z2 ^i 840 THEDAMABAa < i m i& ^ X D^-jm grace and freedom. They are powerful, as becomes their bulk ; but, as is the case with many savages, although they can put forth great strength on occasions, they are not capable of long and continued exertion. The bodily constitution of the Damaras is of the most extraordinary character. Paig j for them seems almost non-existent, and an injury which would be fatal to the more nervously constituted European has but little etfect on the Damara. The reader may remember the insensibility to pain manifested by the Hottentots, but the Damaras even ' exceed them in this particuliu*. Mr. Baines mentions, in his MS. notes, some extra- ordinary instances of this peculiarity. On one occasion a man had broken his leg, and the fractured limb had been put up in a splint. One day, while the leg was being dressed, Mr. Baines heard a great shout of laughter and found that a clumsy assistant had let the leg fall, and had re-broken the partially united bones, so that the leg was hanging with the foot twisted inwards. Instead of] being horrified at such an accident, they were all shouting with laughter at the abnormal shape of the limb, and no one seemed to think it a better joke, or laughed more heartily, than the injured man himself The same man, when his injuries had nearly healed, and nitrate of silver had to be applied freely to the parts, bore the excruciating operation so well that he was complimented on his courage. However, it turned out that he did not feel the application at all, and that the compliments were quite thrown away. On another occasion, a very remarkable incident occurred. There had been a mutiny, which threatened the lives of the whole party, and the ringleader was accordingly con- demned to death, and solemnly executed by being shot through the head with a pistol, the body being allowed to lie where it fell. Two or three days afterwards, the executed criminal made his appearance, not much the worse for the injury, except the remains of a wound in his head. He seemed to think that he had been rather hardly used, and asked for a stick of tobacco as compensation. Yet, although so indiiTerent to external injuries, they are singularly sensitive to illness, and are at once prostrated by a slight indisposition, of which an European would think nothing at all. Their peculiar constitution always shows itself in travelling. Mr. Baines remarks that a savage is ready to travel at a minute's notice, as he has nothing to do but to pick up his weapons and start. He looks with contempt upon the preparation which a \i'hit« man makes, and for ^^wo or three days' " fatigue " wonc will beat almost any European, Yet in a long, steady march, the European tir^ out the savage, unless the latter conforms to the usages which he despised at starting. He finds that, after all, he will require baggage and clothing of some kind. The heat of the mid-day sun gives him a headache, and he is obliged to ask for a cap as a protec- tion. Then his sandals, which were sufficient for him on a sandy soil, are no protection against thorns, and so he has to procure shoes. Then, sleeping at night without a rug or large kaross cannot be endured for many nights, and so he has to ask for a blanket. His food again, such as the ground nuts, on which the poorer Damarus chiefly live, is not sufficiently nutritious for long-continued exertion, and he is obliged to ask for his regular rations. His usual fashion is to make a dash at work, to continue for two or three days, and then to cease altogether, and recruit his strength by passmg several days in inactioa The dress of the Damaras is rather peculiar — that of the women especially so. The principal part of a man's dress is a leathern rope of wonderful length, seldom less than a hundred feet, and sometimes exceeding four or even five hundred. This is wound in loose coils round the waist, so that it falls in folds which are not devoid of grace. In it the Damara thrusts his axes, knob-kerries, and other implements, so that it serves the purpose of a belt, a pocket, and a dress. His feet are defended by sandals, made something like those of the Bechuanas, and fastened to the feet in a similar manner, but remarkable for their length, projecting rather behind the heel, and very much before the toes, in a way that reminds the observer of the long-toed boots which were so fashionable in early English times. Sometimes he makes a very bad use of these sandals, surreptitiously scraping holes in the sand, into which he pushes small articles of value that may have been dropped, and then stealthily covers them up with the sand. DBESS 841 the casetrtth • t^«y are not haracter. Pa„, »1 to the more ne reader mj I * Damanw even S8, some extra. wn liis leg, and )ut of laughter, i n the partially as. Instead of I t the abnormal more heartily rfy healed, and ig operation so nat he did not ay. heen a mutiny, Jcordinglycon' i with a pistol, s, the executed le remains of a sed, and asked itive to illness, n would think iaines remarks do but to pick which a white any European. atter conforms nd. The heat ip as a protec- no protection hout a rug or 'or a blanket fly live, is not or his regular )r three days, 's in inactioa lly so. sngth, seldom Ired. This is not devoid of its, so that it i by sandals, lilar manner, much before lich were so hese sandals, }le3 of value ad. Jiay oro yeiy fond of ornament, and place great value on iron for this purpose, I Sahioning it into various forms, and polishing it until it glitters brightly in the sunbeams. 3eadB, of course, they wear, and they are fond of ivoiy beads, some of which may be other termed balls, so large are they. One man had a string of these beads which hung fivm the back of his head nearly to his heels. The uppermost beads were about as laige ' IS billiard balls, and they graduated regularly in size until the lowest and smallest were |)Biely as large as hazel-nuts. He was very proud of tlm ornament, and refused to sell ittbough he kindly offered to lend it for a day or two. His head-dress costs him much trouble in composing, though he does not often go through the labour of ac^usting it He divides his hair into a great number of strands, which he fixes by imbuing them with a mixture of grease and red ochre, and then aUows them to hang round his head like so many short red cords. A wealthy man fill sometimes adorn himself with a single cockle-shell in the centre of the forehead, and Mr. Baines remarks, that if any of his friends at home would only have made a supper on a few pennyworth of cockles, and sent him the shells, he could have made his fortuna The men have no particular hat orcap; but, as they are very fas- tidious about their hair, and as rain would u^.terly destroy all- the elaborately-dressed locks, they use in rainy weather a piece of soft hide, which they place on their heads, and fold or twist into any form that may seem most con- venient to them. The fat and red ochre with which he adorns his head is Uberallv bestowed on the whole body, and affords an index to the heidth and general spirits oftheDamara. When a Damara is well and in good spirits he is all red and shining like a mirror, and whenever he is seen pale and dull he is sure either to be in low spirits or bad circumstances. As a rule, the Damaras do not wash themselves, preferring to renew their beauty by paint and grease, and the natural consequence is, that they diffuse an odour which is far from agreeable to European nostrils, though their own seem to be insensible to it. Indeed, so powerful are the odours of the African tribes, that any one who ventures among them must boldly abnegate the sense of smell, and make up his mind to endure all kinds of evil odours, just as he makes up his mind to endure the heat of the sun and the various hardships of travel in a foreign land. ^ The dress of the women is most remarkable, not to say unique. OAHARA GIRL RB3TIM0. ,. •1"i m ^ 'M)' lit l»i V. iS It^ > 842 THE DAMABAS. As children, they have no clothing whatever; and, until they are asked in marriase they wear the usual costume of Southern Africa, namely, the fringe-apron, and perhaps a piece of leather tied round the waist, these and beads constituting their only dress. ' The illustration on page 341 is from a drawing by Mr. Baines, which admirably! shows the symmetrical and giticeful figures of the Damara girls before they are married I and their contours spoiled by hard work. ' The drawing was taken from life, and represents a young girl as she appears while xesting herself. It seems rather a strange mode of resting, but it is a point of honour with the Damara girls and women not to put down a load until they have conveyed it to its destination, and, as she has found the heavy basket to fatigue' her head, she has raised it on both her hands, and thus " rests " herself without ceasing her walk or putting dowa her burdea Not content with the basket load upon her head, she has another load tied to her back, consisting of some puppies. The Damara girls are very fond of puppies, and make great pets of them, treating them as if they were babies, and carrying them about exactly as the married women carry their children. As soon as they have been asked in marriage, the Damara woman assumes the matron's distinctive costume. This is of the most elaborate character, and requires a careful description, as there is nothing like it in any part of the world. Bound her waist the woman winds an inordinately long hide rope, like that worn hy her husband. This rope is so satumted with grease that it is as soft and pliable as silk, but also has the disadvantage of harbouring sundr}* noxious insects, the extermination of which, however, seems to afford harmless amusement to the Damara ladies. Also, she wears a dress made of skin, the hair being worn outwards, and the upper part turned over so as to form a sort of capa Many Damara women wear a curious kind of bodice, the chief use of which seems to be the evidence that a vast amount of time and labour has been expended in producing ,a very small result. Small flat discs of ostrich-sheU are prepared, as has already been mentioned when treating of the Hottentots, and strung together. A number of the strings are then set side by side so as to form a wide belt, which is fastened round the body, and certainly affords a pleasing contrast to the shining red which is so hberally used, and which entirely obliterates the distinctions of dark or fair individuals. Bound their wrists and ankles they wear a succession of metal rings, almost invariably iron or copper, and some of the richer sort wear so many that they can hardly walk with comfort, and their naturally graceful gait degenerates into an awkward waddle. It is rather curious that the women should value these two metals so highly, for they care comparatively little for the more costly metals, such as brass or even gold. These rings are very simply made, being merely thick rods cut to the proper length, bent rudely into form, and then clenched over the limb by the hammer. These ornaments have cost some of their owners very dear, as we shall presently see. The strangest part of the Woman's costume is the head-dress, which may be seen by reference to the illustration on page 339. The framework of the head-dress is a skull-cap of stout hide, which fits closely to the head, and wliich is ornamented with three imitation ears of the same material one being on each side, and the third behind. To the back of this cap is attached a fiat tail, sometimes three feet or more in length, and six or eight inches in width. It is composed of a strip of leather, on which are fastened parallel strings of metal beads, or rather " bugles,' mostly made of tin. The last few inches of the leather strip are cut into thongs so as to form a terminal fringe. The cap is further decorated by shells, which are sewn round it in successive rows according to the wealth of the wearer. The whole of the cap, as well as the cars, is rubbed with grease and red ochre. So much for the caj) itself, which, however, is incomplete without the Veil. This is a large piece of thin and very soft leather which is attached to the front of the cap, and, if allowed to hang freely, woiild fall over the face and conceal it. The women, however, only wear it thus for a short time, and then roll it back so that it passes over the fore- head, and then falls on either shoulder. % •CEOWING" FOR ROOTS AND WATER 343 ed in and ^ ^y di-ess. lich marri I Heavy and inconvenient as is this cap, the Damara woman never goes without it, — L ^ ^^oA BvSSers all the inconvenience for the sake of being fashionable. Indeed, so highly is ItL adornment prized by both sexes that the husbands would visit their wives with their lliegviest displeasure (i.e. beat them within an inch of their lives) if they ventured to appear Ifithout it. One woman, whose portrait was being taken, was recommended to leave her |]iead-clKSS with the artist, so that she might be spared the trouble of standing while the I elaborate decorations were being drawn. She was horrified at the idea of laying it aside, linclsaid that her husband would kill her if she was seen without her proper dress. If Lewishls to carry a burden on her head, she does not remove her cap, but pushes it off Ker forehead, so that the three pointed ears come upon the crown instead of the top of the head, and are out of the way. However scanty may be the apparel which is worr, both sexes are very particular ibottt wearing something, and look upon entire nudity much in the same light that we jo. So careful are they in this respect that an unintentional breach of etiquette gave its name to a river. Some Damara women came to it, and, seeing that some berries were mmn on the opposite side, and that the wpter was not much more than waist-deep, they left their aprons on the bank and waded across. While they were engaged in gathering the berries, a torrent of water suddenly swept down the river, overflowed its banks and carried away the dresses. Ever afterwards the Damaras gave that stream the name of Okaroschek^, or " Naked River." They have a curious custom of chipping the two upper front teeth, so as to leave a V-shaped space between them. This is done with a flmt, and the custom prevails^ with lome modifications, among many other tribes. It has been mentioned that the Damaras have many cattle. They delight in having toves of one single colour, bright brown being the favourite hue, and cattle of that colour being mostly remarkable for their enduring powers. Damara cattle are much prized by other tribes, and even by the white settlers, on account of their quick step, strong hoofs, and lasting powers. They are, however, rather apt to be wild, and, as their horns are exceedingly long and sharp, an enraged Damara ox becomes a most dangerous animal Sometimes the horns of an ox will be so long that the tips are seven or eight feet apart. The hair of these cattle is shining and smooth, and the tuft at the end of the tail is nearly as remarkable for its length as the horns. These tail-tufts are much used in decorations, and are in great request for ornamenting the shafts of the assagais. As is generally the case with African cattle, the cows give but little milk dailv, and if the calf should happen to die, none at alL In such cases, the Damaras stuff the skin of the dead calf with grass, and place it before the cow, who is quite contented with it. Sometimes a rather ludicrous incident has occurred. The cow, while licking her imagined offspring, has come upon the grass which protrudes here and there from the rudely stuffed skin, and, thrusting her nose into the interior, has dragged out and eaten the whole of the grass. It has been mentioned that the Damaras find much of their subsistence in the ground. They are trained from infancy in digging the ground for food, and little children who cannot fairly walk may be seen crawling about, digging up rosts and eating them. By leason of this diet, the figures of the children are anything but graceful, their stomachs protruding in a most absurd manner, and their backs taking a corresponding curve. Their mode of digging holes is called " crowing," and is thus managed : they take a pointed stick in their right hand, break up the ground with it, and scrape out the loose earth with the left. They are wonderfully expeditious at this work, having to employ it for many purposes, such as digging up the ground-nuts, on which they feed largely, excavating for water, and the like. They will sometimes " crow " holes eighteen inches or more in depth, and barely six inches in diameter. The word " crow " is used very frequently by travellers in this part of Africa, and sadly puzzles the novice, who does not in the least know what can be meant by " crowing " for roots, " crow-water," and the lilce. Crow-water, of course, is that which is obtained by digging holes, and is never so good as that which can be drawn from some open well or stream. "Crowing" is verv useful in house-building. The women procure a number of ^lerably stout, but pliant sticks, some eight or nine feet long, and then " crow " a corre- ey are married, appears vhile 01 honour vith ^eyedittoitj, e has raised it putting down ^^ tied to her "es, and make about exactly assumes the md requires a that worn by 'liable as silk, termination of J- Also, she ft turned over yJiich seems in producing already been umber of the led round the '8 so liberally lis. ' »st invariably Jy walk with ,adaie. It is br they care These rings t rudely into ^e cost some ^ be seen by 3 closely to laterial. one i a flat tail, s composed , or rather I'e cut into . which are le whole of This is a !ap, and, if I, however, f the fore- I yk..A I i S4A THEDAMAKAa &i*j gponding number of holes in a circle about eight feet in diameter. The sticks aie in the holes, the tops bent down and lashed together, and the framework of the lioagTiti complete. A stout pole, with a forked top, is then set in the middle of the hut and supports the roof, just as a tent-pole supports the canvass. Brushwood is then woven in and out of the framework, and mud plastered upon the iMiishwood. A hole is left at tC side by way of a door, and another at the top to answer the purpose of a chimnev When the fire is not alight, an old ox-hide is laid over the aperture, and kept in its pU^ by heavy stonea Moreover, as by the heat of the fire inside the hut, and the rays of the sun outside it, various cracks make their appearance in the roof, hides are laid hen and there, until at last, an old Damara hut is nearly covered with hides. These act as Ten. tilators during the day, but are carefully drawn and closed at night, the savage, who spends all his day in the open air, almost invariably shutting out every breath of air during the night, and seeming to have the power of existing for six or eight hours withopt oxygen. As if to increase the chance of suffocation, the Damaras always crowd into these huts, packing themselves as closely as possible round the small fire whidi occupigg the centre. As to furbiture, the Damaras trouble themselves little about such a superfluitr, Within the hut may usually be seen one or two clay cooking pots, some wooden vessel a couple of ox-hides by way of chairs, a small bag of grease, another of red ochre, and an axe for chopping wood. All the remainder of their property is either carried on theit persons, or buried in some secret spot so that it may not be stolen. The intellect of the Damaras does not seem to be of a very high order, or, at all event«, it has not been cultivated. They seem to fail most completely in arithmetic, and cannot even count beyond a certain number. Mr. Galton gives a ve^ amusing descrip. tion of a Damara jin difficulties with a question of simple arithmetic. " We went on y three hours, and slept at the furthest watering-place that Haas and I had explored. Now we had to trust to the guides, whose ideas of time and du. tance were most provokiugly indistinct ; besides this, they have no comparative in their language, so that you cannot say to them, ' Which is the longer of the two, the nut stage or the last one?' but you must say, 'The last stage is little; the next, is it great?' the reply is not, it is a 'little longer,' 'much longer,' or 've^ much longer,' but simply, ' It is so,' or ' It is not so.' They have a very poor notion of tima H you say, 'Suppose we start at sunrise, where wiU the sun be when we arrive?' they make the wildest points in the sky, though they are something of astronomers, and give names to several stars. They have no way of distinguishing days, but reckon by the rainy season, the dry season, or the pig-nut seasort " When inquiries are made about how many days' journey off a place may he, their ignorance of all numerical ideas is very aimoying. In practice, whatever they may possess in their language, they certainly use no numeral greater than three. When th^ wish to express four, they take to their fingers, which are to them as formidable instru- ments of calculation as a sliding rule is to an English school-boy. They puzzle very much after five, becaus#no spare hand remains to grasp and secure the fingers that are required for 'units.' Yet they seldom lose oxen: uie way in which they discover the loss of one is not by the number of the herd being diminished, but by the absence of a face they know. " When bartering is going on, each sheep must be paid for separately. Thus, suppow two sticks of tobacco to be the rate of exchange for one sheep, it would sorely puzzle a Damara to take two sheep and give him four sticks. I have done so, and seen a man first put two of the sticks apart, and take a sight over them at one of the sheep he was about to sell. Having satisfied himself that that one was honestly paid for, and finding to his surprise that exactly two sticks remained in hand to settle the account for the other sheep, he would be afilicted with doubts; the transaction seemed to come out too 'pat' to be correct, and he would refer back to the first couple of sticks; and then his nund got hazy and confused, and wandered from one sheep to the other, and he broke off the transaction until two sticks were put into his hand, and one sheep driven away, and then the other two sticks given him, and the second sheep driven away. WEAPONa 346 "When a Daman's mind is bent upon nnmber, it is too much occupied to dwell upon ggantitr ; thas a heifer is bought from a man for ten sticks of tobacco, his lai;ge hands iv^ both spread out upon the ground, and a stick placed upon each finger. He gathers gptbe tobacco, the size of the mass pleases him, and the bargain is struck. You then linnt to buy a second heifer ; the same process is gone through, but half sticks instead [^ whole sticks are put upon his fingers; the man is equally satisfied at the time, but Lasioiudly finds it out, and complains the next day. ! « Once, while I watched a Damara floundering hopelessly in a calculation on one side rf me, I observed Dinah, my spaniel, equally embarrassed on the other. She was over- looking half a dozen of her new-bom puppies, which had been removed two or three times from her, and her anxiety was excessive, as she tried to find out if they were all Dtesentk or if any were still missing. She kept puzzling and running her eyes over them fickwaids and forwards, but could not satisfy herself She evidently had a vague notion of counting, but the figure was too large for her brain. Taking the two as they stood, dog ind Damara, the comparison reflected no great honour on the man. - Hence, as the Damaras had the vaguest notions of time and distance, and as their language was a poor vehicle for expressing what ideas they had, and lastly, as truth- Itelluig was the exception and not the rule, I and their information to be of very little use. Although the Damaras managed to overrun the country, they cannot be considered a lirarlike people, neither have they been able to Iwld for any length of time the very nninviting land they conquered. Their weapons are few and simple, but, such as they ue, mx^eh pains are taken in their manufacture, and the Damara warrior is as careful to I his rude arms in good order as is the disciplined soldier of Europe. [he chief and distinctive weapon of the Damara is the assagai, which has little in {common with the weapons that have already been described under that name. It is about six feet in length, and. has an enOrmous blade, leaf-shaped, a foot or more in length, and proportionately wide. It is made of soft steel, and can be at once sharpened by scraping with a knife or stone. The shaft is correspondingly stout, and to the centre is attached one of the flowing ox-tails which have already been mentioned. Some of these assagais are made almost wholly of iron, and have only a short piece of wood in the middle, which answers for a handle, as well as an attachment for the ox-tail, which seems I to be an essential part of the Damara assagai. The weapon is, as may be conjectured, an exceedingly inefiBcient one, and the blade is j oftener used as a knife than an offensive weapon. It is certainly useful in the chase of tiie elephant and other large game, because the wound which it makes is very laige, and causes a great flow of blood ; but against human enemies it is comparatively useless. The Damara also carries a bow and arrows, which are wretchedly ineffective weapons, the marksman seldom hitting his object at a distance greater than ten or twelve yarda The I weapon which he really handles well is the knob-kerry or short club, and this he can use either as a club at short quarters, or as a missile, in the latter case hurling it with a force and precision that renders it really formidable. Still, the Damaia's entire armament' ! is a very poor one, and it is not matter of wonder that when he came to match himself against the possessors of fire-arms he should be hopelessly defeated. In their conflicts with the Hottentots, the unfortunate Damaras suffered dreadfully. They were literally cut to pieces by far inferior forces, not through any particular valour on the part of the enemy, nor from any especial cowardice on their own, but simply because they did not know their own powers. Stalwart warriors, well armed with their broad-bladed assagais, might be seen paralysed with fear at the sound and effects of the muskets with which the Hottentots were armed, and it was no uncommon occurrence for a Damara soldier to stand still in fear and trembling while a little Hottentot, at twenty paces distance, deliberately loaded his weapon, and then shot him down. Being ignorant of the construction and management of fire-arms, the Damaras had no idea that they were harmless when discharged (for in those days breech-loaders and revolvers were alike unknown to the Hottentots), and therefore allowed themselves to be deliberately shot, while the enemy was really at their mercy. n M M liS,^^ : 846 THEDAMARA& If the men sufTered death in the field, the fate of the women was wone. Accordu to the custom of the Damara tribe, they carried all their wealth oc their persons in i shape of beads, ear rings, and especially the large and heavy metal rings with' whi i their ankles and wrists were adorned. Whenever the Hottentot soldiers came upon Damara woman, they always robbed her of every ornament, tearing off all her clothinl, to search for them, and, as the metal rings could not be unclenched without some trouby they deliberately cut off the hands and feet of the wretched woman, tore off the rine and left her to live or die as might happen. ^ Strangely enough they often lived, even aftpr undergoing such treatment ; and, afteJ stanching the flowing blood by thrusting the stumps of their limbs into the hot aanJ some of them contrived to crawl for many miles until they rejoined their friends. Foi some time after the war, maimed Damara women were often seen, some bein^' withogi feet, others without hands, and some few without either — these having been the lici when assaulted by their cniel enemies. The Damaras are subdivided into a number of eandas — a word which has son analogy with the Hindoo "caste " — each eanda having its peculiar rites, supeistitions,^ One eanda is called Ovakueyuba, or the Sun-children; another is Ovaku-'sombura, or I. Bain -children ; and so on. The eandas have special emblems or crests — if suchawoi may be used. These emblems are always certain trees or bu '•^'i, which represent tl eandas just as the red and white roses represented the two ^.^at political parties i England. Each of these castes has some prohibited food, and they will almost stan rather than break the law. One eanda will not eat the flesh of red oxen — to anothei the draught oxen are prohibited ; and so fastidious are they, that they will not touch (_ vessels in which such food might have been cooked, nor even stand to leeward of thefirJ lest the smoke should touch them. These practices cause the Damaras to be very trouble some as guides, and it is not until the leader has steadily refused to humour then: tju they will consent to forego for the time their antipathies. This custom is the more extraordinary, as the Damaras are by nature and education! anything but fastidious, and they will eat all kinds of food which an European wouldl reject with disgust. They will eat the flesh of cattle or horses which have died of disea^l as well as that of the leopard, hyaena, and other beasts of prey. In spite of their unclean feeding, they will not eat raw, or even underdone meat, i therein are certainly superior to many other tribes, who seem to think that cooking is al needless waste of time and fuel. Goats are, happily for themselves, among the prohibited! animals, and are looked upon by the Damaras much as swine are by the Jews. I Fond as they are of beef, they cannot conceive that any one should consider neat ail part of his daily food. On special occasions they kill an ox, or, if the giver of the feastl should happen to be a rich man, six or seven are killed. But, when an ox is slaughtered,! it is almost common property, every one within reach coming for a portion of it, and, ifl refused, threatening to annihilate the stingy man with their curse. They are honiblyl afraid of this curse, supposing that their health will be blighted and their streDgthl fade away. I Consequently, meat is of no commercial value in Damara-land, no one caring tol possess food which practically belongs to every one except himself. Cows are kept fori the sake of their milk, and oxen (as Mr. Galton says) merely to be looked at, just as deerl are kept in England, a few being slaughtered on special occasions, but not being intended I to furnish a regular supply of food. Much as the Damaras value their oxen when alive- 1 80 much so, indeed, that a fine of two oxen is considered a sufficient reparation for murder I — they care little for them when dead, a living sheep being far more valuable than a| dead ox. Tliese people know every ox that they have ever seen. Their thoughts run on oxen I all day, and cattle form the chief subject of their conversation, Mr. Galton found that,! whenever he came to a new station, the natives always inspected his oxen, to see ifl any of their own missing cattle were among them ; and if he had by chance purch&iied one j that had been stolen, its owner would be sure to pick it out, and by the laws of tlielandl is empowered to reclaim it Knowing this law, he always, if possible, bought his oxen MUSIO AND DANOma 347 men in whose possession they had been for several years, so that no one would be ^ly to substantiate a claim to any of them. « When the Damaras are at home, they generally amuse themselves in the evening hy «ing and dancing. Their music is of a very simple character, their principal, if not only instrument being bov, the string of which is tightened, and then struck with a stick in a kind of >thmic manner. The Damara musician thinks that the chief object of his performance DAUABA DANCB. I to imitate the gallop or trot of the various animals. This he usually does with great fckill, the test of an accomplished musician being the imitation of the clumsy canter of m baboon. Their dances are really remarkable, as may be seen by thp following extract from the ifork of Mr. Baines, who has also kindly supplied the sketch from which the illustration ra taken : — "At night, dances were got up among the Damaras, our attention being first drawn ) them by a sound between the barking of a dog and the efforts of a person to clear Jsomething out of his throat, by driving the breath strongly through it We found four Imen stooping with their heads in contact, vying with each other in the production of jthese delectable inarticulationa, while others, with rattling anklets of hard seed-shells, Idanced round them. " By degrees the company gathered together, and the women joined the performers, Islanding in a semicircle. They sang a monotonous chant, and clapped their hands, while Ithe young men and boys danced up to them, literally, and by no means gently, ' beating Ithe ground with nimble feet,' raising no end of dust, and making their shell anklets sound. «n=(H m fit' 1 U M ' i^ ,"• Mi S48 THEDAHABA& in their opinion, most melodiously. Presently the leader snatched a brand from the fl and, after dancing up to tlie women as before, stuck it in the ground as he retired '! forming the step round and over it when he returned, like a Highlander in the broads*^ dance, without touching it. Then came the return of a victorious party, brandiahiuR thl broad spears ornamented with flowing ox-tails, welcomed by a chorus of women and sionally driving back the few enemies who had the audacity to approach them.' " This scene, when acted by a sufficient number, must be highly effective. As it \, the glare of the fire reflected from the red helmet- like gear and glittering ornaments' the women, the flashing blades and waving ox-tails of the warriors, with the litf j1 o\1 playing on the background of huts, kraal, and groups of cattle, was picturesque enoueh. The concluding guttural emissions of sound were frightful; the docs howled ml taneously ; and the little lemur, terriiied at the uproar, darted wildly about the inside ( the wagon, in vain eflbrts to escape from what, in fact, was his only place of safety." In Damara-land, the authority of the husband over the wife is not so superior at L. other parts of Africa. Of course, he has the advantage of superior strength, and, whed angered, will use the stick with tolerable freedom. But, if he should be too liberal witS the stick, she has a tacit right of divorce, and betakes herself to some one who will nol treat her so harshly. Mr. Galton says that the women whom he saw appeared to have bu little affection either for their husbands or children, and that he had always some littl difficulty in finding to which man any given wife happened for the time to belong. The Damara wife costs her husband nothing for her keep, because she "crows "ha own ground-nuts, and so he caunot afibrd to dispense with her services, which are sol useful in building his house, cooking his meals, and carrying his goods from place to place.! Each wife has her own hut, which of coursb she builds for herself; and, although polyganyl is in vogue, the number of wives is not so great as is the case with other tribes. There itl always one chief wife, who takes precedence of the others, and whose eldest son is cod- eidered the heir to his father's possessions. Though the Damaras have no real religion, they have plenty of superstitious practice;, one of wnich bears a striking resemblance to the sacred fire of the ancients. The chief'i hut is d stinguished ^ y a fire which is always kept burning, outside the hut in fine weather, and inside during rain. To watch this fire is the duty of his daughter, whoij a kind )f priestes.<=-, and is called officially, Ondangere. She perl'orms various rites in virtue oi her office ; such as sprinkling the cows with water, as they go out to feed; tvini a sacred knot in her leathern apron, if one of them dies ; and other similar duties. Should the position of the village be changed, she precedes the oxien, carrying a hum- ing brand from the consecrated fire, and taking care that she replaces it from time to tine. If by any chance it should be extinguished, great are the lamentations. The whole tribe are called together, cattle are sacrificed as expiatory offerings, and the fire is re-kindled by friction. If one of the sons, or a chief man, shoidd remove from the spot, and set up a village of his own, he is supplied with some of the sacred fire, and hands it over to his own daughter, who becomes the Ondangere of the new village. That the l)amaras have some hazy notion of the immortality of the soul is evident enough, though they profess not to believe in such a doctrine ; for they will sometimes go to the grave of a deceased friend Ox- chie*", lay down provisions, ask him to eat, ch ink, and be merry, and then beg him, in return, to aid them, and grant them herds of cattle and plenty of wives. Moreover, they believe that the dead revisit the earth, though not in the human form : they generally appear in the shape of some animal, but are always dis- tinguished by a mixture of some other animal For example, if a Damara sees a dog with one foot like that of an ostrich, he knows that he sees an apparition, and is respectful accordingly. If it should follow him, he is dreadfully frightened, knowing that his death is prognosticated thereby. The name of such an apparition is Otj-yuru. When a Damara chief dies, he is buried in rather a peculiar fashion. As soon as life is extinrt — some say, even before the last breath is drawn — the bystanders break the spine by a blow from a large stone. They then unwind the loi:g vope that encircles the loins, and lash the body together in a sitting posture, the head being bent over the knees. Ox-hides are then tied over it, and it is buried with its face to the north, as FUNERAL CEREMONIES. 84f) ibed when treating of the Bechuanas. Cattle are then sk^ghtered in honour of dead chief, and over the grave a post is erected, to which the skiills and hair ai-n '4 ' 4 -' 1 , T Wi^ ' (^ N ' 362 THE OVAMBO OB OVAMFO TRIBR and is made by themselves, they being considerable adepts in metallurgy. The beUo employed by the smiths much resembles that which is in use among the Bechuaaas. t they contrive to procure a strong and 1 '■1.1 • I ^ I Ml lit ■'■ u 1 S54 THE OVAMBO on OVAMPO TEIBE. beneath is a layer of blue clay, which appeaw to be veiy rich, and to be able to nowisi, the plants without the aid of manures. A very small hoe is used for agriculture ai instead of digging up the whole surface, the Ovambos merely dig little holes at interval, drop a handful of corn into them, cover them up, and leave them. This task is alwav performed at th^ end of the lainy season, so that the ground is full of moisture, and 1 young Uadep soon spring up. They are then thinned out, and planted separately. I 1 .^,ri.<. 4i l^^ WOMEN POCNDINQ CORN. When the com is ripe, the women take possession of it, and the men are free to catch the elephants in pitfalls for the sake of their tusks, and to go on trading expeditions with the ivory thus obtained. When the grain is beaten out of the husks, it is placed in the Storehouses, being, kept in huge jars made of palm leaves and clay, much resemhling those of the Bechuanas, and, like them, raised a foot or so from the ground. Grinding, or rath'^r pounding the grain, also falls to the lot of the women, and is not done with stones, but by means of a rude mortar. A tree-trunk is hollowed out, so as to form a tuhe, and into this tube the grain is thrown. A stout and heavy pole answers the purpose of a AaRICULTUEE. 355 >e }oles at interval. " taskisalwayd moisture, and ttJ eparately. ^ He, and the whole process much lesembles that of making butter in the old-fashioned ^e illustration on page 354 is from an original sketch by T. Baines, Esq., and libits a domestic scene within an Ovambo homestead. Two women are pounding com ■ one of their mortars, accompanied by their children. On the face of one of them may ^ seen a series of tribal marks. These are scars produced by cutting the cheeks and nbbing clay into the wounds, and are thought to be ornamental In the foreground lies an oval object pierced with holes. This is a child's toy, made Lf the fniit of a baobab. Several holes are cut in the rind, and the pulp squeezed out. He htttd seeds are allowed to remain within the fruit, and when dry they produce a titling sound as the child shakes its simple toy. In a note attached to his sketch, Mr. jaines states that this is the only example of a child's toy that he found throughout the whole of Southern Africa Its existence seems to show ' the real superiority of this 'emarkable tribe. In the background are seen a hut and two gianaries, and against the house is leaning one of the simple hoes with which the ground is cultivated. The reader Ifill notice that the iron blade is set in a line with the handle, and not at right angles to lit A water-pipe lies on the ground, and the whole is enclosed by the lofty palisades jlashpd together near the top. The weapons of the Ovambo tribe are very simple, as it is to be expected from a ople who are essentially peaceful and unwarlike. They consist chiefly of an assagai I with a large blade, much like that of theDamaras, and quite as useless for warlike purposes, I bow and arrows, and the knob-kerry. None of them are very formidable weapons, and [the bow and arrows are perhaps the least so of the three, as the Ovambos are wretched (marksmen, being infinitely surpassed in the use of the l)ow by the Daniaras and the Bosjesmans, who obtain a kind of skill by using the bow in the chase, though they would be easily beaten in range and aim by a tenth-rate English amateur archer. When on the march they have a very ingenious mode of encamping. Instead of lighting one large fire and lying round it, as is the usual custom, their first care is to collect a number of stones about as large as bricks, and with these to build a series of circular fireplaces, some two feet in diameter. These fireplaces are arranged in a double I row, and between them the travellers make up their primitive couches. This is a really ingenious plan, and especially suited to the country. In a place where i large timber is plentiful, the custom of making huge fires is well enough, though on a cold windy night the traveller is likely to be scorched on one side and frozen on the other. But in Ovambo-land, as a rule, sticks are the usual fuel, and it will be seen t>K t, by the employment of these stones, the heat is not only concemr'. t :d but economised, the stones radiating the heat long after the fire has expired. These i-p.ull fires are even safer than a single large one, for when a large log is burned through ar i fa^s, ii is apt to scatter burning embers to a considerable distance, some of which ihif^Lt fail or. the sleepers and set fire to their beds. The Ovambos are successful cultivators, and raise v^ ■< tableii of mayj kinds. Tlie ordinary Kaffir corn and a kind of millet are the two grain.i wrvich are nost plentiful, and they possess the advantage of having stems some eight feet in length, juicy and sweet. When the corn is reaped, the ears are merely cut off, and the cattle then turned into the field to feed on the sweet stems, which are of a very fattening character. Beans, peas, and similar vegetables are in great favour with the Ovambos, who also cultivate successfully the melon, pumpkins, calabashes, and other kindred fruits. They also grow tobacco, which, however, is of a very poor quality, not so mucl" on account of the inferior character of the plant, as of the imperfect mode of curing and storing it. Taking the leaves and stalks, and mashing them into a hollow piece of wood is not exactly calculated to improve the flavour of the leaf, and the consequence is, that the tobacco is of such bad quality that no one but an Ovambo will use it. There is a small tribe of the Ovambos, called the Ovaquangari, inhabiting the banks of the Okovango river, who live much on fish, and have a singularly ingenious mode of capturing them. Mr. Anderssen gives the following account of the fish-traps employed by the Ovoquangari : — " The river Okovango abounds, as I have already said, in fish, and aa2 ' J ''sir ,i\ fcr-i3-'" ' ■»^" 356 THE OVAMBO OR OVAMPO TRIBE ^f . tM%. Fli A. yi that in great variety. Durine my very limited stay on its banks, I collected nearly twenti distinct species, and might, though very inadequately piovided with the means of m serving them, unquestionably have doubled them, had suflicieut time been afforded All I discovered were not only edible, but highly palatable, some of them possessino evei an exquisite flavour. ° " Many of the natives devote a considerable portion of their time to fishina employ various simple, ingenious, and highly effective contrivances for catcJiing the'finnl tribe. Few fish, however, are caught in the river itself. It is in the numerous shallow* and lagoons immediately on its borders, and formed by its annual overflow, that the gred draughts are nMide. The fishing season, indeed, only commences in earnest at about M time that the Okovango reaches its highest water-mark, that is, when it has ceased to ebbJ and the temporary lagoons or swamps alluded to begin to disappear. " To the best of my belief, the Ovaquangari do not employ nets, but traps of vaiiou kinds, and what may not inaptly be called aquatic yards, for the capture of fish These! fishing yards are certain spots of eligible water, enclosed or fenced off in the fcllowingl manner : — A quantity of reeds, of such length as to suit the water for which they t^j intended, are collected, put into bundles, and cut even at both ends. These leeds are thenl spread in single layers flat on the ground, and sewn together very much in the same way aal ordinary mats, but by a less laborious process. It does not niuch matter what the len"th| of these mats may be, as they can be easily lengthened or shortened as need may requmf " When a locality has been decided on for fishing operations, a certain number of these I mattinjjs are introduced into the water on their ends, that is, in a vertical position, and I are placed either in a circle, semicircle, or a line, according to the shape of the lagoon or | shallow which is to be enclosed. Open spaces, from three to four feet wide, are, however, left at certain intervals, and into these apertures the toils, consisting of beebive-s masses of reeds, are introduced. The diameter of these at the mouth varies with the I depth to which they have to descend, the lower side being firmly fastened to the bottom of the water, whilst the upper is usually on a level with its surface, or slightly risino above it. In order thoroughly to disguise these ingenious traps, grasses and weeds are I thrown carelessly over and around them." The Ovambos are fond of amusing themselves with a dance, which seems to be ex- ceedin;/ly agreeable to the performers, but which could not be engaged in by those who were not well practised in its odd evolutions. The dancers are all men, and stand in a double row, back to back. The music, consisting of a drum ana a kind of guitar, then strikes up, and the performers begin to move from side to side, so as to pass and repass each other. Suddenly, one of the performers spins round, and delivers a tremendous kick ab the individual who happens then to be in front of him ; and the gist of the dance consists in planting your own kick and avoiding that of others. This dance takes place in the evening, and is lighted by torches made simply of dried palm branches. Nangoro used to give a dance every evening in his palace yard, which was a most intricate building, a hundred yards or so in diameter, and a very labyrinth of paths leading to dancing-Hoors, threshing-floors, corn-stores, women's apartments, and the like. Among the Ovambos there is no pauperism. This may not seem to be an astonishing fact to those who entertain the popular idea of savage life, namely, that with thtm there is no distinction of rich and poor, master and servant. But, in fact, the distinctions of rank and wealth are nowhere more sharply defined than among savages. The king or chief is approached with a ceremony which almost amounts to worship ; the superior exacts honiag(!, and the inferior pays it. Wealth is as much sought after among savages as among Europeans, and a rich man is quite as much i-espected on account of his wealth as if he had lived in Europe hU his life. The poor become servants to the rich, and, prac- tically, are their slaves, being looked down upon with supreme contempt. Pauperism is as common in Africa as it is in Europe, and it is a matter of great credit to the Ovambos that it is not to be found among them. The Ovambos are ruled by a king, and entertain great contempt for all the tribes who do not enjoy that privilege. They acknowledge petty chiefs, each head of a family taking rank as such, but prefer monarchy to any other form of government. As is the CHARACTER OF NANGORO. 357 )vith many other tribes, the king becomes enormously fat, and is generally the only ^ man in the country. Nangoro, who was king some few yeara ago, was especially narkable for his enormous dimensions, wherein he 'even exceeded Panda, the Kaffir onai'ch. He was so fat that his gait was reduced to a mere waddle, and his breath J so short that ho was obliged to halt at every few paces, and could not speak two jsecutive sentences without suffe. ing great inconvenience, so that in ordinary conver- sion Us part mostly consisted of i!ionosy)labic grunts. His character was as much in ( ontrast to those of his subjects as was his person. ) was a very unpleasant individual — selfish, cunning, and heartless. After witnessing He effect of the firearms used by his white visitors, he asked them to prove their weapons w shooting elephants. Had they fallen into the trap whicii ..aa laid for them, he would 06 delayed their departure by all kinds of quibbles, kept up the work of elephant- hooting, and have taken all the ivory limself. After they had left his country, K agoro despatched a body of men after them, with Uew to kill them all. The comma der of the party, however, took a dislike to hij nission— probably from having witness =d the effect of conical bullets when fired by the irbite men— and took his men home ag dn. One party, however, was less fortunate, and , fitfht ensued. Mr. Green and some friends visited Nangoro, and were received very Ihospitably. But, just before they wer. about to leave the district, they were suddenly latlacked by a strong force of the Ovambos, some six hundred in number, all well armed (with their native weapons, the bow, the knob-kerry, and the assagai, while the armed lEuropeans were only thirteen in number. I Fortunately, the attack was not entirely unsuspected, as sundry little events had hap- Ipened which put the travellers on their guard. The conflict was very severe, and in the lend the Ovambos were oomplvjtely defeated, having many killed tfud wounded, and among [the former one of Nangoro's sons. The Europeans, on the contrary, only lost one man, I a native attendant, who was treacherously stabbed before the fight began. The most re- [markablepart of this fight was, that it caused the death of the treacherous king, who was {present at the battle. Although he had seen firearms used, he had a poor opinion of their [power, and had, moreover, only seen occasional shots fired at a mark. The repeated dis- I charges that stunned his ears, and the sight of his men falling dead and dying about him, [terrified him so exceedingly that he died on the spot from sheer fright. The private character of this cowardly traitor was by no means a pleasant one, and he I had a petty way of revenging himself for any fancied slight On one occasion, when some native beer was offered to Mr. Anderssen, and declined in consequence of an attack of I illness, Nangoro, who was sitting in frorit of the traveller, suddenly thrust at him violently with his sceptre, and caused great pain. This he passed off as a practical joke, though, as the sceptre was simply a pointed stick, the joke was anything but agreeaMe to its victim. The real reason for thi? : udden assault was, that Mr. Andersseu had refused to grant the king some request which he had made. He became jealous and sulky, and took a contemptible pleasure in thwarting his white visitors in every way. Their refusal to shoot elephants, and to undeigo all the dangers of the hunt, while he was to have all the profits, was a never-failing source of anger, and served as an excuse for refusing all accommodation. They could not even go half-a-mile out of camp without first obtaining permission, and when they asked for guides to direct th^m on their journey, he refused, saying that thoso who would not shoot elephants for him should have no guides from him. In fine, he kept them in his country until he had exacted from them everything which they could give him, and, by way of royal remu- neration for their gifts, once sent them a small basket of flour. He was then glad to get rid of them, evidently fearing that he should have to feed them, and by way of extraor- dinary generosity, expedited their departure with a present of com, not from his own stores, but from those of his subjects, and which, moreover, arrived too late. His treacherous conduct in sending after the European party, and the failure of his plans, have already been mentioned, The Ovambo tribe are allowed to have as many wives as they please, provided that they can be purchased at the ordinary price. This price differs, nc- so much from the Jli^ »>tLi III ^^ ^ H ^1 B-, ■'ii '-1 m m 358 THE OVAMBO OR OVAMPO TRIBE charms or accomplishments of the bride, as from the wealth of the suitor. The price of I wives is miich lowor than among the Kaffira, two oxen and one cow being conaidertdl the ordinary sum which a man in humble circumstances is expected to pay, while a maul of some wealth cannot purchase a wife under three oxen and two cows. Tlie only ex- 1 ception to this rule is afforded by the king himself, who takes as many wives as he pleases I without paying for them, the honour of his alliance being considered a sufficient reinune-l ratioa One wife always takes the chief place, and the successor to the rank and propeTtvl of his father is always one of her children. The law of royal succession is very simple.! When the king dies, the eldest son of his chief wife succeeds him, but if she has no son then the daughter assumes the sceptre. This was the case with the fat king, Nangoio I whose daughter Ohipanga was the heir apparent, and afterwiirds succeeded him. ' It is, however, very difficult to give precise information on po delicate a subject.' The I Ovambo tribe cannot endure to speak, or even to th: nk, of the state of man after death and merely to allude to the successor of a chief gi\es dire offence, as the mention of an heir to property, or a successor to rank, implies the death of the present chief. For the same reason, it is most difficult to extract any information from them respecting theit ideas of religion, and any questions upon the subject are instantly checked. That they have some notions of religion is evident enough, though they degrade it I into mevo superstition. Charms of various kinds they value exceedingly, though they seem to be ragarded more as safeguards against injury from man or 1 )ea8t than as possessme any sai« ^ity of their own. Still, the constitutional reticence of the Ovambo tribe on such subjec* .av cause them to deny such sanctity to others, though they acknowledge it | among ;:L nselvea A^ is tr^e case with many of the South African tribes, the Ovambos make great use of j'ud »)f coarse porridge. They always eat it hot, and mix with it a quantity of J cioti jd 'n II; or semi-liquid butter. They are quite independent of spoons at their meals, | and, ill spito of the nature of their food, do not e^ en nae the brush-spoon that is employed by the IJ. ontots. Mr. Anderssen, while travelling in the land of the Ovambos, was hospitably received at a house, and invited to diimer. No spoons were provided, and he did not see how he was to eat porridge and milk without such aid. " On seeing the dilemma we weie in, our host quickly plunged his greasy fingers into the middle of the steaming mass, and brought out a handful, which he dashed into the milk. Having stirred it quickly round with all his might, he next opened his capacious mouth, in which the agreeable mixture vanished as if by magic. He finally licked his fingers, and smacked his lips with evident satisfaction, looking at us as much as to say, ' That's the trick, my boys ! ' " However unpleasant this initiation might have appeared to us, it would have been ungrateful, if not offensive, to refuse. Therefore we commenced in earnest, according to example, emptying the dish, and occasionally burning our fingers, to the great amusement of our swarthy friends." On one occasion, tha same traveller, who was accompanied by some Damaras, fell in with a party of the Ovambos, who gave them a quantity of porridge meal of millet in exchange for meat. Both parties were equally pleased, the one ha\ ing had no animal food for a long time, and the other h sving -fed on flesh diet until tliey were thoroughly tired of it. A great feast was the immc 'late result, the Ovambos revelling in the unwonted luxury of meat, and the Europeans em^ Damaras only t ; j glad to obtain some vegetable food. The feast vesembled all others, except that a singular ceremony was insisted upon by the one party, and submitted to by the other. The Damaras had a fair share of the banquet, but, hefote they were allowed to begin their meal, one of the Ovambos went round to them, and, after filling his month with water, spirted a little of the liquid iuto their face& This extraoxdinaiy ceremony was invented by the king Nangoro when he was a youn;; man. Among their other superstitions, the Ovambos have an idea that a man is peculiarly susceptible to witehcraft at meal times, and that it is possible for a wizard to cbami away the life of any one with whom he may happen, to eat Consequently, all kinds of PLEASANT CUSTOMS. 359 jnnter-charms are employed, and as the one in question was invented by the king, it ,as soon adopted by his loyal subjects, and became fashionable throughout the land. So ided to tliis charm was Nangoro himself, that when Mr. Galton first visited him was equally alarmed and amazed at the refusal of the white man to submit to tlie jjpefiioa At last he agreed to compromise the matter by anointing his visitor's head lith butter, but, as soon as beer was produced, he again became suspicious, and would Lt partake of it, nor even remain in the house while it was being drunk. He would not even have consented to the partial compromise, but for a happy idea Jiat white men were exceptional beings, not subject to the ordinary laws of Nature. Hat there was a country where they were the lords of the soil he flatly refused to jelieve, but, as Mr. Galton remarks, considered them simply as rare migratory animals of lODsiderable intelligence. OVAMBO DINNER-PABTT. It is a rather curious fact that, although the Damaras are known never to take salt I with their food, the Ovambos invariably make use of that condiment. They have a rather odd fashion of greeting their friends. As soon as their guests are I seated, a large dish of fresh butter is produced, and the host or the chief mau present rubs the face aud breast of each guest with the butter. They seem to enjoy this process [ thoroughly, and cannot understand why their white guests should oliject to a ceremony which is 80 pleasing to themselvea Perhaps this custom may have some analogy with i their mode of treating the Damaras at meal-times. The Ovambos still retain a ceremony which is precisely similar to one which prevails through the greater part of the East. If a subject should come into the presence of his king, ^ a common man should appear before his ch^^f, he takes off his sandals before presiuning to make his obeisance. The readt may remember that on page 348, certain observances connect el with fire are in use amo. g tJie Daman.a The Ovambo tribe have a somev/hat similar idea on the subject, for when Mr. And ;rssen went to visit Nangoro, the king of the Ovambos, a messenger was sent from the king bearing a brand kindled at the royal fire. He first extinguished the fire that was already burning, and then re-kindled it with the glowing brand, so that the king and his visitor were supposed to be warmed by the same fire, la this ceremony there ia a delicate couxtesy, not unmixed with poetical feeling. CHAPTER XXXII. THE MAKOLOLO TRIBE. BUB AND VAIX OF A7RICAN TBIBRS — OBIOIN Of THB lfAKOI.Oi:.0 TBIBB— OHOAmZATIOir BT BEBTnTAiijI mCAPAOTTT OF HIS SVCCB880B, 8BKELBTU — UODB OF OOVEBDMBNT — AFFEABAMCB OF THl| MAKOLOLO — THBIB QBNKBAL CUABACTBB — HONESTY — OBACBFUL MODE OF UAKINO PBEgKNTg—l HOOB OF SALUTATION — FOOD AND COOKING — A MAKOLOLO FEAST — ETIQrETTE AT MEALS— I MANAOBUBNT OF CANOES — THB WOMBN, THEIB DBB8S AND MANNEB8 THEIB COLOUB— EAStI UFB LBD BT THBU — HOUSB-BUILDINO — CVBIOUS MODS OF BAUINfl THB BOOF — HOV TO HOCBll A TI8IT0B — LAW-SUITS AND BPBCIAL PLEADING GAME LAVS— CHILDBBN's GAMES — A MAKOLOLO 1 TILLAGE — m'bOFO AT HOMB — TOBY FILLPOT — MAKOLOLO SONGS AND DANCES — HEUP-8MOKUI0, AND ITS DBSTBUOTITB BFK JTS — T&BATMBNT OF THB SICK, AND BUBIaL OF THB DEAD. In the whole of Africa south of the equator, we find the great events of the civilized world repeated on a smaller scale. Civilized history speaks of the origin and rise of | nations, and the decadence and fall of empires. During a course of many centuries, d3masties have arisen and held their sway for generations, fading away by degrees before the influx of mightier races. The kingdoms of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Rome, Persia, and the like, have lasted from generation after generation, and some of them still exist, though with diminished powers. The Pharaohs have passed from the face of the earth, and their metropolis is a desert ; but Athens and Kome still retain some traces of their vanished glories. In Southern Africa, however, the changes that take place, though precisely similar in principle, are on a much smaller scale, both of magnitude and duration, and a traveller who passes a few years in the country may see four or five changes of dynasty in a few years. Within the space of an ordinary life-time, for example, the fiery genius of Tchaka gathered a number of scattered tribes into a nation, and created a dynasty, which, when deprived of its leading spirit, fell into decline, and has yearly tended to return to the original elements of which it was composed. Tiien the Hottentots have come from some unknown country, and dispossessed the aborigines of the Cape so completely that no one knows what those aborigines were. In the case of islands, such as the Polynesian group, or even the vast island of Australia, we know what the aborigines must have been; but we have no such knowledge with regard to Southern Africa, and in consequence the extent of our knowledge is, that the aborigines, whoever they might have been, were certainly not Hottentots. Then the Kaffirs swept down and ejected the Hottentots, and the Dutch and other white colonists ejected the Kaffirs. So it has been with the tribe of the Makololo, which, though thinly scattered, and by no means condensed, has contrived to possess a large portion of Southern Africa. Deriving their primary origin from a branch of the great Bechuana tribe, and therefore retaining many of the customs of that tribe together with its skill in manufactures, they CONSTRUCTION OF THE EMPIRE. 861 I able to extend themselves fa'* from their original home, and by degrees contrived lin the dominion over the greater part of the country as far as lat. 14° S. Yet, in il when Dr. Livingstone passed through the country of the Makololo, he saw symptoms fits decadence. I Tber had been organized by a great and wise chief named Sebituane, who carried out [the fullest extent the old Roman principle of mercy to the submissive, and war to the j)ii(i, Sebituane owed much of his success to his practice of leading his troops to battle in Nnn. When he came within sight of the enemy, he significantly felt the edge of his ittle-axe, and said, " Aha 1 it is sharp, and whoever turns his back on the enemy will 1 its ed^" Being remarkably fleet of foot, none of his soldiers could escape from him, i they found that it was far safer to fling themselves on the enemy with the chance of [pelling him, than run away with the certainty of being cut down by the chief's battle- k& Sometimes a cowardly soldier skulked, or hid himself Sebituane, however, was bt to be deceived, and, after allowing him to return home, he would send for the Lijnqueut, and after mockingly assuming that death at home was preferable to death ou a field of battle, would order him to instant execution. He incorporated the conquered tribes with his own Makololo, saying that, v/hen they labinitted to his rule, they were all children of the chief, and therefore equal ; and he id his words by admitting them to participate in the highest honours, and causing liem to intermarry with his own tribe. Under him was an organized system of head bief3, and petty chiefs and elders, through whom Sebituane knew all the affairs of his ngJom, and guided it well and wisely. But, when he died, the band that held together this nation was loosened, and bid fair )invH way altogether. His son and successor, Sekeletu, was incapable of following the cample of his father. He allowed the prejudices of race to be again developed, and Btered them himself by studiously excluding all women except the Makololo from his larem, and appointing none but Makololo men to office. Consequently, he became exceedingly unpopular among those very tribes whom his ither had succeeded in conciliating, and, as a natural consequence, his chiefs and elders leing all Makololo men, they could not enjoy the confidence of the incorporated tribes, nd thus the harmonious system of Sebituane was broken up. Without confidence their rulers, a people cannot retain their position as a great nation ; and Sekeletu, forfeiting that confidence, sapped with his own hands the foundation of his throne. Discontent began to show itself, and his people drew unfavourable contrasts between rale and that of his father, some even doubting whether so weak and purpose- !S3 a man could really be the son of their lamented chiefj the " Great Lion," as they UedhioL "In his days," said they, " we had great chiefs, and little chiefs, and elders, to carry on |ihe government, and the great chief, Sebituane, knew them all, and the whole country m wisely ruled. But now Seketttu knows nothing of what his underlings do, and they ! not for him, and the Makololo power is fast passing away." Then Sekeletu fell ill of a horrible and disfiguring disease, shut himself up in his liouse, and would not show himself; allowing no one to come near him but one favourite, Ihrough whom his orders were transmitted to the people. But the nation got tired of Ving ruled by deputy, and consequently a number of conspiracies were organized, which iiever could have been done under the all-pervading rule of Sebituane, and several of the [teatfir chiefs boldly set their king at defiance. As long as Sekeletu lived, the kingdom etained a nominal, though not a real existence, but within a year after his death, which iccurred in 1864, civil wars sprang up on every side ; the kingdom, thus divided was weakened, and unable to resist the incursions of surrounding tribes, and thus, within the jspace of a very few years, the great Makololo empire fell to pieces I According to Dr. Livingstone, this event was much to be regretted, because the jMakololo were not slave-dealers, whereas the tribes which eventually took possession of Itheir land were so ; and, as their sway extended over so large a territory, it was a great Iboon that the abominable slave traffic was not permitted to exist. mk^ in! sei THE MAKOLOLO TRIBE. mi m IP Mr. Baines, who knew both the father and the son, has thb very meaiifst opinio I the latter, and the higheat of the fonner. In his notes, which he has kiadly placed my disposal, he briefly characterizes them as follows: — "Sebituane, a polished, me J tiiflri. Sekeletu, his successor, a fast younjj snob, with no judgment. Killed off <^ie rather th their pi,;visj fath>r'8 coun( llors, and did as he liked. Helped the missionaries ti live, even if he did not intentionally poison them — then plundered stores." The true Mnkololo are a fine race of men, and are lighter in colour than the surrooii iii(^ Lribes, beiii!:; of a vich warm brown, rather than black, and they aw . uthor peculiar! their intonatiin, pronouncing each syllable slowly and deliberately. The general character of this people seems to be a high one, an'1 in many respft will bear comparison with the Ovambo. Brave they have ])roved thohiselves hy iliJ many victories, though it is nther remarkable that they do not display the same cou when opposed to the lion as when engaged in warfare against their fc^low-men. Yet they are not without courage and presence of mind in the i '■ting-field.thonel the dread king of beasts eems to exercise such an influence over them that they feati, resist his inroads. The bufl'ith) is really quite as much to be dreaded as the Uon, andil the Makololo are r omparatively iiidifterent when pursuing it. Tlie animal has an m pleasant habit of d ublinj^ hack on its trail, crouching in the bush, allowing the hunteil to pass its hiding-|.iace, mul thru to charge suddenly at them with such a force andfui that it scatters the bushe. )efore its headlong rush like autumn leaves before the winj Yet the Makololo hunters are not in tlie least afraid of this most formidable animal, bnl leap behind a tree as it chaiges, and then hurl their spears as it passes them. Hospitalit) one of their chicf virti.es, and it is exercised with a modesty which J rath- • remarkable. "The people of every village," writes Livingstone, "treated us luojl liberally, presenting, beside- oxen, butter, milk, and meal, more than we could stow awajf in our canoes The cows in this valley are now yielding, as they fi-equently do, mow milk than the people can use, and both men and women present butter in such quuiititis that I shall be able to refresh my men as we go along. Anointing the skin prevental the excessive evaporatitu of the fluids of the body, and acts as clothing in both and shade. "T!:e3' nlways made thrlr presents gracefully. "When an ox was given, the ownerl would ay, ' lU^re. is a littia Hi of bread for you.' This v ao pleasing, for I had beenl accustomed to the F- iViTianrts presenting a miserable goat, with the pompous exclamation,! ' Behold, an ox ! ' Tiie women per.'^isted in giving me copious supplies of shrill praise8,| or ' lullilooing,' but although I frequently told them to modify their ' Great Lords,' ' Great Lions,' to more humble expressions, they so evidently inti nded to do me honour,] that I could not help being pleased with the poor creatures' wishes for our success." One remarkable instance of the honesty of this tribe is afforded by Dr. Livingstone,! In 1853, he had left at Linyanti, a place on the Zambesi river, a wagon containing papeisl and stores. He had been away from Linyanti, to which place he found that letters and I packages had been sent for him. Accordingly, in 1860, he determined on revisiting ' spot, and when he arrived there, found that everything in the wagon was exactly in the! same stato as when he left it in chaise of the king seven years before. The herd men of the place were very glad to see him back again, and only lamented that he had not arrived | in the previous year, which happened to be one of special plenty. This honesty is the more remarkable, because they had good reason to fear the attach I of the Matabele, who, if they had heard that a wagon with property in it was kept in, the place, would have attacked Linyanti at once, in spite of its strong position amid men and marshes. However, the Makololo men agreed that in that case they wexe to fight in defence of the wagon and that the first man who wounded a Matabele in defence of tk | wagon was to receive cattle as a reward. It is probable, however, that the great personal influence which Dr. Livingstone exer- cised over the king and his tribe had much to do with the behaviour of these Makololo, and that a man of less capacity and experience would havGi been robbed of eveiytbing that could be stolen. ETIQUETTE AT MEALS S6S When natives travel, especially if they should be headed by a chief, similar ceremonies e, the women being entmsted with the taak of welcoming the visitors. This ijii) by menus of a shrill, prolonged, undulating cry, produced by a rapid agitation lUM tongue, 'Ud expressively called " lullilooing." The men follow their example, I it 18 etiquette for the chief to receive all these salutations witn perfect indifference. IsiMii as the new comers are seated, a conversation takes place, in which the two Jim exchange news, and then the head man rises and brings out a quantity of beer liarge pots. Calabash goblets are handed round, and every one makes it a point of our to drink as fast as he can, the fragile goblets being often broken in this convivial jilry. I Bt^iiles the beer, jars of clotted milk are produced in plenty, and each of the jars is , ii to one of the principal men, who is at liberty to divide it as he chooses. Although Ljj^ily sprung from the Bechuanas, the Mp .{o*olo disdain the use of spoons, preferring Iscoop up the milk in their hands, and, if a spoon be given to them, thev merely ladle tsoine milk from the jar, put it into their hands, and so eat it. A chief is expected to le several feasts of meat to his followers. He chooses an ox, :' ' hands it over to some Ured individual, who proceeds to kill it by piercing its > wound is carefully closed, so that the animal bleeds intei [well as the viscem, forming the perquisite of the butcher. Scarcely is the ox dead than it is cut up, the best parts, jjodDg to the chief, who also apportions the different purts ut the lain animal among |i guests, just as Josuph did with his brethren, each of the honoured guests subdividing ) own portion among his imm adiate followers. The process of cooking is simple enough, emeat being merely cut into strips and thrown on the fire, often in such quantities that lis nearly extinguished. Befor? it is half cooked, it is taken from the embers, and eaten ileso hot that none but a practised meat-eater could endui-e it, the chief object being liotroduce as much meat as possible into the stomach in a given time. It is not manners I eat after a man's companions have finished their meal, and so each guest eats as much Id as fast as he can, and acts as if he had studied in the school of Sir Dugald ilgetty. Neither is it manners for any one to take a solitary meal, and, knowing this custom, ■.Livingstone always contrived to have a second cup of tea or coffee by his side when- b he took his meals, so that the chief, or one of the principal men, might join in It with a slender spear. the whole of the blood, , the hump and ribs Amongst the Makololo, rank has its drawbacks as well as its privileges, and among I former may be reckoned one of the customs which regulate meals. A chief may not 3 alone, and it is also necessary that at each meal the whole of the provisions should be ^mumed. If Sekeletu had an ox killed, every particle of it was consumed at a single il, and in consequence he often suffered severely from hunger before another could be [epared for him and his followers. So completely is this custom ingrained in the nature [ the IVIakololo, that when Dr. Livingstone visited Sekeletu, the latter was quite scan- klized that a portion of the meal was put aside. However, he soon saw the advantage i the plan, and after a while followed it himself, in spite of the remonstrances of the Id men ; and, while the missionary was with him, they played into each other's hands by Ich reserving a portion for the other at every meaL Mention has been made of canoes. As the Makololo live much on the banks of the «r Zambesi, they naturally use the canoe, and are skilful in its management se canoes are flat-bottomed, in order to enable them to pass over the numerous illowa of the Zam ^si, and are sometimes forty feet in length, carrying from six to ipaddlei IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 l^|2£ 125 ■ 2.2 £[ |<£ |2.0 " Use m |L25 1 u I,* - ^ 6" ► ^ ^ ^ '>. ^.»v % 7 Photographic Sciences Corporation ■N? <> 23 WIST MAIN STMIT WEBSTH.N.Y. 14SS0 (716)872-4S03 4^ THE MAEOLOLO TRIBR mi. the current, it would inevitably be upset, and, as the Makololo are not all swimmers &. of the crew would probably be drowned. As soon, therefore, as such a danger seeou be impending, those who can swim jump into the water, and guide the canoe tfarouuhl sunken rocks and dangerous eddies. Skill in the management of the canoe is espojii needed in the chase of the hippopotamus, which they contrive to hunt in its own elen and which they seldom fail in securing, in spite of the enormous size, the furious i and the formidable jaws of this remarkable animal The dress of the men difiers but little from that which is in use in other parts of j south of the equator, and consists chiefly of a skin twisted round the loins, and a il. of the same material thrown over the shoulders, the latter being only worn in i weather. The Makololo are a cleanly race, particularly when they happen to be in the neij bourhood of a river or lake, in which they bathe several times daily. The men, howei are better in this respect than the wtmen, who seem rather to be afraid of coldwaL preferringto rub their bodies and limbs with melted butter, which has theefifectof maki] their skins glossy, and keeping off parasites, but also imparting a peculiarly unple odour to themselves and their clothing. As to the women, they are clothed in a far better manner thdn the men, and l exceedingly fond of ornaments, wearing a skin kilt and kaross, and adorning thenuelvj with as many ornaments as they can aifurd. The traveller who has already been quol mentions that a sister of the great chief Sebituane wore enough ornaments to be a k for an ordinary man. On each leg she had eighteen rings of solid brass, as thick as] man's finger, and three of copper under each knee ; nineteen similar rings on her rigl arm, and eight of brass and copper on her left. She had also a large ivory ring ab each elbow, a broad band of beads round her waist, and another round her neck, lie altogether nearly one hundred large and heavy rings. The weight of the rings on 1 legs was so great, that she was obliged to wrap soft rags roimd the lower rings, as tli had begun to chafe her ankles. Under this weight of metal she could walk but awl| wardly, but fashion proved itself superior to pain with this Makololo^oman, as her European sisters. Both in colour and general manners, the Makololo women are superior to most of I tribes. This superiority is partly due to the light warm brown of their complexion, a partly to their mode of life. Unlike the women of ordinary African tribes, those i the Makololo lead a comparatively easy life, having their harder labours shared their husbands, who aid in digging the ground, and in other rough work. Even t domestic work is done more by servants than by the mistresses of the household, so tin the Makololo women are not liable to that rapid deterioration which is so evident amoij other tribes. In fact they have so much time to themselves, and so little to occupy them, tb they are apt to fall into rather dissipated habits, and spend much of their time i smoking hemp and drinking beer, the former habit being a most insidious one, aii| apt to cause a peculiar eruptive disease. Sekeletu was a votary of the hemp-pip and, by his over-indulgence in this luxury, he induced the disease of which he wards died. The only hard work that faUs to the lot of the Makololo women is that of hoa building, which is left entirely to them and their servants. The mode of making a house is rather remarkable. The first business is to U a cylindrical tower of stakes and reeds, plastered with mud, and some nine or ten feet ii height, the walls and floor being smoothly plastered, so as to prevent them from harbouriii{ insects. A larg^ conical roof is then put together on the ground, and completely thatchd with reeds. It is then lifted by many hands, and lodged on the top of the circular ton As the roof progeets far beyond the central tower, it is supported by stakes, and a general rule, the spaces between these stakes are filled up witii a wall or fence of i plastered with mud. This roof is not permanently fixed either to the supporting staktj or the central tower, and can be removed at pleasure. When a visitor arrives amoif the Makololo, he is often lodged by the simple process of lifting a finished roof HOUSE-BUILDING. 865 isbed house, and putting it on the grouncL Although it is then so low that a man can ily sit, much less stand upright, it answers very well for Southern Africa, where th^ ) of active life is spent, as a rule, in the open air, and where houses are only used Mjag-lboxeB. The doorway that gives admission into the circular chamber is always I In a hquse that was assigned to Br. Livingstone, it was only nineteen inches Ifcital height, twenty-two in width at the floor, and twelve at the top. A native Wolo, with no particular encumbrance in the way of clothes, makes his way through [doorway easily enough ; but an European with all the impediments of dress about I finds himself sadly hampered in attempting to gain the penetration of a Makololo Except through this door, the tower has neither light nor ventilation. Some of ''"7-^ I m% '■'^'/jf// ^.li&* I -ii I %1 i 'i HOUSE-BCILDINO. (best houses have two, and even three, of these towers, built concentrically within Ich other, and each having its entrance about as large as the door of an ordinary dog- mneL Of course the atmosphere is veiy close at night, but the people care nothing nut that The illustration is from a sketch kindly furnished by Mr. Eaines. It represents a nearly mpleted Makololo house on the banks of the Zambesi river, just above the great f ctoria Falls. The women have placed the roof on the building, and are engaged in ) final process of fixing the thatch. I In the centre is seen the cylindrical tower which fonns the inner chamber, together Tth a portion of the absurdly small door by which it is entered. Bound it is the inner "U, which is also furnished with its doorway. These are made of stakes and withes, t: 366 THE MAKOLOLO TRIBE. p< upon which is worked a quantity of clay, well patted on by hand, so as to form a thick strong wall. The clay is obtained from ant-hills, and is generally kneaded up with dung, the mixture producing a kind of plaster that is very solid, and can be made ] fully smooth. Even the wall which surrounds the building and the whole of are made of the same material It will be ae&a. that there are four concentric walls in this building. First comes 1 outer wall, which encircles the whole premises. Next is a low wall which is built I against the posts which support the ends of the rafters, and which is partly supp by them. Within this is a third wall, which encloses what may be called the orL. living room of the house ; and within all is the inner chamber, or tower, which jjl fact only another circular wall of much less diameter and much greater height. Jt ^ be seen that the walls of the house itself increase regularly in height, and decn regularly in diameter, so as to correspond with the conical roof. On the left of the illustration is part of a millet-field, beyond which are some i pleted houses. Among them are some of the fan-palms with recurved leaves. That I the left is a young tree, and retains all its leaves, while that on the right is an old one,aL has shed tlie leaves towards the base of the stem, the foliiage and the thickened portion! the trunk having worked their way gradually upwards. More palms are growing on t Zambesi river, and in the background are seen the vast spray clouds arising from i Falls. The compaiatively easy life led by the Makololo women makes polygamy less ofl hardship to them than is the case among neighbouring tribes, and, in fact, even if tl men were willing to abandon the system, the women would not consent to do so. Wn them marriage, though it never rises to the rank which it holds in civilized countriei not a mere matter of barter. It is true that the husband is expected to pay a certain l to the parents of his bride, as a recompense for her services, and as purchase-money | retain in his own family the children that she may have, and which would by law beloj to her father. Then again, when a wife dies her husband is obliged to send an ox to U family, in order to recompense them for their loss, she being still reckoned as formin Eart of her parents' family, and her individuality not being totally merged into that] er husband. Plurality of wives is in vogue among the Makololo, and is, indeed, an necessity unr ' the present conditions of the race, and the women would be quite i unwilling as ,.. men to have a system of monogamy imposed upon them. No man i respected by his neighbours who does not possess several wives, and indeed without theJ he could not be wealthy, each wife tilling a certain quantity of ground, and the producl belonging to a common stock. Of course, there are cases where polygamy is certainly | hardship, as, for example, when old men choose to marry very young wives. But, on t whole, and under existing conditions, polygamy is the only possible system. Another reason for the plurality of wives, as given by themselves, is that a man \fill| one wife would not be able to exercise that hospitality which is one of the special i of the tribe. Strangers are taken to the huts and there entertained as honoured piestf and as the women are the principal providers of food, chief cultivators of the soil, sole guardians of the corn stores, their co-operation is absolutely necessary for anyone wh desires to carry out the hospitable institutions of his tribe. It has been mentioned that the m* ften take their share in the hard work. laudable custom, however, prevailed x. among the true Makololo men, the incorporated tribes preferring to follow the usual African custom, and to make the women work wt'' they sit down and smoke their pipes. The men have become adepts at carving wood, making wooden pots with lids, anJ bowls and jars of all sizes. Moreover, of late years, the Makololo have learned to tliina that sitting on a "stool is more comfortable than squatting on the bare ground, andhave;| in consequence, begun to carve the legs of their stools into various patterns. Like the people from whom they are descended, the Makololo are a law-loving race, au manage their government by means of councils or parliaments, resembling the picliost the Bechuanas, and consisting of a number of individuals assembled iu a cirole round tli LAW-StlTS. 867 uure > ^],o occupies the middle. On one occasion, when there was a large halo round the \. Livingstone pointed it out to his chief boatman. The man immediately replied it was a parliament of the Barimo, ie. the gods, or departed spirits, who were Hiiibled round their chief, i.e. the sun. iFoT m^or crimes a picho is generally held, and the accused, if found guilty, is coh- Led to death. The usual mode of execution is for two men to grasp the condemned [|^ wrists, lead him a mile from the town, and then to spear him. Eesistance is not d neither is the criminal allowed to speak. So quietly is the whole proceeding on one very remarkable occasion, a rival chief was carried off within a few yards of riivinc^tone without his being aware of the fact. I Shortly after Sebituane's death, while his son Sekeletu was yet a young man of eighteen, I but newly raised to the throne, a rival named Mpepe, who had been appointed by Ittnane chief of a division of the tribe, aspired to the throne. He strengthened his etensions by superstition, having held for some years a host of incantations, at which a nber of native wizards assembled, and performed a number of enchantments so potent t even the strong-minded Sebituane was afraid of him. After the death of that great f Mpepe organized a conspiracy whereby he should be able to murder Sekeletu to take his throne. The plot, however, was discbvered, and on the night of its executioners came quietly to Mpepe's fire, took his wrists, led him out, and _ IWm. Sometimes the offender is taken into the river in a boat, strangled, and flung into the >r, where the crocodiles are waiting to receive him. Disobedience to the chief's mand is thought to be quite sufBlcient cause for such a punishment. To lesser ices fines are inflicted, a parliament not being needed, but the case being heard before > chief Dr. Livingstone rektes in a very graphic style the manner in which these cases > conducted. The complainant asks the man against whom he meaiis to lodge his complaint to ne with hiin to the chief This is never refused. When both are in the kotla, the stands up and states the whole case before the chief and people usually embled there. He stands a few seconds after he has done this to recollect if he has gotten anything. The witnesses to whom he has referred then rise up and tell all they themselves have seen or heard, but not anything that they have heard from rs. The defendant, after all'^wing some minutes to elapse, so that he may not kteirapt any of the opposite party, slowly rises, folds his cloak about him, and in the Lt quiet and deliberate way he can assume, yawning, blowing his nose, &c., begins to plain the affair, denying the charge or admitting it, as the case may be. "Sometimes, when galled by his remarks, the complainant utters a sentence of ent. Tlie accused turns quietly to him and says, ' Be silent, I sat still while you ^ere speaking. Cannot you do the same? Do you want to have it all to yourself?' nd. as the audience acquiesce in this bantering, and enforce silence, he goes ou until he I finished all he wishes to say in his defence. " If he has any witnesses to the truth of the facts of his defence, they give their vidence, No oath is administered, but occasionally, when a statement is questioned, a an will say, ' By my father,' or, ' By the chief, it is so.' Their truthfulness among each her is quite remarkable, but their system of government is such that Europeans are not I a position to realize it readily. A poor man will say in his defence against a rich one, |1 am astonished to hear a man so great as he make a false accusation,' as if the offence |if falsehood were felt to be one against the society which the individual referred to had " 3 greatest interest in upholding." When a case is brought before the king by chiefs or other influential men, it is fcxpected that the councillors who attend the royal presence shall give their opinions, and Ihe permission to do so is inferred whenever the king remains silent after having heard both parties. It is a point of etiquette that all the speakers stand except the king, who alone I the privilege of speaking while seated. There is even a series of game-laws in the country, all ivory belonging of right to the ng, and every tusk being brought to him. This right is, however, only nominal, as the Cf '11 M« :iiu.n.i 368 THE MAKOLOLO TRIBE. king is expected to share the ivory among his people, and if he did not do so, ho woqI be able to enforce the law. In fact, the whole law practically resolves itself into that the king gets one tusk and the hunters get the other, while the flesh belongs tot] who kill the animal. And, as the flesh is to the people far more valuably than ivory, the arrangement is much fairer than appears at first sight. Practically, it is a system of make-believes. The successful hunters kill two elepli taking four tusks to the king, and make believe to offer them for his acceptance makes believe to take them as his right, and then makes believe to present them two as a free gift from himself. They acknowledge the royal bounty with r^ |;^. Sfff 1 \ K ,f 1 { fit 1 ■•■ \ * 1 St -^ 1 Py." i > / mm Wt •*'^ i '^n ( m '^ it V , ; f -^i i r m I - - ^s^mf'^^'^ ohabaotbb — thikviiki — abilitt nr nsHiira -K^AlfOM— niPBAMT-OATOHIKO DBSB8— TBS MAKOBA TBIBB — TBXIB LOOAUTT — A MAKOBA CBrtf't BOOUBBT— IXILL IN MABAOZNO CAB0X8 — ZANOVBLLAH AMD BIB BOATS— HtPPOPOTAMVS BmnXO WITB THB OAMOB — MBVCTUBB OF THB HABPOON — THB BBRD-BAFT AND ITS VBM^ icFumnoMa— VLAKmio tbbbs— TBAnamaBATioN — thb pohoobo ado hh wivb. THE BATETE TfilBE As the Bayeye tribe ha^ been mentioned once or twice during the account of the Makololo, a few lines of notice will be given to them. Tbsiy originally inhabited the country about Lalce Ngami, but were conquered by another tribe, the Ibatoanas, and reduced to comparative sendom. The conquerors called them Bakoba, ie. serfs, but they themselves take the pretentious title of Ba^eye, or Hen. They attribute their defeat to the want of shields, though the superior discipline of their enemies had probably more to do with their victory than the mere fiust of poseessiog a shield. On one notable occasion, the Buyeye proved conclusively that the shield does not make the warrior. Their chief had taken the trouble to furnish them with shields, hoping to make soldiers of them. They received the gift with great joy, and loudly t)oasted of the prowess which they were going to show. Unfortunately for them, a mamnding partv of the Makololo came in sight, when the valiant warriors forgot all about their shields; jumped into their canoes, and paddled away day and night down the river, until they haa put a hundred miles or so between them and the dangerous spot. In general appearance, the Bayeye bear some resemblance to the Ovambo tribe, the complexion and general mould oi features being of a similar cast They seem to have retamed but few of their own characteristics, having accepted those of their conquerors, whose dress and general manners they have assumed. Their language bears some resemblance to that of the Ovambo tribe, but they have contrived to impart into it a few clicks which are evidently derived from the Hottentots. They are amusing and cheerful creatures, and as arrant thieves and liars as can well be found. If they can only have a pot on the fire full of meat, and a pipe, their happiness seems complete, and they will feast, dance, sing, smoke, and tell anecdotes all night long. Perhaps their thievishness is to be attributed to their servile condition. At all events, they will steal everything that is not too hot or heavy for them, and are singularly expert in their art Mr. Anderssen mentions that by degrees his Bayeye attendants contrived to steal nearly the whole of his stock of beads, and, as those articles are the money of Africa, 1%Z ^-M *' if., ^f2 Pi-'' 874 THE BAYEYE TRIBE BV ;,V ,; 'I f:t i ', k* their Iom wu equivalent to failure in hie journey. Accoraiugly, he divided tluM which were left into parcels, marked each separately, and put them away ia^ packages as usual. Just before the canoes landed for the night, he went on ihon and stood by the head of the first canoe while his servant opened the package, '^ Older to see if anythins had been stolen. Scarcely was the first package opened when the servant exclaimed that the Bayeye had been at it. The next move was to pment his double-barrelled gun at the native who was in chaige of the canoe, and threaten to blow out his brains if all the stolen property was not restored. At first the natives took to their arms, and appeared inclined to fight, but the tight of the ominous barrels, which they knew were in the habit of hitting their mark, proved too much for them, and they agreed to restore the beads provided that their conduct was not mentioned to their chief LechoUt^bd. The goods being restored, pardon was granted, with the remark that, if anythingwere stolen for the future, Mr. Andeissen wouM thcot the first man whom he saw. This threat was all-sufficient, and ever afterwards tli« Bayeye left his goods in peace. In former days the Bayeye used to be a bucolic nation, having large herds of cattle. Tliese, however, were all seized by their conquerors, who onlv permitted them to rear i few goats, which, however, they value less for the fiesh and milk than for the skins, which are converted into karosses. Fowls are also kept, but they are small, and not of a good breed. In consequence of the deprivation of their herds, the Bayeye are forced to live on the produce of the ground and the flesh of wild animals. Fortunately for them, theii country is particularly fertile, so that the women, who are the only practical agriculturisti have little trouble in tilling the soil A light hoe is the only instrument used, and with this the ground is scratched rather than dug, just before the rainy season; the seed, deposited almost at random immediately after the first rains have fiiillen. Pumpkins, melons, calabashes, and earth iruits are also cultivated, and tobacco is grown by energetic natives. There are alno several indigenous fniits, one of which, called the " moshoma," is largely used. The tree on which it grows is a very tall one, the trunk is very straight, and the lowermost branches are at a great height from the ground. The fruit can therefore only be gathered when it falls by its own ripeness. It is first dried in the sun, and then prepared for storage by being pounded in a wooden mortar. When used, it is mixed with water until it assumes a cream-like consistency. It is very sweet, almost as sweet as honey, which it much resembles in appearance. Those who an accustomed to its vae find it very nutritious, but to strangers it is at first unwholesome, being apt to derange the digestive system. The timber of the moshama-tree is useful, being mcstly employed in building canoes. The Bayeye are very ^ood huntsmen, and are remarkable for their skill in capturing fish, which they either pierce with spears or entangle in nets made of the fibres of a native aloe. These fibres are enormously strong, as indeed is the case with all the varieties of the aloe plant The nets are formed very ingeniously from other plants besides the aloe, such for example as the hibiscus, which grows plentifully on river banks, and moist places in general. The float-ropes, ie. those that carry the upper edge of the nets, are nmde from the "i{6" (JSanaeviere Angolentis), a plant that somewhat resembles the common water. flag of England. The floats themselves are formed of stems of a water-plant, which has the peculiarity of being hollow, and divided into cells, about an inch m length, by transverse valves. The mode in which the net is made is almost identical with that which is in use in England. The shaft of the spear which the Bayeye use in catching fish is made of a very light wood, so that, when the fish is struck, the shaft of the spear ascends to the surface, and discharges the double duty of tiring the wounded fish, and giving to the fisherman the means of lifting his finny prey out of the water. I^e Bayeye are not very particular as to their food, and not only eat the ten fishes which, as they boast, inhabit their rivers, but also kill and eat a certain water-snake, brown in colour and spotted with yellow, which is often seen undulating its devious MSlwl '^,f DRK88 AND ORNAMENTa [he divided tul H •^•y in 21 J8 went on ^k,,^! (ge opened whaf t but the right of I mark, proved toof r conduct was not I *°n WM gnnted Bsen woufd sheet »r afterwards tli«[ k^efdarfcattlJ ^ them to reari I --the skins, which id not of a sw breed to live on y(orthem,theip 'cal agriculturijti »t used, and with season; the seed^ lea Pumpkin J 'wn by eneijetic J "ino8honi8,"ij| ia very straight •Ine fruit can I irst dried in the IT. When used, j t is very sweet; Those who are 8t unwholesome, la-tree is useful, ill in capturing f the fibres of a se with all the aloe, such for moist places in are made from common water* jr-plant, which li in length, bj ^ical with that ise in catching % of the spear nded fish, and the ten fishes I water-snake, ig its devious LiRf« t/BtoM the river. It is rather a curions circumstance that, although the Bayeye Lve «> much on fish, and are even proud of the variety uf the finny tribe which their ffiten sfford them, the more southern Pechuanas not only refuse themselves to eat Lk bttt look with horror and disguat upon all who do so. Xhe canoes of the Bayeye are simply trunks of trees hollowed out As they are lot made for speed, but for use, elegance of shape is not at all considered If the tree Lnk which is destined to be hewn into a canoe happens to be straight, well and good. ]lat it sometimes has a bend, and in that case the canoe has a bend also. The Bayeye L pardonably fond of their canoes, not to say proud of them. As l)r. Livingstone well obierves, they regard their rude vessels as an Arab does his camel. " They have always jies in them, and prvfer sleeping in them when on a iourney to spending the nicht on iliorei ' On land you have lions, say they, ' serpents, hyeenas, as your enemies ; but in mar canoe, behind a bank of reeds, nothing can harm you.' " "Their submissive disposition leads to their villages being frequently visited by jtongry strangers. We had a pot on the fire in the canoe by the way, and when we drew near the villages devoured the contents. When fully satisfied ourselves, I found that ve could all look upon any intruders with much complaisance, and show the pot in proof of having devoured the last morsel." They are also expert at catching the larger animals in pitfalls, which they ingeniously dig along the banks of the rivers, so as to entrap the elephants and other animals as they come to drink at night lliey plant their pitfalls so closely together that it is icarcely possible for a he^ of elephants to escape altogether unharmed, as many as thirty or forty being sbmetimes dug in a row, and close together. Although the old and experienced elephants have learned to go in front of their comrades, and sound the earth for concealed traps, the great number of these treacherous pits often makes these precautions useless. The dress of the Bayeye is much the same as that of the Batoanas and their kinsfolk, namely, a skin wrapped round the waist, a kaross, and as many beads and other orna- ments as can be afforded Brass, copper, and iron are in great request as materials for ornaments, especially among the women, who display considerable taste in arranging and contrasting the colours of their simple jewellery. Sometimes a wealthy woman is so loaded with beads, rings, and other decorations, that as the chief Sechol^t^bi said, " they actually grunt under their burden " as they walk along. Their architecture is of the simplest description, and much resembles that of the Hottentots, the houses being mere skeletons of sticks covered with reed mats. Their amusements are as simple as their habitations. They are fond of dancing, and in their gestures they endeavour to imitate the movements of various wild Animal — their walk, their mode of feeding, their sports, and their battles. Of course they drink, smoke, and take snuff whenever they have the opportunity. The means for the first luxury they can themselves supply, making a sort of beer, on which, by drinking vast quantities, they manage to intoxicate themselves. Snuff-taking is essentially a manly practice, while smoking hemp seems to be principally followed by the women. Still, there are few men who will refuse a pipe of hemp, and perhaps no woman who will refuse snuff if offered to them. On the whole, setting aside their inveterate habits of stealing and lying, they are tolerably pleasant people, and their naturally cheerful and lively disposition causes the traveller to feel almost an affection for them, even though he is obliged to guard every portion of his property firom their nimble fingers. ■ ♦ I'r' I t»'f \%- 9, B .1. IS if f7G THE MAEOBA TBIBE. THE MAKOBA TBI6K ¥i4 Towards the east of Lake Ngami, there ia a river called the Bo-tlet-le, one end i which conunmiicates indirectly with the lake, and the other with a vast salt*paa consequence of this course is, that occasionally the river runs in two directions, we8i„« to the lake, and eastward to the salt-pan ; the stream which cau^ea this curious chm flowing into it somewhere about the middle. The people who inhabit this district L called Makoba, and, even if not allied to the Bayeye, have much in common with theiTl In costume and general appearance they bear some resemblance to the Bechu except that they are rather of a blacker complexion. The dress of the men sometimei consists of a snake-skin some six or seven feet in length, and five or six inches in vidtb The women wear a small square apron made of hide, ornamented round the edj^e viti small beads. Their character seems much on a par with that of most savages, namely, impulgiv^ irreflective, kir diy when not ci'ossed, revengeful when angered, and honest when thete i nothing to stjaL To judge from the behaviour of some of the Makoba men, thej an crafty, disuunest, and churiish ; while, if others are taken as a sample, they are simple, good-natured, and hospitable. Savages, indeed, cannot be judged by the same tests aal would be applied to civilized races, having the strength and craft of man with the moiall weakness of children. I The very same tribe, ana even the very same individuals, have obtained — asd deservell — exactly opposite characters from those who have known them well, one & WashaJ pereoni describing them as perfectly honest, and another as arrant cheats and thieves. Tlie fact! is, that savages have no moral feelings on the subject, not considering theft to be a nrinnjl nor honesty a virtue, so that they are honest or not, according to circumstances. Ibe| subjugated tribes about Lake Xgami are often honest from a very curious motive. They are so completely enslaved that they cannot even conceive the notion oil possessing property, knowing that their oppressors would take by force any article vMchl they happened to covet They are so completely cowed that food is the only kind of I property that they can appreciate, and they do not consider even that to be tiieir on I until it is eatea Consequently, they are honest because there would be no use in stealing But, when white men come and take them under their protection, the case is altered. | At first, they are honest for the reasons above mentioned, but when they begin to that they are paid for their services, and allowed to retain their wages, the idea of I property begins to enter their minds, and they desire to procure as much as they can Therefore, from being honest they become thieves. They naturally wish to obtain property without trauble, and, as they find that stealing is easier than working, they steal | accordingly, not attaching any moral guilt to taking the property of another, but lo on it in exactly the same light as hunting or fishing. Thus it is that the white man is often accused of demoralizing savages, and converting them from a simple anc honest race into a set of cheat? and thieves. Whereas, para- doxical as it may seem, the very development of roguery is a proof that the savages in question have not been demoralized, but have actually been raised in the social scale. Mr. Chapman's experiences of the Makoba tribe were anything but agreeable. They stole, and they lied, and they cheated him. He had a large cargo of ivory, and found that his oxen were getting weaker, and could not draw their costly load. So he appliei! to the Makoba for canoes, and found that they were perfectly aware of his distress, and were ready to take advantage of it, by demanding exorbitant sums, and robbing hioi whenever they could, knowing that he could not well proceed without their assistance. At last he succeeded in hiring a boat in which the main part of his caigo could be carried along the river. By one excuse and another the Makoba chief delayed the start until the light wagon had gone on past immediate recall, and then said that he really hi « t. CHABACTER OF THE MAKOBA. 877 not convey the ivory by boat, but that he would be very cenerons, and take hia ivoiy the river to the same side as the wagon. Presently, the traveller found that the bad contrived to open a tin-box in which he kept the beads that were his money, and stolen the most valuable kinds. As all the trade depended on the beads he saw that MJned measures were needful, presented his rifle at the breast of the chiefs son, ^ on board during the absence of his father, and assumed so menacing an aspect ) young man kicked aside a lump of mud, which is always plastered into the of the boats, and discovered some of the missing property. The rest was produced torn M mother spot by means of the same inducement. r, goon as the threatening muzzles were removed, he got on shore, and ran off with a ijitr that convinced Mr. Chapnian that some roguery was as yet undiscovered. On Qtingthe tusks it was found that the thief had stolen ivory as well as beads, but he J made such good use of his legs that he could not be overtaken, and the traveller had [pat np with hia loss as he best could. I let it would be unfair to give all the Makoba a bad character on accoiint of this dad They can be, and for the most part are, very pleasant men, as far as can be cted firom savages. Mr. Raines had no particular reason to complain of them, and jj to have liked them well enough. The Makoba are essentially a boatman tribe, being accustomed to their canoes from liest infancy, and being obliged to navigate them through the perpetual changes of ■ capricious river, which at one time is tolerably quiet, and at another is changed into iKries of whirling eddies and dangerous rapids, the former being aggravated by occaaiond mk-flov of the waters. The canoes are like the racing river-boats of our own country, enormously long in ioportion to their width, and appear to be so frail that thejr could hardly endure the tight of a single human being. Yet they are much less perilous than they look, and sir safety is as much owing to their construction as to the skill of their navigator. It [scaicely possible, without having seen the Makoba at work, to appreciate the wonderful P with which they manage their frail barks, and the enormous cargoes which they will ike safely through the rapids. It often happens that the waves break over the side, and ish into the canoe, so that, unless the water were baled out, down the vessel must go. The IfaJcoba, however, do not take the trouble to stop when engaged in baling out eir boats, nor do they use any tool for this purpose. When the canoe gets too full of et, the boatman goes to one end of it so as to depress it, and cause the water to nin bwuds him. With one foot he then kicks out the water, making it fly from his instep ! if from a rapidly-wielded scoop. In fact the canoe is to the Makoba what the camel is )the Atab, and the horse to the Comanches, and, however they may feel an inferiority on m, they are the masters when on board their canoes. The various warlike tribes which iRound them have proved their superiority on land, but when once they are fairly JBonched into the rapids of the river or the wild waves of the lake, the Makobas are uters of the situation, and the others are obliged to be very civil to them. One of the typical men of this tribe was Makdta, a petty chief, or headman of a illage. He was considered to be the best boatman and hunter on the river, especially istinguishing himself in the chase of the hippopotamus. The illustration on page 378 )from a sketch by Mr. Baines, who depicts forcibly the bold and graceful manner in irMch the Makobas manage their frail craft. The spot on which the sketch was taken is a portion of the Bo-tlet-le river, and shows be fragile nature of the canoes, as well as the sort of water through which the daring oatman will take them. The figure in the front of the canoe is a celebrated boatman nd hunter, named Zanguellah. He was so successful in the latter pursuit that his house nd court-yard were filled with the skulls of hippopotami which he had slain with his own hand. He is standing in the place of honour, and guiding his boat with a light but litrong pole. The other figure is that of his assistant He has been hunting up the river, jaod has killed two sable antelopes, which he is bringing home. The canoe is only fifteen lor sixteen feet long, and eighteen inches wide, and yet Zanguellah ventured to load it with Itvo laige and heavy antelopes, besides the weight of himself and assistant So small are 't 3^'^ - 378 THE MAK06A TRIBE. some of these canoes, that if a man sits in them, and places his hands on tJie side* I fingers jure in the water. ! The reeds that are seen on the left of the illustration are very characteristic of country. Wherever ttiey are seen the water is sure to be tolerably deep— say at leait 1 or five feet— and they grow to a great height, forming thick clumps some fifteen fee height It often happens that they are broken by the hippopotamus or other aqn creatures, and Uien tney lie recumbent on the water, with their heads pointing do^ u^^A' BOATINO SCSMS OH XBI SO-ILBI-UB aiV£& stream. When this is the case, they seem to grow ad Ubitum, inasmuch as the supports their weight, and the root still continues to supply nourishment In the background are seen two canoes propelled by paddles. The scene which i| here represented really occurred, and was rather a ludicrous one. The first canoe beloii| to the Makololo chief, M'Bopo, who was carrying Messrs. Baines and Chapman in I canocL He was essentially a gentleman, being free from the habit of constant heggi which makes so many savages disagreeable. He had been exceedingly useful to the wiii men, who intended to present him with beads as a recompense for his services. Iti happened that another chief, named Moskotlani, who was a thorough specimen of I' begging, pilfering, unpleasant native, suspected that his countryman might possiU procure beads from the white men, and wanted to have his share. So he stuck cla by M'Bopo's canoe, and watched it so jealously that no beads could pass vithoi his knowledge. However, Moskotlani had his paddle, and M'Bopo had his bead^l though they were given to him on shoxe^ vrhere his jealous compatriot could not 8e«tlii| transaction. SPEABINO THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 879 characteristic of ^P— say at least »«ome fifteen fe, JOS or other aq. Iw pointing dowii ands on the side^^ jUiu been mentioned tliat Mak&ta was a mighty hunter as well as an accomplished ^ and, indeed, great skill in the mana^ment of canoes is an absolute essential in ^ta^s ii^OFOTAMDS. In the front of the canoes is standing Makdta, about to plunge the harpoon intotl back of the hippopotamus, while his assistants are looking after the rope, and keepiigj themselves in readiness to paddle out of the way of the animal, should it make an attack, Perfect stillness is required for planting the haipoon properly, as, if a splash were made! in the water, or a sudden noise heard on land, the animals would take flight, and keep oatl of the way of the canoes. On the left is a clump ot the tall reeds which have already been mentioned, accom- panied by some papyrus. The huge trees seen on the bank are baobabs, which sometiiues attain the enormous girth of a hundred feet, and even more. The small white flowen that are floating on the surface of the water are the white lotus. They shine out veiy conspicuously on the bosom of the clear, deep-blue water, and sometimes occur in sncli numbers that they look like stars in the blue firmament, rather than mere flowers on the water. It is rather curious, by the way, that the Damaras, who are much more familiar with the land than the water, call the hippopotamus the Water Bhinoceros, whereas the Mlakoba, Batoka, and other tribes, who are more at home on the water, call the rhinoceros the Land Hippopotamus. Now comes the next scene in this savage and most exciting drama. Stung by the sudden and unexpected pang of the wound, the hippopotamus gives a convulsive spring, which shakes the head of the harpoon out of its socket, and leaves it only attached to the shaft by its many-stranded rope. At this period, the animal seldom shows fight, kt dashes down the stream at its full speed, only the upper part of its head and back ' DANGEBS OF HIPPOPOTAMUS HUNTING. 881 ichis: liSLi'^'^ tselves at liberjj harpoon into tiel «>pe, and keepiMl t make an attack! iplash Were madel ght, and keep ontl lentioned, accom.! w^hich sometimes I lU white floweul 1^ shine out vei7J 58 occur in finch I B flowers on tie I h more familiar ">s, whereaa tlie [ i the rhinoceros I Stung by the ivulsive spring attached to the ows fight, bat ind back beinj —I abore the (mrfitoe, and towing the canoe along as if it were a cork. Meanwhile, PJIipooner and his comrades hold tightly to the rope, paying out if necessary, and uf in whenever possihle— in fact, playing their |[igantic prey just as an angler playa • fish. Iheir object is twofold, first to tire the anunal, and then to get it into shaUow [^ for a hippopotamus in all its strength, and with the advantage of deep water, ['be too much even for these courageous hunters. The pace that the animal attains ling wonderfiil, and, on looking at its apparent!;' clumsy means of propulsion, the ,^ of its course is really astonishmg. fsometimes, but very rarely, it happens that the animal is so activa and fierce, that'the Lten are obliged to cast loose the rope, and make off as they best can. They do not, lerer, think of abandoning so valuable a pre^ — ^not to mention the haipoon and rope— imaiiage as well as they can to keep the ammal in sight. At the earUest opportunity, r paddle towards the wounded, and by this time weakened animal, and renew the |A« loeompaiqring illustration represents the fiuious rush of the hippopotamus. The [ Is sappoeed to be getting tired, and has rdaxed its headlong speea sufficiently to I the boatmen to haul in the lop^ and to bring themselves closer to their prey, so HiFFOFOCAinra XOWINQ THB CAN0& lias soon as they come into shallow water they may begin the final attack. The scene of his drawing is a part of the Bo-tlet-Ie river, just by a small village, which may be seen on he left baiLk. Close by the water's edge are seen some dwarf palms, and the river debris, irhich hang on the roots on the right of the drawing, show the height to which the river ill rise when the floods pour into it. The hippopotamus is most dangerous when he feels his strength failing, and with the nrage of despair dashes at the canoe. The hunters have then no child's play before em. Eegardless of everything but pain and futy, the animal rushes at the canoe, tries knock it to pieces by blows from his enormous head, or seizes the edge in his jaws, and ti out the side. Should he succeed in capsizing or destroying the canoe, the hunters an anxious time to pass ; for if the furious animal can gripe one of them in lys jaws, the curved, chisel-like teeth inflict certain death, and have been known to eut an nufortunate man fairly in two. Whenever the animal does succeed in upsetting or breaking the boat, the men have recourse to a curious expedient They dive to the Iwttom of the river, and grasp a stone, a root, or anything that will keep them below the surface, and hold on as long as their mifi wUl aUow them. The reason for this manoeuvre is, that when the animal has sent 882 THE MAKOBA TRIBE the otew into the river, it raises its head, as seen on page 380, and looks abcot onl surface for its enemies. It has no idea of foes beneath the surface, and if it doeg Zr anything that looks like a man, it makes off, and so allows the hunters to emeriMi drowned into the air. 'K^ i In order to keep off the animal, spears are freely used; some being thnut ttL hand, and others flung like javelins. They cannot, however, do much hann, vailmi should happen to enter the eye, which is so well protected by its bony penthoiueth is almost impregnable to anything except a bullet. The head is one huge mass of THE FINAL ATTACK. bone, so thick and hard that even fire-arms make little impression on it, except in onen two small spota The hunters, therefore, cannot expect to inflict any materi&l damage on the animal and only hope to deter it from charging by the pain which the spean can cartse. The last scene is now approaching, leaving effectually tired the animal, which is also weakened by loss of blood from the wound, and guided it into shallow water, several of the crew jump overboard, cany the end of the rope ashore, and pass it with a "double turn" round a tree. The fate of the animal is then sealed, binding itself suddenly checked in its course, it makes new efforts, and fights and struggles as if it were quite fresh. Despite the pain, it tries to tear itself away from the fatal cord ; but the rope is too strong to be broken, and the inch-thick hide of the hippopotamus holds the barb so firmly that even the enormous strength and weight of the animal cannot cause it to give way. Finding that a fierce pull in one direction is useless, it rushes in another, and so BAFT BUILDING. 883 «D« the rope, which is immediately hauled taiit4>y the hunters on shore, so that the J ii much shortened, and the animal brought nearer to the bank. Each struggle only Mtbe Bsme result, the hunters holdina the rope fast as long us there is a strain upon fai hauling it in as soon as it is slackened. The reader may easily see how this is done 1 watching a sailor make fast a steamer to the pier, a single man being able to resist the L of several tons. ^ goon aa the hippopotamus is hauled up close to the bank, anu *ws range of move- pti limited, the rope is made fast, and the hunters all combine for the tinal assault g^ with large, heavy, long-bladed spears, made for the express purpose, they boldly Iroach the infuriated animal, and hurl their weapons at him. Should the water be la beyond him, some of the hunters take to their canoes, and are able to attack the Jail with perfect security, because the rope which is affixed to the tree prevents him leaching them. At last, the unfortunate animal, literally worried to death by jaaoi wounds, none of which would be immediately fatal, succumbs to fatigue and J ol blood, and falls, never to rise again. Ilie iccompanying illnstmtion represents this, the most active and exciting scene of I tins. In the centre is the hippopotamus, who has been thriven into shallow water, t ii plangiDg abcmt in mingled rage and terror. With his terrible jaws he has already [the shaft of the harpoon, and is trying to bite the cords which secure the head to ithaft He has severed a few of them, but the others are lying entangled among his , ttid retain their hold. Some of the hunters have just carried the end of the rope and are going to pass it round the trunk of the tree ; while some of their com- lam boldly attacking the animal on foot, and others are coming up behind him leaijipes. Qt die Zambesi river, a harpoon is used which is made on a similar principle, but i]^ differs in several details of construction. the sluit is made of light wood, and acts as a float. The head fits into a socket, like Jilt which has already been mentioned ; but, instead of being secured to the shaft by a Inumber of small cords, it is fastened to one end of the long rope, the other end of which lis attached to the butt of the shaft When arranged for use, the rope is wound spirally liDaBd the shaft, which it covers completely. As soon as the hippopotamus is struck, the Ishaft is shaken from the head by the wounded animal's struggles, the rope is unwound, land the light shaft acts as a buoy, whereby the rope can be recovered, in case the hippo- Ipotamas should sever it, or the hunters should be obliged to cast it loose. I Sometimes these tribes, i.e. the Makololo, Bayeye, and others, use a singularly-ingenious I nil in this sport Nothing can be simpler than the construction of this raft A quantity of j leeds are cut down just above the surmce, and are thrown in a heap upon the water. More {reeds are then cut, and thrown crosswise upon the others, and so the natives proceed until I the raft is formed. No poles, beams, nor other supports, are used, neither are the reeds lashed together in bundles. Tliey are merely flung on the water, and left to entangle themselves into form. By degrees the lower reeds become soaked with wafer, and sink, so I that fresh material must be added above. Nothing can look more insecure or fragile than this rude reed-raft, end yet it is far safer than the canoe. It is, in fact, so strong that it allows a mast to be erected on it. A stout pole is mei'ely thrust into the centre of the reedy mass, and remains fixed without the assistance of stays. To this mast is fastened a long rope, by means of which th»raft can be mooi-ed when the voyagers wish to land. One great advantage of the raft is, the extreme ease with which it is made. Three or four skilful men can in the course of an hour build a raft which is strong enough to bear them and all their baggage. Tlie canoes are always kept fastened to the raft, so that the crew can go ashore when- ever they like, though they do not seem to tow or guide the raft, which is simply allowed to float down the stream, and steers itself without the aid of a rudder. Should it meet with any obstacle, it only swings round and disentangles itself; and the chief difficulty in its management is its aptitude to become entangled in overhanging branches. Such a raft as this is much used in the chase of the hippopotamus. It lOoks like a mere mass of reeds floating down the stream, and does not alarm the wary animal as 884 THE MAEOBA TRIBR much as a boat would be likely tc do.* When the natives use the raft in ptmoit of hippopotamus, they always haul their canoes upon it, so that they are ready to be launch in pursuit of the buoy as soon as the animal is struck. The same tribes use reeds if they wish to cross the river. They cut a quantity ot them, and throw them into the river as if thev were going to make a raft They then twjttl up some of the reeds at each comer, so as to look like simdl posts, and connect these po«ti| by means of sticks or long reeds, by way of bulwarks. In this primitive feiry-boat tliel man seats himself, and is able to cany as much luggage as he likes, the simple bulwaikil preventing it from falling overboard. I It is rather a strange thing that a Makololo cannot be induced to plant the nana) I tree, the men having imbibed the notion from other tribes among whom they had beral travelling. They are exceedingly fond of its fruit, as well they ma]^ be, it being excellent, and supplving the natives with food for several weeks, while it 'may be plucked in tolerable abundance during four months of the year. Yet all the trees are self-phnted, the natives believing that any one who plants one of these trees wiU soon die. This superstition is prevalent throughout the whole of this part of Africa, the Batoka being almost the only tribe among whom it does not prevail. I The Makololo have contrived to make themselves victims to a wonderful number of I superstitions. This is likely enough, seeing that they are essentially usurpers, having swept through a vast number of tribes, and settled themselves in the country of the vanquished. Now, there is nothing more contagious than superstition, and, in such a caie^ the superstitions of the conquered tribes are sure to be added to those of the victors. The idea that certain persons can change themselves into the forms of aninalii prevails among them. One of these potent conjurers came to Dr. livingstone's party; and began to shake and tremble in every limb as he approached. The Mak^olo explained that the Pondoro, as these men are called, smelled the gunpowder, and, on account of hU leonine habits, he was very much afhdd of it. The interpreter was asked to offer the Pondoro a bribe of a cloth to change himself into a lion forthwith, but the man declined to give the message, through genuine fear that the transformation might really take place. The Pondoro in question was really a clever man. He used to go off into the woods for a month at a time, during which period he was supposed to be a lion. His wife had built him a hut under the shade of a baobab tree, and used to bring him regular supplies of food and beer, his leonine appetite being supposed to be subsidiary to that which belonged to him as a human being. No one is allowed to enter this hut except the Pondoro and his wife, and not even the chief will venture so much as to rest his weapons against the baobab tree; and so strictly is this rule observed that the chief of the village wished to inflict a fine on some of Dr. Livingstone's party, because they had placed their guns against the sacred hut. Sometimes the Pondoro is believed to be hunting for the benefit of the village, catching and killing game as a lion, and then resuming his human form, and telling the people where the dead animal is lying. There is also among these tribes a belief that the spirits of departed chiefs enter the bodies of lions, and this belief may probably account for the fear which they feel when opposed to a lion, and their unwillingness to attack the animaL In Hvingstone's " Zambesi and its Tributaries," there is a passage which well illustrates the prevalence of this feeling. " On one occasion, when we had shot a buffalo in the path beyond the Kapie, a hungiy lion, attracted probably by the smell of the meat, came close to our camp, and roused up all hands by his roaring. Tuba Moroko (the ' Canoe-smasher ') imbued with the popular belief that the beast was a chief in disguise, scolded him roundly during his brief intervals of silence. 'You a chief 1 Eh! You call yourself a chief, do you? What kind of a chief are you, to come sneaking about in the dark, trying to steal our buffalo meat? Are you not ashamed of yourself? A pretty chief, truly ! You are like the scavenger-beetle, and think of yourself only. You have not the heart of a chief; why don't you kill your own beef! You must have a stone in your chest, and no heart at all, indeed.' " SPECIAL MEDICINES. 885 The^Canos-smasher" producing no effect by his impassioned ontery, the lion was iJdressed by another man named Malonga, the most sedate and taciturn of the party. •Inhia tflow, quiet way he expostulated with him on the improprie^ of such conduct to sinngers wno had never injured him. ' We were travellmg peaceably through the |Q)aDtTy hack to our own chief. We never killed people, nor stole anything. The buifalo- meal was ours, not his, and it did not become a great chief like him to be prowling about jathe dark, trying, like a hyena, to steal the meat of strangers. He might go and hunt fl)r himself, as there was plenty of game in the forest.' The Pondoro being deaf to reason, lod only roaring the louder, the men became angry, and threatened to send a ball through him if be did not go away. They snatched up their guns to shoot him, but he prudently kept in the dark, outside of the luminous circle made by our camp fires, and there they did not like to venture." Another superstition is very prevalent among these tribes. It is to the effect that ereiy animal is specially affected by an appropriate medicine. Ordinary medicines are prepared by the regular witch-doctors, of whom there are plenty ; but special medicines leqalre special professionals. One man, for example, takes as his specialty the pre- paiatioa of elephant medicine, and no hunter will go after the elephant without providing biaiself with some of. the potent medicine. Another makes crocodile medicine, the use of which is to protect its owner from the crocodile. On one occasion, when the white nen had shot a crocodile as it lay basking in the sun, the doctors came in wrath, and remonstrated with their visitors for shooting an animal which they looked upon as their ipecial property. On another occasion, when a baited hook was laid for the crocodile, the docton removed the bait, partly because it was a dog, and they preferred to eat it them- idves, and partly because any diminution in the number of crocodiles would cause a corresponding loss of fees. Then since the introduction of firearms there are gun-doctors, who make medicines that enable the gun to shoot straight. Sulphur is the usual gun-medicine, and is mostly administered by making little incisions in the hands, and rubbing the sulphur into them. Magic dice are also used, and are chiefly employed for the discovery of thieves. Even the white men have come to believe in the efficacy of the dice, and the native conjuror isGODSolted as often by the Portuguese as by his own countrymea ■.If. •'I'f. TOLL 00 m CHAPTER XXXIV. THE BATOKA AND MANGANJA TBIBES. ' .( i-'^ M- ' ,1 m M •I ill 'k,t'% hOOALm OF THB 9 \TOKA— THBIR OENKBAL APFBABANOB Ain> DBKS8 — THKIB SKILL AS BOATintN^ THE BABNOA-PRZI, OB 00-NAKKU8 — AORICULTUBB— MOOK OF HUNTING — MUSICAL INITBUlUDin WAB CUSTOMS THK MANOANJA TRIBK — OOVKRNMBNT — INDUBTBY OP BOTH 8F.XE8— BALUTiTIOK — DBRSB — ^THB PKLELE, OB LIP-BINQ — TATTOOINQ — WANT OF CLEANLINESS — BBEB-BBRWIMO AJCD DBINKINO — ^RXCHANQINO NAMX8 — 8UPBBBT1TI0N8 — FUNBBAL AND MOVBNINO. SoMEWHKKE about lat. IT* S. and long. 27° E. is a tribe called the Batoka, or Batonga, of which there are two distinct varieties ; of whom those who live on low-lying ijmds such as the banks of the Zambesi, are very dark, and somewhat resemble the negro u appearance, while those of the higher lands are light brown, much of the same hue a ciije aa lait. Their character seems to differ with their complexions, the former variet) being dull, stupid, and intractable, while the latter are comparatively intellectual. They do rioc improve their personal appearance by an odd habit of depriving them- selves of their two upper incisor teeth. The want of these teeth makes the corresponding incisors of the lower jaw project outwards, and to force the lip with them ; so that even in youth they ail have an aged expression of countenance. Knocking out these teeth is part of a ceremony which is practised on both <»Bexes when they are admitted into the ranks of men and women, and is probably the remains of some religious rite. The reason which they give is absurd enough, namely, that they like to resemble oxen, which have no upper incisors, and not to have all their teeth like zebras. It is probable, however, that this statement may be merely intended as an evasion of' questions which they think themselves bound to parry, but which nqiay also have reference tu the extreme veneration for oxen which prevails in an African's mind. In spite of its disfiguring effect, the custom is universal among the various sub-trihes of which the Batoka are composed, and not even the definite commands of the chief him* self, nor the threats of punishment, could induce the people to forego it. Girls and lads would suddenly make their appearance without their teeth, and no amount of questioning could induce them to state when, and by whom, they were knocked out Fourteen or fifteen is the usual age for performing the operation. Their dress is not a little remarkable, especially the mode in which some of them arrange their hair. The hair on the top of the head is drawn and plastered together in a circle some six or seven inches in diameter. By dint of careful training, and plenty of grease and other appliances, it is at last formed into a cone some eight or ten inches in height, and slightly leaning forward. In some cases the cona is of wonderful height, the head-man of a Batoka village wearing one which was trained into a long spike which projected a full yard from ms head, and which must have caused him con* siderable inconveniencei In this case other materials were evidently mixed \rith the HEAD-DRESS. 387 ,• and it is said that the long hair of various animals is often added, so as to mingle ji' the real growth, and aid in raising the edifice. Around the edges of this cone , hair i> siiaven closely, so that the appearance of the head is very remarkable, and j,«whftt ludicrous. The figures of the accompanying illustration are portraits by Mr. Baines. Mantanyani, ^man ^vl>o is sitting on the edge of the boat, was a rather remarkable man. He really lelongs to the Butoka tribe, though ho was thought at first to be one of the Makololo. i^rbaps he tliought it better to assume the menioership of the victorious than the con- tribe. This was certainly the case with many of the men who, like Mantanyani, ,j. BATOKA HEX. ompanied Dr. Livingstone. He was a singularly skilful boatman, and managed an ordi« buy whaling boat as easily as one of his own canoes. The ornament which he wears in hi« hair is a comb made of bamboo. It was not manufactured by himself, but was taken trom Shimbesi's tribe on the Shire, or Sheereh, river. He.nnd his companions forced the boat up the many rapids, and, on being inteirogated as to the danger, he said that he had DO fears, for that he could swim like a fish, and that if by any mischance he should allow Mr. Baines to fall overboard and be drowned, he should never dare to show his lace to Dr. Livingstone again. * Mr. Baines remarks in his MS. notes, that Mantanyani ought to have made a good ailor, for he was not only an adept at the management of boats, but could appreciate ^um as well as any British tar. It so happened that at night, aiter the day's boating was bver, grog was served out to the men, and yet for two or three nights Mantanyani would ot touch it, Accordingly one night the following colloquy took place : — cc2 8«S THE BATOKA AND MANOANJA TRIBES. " i. ■ t^y 4 ti \ »- - * Muntanyani, non quero grog ? " (i e. Cannot you take grog 1) •• Non quero." (I ctiniiot.) " Porquoi non quero grog t " (Why cannot vou take grog T) " Qaratfa poco, Zambesi uiunta." (The bottle ia little and the Zambesi is big.) The hint was taken, and rum unuiixud with water was ott'eiod to Mantanyani ti drank it off like a sailor. A spirited account of the skill of the natives in managing canoes is given in Zambesi and its Tributaries." The cHUoe belonged to a niun numed Tuba-Mokoro , the " Ctinoe-smasher," a rather ominous, but apparently undeserved, title, iunsniucl) m \ proved to be a most skilful and steady boatman. He seemed alno to be niodiHt, for ] took no credit to himself for his managf^ment, but attri\^uted his succ^oss entirely to] certain charm or medicine which he hud, und which he kept a profound fiecrct. lie wJ employed to take the party through the rapids to an island close to the ed^e of the mu Mosi-oa-tunya, i.e. Smoke Sounding Falls, now called the Victoria Falls. Tliig isia can only be reached when the water happens to be very low, and, even in that case, noni but the most experienced boatmen can venture so near to the Full, which is doubie depth of Niagara, and a mile in width, formed entirely by a vast and sudden rift iu tU basaltic bed of the Zambesi. " Before entering the race of water, we were requested not to speak, as our talkinj might diminish the value of the medicine, and no one with such boiling e^'lyingroiiidf before his eyes would think of disobeying the orders of a ' canoe-smasher.' It soon becanJ evident that there was sound sense in the request of Tuba's, though the reason ossigne] was not unlike that of the canoe man from Sesheke, who begged one of our party uoi; i whistle, because whistling made the wind come. " It was the duty of the man at the bow to look out ahead for the proper course, sni when he saw a rock or a snag to call out to the steersman. Tuba doubtless thought thai talking on board might divert the attention of his steersman at a time when the neglecj of an order, or a slight mistake, would be sure to s])ill us all into the chafing river. Then were places where the ntmost exertions of both men had to be put •forth in order to foic tlie canoe to the only safe part of the rapid and to prevent it from sweeping bn on, when in a twinkling we should have found ourselves amons the plotuses and cor^ morants which were engaged in diving for their breakfast of sumlT fish. " At times it seemed as if nothing could save us from dashing in our headlong nrel against the rocks, which, now that the river was low, jutted out of the water ; but, just at Ihel very nick of time, Tuba passed the word to the steersman, and then, with ready pole, tumedl the canoe a little aside, and we glided swiftly past the threatened danger. Kever wasl canoe more admirably managed. Oace only did the medicine seem to nave lost some-f thing of its etficacv. " We were driving swiftly down, a black rock over which the white foam flew directly in our path, the pole was planted against it as readily as ever, but it slippd justl as Tuba put forth his strength to turn the bow off. We struck hard, and were half full of| water in a moment. Tuba recovered himself as speedily, shoved off the bow, and shot I canoe into a still, shallow place, to bale the water out. He gave us to iinderstaiid that I it was not the medicine which was at faxM—that had lost none of its virtue; tlie accident was owing to Tuba having started without his breakfast. Need it le said that | we never let Tuba go without that meal again." Among them there is a body of men called in their own language the " Baenda-pezi," I i.e. the Go-nakeds. These men never wear an atom of any kind of clothing, but are entirely naked, their only coat being one of red ochre. ' These Baenda-pezi are rather a remarkable set of men, and why they should voluo. tarily live without clothing is not very evident. Some travellers think that they aw a j separate order among tlie Batoka, but this is not at all certain. It is not that they are devoid of vanity, for they are extremely fond of ornaments upon their heads, which they dress in various fantastic ways. The conical style has already been mentioned, but they have many other fashions. One of their favourite modes is, to plait a fillet of bark, some two inches wide, and tie it round the head in diadem fashion. They tiien rub grease and POUTENESa 889 besi is big.) Mantanyani, : » U given in -'h ; Tuba-M.,k„ro , "9, lunsniucliMi ' "e D'odfut, for ]• '^•f'osa entirely tol Id fiecret, lig J '^^Ws- Tills iaia, I in tliot case. noJ ''ic 1 18 douMe til sudden ndiui eak, as our tftlkj >r. Itsoonbecaml ne reason assimel « our party uot i proper course, ani tlcM tliouglit ty 3wlientlieneglecj lonng river, fhf^ ninordertofoK* weeping broadsidj plotuaes and cor4 )ur iieaajong raoej Br;but,ju8tatth(^ ready pole, turned nger. Never wmI ' have lost some{ te foam flew Jajl ut it slipped justi were half full of) low, and shot the f ijnderstaiid thatf its virtue; tlie it be said tJiat | "Baenda-pczi," lotliing, but are | 7 should volua that they are a t that they are I ds, whicli they oned, but they I of bark, some rub grease and ioehra plentifully into the hair, and faiten it to the fillet, which it completely coven. , head being then shaved as far as the edgu of the fillet, the native looks as if he were iring * red, polished forage-cap. Bingt of iron wire and beads are wont round the arms ; and a fashionable member of iji order thinks himself scarcely fit for socinty unless he carries a pipe and a small pair if iion tongs, with which to lift a coal from th» fire and kindle his pipe, the stem of which k often ornamented by being bound with polished irun wire. The Baenda-pezi seem to be om devoid of the sense of shame as their bodies are of ering. They could not in the leas' be made in Kee that they ought to wear clothing, „ quite laughed at the absurdity ot uuch an idea ; evidently looking on a proposal 'fear clothing much as we should entertain a request to dress ourselves in plate moor. The pipe is in constant requisition among these men, who are seldom seen without lipipe in their mouths, and never wiihout it in thoir possession. Yet, whenever they BATOK.'. SALUTATIOX. enmeinto the presence of their white visitors, they always asked peiinission before lighting their pipes, an innate politeness being strong within them. Their tobacco is exc«edingly powerful, and on that account is much valued by other tribes, who will travel great distances to purchase it from the Batoka. It is also very cheap, a few beads purchasing a sufficient quantity to last even these inveterat'C smokers for six months. Their mode of smoking is very peculiar. They first take a whiff after the usual manner, and puff out the smoke, fiat, when they have expelled nearly the whole of the smoke, they make a kind of catch at the last tiny wreath, and swallow it. This they are pleased to consider the very essence or spirit of the tobacco, which is lost if the smnke is exhaled in the usual manner. The Batoka are a polite people 'in their way, though they have rather an odd method of expressing their feelings. Tlie ordinary mode of salutation is for the women to clap their hands and produce that ululating sound which has already been mentioned, and for the men to stoop and clap their hands on their hips. But, when they wish to be especially respectful, they have another mode of salutation. They throw themselves on their backs, and roll from side to side, slapping the outside of their thighs vigoiously, and calling out " Kina-bomba ! kina-bomba 1" with great energy. ";> l^i ■■'. 1 ii fel i-1 ^-1 i,;iii If' • t , 390 THE BATOKA TRIBE Dr. Livingstone says that he never could accustom his eyes to like the spectacle of <. naked men wallowing on their backs and slapping themselves, and tried to stop thel They, however, always thought that he was not satisfied with the heartiness of his reced tion, and so rolled about and slapped themselves all the more vigorously. This roliy and slapping seems to be reserved for the welcoming of great men, and, of course, whenera the Batoka present themselves before the chief, tho performance is doubly vigorous. ] When a gift is presented, it is etiquette for the donor to hold the present in one hanJ and to slap the thigh with the othe::', as he approaches the person to whom he is about tl give it. He then delivers the gift, claps his hands together, sits down, and then stiika his thighs with both hands. The same formalities are observed when a return gift is pm sented ; and so tenacious are they of this branch of etiquette, that it is taught regulaiM to children by their parents. 1 They are an industrious people, cultivating wonderfully large tracts of land will the simple but effective hoe of their country. With this hoe, which looks something likJ a large adze, they not only break up the ground, but perform other tasks of less important such as smoothing the earth as a foundation for their beds. Some of these fields are i large, that the traveller may walk for hours through the native corn, and scarcely cornel upon an uncultivated spot. The quantity of com which is grown is very large, and th^ natives make such numbers of granaries, that their villages seem to be far more populou than is really the case. Plenty, in consequence, reigns among this people. But it is al rather remarkable fact that, in spite of the vast quantities of grain which they produce,! they cannot keep it in store. The corn has too many enemies. In the first place, the neighbouring tribes are aptl send out marauding parties, who prefer stealing the com which their industrious neigh-l hours have grown and stored to cultivating the ground for themselvea Mice, too, are) yjry injurious to the corn. But against these two enemies the Batoka can tolerably guard, [ by tying up quantities of corn in bundles of grass, plastering them over with clay, and I hiding them in the low sand islands left by the subsiding waters of the Zambesi But tbel worst of all enemies is' the native weevil, an insect so small that no precautions are available against its ravages, and which, as we too often find in this country, destroys an enormous amount of corn in a very short time. It is impossible for the Batoka to pre- serve their com more than a year, and it is as much as they can do to make it last until the next crop is ready. As, therefore, the whole of the annual crop must be consumed by themselves or the weevil, they prefer the former, and what they cannot eat they make into beer, which they brew in large quantities, and drink abundantly; yet they seldom, if ever, intoxicate] themselves, in spite of the quantities which they consume. This beer is called by them either " boala" or " pombe," just as we speak of beer or ale ; and it is sweet in flavour, with just enough acidity to render it agreeable. Even Europeans soon come to like it, and its effect on the natives is to make them plump and well nourished. The Batoka do not content themselves with simply growing com and vegetables, but even plant fruit and oil-bearing trees — a practice which is not found among the other tribes. Possibly on account of the plenty with which their land is blessed, they are a most hospitable race of men, always glad to see guests, and receiving them in the kindest manner. If a traveller passes through a village, he is continually hailed from the various huts with invitations to eat and drink, while the men welcome the visitor by clapping their hands, and the women by " luUilooing." They even feel pained if the stranger passes the village without being entertained. When he halts in a village for the night, the inhabitants turn out to make him comfortable ; some running to fetch firewood, others bringing jars of water, while some engage themselves in preparing the bed, and erecting a fence to keep off the wind. They are skilful and fearless hunters, and are not afraid even of the elephant or buffalo, going up closely to these formidable animals, and killing them with large spears. A complete system of game-laws is in operation among the Batoka, not for the purpose of prohibiting the chase of certain game, but in order to settle the disposal of the game when killed. Among them, the man who inflicts the first wound on an animal has the right to ORDEAL OF THE MUAVE 891 = 1 _ spoil, no matter how trifling may be the wound which he inflicts. In case he does jot kill the animal himself, he is boand to give to the hunter who inflicts the fatal [ound both legs of one side." As to the laws which regulate ordinary life, there is but little that calls for special iticc, except a sort of ordeal for which they have a great veneration. This is called the loideal of the Muave, and is analogous to the corsned and similar ordeals of the early ages fthis country. The drea' of witchcraft is very strong here, as in other parts of Southern Jftica; bat among the Ba ka the accused has the opportunity of clearing himself by Idritiking a poisonous preparation called muave. Sometimes tLe accused dies fix>m the Idraugiit, and in that case his guilt is clear ; but in others the poison acts as an emetic, Ifbich is supposed to prove his innocence, the poison linding no congenial evil in the body, lind therefore being rejected. No one seems to be free from such an accusation, as is clear from Dr. Livingstone's liccount : " Kear the confluence of the Kapoe the Mambo, or chief, with some of his head- linen, came to our sleeping-place with a present. Their foreheads were smeared witn white and an unusual seriousness marked their demeanour. Shortly before our arrival Ithey had been accused of witchcraft : conscious of innocence, they accepted the ordeal, laad undertook to drink the poisoned mu; ve. For this purpose they made a journey to I the sacred hill of Nehomokela, on which repose the bodies of their ancestors, and, after a iBolemn appeal to the unseen spirit to attest the innocence of their children, they swallowed I the muave, vomited, and were therefore declared not guilty. " It is evident that they believe that the soul has a continued existence, and that I the spirits of the departed know what those they have left behind are doing, and are d or not, according as their deeds are good or evil. This belief is universal. The I owner of a large canoe refused to sell it because it belonged to the spirit of his father, who helped him when he killed the hippopotamus. Another, when the bargain for his canoe was nearly completed, seeing a large serpent on a branch of a tree overhead, refused to complete the sale, alleging that this was the spirit of his father, come to protest I against it." Some of the Batoka believe that a medicine could be prepared which would cure the I hite of the tsotse, that small but terrible fly which makes such destruction among the cattle, but has no hurtful influence on mankind. This medicine was discovered by a chief, whose son Moyara showed it to Dr. Livingstone. It consisted chiefly of a plant, which was apparently new to botanical science. The root was peeled, and the peel sliced and reduced to powder, together with a dozen or two of the tsetse themselves. The remainder I of the plant is also dried. When an animal shows symptoms of being bitten by the tsetse, some of the powder is administered to the animal, and the rest of the dried plant is burned under it so as to fumigate it thoroughly. Moyara did not assert that the remedy wiw infallible, but only stated that if a herd of cattle were to stray into a district infested with the tsetse, some of them would be saved by the use of the medicine, whereas they would all die without it. The Batoka are fond of using a musical instrument that prevails, with some modifica- tions, over a considerable portion of Central Africa. In its simplest form it consists of a board, on which are fixed a number of flat wooden strips, which, when pressed down and suddenly released, produce a kiuc" of musical tone. In fact, the principle of the sansa is exactly that of our musical-boxes, the only difference being that the teeth, or keys, of our instrument are steel, and that they are sounded by little pegs, and not by the fingers. Even among this one tribe there are great differences in the formation of the sansa. The best and most elaborate form is that which is shown on page 392. The sounding- board of the sansa is hollow, in order to increase the resonance ; and the keys are made oi iron instead of wood, so that a really musical sound is produced. Moreover, the instru- jjient is enclosed in a hollow calabash, for the purpose of intensifying the sound ; and both the sansa and the calabash are furnished with bits of steel and tin, which make a Jingling accompaniment to the music. The calabash is generally covered with carvings. » hen the sansa is used, it is held with the hollow or ornamented end towards the player, 3D2 THE BATOKA TRIBEL I 11 and the keys are struck with the thumbs, the rest of the hand being occupied in bo}( the instrument. This curious instrument is used in accompanying songs. Dr. Livingstone mentia that a genuine native poet attached himself to the party, and composed a poem in honoi of the white men, singing it whenever they halted, and accompanying himself on tb sansa. At first, as he did not know very much about his subject, he modestly curtailei his poem, but extended it day by day, until at last it became quite a long ode. There wai an evident rhythm in it, each line consisting of five syllables. Another native poetvu, in the habit of solacing himself every evening with an extempore song, in which ^ enumerated everything that the white men had done. He was not so accomplished i Eoet as his brother improvisatore, and occasionally found words to fail him. Howevei is sansa helped him when he was at a loss for a word, just as the piano helps on an unskilful singer when at loss for a note. The specimen c the sansa given in the illustretioj is in the collection of Colon Lane Fox. They have several musicalin struments beside the sansa. Ond is called the marimba, and is ii fact a simple sort of bannonicon] the place of the glass or neti keys being supplied by strips oq hard wood fixed on a frame. Ti( strips are large at one end of tbel instrument, and diminish r^- THE BANSA. larly towards the other. Unda each of the wooden keys is fixedl a hollow gouid, or calabash, thel object of which is to increase the resonance. Two sticks of hard wood are used foil sinking the keys, and a skilful performer really handles them with wonderful agility. Simple as is this instrument, pleasing sounds can be. produced from it. It has eveni been introduced into England, under the name of " xylophone," and, when played by al dexterous and energetic performer, really produces eftects that could hardly have heenl expected from it. The sounds are, of course, deficient in musical tone ; but still tbel various notes can be obtained with tolerable accuracy by trimming the wooden keys tol the proper dimensions. A similar instrument is made with strips of stone, the sounds of | which are superior to those produced by the wooden bars. The Batoka are remarkable for their clannish feeling ; and when a large party are I travelling in company, those of one tribe always keep together, and assist each other in I every difficulty. Also, if they should happen to come upon a village or dwelling belonging j to one of their own tribe, they are sure of a welcome and plentiful hospitality. The Batoka appear from all accounts to be rather a contentious people, quarrelsome at I home, and sometimes extending their strife to other villages. In domestic fights -u. in | combats between inhabitants of the same village — the antagonists are careful not to i fatal injuries. But when village fights against village, as is sometimes the case, the 1 on both sides may be considerable. The result of such a battle would be exceedingly I disagreeable, as the two villages would always be in a state of deadly feud, and an | inhabitant of one would not dare to go near the other. The Batoka, however, have invented a plan by which the feud is stopped. When the I victors have driven their opponents off the field, they take the body of one of the dead warriors, quarter it, and perform a series of ceremonies over it. This appears to be a kind of challenge that they are niastei's of the field. The conquered party acknowledge their defeat by sending a deputation to ask for the body of their comrade, and, when they receive it, they go through the same ceremonies ; after which peace is supposed to be restored, and the inhabitants of the villages may visit each other in safety. •MODE OF GOVERNMENT. 893 > m Dr. Livingstone's informant further said, that vhen a warrior had slain an enemy, I took the head, and placed it on an ant-hill, until all the llesh was taken from the nes. He then i-emoved the lower jaw, and wore it as a trophy. He did not see one of (ge trophies worn, and evidently thinks that the above account may be inaccurate in ne places, as it was given through an interpreter ; and it is very- possible that both the interpreter and the Batoka might have invented a tale for the occasion. The account of jlie pacificatory ceremonies really seems to be too consistent with itself to be falsehood ; lliiit the wearing of the enemy's jaw, uncorroborated by a single example, seems to be Igither doubtful I Indeed, Dr. Livingstone expressly warns the reader against receiving with implicit llielief accounts that are given by a native African. The dark interlocutor amiably desires L please, and, having no conception of truth as a principle, says exactly what he thinks Ifill be most acceptable to the great white chief, on whom he looks as a sort of erratic Inpenatural being. Ask a native whether the mountains in his own district are lofty, or Ifhether gold is found there, and he will assuredly answer i^" the affirmative. Sd he will ■if he be asked whether unicorns live in his country, or whether he knows of a race of I tailed men, being only anxious to please, and not thinking that the tnith or falsehood of I the answer can be of the least consequence. If the white sportsman shoots at an animal, hod makes a palpable miss, his dusky attendants are sure to say that the bullet went I through the animal's heart, and that it only bounded away for a short distance. "He is I oar father," say the natives, "and he would be displeased if we told him that he had missed." It is even worse with the slaves, who are often used as interpreters; and it is hardly possible to induce them to interpret with any modicum of trutL THE MANGANJA TRIBE. On the Ri^er Shire (pronounced Pheereh), a northern tributary of the Zambesi, there is a rather curious tribe called the Manganja. The country which they inhabit is well and My watered, abounding in clear and cool streams, which do not dry up even in the dry season. Pasturage is consequently abundant, and yet the people do not trouble them- selves about cattle, allowing to lie unused tracts of land which would feed vast herds of oxen, not to mention sheep and goats. Their mode of government is mther curious, and yet simple. The country is divided into a number of districts, the head of which goes by the title of Rundo. A great number of villages are under the command of each Rundo, though each of the divisions is inde- pendent of the others, and they do not acknowledge one common "chief or king. The chieftainship is not restricted to the male sex, as in one of the districts a woman named Nyango was the Rundo, and exercised her authority judiciously, by improving the social status of the women throughout her dominions. An animal tribute is paid to the Rundo by each village, mostly consisting of one tusk of each elephant killed, and he in return is bound to assist and protegt them should they be threatened or attacked. The Manganjas are an industrious race, being good workers in metal, especially iron, growing cotton, making baskets, and cultivating the ground, in which occupRtion both sexes equally share ; and it is a pleasant thing to see men, women, and children all at work together in the fields, with perhaps the baby lying asleep in the shadow of a bush. They clear the forest ground exactly as is done in America, cutting down the trees with their axes, piling up the branches and trunks in heaps, burning them, and scattering m THE MANGANJA TBIBK m &.... i-. the ashes over the ground by way of manure. The stumps are left to rot in the grouJ and the com is sown among them. Grass-land is cleared in a different manner. T]J grass in that country is enormously thick and long. The cultivator gathers a buudle int] his hands, twists the ends together, and ties them ii^ a knot He then cuts the roots witM his adze-like hoe, so as to leave the bunch of grass still standing, like a sheaf of whead When a field has been entirely cut, it looks to a stranger as if it were in harvest, M bundles of grass standing at intervals like the grain shocks. Just before the rainy seasol comes on the bundles are fired, the ashes are roughly dug into the soil, and an abundanl harvest is the result | The cotton is prepared after a very simple and slow fashio^, the fibre being picked bJ hand, drawn out into a " roving," partially twisted, and then rolled up into a ball. It »■ the opinion of those who have had practical experience of this cotton, that, if the natives! could be induced to plant and dress it in large quantities, an enormous market might lei found for it. The " staple," or fibre, of this cotton is not so long as that which comesl from America, and has a harsh, woolly feeling in the hand. But, as it is very strong, audi the fabrics made from it are very durable, the natives prefer it to the foreign plant,! Almost every Manganja family of importance has its own little cotton patch, from half! an acre to an acre in size, which is kept carefulljr tended, and free from weeds. I The loom in which they weave their simple cloth is very rude, and is one of the I primitive forms of a weaver's apparatus. It is placed horizontally, and not vertically, and the weaver has to squat on the ground when engaged in his work. The shuttle is a mere I stick, with the thread wound spirally round it, and, when it is passed between the crossed threads of the warp, the warp is beaten into its place with a flat stick. They are a hospitable people, and have a well-understood code of ceremony in the reception of strangers. In each village there is a spot called the Boala, ie. a space of about thirty or forty yards diameter, which is sheltered by baobab, or other spreading trees, and which is always kept neat and clean. This is chiefly used as a place where the basket-makers and others who are engaged in sedentary occupations cau work in company, end also serves as a meeting-place in evenings, where they sing, dance, smoke, and drink beer after the toils of the day. As soon as a stranger enters a village, he is conducted to the Boala, where he takes his seat on the mats that are spread for him, and awaits the coming of the chief man of I the village. As soon as he makes his appearance, his people welcome him by clapping their hands in unison, and continue this salutation until he has taken hjs seat, accompanied by his councillors. " Our guides," writes Livingstone, " then sit down in front of the chief and his councillors, and ooth parties lean forward, looking earnestly at each other. The chief repeats a word, such as ' Ambuiata ' (our father, or master), or ' Moio ' (life), and all clap their hands. Another word is followed by two claps, a third by still more clapping, when each touches the ground with both hands placed together. Then all rise, and lean forward with measured clap, and sit down again with clap, clap, clap, fainter and still fainter, until the last dies away, or is brought to an end, by a smart loud clap from the chief. They keep perfect time in this species of court etiquette." This curious salutation is valued very highly, and the people are carefully instructed in it from childhood. The chief guide of the stranger party then addresses the chief, and tells him about his visitors — who they are, why they have come, &c. ; and mostly does so in a kind of blank verse — the power of improvising a poetical narrative being valued as highly as the court salutations, and sedulously cultivated by all of any pretensions to station. It is rather amusing at first to the traveller to find that, if he should happen to inquire his way at a hut, his own guide addresses the owner of the hut in blank verse, and is an.swered in the same fashion. The dress of this tribe is rather peculiar, the head being the chief part of the person which is decorated. Some of the men save themselves the trouble of dressing their hair by shaving it off entirely, but a greater number take a pride in decorating it in various waya The head-dress which seems to be most admired is that in which the hair is trained to resemble the horns of the buffalo. This is done by taking two pieces of hide while they are wet and pliable, and bending them into the required shape. When the two ■U^' THE "PELELE.' S95 Ivims are dry and hard, tHey are fastened on the head, and the hair is trained over thein, L] fixed in its place by grease and clay. Sometimes only one horn is used, which pro- Ijects immediately over the forehead; but the double horn is the form which is most IpTogue. Others divide their hair into numerous tufts, and separate them by winding round each .i a thin bandage, made of the inner bark of a tree, so that they radiate from the head in 1^ directions, and produce an efl'ect which is much valued by this simple race. Some liltaT the hair together towards the back of the head, and train it so as to hang down Itheir backs in a shape closely resembling the pigtail which was so fashionable an orna- lineDt of the British sailor in Nelson's time. Others, again, allow the hair to grow much L nature formed it, but train it to grow in heavy masses all round their heads. I The women are equally fastidious with the men, but havd in addition a most iBiigalar ornament called the " pelele." This is a ring that is not fixed into the ear or nose, but into the upper lip, and gives to J wearer an appearance that is most repulsive to an European. The pelele is a ring Iffiide of ivory, metal, or bamboo, nearly an inch in thickness, and variable in diameter, -■ m PELELB. OB LIF-RIUO. sometimes measuring two inches across. When the girl is very young, the upper lip is pierced close to the nose, and a small pin inserted to prevent the orifice from closing. vVhen the wound is healed, the small pin is withdrawn, and a larger one introduced ;, and this plan is carried on for years, until at last the full-sized " pelele " can be worn. ' The commonest sort of pelele is made of bamboo, and is in consequence very light.. When a wearer of this pelele smiles, or rather tries to smile, the contraction of the muscles turns the ring upwards, so that its upper edge comes in front of the eyes, the nose appear- I in» through its middle. The whole front teeth are exposed by this motion, so as to exhibit the fashionable way in which the teeth have been chipped, so that, as Livingstone- I says, they resemble the fangs of a cat or a crocodile. One old lady, named Chikandas Kadze, had a pelele so wide and heavy that it hung below her cliin. But then she was. a cliief, and could consequently afford to possess so valuable an ornament. The use of the pelele quite alters the natural shape of the jaws. In the natural state 896 THE MANOANJA TRIBR m I the teeth of the upper jaw are set in an outward curve, but in a wearer of the pelele thJ constant, though slij^ht, pressure of the ring first diminishes the curve, then £tteng m and, lastly, reverses it Livingstone suggests that a similar application of gradual pressu should be applied to peraous whose teeth project forwards, nut knowing that such a pli has long been practised by dentists. Huw this frightful ornament came to be first introduced is unknown. Tlie TeasoiL which they give for wearing it are rather amusing. A man, say they, lias whiskers andL beard, whereas a woman has none. " What kind of a creature would a woman bo, withoud whiskers and without the pelele ? She would have a mouth like a man, and no Ward IT As a natural result of wearing this instrument, the language has undergone a modificatioal as well as the lips. The labial letters cannot be pronounced properly, the under lipl having the whole duty thrown upon them. I In dififerent parts of the country the pelele takes different sliapes. The moRt valQedl pelele is a piece of pure tin hammered into a dish-like shape. Some are made of al tH kind of pipeclay, and others of a white quaiiz. These latter ornaments are general cylindrical in form, so that, as has been well observed, the wearer looks as if she had aai inch or so of wax-candle thrust through the lips, and projecting beyond the nose. Soniel of them are so determined to be fashionable that they do not content themselves with al pelele in the upper lip, but also wear one in the lower, the effect upon the expression ofl countenance being better imagined than described. I The pelele is seen to the greatest advantage in the lake district, where every womanl wears it, and where it takes the greatest variety of form. Along the river it is not universally worn, and the form is almost always that of the ring or dish. In this part of the country the sub-tribes are distinguished by certain marks whei^l with they tattoo themselves, and thereby succeed in still farther distiguring countenances I which, if allowed to rentain untouched, would be agreeable enough. Some of them have a fashion of pricking holes all over their faces, and treating tlie wounds in such a way that^ I when they heal, the skin is raised in little knobs, so that the face looks as if it werol covered with warts. Add to this fa ,hion the pelele, and the reader may form an opinion of the beauty of a fashionable wom.an. If the object of fashion be to conceal age, this must be a most successful fashion, as it entirely destroys the lines of the countenance, and hardens and distorts the features to such un extent, that it is ditiicult to judge by the iace whether the owner be sixteen or sixty. One of the women had her body most curiously adorned by tattooing, and, indeed, was a remarkable specimen of Manganja fashion. - She had shaved all her head, and supplied the want of hair by a feather tuft over her I forehead, tied on by a band. From a point on the top of her forehead ran lines radiating over the cheeks as far as the ear, looking something like the marks on a New Zealander's face. This radiating principle was carried out all over her body. A similar point was marked on each shoulder blade, from which the lines radiated down the back and over the shoulders ; and on the lower part of the spine and on each ann were other patterns of a similar nature. She of course wore the pelele ; but she seemed ashamed of it, probably because she was a travelled woman, and had seen white men before. So when she wat about to speak to tiicm, she retired to her hut, removed the pelele, and, while speaking, held her hand before her mouth, so as to conceal the ugly aperture in her lip. Cleanliness seems to be unsuitable to the Manganja constitution. They could not in the Last understand why travellers should wash themselves, and seemed to be per- sonally ignorant of the process. One very old man, however, said ♦^uL he did remember •once to have washed himself; but that it was so long ago that m, had quite forgotten how he felt A very amusing use was once made of this antipathy to cold water. One of the Manganjas took a fancy to attach himself to the expedition, and nothing could drive him awsy. He insisted on accompanying them, and annoyed jhem greatly by proclaiming in every village to which they came, " These people have wandered ; they do not know where they are going." He was driven off repeatedly ; but, as soon as the march was CHANGING NAMES. 897 Mgumed, there he was, with his little bag over his shoulder, ready to proclaim the wan- dering propensities of the strangers, as usual. At last a happy idea struck them. They threatened to take him down to the river and wash him ; whereupon he made off in a ^ht, and never made his appearance again. Periiaps in consequence of this uncleanliness, skin diseases are rife among the Man^ utQjas, aud appear to be equally contagious and durable ; many persons having white blotches over their bodies, and many others being afflicted with a sort of leprosy, which, however, does not seem to trouble them particularly. Even the fowls are liable to a gimilar disease, and have their feet deformed by a thickening of the skin. Sobriety seems as rare with the Mangunjas as cleanliness ; for they are notable topers, and actually contrive to intoxicate themselves on their native beer, a liquid of so exceed- iarly mild a character that nothing but strong determination and a capability of con- tnmin'T vast quantities of liquid would produce the desired efiect The beer is totally a3like°our K iglish drink. In the lirst place, it is quite thick and opaque, and looks much like gruel of a pinkish hue. It is made by pounding the vegetating grain, mixing it with witer, boiling it, and allowing it to ferment. When it is about two days old, it is pleasant enoagh, having a slightly sweetish-acid flavour, which has the property of imme- diately quenching thirst, and is therefore most valuable to the traveller, for whose refresh- mant the hospitable people generally produce it. As to themselve-i, there is some excuse for their intemperate habits. They do not po33e33 hops, or aay other substance that will preserve the beer, and in consequence they are oblige! to consume the whole brewing within a day or two. When, therefore, a chief has a great brew of beer, the people assemble, and by day and night they continue drinking, druminin », dancing, and feasting, until the whole of the beer is gone. Yet, probably on account of the nourishing qualities of the beer — which is, in fact, little more than very thin porridge, — the excessive drinking does not seem to have any injurioui effect on the people, many being seen who were evidently very old, and yet who had b33n ascustomad to drink beer in the usual quantities. Thj woman seem to appreciate the beer as well as the men, though they do not appear to be so liable to intoxication. Perhaps the reason for this comparative tem- perance is, that their husbands do not give them enough of it. In their dispositions they seem to be lively and agreeable, and have a peculiarly merry laugh, which seems to from the heart, and is not in the least like the senseless laugh of the Western nm negro. In this part of the country, not only among the Manganjas, but in other tribes, the custom of chingiug names is prevalent, and sometimes leads to odd results. One day a head-man named Sininyane was called as usual, but made no answer ; nor did a third and fourth call produce any effect. At last one of his men replied that he was no longer Sininyane, but Moshoshama, and to that nnme he at once responded. It then turned out that he had exchanged names with a Zulu. The object of the exchange is, that the two persons are thenceforth bound to consider each other as comrades, and to give assistance in every way. Jf, for example, Sininyane had happened to travel into the coimtry where Moshoshama lived, the latter was bound to receive him into his house, and treat him like a brother. They seem to be an intelligent race, and to appreciate the notion of a Creator, and of the immortality of the soul ; but, like most African races, they cannot believe that the white and the black races have anything in common, or that the religion of the former can suit the latter. They are very ready to admit that Christianity is an admirable religion for white men, but will by no means be persuaded that it would be equally good for themselves. They have a hazy sort of idea of their Creator, the invisible head-chief of the spints, and ground their belief on the immortality of the soul on the fact that their departed relatives come and speak to them in their dreams. They have the same idea of the muave poison that has already been mentioned ; and so strong is their belief in its efficacy that, in a dispute, one man will challenge the other to drink muave ; and even the cluefis themselves will often offer to test its discriminating poweia v> fl f THE MANOANJA TRIBR When a Maoganja dies, a great wailing is kept up in his house for two days ' hii tools and weapons are broken, together with the cooking vessels. All iood in the hoiue i taken out and destroyed ; and even the beer is poured on the f arth. our The burial grounds seem to be carefully cherished — as cai-efullv, indeed, as many churchyards in En^^laud. The graves are all aiTanged north and south, and the sexetl of the dead are marked by the implement laid on the grave. These implements are! always broken ; partly, perhaps, to signify that they can be used no more, and partjvf to save them from be|ng stolen. Thus a broken mortar and pestle for poundiiie corn t«)gether with the fragments of a sieve, tell that there lies below a woman who oncel had used them; whilst a piece of a net and a shattered paddle are emblems of the I fisherman's trade, and tell that a fislierman is interred below. Broken calabashes, gourds I and other vessels, are laid on almost every grave ; and in some instances a banaua is I planted at the head. I The relatives wear a kind of mourning, consisting of narrow strips of palm-leafl wound round their heads, necks, anns, legs, and breasts, and allowed to remain there until f they drop ofl' by decay. M .tf' mi i-i' AFniCAM RATIhK—iFnmmyeoUtction.) CHAPTER XXXV. THE BANYAI AND BADEBIA TRIBES. !-'*li'IJ ATPKABANOII OT THH BANTAI TBIBK— OOVKBNMBNT AND LAW OV BTCCBSSION — DISCIPLnn OP SOUTH— HABBIAOB CUSTOMS — ^HUNTING — TBB HU>POPOTAMUB-TBAP — A MAN^BOVS SWAMP — lUPACITY OF THB BAMYAI OHIBF — BAMYAI AXB8, AND MODB OF MAUMO THBM — BLEPHANT KUNTINO— B0LDNBB8 OF THB MBN — BUPBBBTTnOira OF TRB BAITTAI — IDEA ABOtJT THB BYJBNA ^THR " TABOO " — CCBIOUS BBEHIVB8— >THB BADBMA TBIBB — FIBHINO AND HUNTING WITH NKTS —CONCIALBBNT OF PBOPBBTY. Idn the south ':ank of the Zambesi, somewhere about lat 16° S. and long. 30° K, thero I a tribe called the Banyai, who inhabit a tract of country called Shidima The Banyai a remarkably fine race of men, being tall, well made, and agile, and are moreover leiy fair, being oi that cafi au lait colour which is so fashionable in many parts of AAica. 9 some of their customs are unlike those of other tribes, a short mention will be made |if them. Their appearance is rather pleasing, and they have a curious fashion of dressing their lair, which much resembles that which was in use among the ancient Egyptians. The ishionable Banyai youth first divides his hair into small tufts, and draws them out as ras he can, encircliiig each tuft with a spiral bandage of vegetable tissue. The various nfts are then dyed red, and as they are sometimes a foot in length, and hang upon the Jhoi .ars, they present a very remarkable aspect When the Banyai travel, they are sirful of damaging their elaborate head-dress, and so they gather it up in a bundle, and |ie it on the top of the head. Their government is equally simple and sensible. They choose their own chief, ^though they always keep to the same family. "When a chief dies, his people consult [ether as to his successor. His immediate descendants are never selected, and, if e, one of his brothers, or a nephew, is chosen. If they cannot find a qualified lerson at home, they go further afield, and look out for those relatives who have mingled Jfith other tribes, thus bringing a new population into their own tribe. Traders from per tribes are always very cautious about visiting the Banyai during the interregnum, ! the people think that while there is no chief there is no law, and will in consequence nb without compunction those whom they would never venture to touch as long as the 'lief was living. When the future chief is chosen, the electors go to him and tell him of their choice. It is then thought manners for him to assume a nolo episcopari air, to modestly deprecate jiis own character, and to remonstrate with the deputation for having elected a person so aworthy to fill the place of his revered predecessor, who possessed all the virtues and Jone of the weaknesses of humanity. In fact, the speech of the Banyai king-elect would nswer excellently for newly-elected dignitaries of our own country, who make exactly he same kind of oration, and would be equally offended were they to be taken at t^eir kori "1, . 1i j 400 THE BANYAI TRIBE. ! f - ! I I Of course the new chief, after his deprecatory speech, assumes the vacant .,„ together with all the property, including the wives and children, of his predecessor" takes very good care to keep the latter in subservience. Sometimes one of the bod thinks that he ought to he a man, and set up for a kind of chief himself, and accordintl secedes from the paternal roof, gathers round liim as many youths as he can persuade/ accompany him, and becomes a petty chief accordingly. The principal chief, howevJ has no idea of allowing an imperium in imperio in his dominions, and when the you chieftain has built hia village and fairly settled down, he sends a body of his o^ soldiery to offer his congratulations. If the young chieftain receives them with clopnim of hands and humble obeisance, all is well, as the supremo authority of the chief j thereby acknowledged. If not, they burn down all the village, and so tench by verj intelligible language that before a youth dares to be a chieftain he had better perform i duties which a vassal owes to his sovereign. There is a system among the Banyai which has a singular resemblance to the instrucl tion of pages m the days of chivalry. When a man attains to eminence, he catliea around him a band of young boys, who are placed by their parents under his charge, an] who are taught to become accomplished gentlemen after Banyai ideas. While tliey aJ yet in the condition of pagehood, they are kept under strict discipline, and obliged to bl humble and punctilious towards their superiors, whom they recognise with tho hand] clapping which is the salute common throughout Central Africa. At meal times thej are not allowed to help themselves, but are obliged to wait patiently until the food i divided for them by one of the men. They are also instructed in ^:}ie Banyai law ; ani when they return to their parents, a case is submitted to them, and the progress whicU they have made is ascertained by their answers. To their teachers thty are exceedingljl useful They are all sons of free men who are tolerably well off, and who send servi.nt4 to accompany their sons, and to till the ground for their maintenance. They also ivory to the teacher, with which he purchases clothing for the young scholars. This custom shows that a certain amount of culture has been attained by the BanytiJ and the social condition of their women is a still stronger proof. In most parts of savaii Africa the woman is little more than a beast of burden, and has no more to do witU the management of affairs or with her husband's counsels than the cows lor which 1 has bought her. In Banyai land, however, the wome: ^.lave not only their full share oi power, but rather more than their share, the husbands neve"* venturing to undei-take m business or to conduct any bargain without the consent of their wives. The women evenl act as traders, visiting other towns with merchemdise, and acting fairly towards both tb purchaser and themselves. Their marriages are conducted in a manner which shows that the wife is quite tjiej equal of her husband. In most parts of Southern Africa a wife is bought for a stipulatt number of cows, and as soon as the bargain is concluded, and the girl handed over to thel purchaser, she becomes his property, and is treated as such. But, among the Banyai, thel young bridegroom does not take his wife to his hut ; he goes to the house of her parenta,! Here he is quite the inferior, and is the special servant of his mother-in-law, cutting wood! for her use, and being very respectful in demeanour. Should he not like this kind of j life, and be desirous of leaving it, he may do so whenever he likes ; but he has tol relinquish wife and children, unless he can pay the parents of the wife a 8uf!icient sutnl to compensate them for their loss. Nevertheless, this is the principle on which thel custom of buying wives is founded : but there are few places where the theory is reduced! to practice. I Among the Banyai, as among many of the tribes along the river, the flesh of thel hippopotamus is much eaten, and the capture of the animal is consequently a matter otl importance. They no not care for boldly chasing the hippopotamus, as do the tribesl which have already been mentioned, but they prefer to resort to the pit-fall and the drop- 1 trap. The pit-falls are always dug in places where the animal is likely to tread ; and thel pits are not only numerous, but generally placed in pairs close to each other. On one| occasion a white traveller happened to fall into one of these pits, and after he lecovered from the shock of finding himself suddenly deprived of the light of i' lil TRAPPING THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. Wi liBcIoMd in a deep hole, he set to work, and after many hours' labnn managed t fVoe Ibuelf from his unpleasant position. But no sooner had he fairly i out of t pit J he unfortunately stepped upon its companion, and fell into it jxist as he had i^leu J the other. The most ingenious mode of capturing the animal is by means of the drop-trap. For this purpose the native cuts a ratlier long and heavy log of wood, and, in order )iDake it still heavier, a couple of large stones are tied to it near one end, or a quantity [ clay is kneaded round it At the loaded end a hole is made, into which is set a spear- sometimes that of a large but mostly a sort of har- m like that which has been icribed on page 379. A rope I is then fastened to the other , and the weapon is ready. The hunter now goes to a hip- otamus track, and looks out for I branch that overhangs it. Gene- he can find a branch that suit his purpose ; but if not, rigs up a sort of gallows on fhich he can suspend iihe armed When he has found a con- IrroieDt branch, he takes a long npe, one end of which is fastened ) a stick, places the stick across jhe branch, and hangs the loop |of the harpoon upon the other end. next passes the cord round a ; at the foot of the tree, about en inches or so from the 'ound, draws it across the path, ad then makes it fast. The accompanying illustration ' explain how the whole busi- I is managed. The tree on ihich the weapon is suspended the mangrove, a tree utterly tnlike any of those which we Ihave in this land. The extraordi- Inary vitality of this tree is well lnhowm by the sketch, which was \muk by Mr. Baines. The trunk ■ I been broken off, but the upper, Ipart has fallen against another Itree and been supported by it. lit has then thrown out a number Jof roots, which have descended to Ithe moist ground, and give the Itree a new support of its own. In such a case, the branches that tend downwards wither jaway and die, those that tend upwards increase rapidly, while those that project sideways jtake a turn, and then curve themselves upwards. Examples of '•■Aese branches may be |8een in the sketch. . '^^^ mangrove is a self-sowing tree, and performs this act in a very curious manner. jThe seeds are very long, and furnished at the end with a hard, pointed tip. As soon as ll k^ ^^' *^® '^^^^ foils, burying the pointed tip several inches into the soft swampy soil, "hlch mangroves love, and there remains. The object of this curious provision of VOL.L DD 4 H1PPOPOTAMU8TKAP. • " ,1.^ 1 1 'V y. ^*, * 1. ' \ >. V : t i .; ( t, ".' : 'b' ■A 'A ?j;.i 4M THE BANYAI TRIBK u ;• f. .;j ■ i ^f" Nature is, that the seed shall not be washed away by the periodical floods which inundate the country. In such a soil there is no difficulty in finding the path of the hippopotamus, for the heavy and clumsy animal leaves a track which could be followed in the darkest nicht Owinc to the great width of its body, the feet of the opposite sides are set rather wii!->r apart than 18 the case with lishter animals, so that when the hippopotamus walks through grass it makes a distinct double path, with a ridge of grass in the middle. When it walks on the soft muddy soil of the river bank, the animal makes a most curious track, the feet sinking deeply into the earth, and forming a sort of double rut studded with holes at the distance of an inch or two from each other, a ridge some two inches in width dividini; the ruts. There is no path so trying to a traveller as a hippopotamus track. In that part of the country it is necessary to wtuk barefoot, or, at all events, to use nothing more than the native sandals. If the traveller tries to walk on the central ridge, he finds that the exertion of keeping the balance is almost equivalent to walking on a tight-rope or a Bomean " batang," and that the pressure on the middle of the foot soon becomes too painful to be borne. If he tries to walk in the ruts, he is no better off, for his feet sink deeply into the holes punched by the limbs of the hippopotamus, the toes are forcibly pressed upwards, and the leg is fixed so tightly in tne hole that the traveller cannot withdi-aw it until the earth has been removed. Over one of these tracks the native hunter suspends his harpoon, taking care that the blade hangs exactly above the central ridge. As the hippopotamus comes walking dong he strikes his foot against the cord. The blow releases the harpoon, which fal s with tremendous violence, bulging the iron head deep in the animal's back. Now and then the head comes exactly on the spine, and in that case the animal falls helpless on the spo'. Usually, however, the wound is not immediately fatal, and the hippopotamus rushes to the river, hoping thus to shake off the cruel weapon which had tortured niin on land. Sooner or later, he is sure to die from the woimd, and then the natives, who, like the hippopotamus, never hurry themselves, drag the huge carcase to land, and hold a mighty feast upon it. In some parts of the country these ftdl-traps are set nearly as thickly as the pits which have already been mentioned, and the result is, that the animals have become exceedingly suspicious, and will not approach anything that looks like a trap. They are so thoroughly afraid of being injured, that the native agriculturists are in the habit of imitating traps by suspending mangrove seeds, bits of sticks, and other objects, to the branches of trees, knowing that the wary animal will keep very clear of so dangerous- looking a locality. The trap has to be set with considerable skill, and much care inu8t be taken to conceal the rope which crosses the path, or the animal will not strike it. Large and heavy, and apparently clumsy, as he is, he can look out for himself, and, in places where traps are plentiful, he becomes so suspicious that if even a twig lies across his path he will rather go round it than tread it under foot. The Banyai chiefs do not neglect the usual African custom of demanding toll from every traveller who passes through their teiTitories, although they do not appear to be quite so rapacious as some, of whom we shall presently treat The Banyai enforce their tribute much as the owner of a ferry compels payment for the passengers. Knowing that their permission, and even assistance, is needed in passing through the country, they set a veiy high price upon their services, and will not allow the traveller to proceed until he has complied with their demands. Feeling sure of their position, they are apt to be violent as well as extortionate, flinging down the offered sum with contemptuous gestures, and abusing their victims with a wonderful flow of disparaging language. Dr. Livingstone, knowing their customs, cont ' ived to get the better of the Banyai in a place where they were accustomed to carry things w i 1 1 1 high hand, even over the Portuguese traders. At night, when the time came for repose, ii: itead of going ashore, after the usual custom of the native canoe men, he anchored in the middle of the stream, and had couches made on board. This device completely disconcerted the plans of the Banyai, who expected the travellers to come ashore, and, of course, would have kept them prisoners until they had paid a heavy toll for permission to emb^k again. They even shouted ':b.^ WEAPONS. 408 invitatioM fVom the river bank to come and sleep on landj but dared not attack a boat filled with armed men commanded by Europeans. The oddest part of the whole proceeding was, that the Makololo and Batoka boatmen, who were accompanying Dr. Livmgstone, had never thought of so simple a device, and n)aied exultant jeers from their boat to the Banyai on shore. The country in which the Banvai live furnishes various kinds of food of which a European would be ignorant, and therefore would run a great risk of starving in a place where the Banyai would be revelling in plenty. Ant-hills, for example, almost always liimish huge mushrooms, which are at once palatable and nutritious ; and there are several kinds of subterraneuu ' ubers that are only to be found by striking the ground with stones and listening to the SDund. One of these tubers is remarkable for the fact that in winter time it has a slight but pereeptible quantity of salt in it. The Banyai, like other Afhcan tribes, have their peculiar superstitions, such as pouring out the contents of their snuff-box as an offering to the spirits of the dead when they are engt^ in hunting, hoping therebv to propitiate them and procure their aid. One man who had performed this act of devotion was quite scandalized at the irreverence of hunters who belonged to other tribes, and who, as he jaid,did not know how to pray. The same man took to himself the credit of having destroyed an elephant which had been killed by others, his pnyers and snuff, and not the weapons of the hunters, having, according to his idea, been the real instruments by which the animal fell. The particular animal, by the way, was killed in a manner peculiar to some of the tribes in this part of Africa. These native htmters are very Nimrods for skill and courage, going after the elephant into the depths of his own forest, and boldly coping with him, though armed with weapons which a European woidd despise. The chief weapon which is used by these tribes is a kind of axe. It is made much after the fashion of those which are figured on page 321, and bears some resemblance in the shape of the head to that which is shown in fig. 2. The "tang," however, which is fastened into the handle, is at least three feet in length, and the handle is sometimes six or seven feet long, so that the instrument looks more like a scythe than an axa The handle is made by cutting off a branch of convenient thickness, and also a « foot or two of the trunk at its junction. A hole is then bored through the piece of the trunk, the tang of the head inserted into it, and the rough wood then dressed into shape ; thus the necessary weight is gained without the expenditure of valuable metal. The illustration on page 404 will make this ingenious process clear. Fig. 2 repre- sents part of the trunk of a tree, marked A, from which starts a convenient branch. Seeing that this branch will answer for tliy handle of an axe, the native cuts across the trunk, and thus has a very rude kind of niaiiet, possessed of considerable weight. A hole is next bored through the part of the trunk, and the iron tang of the axe-head thrust through it. The superabundant wood is then trimmed off, as shown in the cut, the branch is scraped and smoothed, and the simple but effective axe is complete. Figs 4 and 5 represent a convertible axe which is much used by this people. As in their work they sometimes need an adze, and sometimes an axe, they have ingeniously made a tool wmch will serve either purpose The handle and butt axe made exactly as dd2 OABRTmO THE AZB. F 1 1 4 '.fU- 404 THE BANYAI TRIBE has already been described, but, instead of piercing a single hole for the iron head, the Banyai cut two holes at right angles to each other, as seen in the diagram below, fig. 4. 'xhe iron, therefore, can be fixed in either of these sockets, and, according to the mode iu x^hich it is inserted, the tool becomes either an axe or an adze. At fig. 4 it is placed in the hori- zontal socket, and accordingly the tool is an adze ; but at fig. 5 it is transformed into an axe, merely by shifting the iron head into the perpendicular socket. AXES. It is a curious fact that the Water Dyaks of Borneo have a very similar tool, \fhich they use in boat-building. It is much smaller than the Banyai axe, being only used in one hand, and the head is fixed to the handle by an elaborate binding of split rattan, which is so contrived that the head can be turned at pleasure with its edge parallel to or across the handle. Fig. 3 represents a rather curious form of axe, which is sometimes found among the Banyai and other tribes. The head is very long, and it is made so, that when the owner wishes to carry it from one place to another, he does not trouble himself to hold it in his hand, but merely hangs it over his shoulder, as seen in the illustration on page 403. The reader is reqitestsd to note the mode in which the head is dressed, the hair being shaven in stripes, and the lower locks twisted into long, ringlet-like strands. The elephant axe is shown at fig. 1, but it is hardly long enough in the handle. In one part of Central Africa the head is fastened to the handle by means of a socket ; hut this form is exceedingly rare, and in such a climate as is afforded by tropical Africa is far inferior to that which has been described. The hunters who use this curious weapon go in pairs, one having the axe, which has been most carefully sharpened, and the other not troubling himself about any weapon, ELEPHANT HUNTING. 405 except perhaps a spear or two. When they have found an elephant with good tasks,' they separate, and work their way round a wide circuit, so as to come upon him from different quarters, the axeman always approaching from behind, and the assistant coining towards the front. As soon as they know, by well-understood signals, that they are near the animal, they Imn theii work. The assistant begins to rustle among the branches at some distance in ^ut, not in such a manner as to alarm the elephant, but to keep his attention fixed, and I ■•:&:!< HAMSIRINQINQ AX ELEPHANT. make him wonder what the singular movements can mean. While he is engaged with the man in front, the axeman steals gradually on him from behind, and with a sweep of hia huge weapon severs the tendon of the hock, which in the elephant is at a very short distance from the ground. From that moment the animal is helpless, its enormous weight requiring the full use of all its limbs ; and the hunters can, if they choose, leave it there and go after another, being quite sure that they will find the lamed animal in the same place where it was left. Even if the axe-blow sh.uld not quite sever the tendon, it is sure to cut so deeply that at the first step which the animal takes the tendon gives way with a loud snap. The illustration is from a sketch by Mr. Baines, and represents the axeman in the act of striking. The elephant is standing in the shade of the " bush," with his attention fixed on the hunter in the distance, who is moving about among the foliage. The scene is truly characteristic of a forest in tropical Central Africa. Just behind the axeman is a fine palm which has been killed by a fig-tree, an event which is of common occurrence in tropical countries, A quantity of the monkey-rope creepers have flung their many -^s v# 'i 'T-;i i-tll ■r ■:' f ■ 406 THE BAD£MA TSIBR % . ^ I '' u '■ coils over the branches, and are often serviceable to the hunter, enabling him to ascend a tree if detected and chased by the elephant A dwarf-palm is in front of the ' and partly conceals his fore-legs. To return to the religious notions of the Banyai. The man who made oblation of his snuff said that the elephant was specially directed I by the Great Spirit to come to the hunters, because they were hungry and wanted food- a plain proof that they have some idea, however confused and imperfect it may be, of a superintending and guiding Providence. The other Banyai showed by their conduct that this feeling was common to the tribe, and not peculiar to the individual; for when they brought com, poultry, and beads, as thankofferings to the hunters who had killed the elephant, they mentioned that they had already given thanks to the Barimo, or gods, for the successful chase. The Banyai seem to have odd ideas about animals ; for when the hyaenas set up their hideous laugh, the men said that they were laughing because ther knew that the men could not eat all the elephant, and must leave some for the hyaenas. . In some parts of the country the hyaenas and lions are so numerous, that when the inhabitants are benighted at a distance from human habitations, they build little resting. places in the branches of trees, and lodge there for the night, leaving their little huts in the branches as memorials of their visit. Among the peculiar superstitions is one which is much in vogue. This is a mode of protecting property from thieves, and consists of a strip of palm-leaf, smeared with some compound, and decorated with tufts of grass, bits of wood, little roots, and the like. It is chiefly used for the protection of honey, which is sometimes wild, the bees making a nest for themselves in the hollow of a tree, and sometimes preserved in hives, which are made of bark, and placed in the branches. The hives are long and cylindrical, and laid on their sides. The protecting palm-leaf is tied round the tree, and the natives fimily believe that if a thief were to cmnb over it, much more to remove it, he would be at once afiSicted with illness, and soon die. The reader will see here an analogous superstitition to the " tapu," or taboo, of Polynesia. The hives are made simply enough. Two incisions are made completely round the tree, about five feet apart, and a longitudinal slit is then cut from one incision to the other. The bark is carefully opened at this slit, and by proper management it comes off the tree without being broken, retumii^ by its own elasticity to its original shape. The edges of the slit are then sewn together, or fastened by a series of little wooden pegs. The ends are next closed with grass-ropes, coiled up just like the targets which are used by modem archers ; and, a hole being made in one of the ends, the hive is complete. I^rge quantities of honey and wax are thus collected and used for exportation; indeed all the wax that comes from Loanda is collected from these hives. THE BAD£MA TKIBR Thebe is still left a small fragment of one of the many African tribes which are rapidly expiring. These people are called Bad£ma, and from their ingenuity seem to deserve a better fate. They are careful husbandmen, and cultivate small quantities of tobacco, maize, and cotton in the hollows of the valleys, where sufficient moisture liugeis to support vegetation. They are clever sportsmen, and make great use of the net, as well on the land as in the water. For fishing they have a kind of casting net, and when thoy go out to catch zebras, antelopes, and other animals, they do so by stretching nets across the narrow outlets of ravines, and then driving the game into theui. The nets are made of baobab bark, and are very strong. CONCEALING CORN. iJ'&'S*^""'"*! 407 specially directed and wanted food, cut may be, of a' their conduct that al; for when they 'o. had killed the "^^O; or gods, for als; for when the iDg because they for the hyjenas ' us. that when the wldhttle resting, heir Kttle huts ii "his is a mode of leared with some J?d the like. It the bees makinij .hives, which ai^ jndrical, and laid he natives firnil; would be at once »«s superstitition )letely round the e incision to the lent it comes off nal shape. The tie wooden pegs. [ which are used ive is complete. )rtation; indeed They have a singularly ingenioup mode of preserving their com. Like many other ying tribes, they are much persec ited by their stronger neighbours, who are apt to ^raids upon them, and carry off all their property, the chief part of which consists of (jni Consequently they are ^)bliged to conceal their stores in the hills, and only keep I small portion in their huts, just sufficient for the day's consumption. But the mice and monkeys are quite as fond of com as their human enemies, and would soon destroy all their stores, had not the men a plan by which they could be preserved. The Bad^ma have found out a tree, the bark of which is hateful both to the mice and the monkeys, iccoidingly they strip off the bark, which is of a very bitter character, roll it up into cylindiical vessels, and in these vessels they keep their com safely in caves and crevices (flong the rocks. Of course, when their enemies come upon them, they always deny that they have any fbod except that which is in their huts, and when Dr. llvingstone came among tiiem for the first time they made the stereotyped denial, stating that they had been robbed only a few weeks before. bes which are snuiiy seem to 1 quantities of oisture lingers de net, as well nd when thoy ng nets across lets are made >•■'■ I' ')' CHAPTER XXXVI. THE BALONDO OE BALONDA AND THE ANGOLESE. i-i^ OENBBAI. APPEARANCE — MODE OP GOVERNMENT — WOMAN's DRESS — MANENKO AND HEB BTBASoJ COSTinrB FASHIONS IN HAIB-^DESSINa COSTUME OF THE MEN — THEIB OBNAMEMTB — PECTHJAl GAIT MODE OF SALUTATION — CURIOSITY — MILDNESS OF TEMPERAMENT AN ATTEMPT AT H.| TORTION A SCENE AT COURT BALONDA MUSIC MANENKO IN COMMAND — KATEMA AND BEARER LOVE OF CATTLE FOOD OP THE BALONDA FISH-CATCHING BALONDA AKCHITKCTlHj| CEMENTING FRIENDSHIP RELIGION AND IDOLS — A 'WILD LEGEND — FUNERAL CUSTOMS— TH|| ANGOLESE — THEIR CHARACTER — AORICULTURB THE MANIOC, AND ITS USES — MEDICDfES KsA CUPPING — SUPERSTITIONS — MAB^AGBS AND FUNERALS — DB. LIVINGSTONE'S BimMABY. ■.'^ i- W-n 1' rvj, We now come to a rather important tribe that 'lives very close to the equator. This isi called the Balondo or Balonda tribe, i.e. the people who inhabit Londa-land, a very large! district ou the western side of Africa. A great number of small tribes inhabit tliial country, but, as they really are ofl'shoots of the one tribe, we will treat of them all under) the common name of Balondo. The chief ruler, or king, of the Balonda tribes is Matiamvo, a name which is heredi- 1 tary, like that of Czar or Pharaoh. He has absolute power of life and death, and one | of them had a way of proving this authority by occasionally running about the town t beheading every one whom he met, until sometimes quite a heap of himian heads i collected. He said that his people were too numerous to be prosperous, and so he took I this simple method of diminishing their numbers. There seems to be no doubt that lie was insane, and his people thought so too ; but their reverence for his office was so great that he was allowed to pursue his mad course without check, and at length died peaceably, ' instead of being murdered, as might have been expected. He was a great slave-dealer, md used to conduct the transaction in a manner remark- able for its simplicity. When a slave-merchant came to his town, he took all his visitor's property, and kept him as a guest for a week or ten days. After that time, having shown his hospitality, he sent out a party of armed men against some populous village, killed the head-man, and gave the rest of the inhabitants to the slave-merchant in payment for his goods. Thus he enriched his treasury and thinned his population by the same act, Indeed, he seemed always to look upon villages as property which could be reahzed at any time, and had, besides, the advantage of steadily increasing in value. If he heard of or saw anything which he desired exceedingly, and the owner declined to part with it, he would destroy a whole village and offer the plunder to the owner of the coveted property, Still, under this regime, the people lead, as a general rule, tolerably happy and con- tented lives. They are not subjected to the same despotism as the tribes of the southern districts, and, indeed, often refuse to obey the orders of the chief. Once, when Katema sent to the Balobale, a sub-tribe under his protection, and ordered them to furnish men t« carry Dr. Livingstone's goods, they flatly refused to do so, in spite of Katema's threat that, if they did not obey, he would deprive them of his countenance, and send them back to DRESS. 409 Hieir formeT oppressors. The fact is, each of the chiefs is anxious to collect round himself jmany people as possible, in order to swell his own importance, and lie does not like to Ido anything that might drive them away from him into the ranks of some rival chief. r. Livingstone remarks that this disobedience is the more remarkable, as it occurs in a jlntiy where the slave-trade is in full force, and where people may be kidnapped and dd under any pretext that may happen to occur to the chief As is frequently the case with African tribes, there is considerable variety of colour non" the Bedondo, some being of a notably pale chocolate hue, while others are so black J to rival the negro in darkness of complexion. They appear to be a rather pleasing set lofmen, tainted, as must be the case, with the ordinary vices of savage life, but not laoiose, cruel, or treacherous, as is too often the case. The women appear to be almost lexceptionally lively, being full of animal spirits, and spending all their leisure time, which lieems to be considerable, in chattering, weddings, funerals, and similar amusements. iDr. Livingstone offers a suggestion that this flow of spirits may be one reason why they ■lie 80 indestructible a race, and thinks that their total want of care is caused by the llatalisin of their religious theories, such as they are. Indeed, he draws rather a curious (conclusion from 'their happy and cheerful mode of life, considering that it would be a _ ity in the way of a missionary, though why a lively disposition and Christianity iBhould be opposed to each other is not easy to see. One woman, named Manenko, afforded a curious example of mixed energy, liveliness, lind authority. She was a chief, and, though married, retained the command in her own When she first visited Dr. Livingstone, she was a remarkably tall and fine woman |of twenty or thereabouts, and rather astonished her guest by appearing before him in a I bright coat of red ochre, and nothing else, except some charms hung round her neck. I This absence of clothing was entirely a voluntary act on her part, as, being a chief, she Imii'bt have had any amount of clothing that she liked ; but she evidently thought that Iber dignity required her to outdo the generality of Balondo ladies in the scantiness of apparel which distinguishes them. In one part of Londa-land the women are almost wholly without clothes, caring I nothing for garments, except those of European manufacture, which they wear with much pride. Even in this latter case the raiment is not worn so much as a covering to the body as a kind of ornament which shows the wealth of the wearer, as the women will purchase calico and other stuff's at extravagant prices. They were willing to give twenty pounds weight of meal and a fowl for a little strip of calico barely two feet in length, nd, having put it on, were quite charmed with their new dress. The fact is, they have never been accustomed to dress, and " are all face," the weather I having no more effect on their bodies than it does on our faces. Even the very babies are deprived of the warm fur-clad wrapper in which the generality of African mothers cany tiiem, and the infant is as exposed to the weather as its mother. The Londa mother ' carries her child in a very simple manner. She plaits a bark-belt, some four inches or so I in width, and hangs it over one shoulder and under the other, like the sash of a light ' infantry officer. The child is partly seated on its mother's hip, and partly supported by I the belt, which, as is evident, does not afford the least protection against the weather. They even sleep in the same state of nudity, keeping up a fire at night, which they say is their clothing. The women tried very hard to move the compassionate feelings of I their white visitors by holding up their little naked babies, and begging for clothes ; but it was clear that the real destination of such clothes was for ornaments for themselves. As is the case with several other tribes which care little for clothes, they decorate their heads with the greatest care, weaving their hair into a variety of patterns, that must cost infinite trouble to make, and scarcely less to preserve. They often employ the "buffalo-horn" pattern, which has already been mentioned, sometimes working their hair into two horns, and sometimes into one, which projects over the forehead. Some of them divide the hair into a number of cords or plaits, and allow them to hang all round the &ce. The most singular method of dressing the hair is one which is positively startling at first sight, on account of the curious resemblance which it bears to the "nimbus" with which the heads of saints are conventionally surrounded. The hair is dressed in plaits, as mm 1 ■yf''}: f,j U ' :*■ ' it m li r 410 THE BALONDO OR BALONDA TRIBR has already been mentioned, but, instead of being allowed to hang down, each plait strand is drawn out in a radiating fashion, and the ends are fastened to a hoop of h\l wood. When this is done, the hoop itself represents the nimbus, and the strands of] the radiating beams of light J. .J \ f'l ■i ; 5 I , 'i ■ M ! n 1 ; i ' If I ^^ E.l I )« it ^ ' • Ml r WOMEN'S HEAD-DRESS The features of the Balondo women are pleasing enough, and in some cases are even tolerably regular. The teeth are allowed to retain their original form and whiteness ; and it is a pity that so many good countenances are disfigured by the custom of thrustiag pieces of reed through the septum of the nose. The dress of the Balonda men is more worthy of the name than that of the women, as it consists of a girdle roimd the waist, with a softly-dressed skin of a jackal in front» and a similar skin behind- Dr. Livingstone relates an anecdote concerning this dress, which shows how arbitrary is the feeling of decency and its opposite. He had with him ;i^.' ORNAMENTS. 411 Dinlie' of Makololo men, whose dress is similar to that of many other tribes, and lists merely of a piece of soft hide fastened to the girdle in front, brought imder the and tucked into the girdle behind. 'Wow this dress is mudi more worthy of the name than the double skin of the Balonda. tetthe Balondo girls, themselves in a state of almost complete nudity, were very much eked when they found that the Makololo men wore no back-apron. Whenever I Makololo man happened to turn his back upon the women and girls, they laughed and »^ at him to such an extent that he was made quite wretched by their scorn. Had wbeen even moderately clad, such behaviour might seem excusable, but when it is nembered that the dress of the despised ijitor would have furnished costumes to mr or five of the women who were laughing i him, we can but wonder at the singular lold which fashion takes of the human mind. The Balondo men are as fond of orna- Dts as their wives, and, as with them, the rations chiefly belong to the head and He feet In some places they have a fashion dressing their hair into a conical form, ilar to that which has been already men- _ 1; while a man who is fond of dress will ieraily show his foppery by twisting his aid into three distinct plaits. Some of the ilondo men have a considerable quantity ^{thickwoolly hair, and dress it in a singular ishion. They begin by parting it down me middle, and then forming the hair of each leinto two thick rolls, which pass between |he ears and fall down as far as the shoulders. lie rest of the hair is gathered up into a Imndle, and hangs on the back of the neck. Whenever they can afford it, the Balondo men will carry one of the large knives lich are so prevalent in this part of the continent. Throughout the whole of Western [frica there is one type of knife, which undergoes various modifications according to the ticular district in which it is made, and this type is as characteristic of Western Africa the Bechuana knife is of the southern parts. The illustration shows two of these they exhibit well their curious form, which is almost identical with that of weapons taken from tumuli in Europe. The sheath is always very wide, and is made nth great care, being mostly ornamental as well as useful The figures were drawn from lipecimens in Colonel Lane Fox's collection. Heavy rings of copper and other metals are as much in vogue as among the Damaras ; lonly the men prefer to wear them on their own limbs, instead of handing them over to Itheir wives. As wealth is mostly carried on the person in this country, a rich Balondo pan will have six or seven great copper rings encircling his ankles, each ring weighing [two pounds or «io. The gait of a rich man is therefore singularly ungraceful, the feet Ibeing planted widely apart, so that the massive rings should not come in contact. The Ipecidiar gait which is caused by the presence of the treasured rings is much admired lamong the Balondo, and is studiously imitated by those who have no need to use it. A jyoung man, for example, who is only worth half a dozen rings weighing half an ounce or ISO each, will strut about with his feet wide apart, as if he could hardly walk for the weight |of his anklets. The ornament which is most prized is made from a large species of shell belonging to I the genus Conus. The greater part of the shell is chipped away, and only the flat and I spiral base is left. This is pierced in the middle, and a string is passed through the I middle, so that it can be hung round the neck. Dr. Livingstone tells an anecdote which I shows the estimation in which this ornament is held. Just before his departure the king. m DAOOEBS. 412 THE BALONDO OR BALONDA TRIBE. I '1 ' 3' >f ;'i I '. k . ml III ^l - ^ Shinte, came into his tent, and passed a considerable time in examining his books and other curiosities. At last he carefully closed the door of the tent, so that none'of people might see the extravagance of which he was about to be guilty, and drew one these shells from his clothing, hung it round his host's neck, with the words, " There you have a proof of my friendship." These shells are used, like stars and crosses aim ourselves, as emblems of rank ; and they have besides a heavy intrinsic value, coBtino kingat the rate of a slave for two, or a large elephant's tusk for five. ^ The veiy fact that they possess insignia of rank shows that they must possess » degree of civilization ; and this is also shown by the manner in which inferiors aie boi to salute those above them. If a man of low rank should meet a superior, the foi immediately drops on his knees, picks up a little dirt, rubs it on his arms and chest, then claps his hands until the great man has passed. So punctilious are they in tl manner, that when Sambanza, the husband of Manenko, was making a speech to people of a village, he interspersed his discourse with frequent salutations, althougl was a man of consequence himself, being the husband of the chief. There are mauy gradations in the mode of saluting. Great chiefs go through movements of rubbing the sand, but they only make u pretence of picking up sand. man desires to be very polite indeed, he carries with him some white ashes or powden pipe-clay in a piece of skin, and, after kneeling in the usual manner, rubs it on his chi and arms, the white powder being an ocular proof that the salutation has been propei conducted. He then claps his hands, stoops forward, lays first one cheek and then other on the ground, and continues his clapping for some little time. Sometimes, of clapping his hands, ho drums with his elbows against his ribs. On the whole, those travellers who have passed through Londa seem to be pleased vil the character of the inhabitants. Dr. Livingstone appears to have had but Uttle tronl with them, except when resisting the extortionate demands which they, like other tiil were apt to make for leave of passage through their country. " One could detect, in passing, the variety of character found among the ownera gardens and ^dllages. Some vilh^es were the pictures of neatness. We entered othi enveloped in a wilderness of weeds, so high that, when sitting on an ox-back in the nidi of the village, we could only see the tops of the huts. If we entered at mid-da owners would come lazily forth, pipe in hand, and leisurely puff away in dreamy ini ference. In some villages weeds were not allowed to grow ; cotton, tobacco, and diffei plants ased as relishes, are planted round the huts ; fowls are kept in cages ; and gardens present th» pleasant spectacle of different kinds of grain and pulse at varioi periods of their growtL I sometimes admired the one class, and at times wished I coi have taken the world easy, like the other. " Every village swarms with children, who turn out to see the white man pass, run along with strange cries and antics ; some run up trees to get a good view— aU agile cUmbers through Londa. At friendly villages they have scampered alongside oi party for miles at a time. We usually made a little hedge round our sheds ; crowds women came to the entrance of it., with children on their backs, and pipes in their noutl gazing at us for hours. The men, rather than disturb them, crawled through a hole in tl hedge ; and it was common to hear a man in running off say to them, " I am going to my mamma to come and see the white man's oxen." According to the same authority, the Balonda do not appear to be a very quarreki race, generally restricting themselves to the tongue as a weapon, and seldom resorting anything more actively offensive. The only occasion on which he saw a real quarrel taki place was rather a curious one. An old woman had been steadily abusing a young mai for an hour or two, with that singular fluency of invective with which those women seen to be gifted. He endured it patiently for some time, but at last uttered an exclamatioi of anger. On which another man sprang forward, and angrily demanded why the othi had cursed his mother. They immediately closed with each other, and a scuffle con menced, in the course of which they contrived to tear off the whole of each otbei'! clothing. The man who began the assault then picked up his clothes and ran LIVINGSTONE'S REOEPTION. 418 ^ning to bring his gun, but be did not return, and the old woman proceeded with I abuse of the remaiuing combatant. In their quarrels the Balonda make plenty of noise, but after a while thev suddenly m from their mutual invective, and concluae the dispute with a hearty laugh. Once a most flagrant attempt at extortion was made by Eawawa, a Balon^i chief who J a veiy bad character, and was in disfavour with Matiamvo, the supreme chief of ^BfJoMft. He sent a body of mea to a ferry which they had to cross, in order to pre- ptthe boatmen taking them over the rivp». The canoes were removed ; and as the nver Mat least a hundred ^ards wide, an(* .xy deep, Kawawa thought he had the stranger m mercy, and that if the cart, the ox, the gun, the powder, and the slave, which he Moiied, were not forthcoming, he could keep the strangers until they were forced to gpiy with his demands. However, during the nieht Dr. Livingstone swam to the Kje where the canoes were hidden, ferried the whole party across, replaced the canoe, ther with some beads as pavment for its use, and quietly swam to the side on which r ^y were now safely l^ded. Kawawa had no idea that any of the travellers could a, and the whole party were greatly amused at the astonishment which they knew he feel when he found the travellers vanished and the canoes still in their place of Iment. Some of the Balonda have a very clever but rather mean method of extorting money lom travellers. When they ferry a party over the river, they purposely drop or leave in Icauoe a knife or some other object of value. They then watch to see if any one will jckitup, and if so, seize their victim and accuse him of the theft. They always manage idoso just before the head man of the party has been ferried across, and tiireaten to iain him as a hostage until their demand be paid. Dr. Livingstone once fell a victim to ^istrick, a lad belonging to his party having picked up a knife which was thrown down s a bait by one of the rascally boatmen. As the lad happened to possess one of those «ious shells which have been mentioned, he was forced to surrender it to secure his lerty. Such conduct was, however, unusual with the Balonda, and the two great chiefs, ite and Eatema, behaved with the greatest kindness to the travellers. The former if gave them a grand reception, which exhibited many of the manners and customs of people. The royal throne was placed under the shade of a spreading banian tree, and was eied with a leopard-skin. The chief had disfigured himself with a checked jacket and green baize kilt ; but, besides these portions of civilized costume, he wore a multitude of idve ornaments, the most conspicuous being the number of copper and iron rings round is arms and ankles, and a sort of bead helmet adorned with a large plume of feathers. is three pages were close to him, and behind him sat a number of women headed by chief wife, who was distinguished from the others by a cap of scarlet material. In many other parts of Africa the women would have been rigidly excluded from a inblic ceremony, and at the best might have been permitted to see it from a distance ; lat among the Balonda the women take their own part in such meetings : and on the lent occasion Shinte often turned and spoke to them, as if asking their opinion. Manenko's husband, Sambanza, introduced the party, and did so in the usual manner, 17 saluting with ashes. After him the various subdivisions of the tribe came forward in leir order, headed by its chief man, who carried ashes with him, and saluted the king on half of his company. Then came the soldiers, who dashed forward at the white visitor their usually impetuous manner, shaking their spears in his face, brandishing their ihields, and making all kinds of menacing gestures, which in this country is their usual ly of doing honour to a visitor. They then turned and saluted the king, and took their Next came the speeches, Sambanza marching about before Shinte, and announcing in la stentorian voice and with measured accents the whole history of the white men and jtheir reasons for visiting the country. I His argument for giving the travellers leave to pass through the territory was rather Ian odd one. The white man certainly said that he had come for the purpose of opening -f )v " U I 1 1% 1 I I r f ii V i 4U THE BALONDO OR BALONDA TRIBE. the country for trade, making peace among the various tribes, and teaching them a bed religion than their own. Perhaps he was telling lies ; for it was not easy to believe tl a white man who had such treasures at home would take the trouble of coming out of t sea where he lived for the mere purpose of conferring benefits on those whom ho L never seen. On the whole, they rather thought he was not speaking the truth. But atl though he had plenty of fire arms, he had not attacked the Balonda ; and it was perhJ more consistent with Shi'ite's character as a wise and humane chief, that he shou receive the white men kindly, and allow them to pass on. 1 Between the speeches the women filled up the time by chanting a wild and plaintil melody ; and that they were allowed to take more than a passive part in the procee was evident from the frequency with which they applauded the various speeches. Music' was also employed at the reception, the instruments being the marimba, whii has alread/been mentioned, and drums. These latter instruments are carved fVom aol blocks of wood, cut into hollow cylinders, the ends of which are covered with antelol skin, and tightly fastened by a row of small wooden pegs. There is no method of bracil the skins such as we use with our drums, and when the dnim-heads become slack tb] are tightened by being held tu the fire. These drums are played with the hwd, and \ with sticks. THE MARIMBA, OR AFRICAN PUNO. The most curious part of these drums is the use of a small square hole in the which seems to serve the same purpose as the percussion hole in the European instrumentl Instead, however, of being left open, it is closed with a piece of spider's web, whicn allows the needful escape of air, while it seems to have a resonant effect. The web whicil is used for this purpose is taken from the egg-case of a large species of spider. It is of i yellow colour, rather larger than a crown-piece in diameter, and is of wonderful toughnei and elasticity. The custom of using spider's web in this manner prevails through a ver large portion of Africa, and is even found in those parts of Western Africa which havel introduced many European instruments among those which belonged to them before they| had made acquaintance with civilization. The drums and marimba are played together ; and on this occasion the performeBl walked round and round the enclosure, producing music which was really not unpleasant| even to European ears. The marimba is found, with various modifications, throughout the whole of this parti of Africa Generally the framework is straight, and in that case the instrument is I mostly placed on the ground, and the musician plays it while in a sitting or kneeling A FEMALE CHIEF. 415 ire, But in Bome places, especially where it is to be played by the musician on the uch the fratncwoik is curved like the tire of a cart-wheel, so that, whtm the instrument impended in front of the performer, he can reach the highest and lowest keys without Ictilty- '11'e illustration on page 414 represents one of the straight-framed marimbas, I a drawn from a specimen in Colonel Lime Fox's collection. I After this interview Shinte always behaved veiy kindly to the whole party, and, as L havri already seen, invested Dr. Livingstone with the precious shell ornament before departure. MANENKO IN COMMAND. As to Shinte's niece, Manenko, the female chief, she was a woman who really deserved [ler rank, from her bold and energetic character. She insisted on conducting ths party in : own manner ; and when they set out, she headed the expedition in person. It hap- led to he a singularly unpleasant one, the rain falling in torrents, and yet tlds very nergetic lady marched on at a pace that could be equalled by few of the men, and with- but the slightest protection from the weather, save the coat of red grease and a cnarmed peclclace. When asked why she did not wear clothes, she said that a chief ought to pespise such luxuries, and ought to set an example of fortitude to the rest of the tribe, "early all the members of the expedition complained of cold, wet, and hunger, but this udefutigablo lady pressed on in the very lightest marching order, and not until they were ill thoroughly wearied would she consent to halt for the night. Her husband, Sambanza, had to march in her train, accompanied by a man who had nnstructions to beat a drum incessantly, which he did until tlie perpetual rain soaked the pkin-heads so completely that they would not produce a sound. Sambanza had then to 1^: ^ 1 y /' 416 THE BALONDO OR BALONDA TRIBR ohant all kinds of invocations to tho rain, which ho did, but without any particu effect. p r h . She know well what was her dij^nity, and never allowed it to be encroached upod On one occasion, Dr. Livingstone had presented an ox to Sliiute. Maucnko heard of and was extremely angry tnat such a gift should have been made. She said that, as s| was the chief of tho party who had Drought tho white men, the ox was hers, and nol theirs, as long as she was in command. So she sent for tho ox straiglitway, had slaughtered by her own men, and then sent Shinto a leg. The latter chief 8temed [ think that she v;as justified in what she had done, took the leg, and said nothiit about it. Yet she did not forget that, although she was a chief, she was a woman, and oil„ therefore to perform a woman's duties. When the party stopped for the night in soinJ village, Manenko was accustomed to go to the huts and ask for some maize, which ehl groun 1 and prepared with her own hands and brought to Dr. Livingstoue, as he could no] eat the ordinary country meal without being ill afterwards. T Sh» was also careful to inform him of the proper mode of approaching a Balondi town or village. It is bad ma)mer8 to pass on and enter a town without having JirsH sent notice to the head-man. As soon as a traveller comes within sight of the houses, hel ought to halt, and send forward a messenger to state his name, and ask for permission enter. The head-man or chief then comes out, meets the stranger under a tree, just l. Shinto received Dr. Livingstone, giving him a welcome, and appointing him a place when he may sleep. Before he learned this piece of etiquette, several villages had been muck alarmed I,/ the unannounced arrival of the visitors, who were in consequence looked upon with fear and suspicion. Afterwards, when tney came to visit the great chief Katema, they found him qui'^ asl friendly as Shinto had been. He received them much after the same manner, beinzl seated, and having around him a number of armed men or guards, and about thirtyl women behind him. In going to or coming from the place of council, he rode on the! shoulders of a man appointed for the puipose, and who, through dint of long practice,! performed his task witn apparent ease, though he was slightly made, and Katema was Ml and powerful man. He had a great idea of his own dignity, and made a speech inwhichi he compared himself with Matiamvo, saying that he was the great Mo4ne, or lord, tbel fellow of Matiamvo. . I He was very proud of a small herd of cattle, about thirty in number, mostly white in I colour, and as active as antelopes. He had bred them all himself, but had no idea of I utilizing them, and was quite delighted when told that they could be milked, and tbel milk used for food. It is strange that the Balonda are not a more pastural people, as the I coimtry is admirably adapted for the nurture of cattle, and all those which were poseeeeedl by Katema, or even by Matiamvo himself, were in splendid condition. So wild were! Katema's cattle, that when the chief had presented the party with a cow, they were! obliged to stalk and shoot it, as if it had been a buffalo. The native who shot the cowl being a bad marksman, the cow was only wounded, and dashed off into the foresU together with the rest of the herd. Even the herdsman was afraid to go among them,! and, after two days' hunting, the wounded cow was at last killed by another ball. I The Balonda are not only fond of cattle, but they do their best to improve the breed When a number of them went with Dr. Livingstone into Angola, they expressed much contemptuous wonder at the neglect both of land and of domesticated animals. They themselves are always on the look-out for better specimens than their own, and even took | the trouble of carrying some large fowls all the way from Angola to Shinte's village. When they saw that even the Portuguese settlers slaughtered little cows and heifer I calves, and made no use of the milk, they at once set the white men down as an inferior race. When they heard that the flour used by these same settlers was nearly all imported from a foreign country, they were astonished at the neglect of a land so suited for agri- culture as Angola. " These know nothing but buying and selling ; they are not men," was the verdict given by the so-called savages. The food of the Balonda is mostly of a vegetable character, and consists in a great nSHINO. 417 Qsists in a .„„- of tho manioc, or cassava, which grows in great abundance. There are ^,wo ^ties of this plant, namely, the sweet and the bitter, i.e. the poisonous. The latter, vever, is the quicker of growth, and consequently is chiefly cultivated. In order to ua it for consumption, it is steeped in water for four days, when it becomes partially ,^,the skin comes off easily, and the poisonous matter in readily extracted, ^f- is then l^ed in the sun, and can be pounded into a sort of meal. When this meal is cooked, it is simply stirred into boiling water, ono man huiding the jgel and putting in the meal, while the other stirs it with all his might The natives L this simple diet very much, but to a European it is simply detestable. It has no lirooi except that which arises from partial decomposition, and it looks exactly like (dinaiy starch when ready for the laundress. It has but little nutritive power, and, Dtever much a man may contrive to eat, he is as hungry two 'i.ours afterwanls as if he i&sted Dr. Livingstone compares it in appearance, taste, and odour, to potato starch de from diseased tubers. Moreover, owing to the mode of preparing it, the cooking is [ingly imperfect, and, in consequence, its effects upon ordineuy European digestions The manioc plant is largely cultivated, and requires but little labour, the first planting lnTolving nearly all the trouble. In the low-lying valleys the earth is dug with the irious Balonda hoe, which has two handles and one blade, and is scraped into parallel b, about three feet wide and one foot in height, much resembling those in whicn aspa- I is planted in England. In these beds pieces of the manioc stalk are planted at foui jet apart. In order to save space, ground nuts, bean<), or other plants are sown between ihebeds, and after the crop is gathered, the ground is cleared of weeds, and the manioc is left to nurture itself. It is fit for eating in a year or eighteen month", according to the cter of the soil ; but there is no necessity for digging it at once, at , may he left in I ground for three years before it becomes dry and bitter. When a root is dug, the loman cuts off two or three pieces of the stalk, puts them in the hole which she has de, and thus a new crop is oegun. Not only the root is edible, but also the leaves, Irhich are boiled and cooked as vegetables. The Balonda seldom can obtain meat, and even Shinte himself, great chief as he was, 1 to ask for an ox, saying that his mouth was bitter for the want nf meat. The reader ay remember that when the ox in question was given, he was very thankful for the Dgle leg which Manenko allowed him to receive. The people are not so fastidious in leir (cm as many other tribes, and they are not above eating mice and other small uimals with their tasteless porridga They also eat fowls and eggs, and are fond of fish« |rhich they catch in a very ingenious manner. When the floods are out, many fish, especially the silurus, or mosala, as the natives ill it, spread themselves over the land. Just before the waters retire, the Balonda con- act a number of earthen banks across the outlets, leaving only small apertures for the |rater to pass through. In these apertures they fix creels or baskets, so made that the fish ! forced to enter them as they follow the retreating waters, but, once in, they cannot get ^ut again. Sometimes, instead of earthen walls, they plant rows of mats stretched letveen sticks, which answer the same purpose. They also use fish-traps very like our own lobster-pots, and place a bait inside in der to attract the fish. Hooks are also employed ; and in some places they descend tx> practice of poisoning the water, by which means they destroy every fish, small and at, that comes witliin range of the deadly juice. The fish wh( n taken are cleaned, plit open, and dried in the smoke, so that they can be kept for a considerable time. Like other Africans, the Balonda make great quantities of beer, which has more a upifying than an intoxicating character, those who drink it habitually being often seen fing on their faces fast asleep. A more intoxicating drink is a kind of mead which they |iake, and of which some of them are as fond as the old Ossianic heroes. Shinte had a at idea of the medicinal properties of this mead, and recommended it to Dr. living- one when he was very ill with a fever : " Drink plenty of mead," saic' he, " and it wUl rive the fever out." Probably on account of its value as a febrifuge, Shinte took plenty ' his own prescription. TOL L . E E fr MM If ^SKf Ij i ^ y ^.r 1 '' ^% i 11 t » ^•"^^j ^E t J . ! f f ^ ji, W, '''*' P ^ t ^n 1 '^ 1 yS/ 1 ^ S^- — i^*- p — 1 '^ ii J ^"^^isi^ ' 's Sv "^i ( ( ? 418 THE BALONDO OR BALONDA TEIBR They have a most elaborate code of etiquette in eating. They will not partake ofk food which has been cooked by strangers, neither will they eat it except when alone. Ifl a party of Balonda are travelling with men of other tribes, they always go aside to cookl their food, and then come back, clap their hands, and return thanks to the leader of the! party. EaSi hut has always its own fire, and, instead of kindling it at the chief's fire, aa| IS the custom with the Damaras, they always light it at once with fire produced brl friction. 'I So careful are the Balonda in this respect, that when Dr. Livingstone killed an ox, and! ofiered some of the cooked meat to his party, the Balonda would not take it, in spite ofl their fondness for meat, and the very few chances which they have of obtaining it. Theyl did, however, accept some of the raw meat, which they took away and cooked after theul own fashion. One of them was almost absurd in the many little fashions which hel followed, and probably invented. When the meat was offered to him, he would not takel it himself, as it was below his dignity to carry meat Accordingly he marched home inl state, with a servant behind him carrying a few ounces of mept on a platter. Neither! would he sit on the grass beside Dr. Liivngstona " He had never sat on tiie groundf during the late Matiamvo's reign, and was not going to degrade himself at his time 6( life." So he seated himself on a log of wood, and was happy at his untarnished dignity. One of the little sub-tribes, an offshoot of the Balonda, was remarkable for never eating beef on principle, saying that cattle are like human beings, and live at home Uke| men. There are other tribes who will not keep cattle, because, as they rightly say, the oxen bring enemies and war upon them. But they are always glad to eat beef vl they can get it, and this tribe seems to be unique in its abstinence. Although they have this aversion to beef, they will eat without compunction the A_ of most wM animals, and in many cases display great ingenuity in hunting them. Therj stalk the animals through the long grass and brushwood, disguising themselves by wearing a cap made of the skin taken from the head of an antelope, to which the horns are still attached. When the animal which they are pursuing begins to be alarmed at the rustlkg of the boughs or shaking of the grass, they only thrust the horned mask into view, and move it about as if it were the head of a veritable antelope. This device quiets suspicion, and so the hunter proceeds until he is near enough to deliver his arrow. " of these hunters prefer the head and neck of the jabiru, or great African crana As far as is known, the Balonda are not a warlike people, though they are in thai habit of carrying arms, and have a very formidable look. Their weapons are short knife- like swords, shields, and bows and arrows, the latter being iron-headed. The shields are made of reeds plaited firmly together. They are square, or rather oblong, in form, measuring about five feet in length and three in width. The architecture of the Balonda is simple, but ingenious. Every house is surrounded with a palisade which to all appearance has no door, and is always kept closed, so tm a stranger may walk round and round it, and never find the entrance. In one part of the palisade the stakes are not fastened to each other, but two or three are merely stuck intoj their holes in the ground. When the inhabitante of the huts wish to enter or leave the! dwellings, they simply pull up two or three stakes, squeeze themselves through aperture, and replace them, so that no sign of a deorway is left. The reader mayperhi remember that the little wooden bird-cages in which canaries are brought to England ml opened and closed in exactly the same manner, some moveable bars supplying the place of a door. Sometimes they vary the material of their fences, and make them of tall and com' paratively slight rods fastened tightly together. Shinte's palace was formed after this manner, and the interior space was decorated with clnmps of trees which had been planted for the sake of the shade which they afforded. That these trees had really beeal planted, and not merely left standing, was evident from the fact that several young trees were seen recently set, with a quantity of grass twisted round their stems to protect them against the sun. Even the comers of the streets were planted with sugar-caDes| and bananas, so that the social system of the Balonda seems to be of rather a high order; CEMENTING FRIENDSHIP. 419 One petty chief, called Mozinkwa, had made the hedge of his enclosure of green banian laanches, which had taken root, and so formed a living hedge. It is a pity that so much care and skill should be so often thrown away. As the traveller passes through the Londa districts he often sees deserted houses, and even villages. The fact is, that either the husband or the chief wife has died, and the invariable custom ^ to desert ihe locality, and never to revisit it except to make offerings to the dead. Thus it happens that permanent localities are impossible, because the death of a chiefs wife narkable for neTerl live at home like! leyrighUysay.tliel I to eat beef wheni npunction the Ml ntingthem. Theyl mselves by wearingl the horns are stiul med at the rugtliogl lask into view, and! This device quiebl his arrow. an crana ?h they are in 1 »ns are short knife-l . The shields arel oblong, in fonsj lOUse is stUTOundedl ept closed, so thatl In ouepartofthel ) merely stuck intol snter or leave theirl elves through the[ •eader mayperhap ;ht to England ai«J plying the place off CEMENTING FRIENDSHIP. would cause the whole village to be deserted, just as is the case with a house when an ordinary man dies. This very house and garden underwent the usual lot, for Mozinkwa lost his favourite wife, and in a few months house, garden, and hedges had all gone to loin. The Balonda have a most remarkable custom of cementing friendship. "When two men agree to be special friends, they go through a singular ceremony. The men sit opposite each other with clasped hands, and by the side of each is a vessel of beer. Slight cuts are then made on the clasped hands, on the pit of the stomach, on the right cheek, and on the forehead. The point of a grass blade is then pressed against each of these cuts, so as to take up a little of the blood, and each man washes the grass blade in his own beer-vessel. The vessels are then exchanged and the contents drunk, so that each imbibes the blood of the other. They are then considered as blood relations, and are bound to assist each other in every possible manner. While the beer is being drunk, the friends of each of the men beat on llie ground with dubs, and bawl out certun sentences as ratification of the treaty. E£2 if 420 THE BALONDO OR BALONDA TRIBE. It is thought coiTect for all the friends of each party to the contract to drink a littlel of the beer. This ceremony is called "kasendi" After the ceremony has been completedl gifts are exchanged, and both parties always give their most precious possessions. I Dr. Livingstone once became related to a young woman in rather a curious manneil She had a tumour in her arm, and asked him to remove it. As he was doing so, a littlel blood spirted from one the small arteries and entered his eye. As he was wiping it onil she hailed him as a blood relation, and said that whenever he passed through the counttyl he was to send word to her, that she might wait upon him, and cook for him. Menl of different tribes often go through this ceremony, and on the present occasion alll Dr. Livingstone's men, whether they were Bbtoka, Makololo, or of other tribes, became! Mblekanes, or friends, to the Balonda I As to their religious belief, it is but confused and hazy, still it exercises a kind ofl influence over them. They have a tolerably clear idea of a Supreme Being, whom they I call by different names according to their dialect The Balonda use the woni Zambi, butl Morimo is one name which is understood through a verylaige tract of countiy. The I Balonda believe that Zambi rules over all other spirits and minor deities just as their i king Matiamvo rules over the greater and lesser chiefs. When they undergo the poison I ordeal, which is used as much among them as in other tribes, they hold up l£ ^^ hands to I heaven, and thus appeal to the Great Spirit to judge according to right. Among the Balanda we come for the first time among idols or fetishes, whlcbever nay I be the correct title. I One form of idol is very common in Balonda villages, and is called by then(imeof| a lion, though a stranger unitiated in its mysteries would certainly take it for a crocodile, or at all events a lizard of some kind. It is a long cylindrical roll of grass plastered over Mdth clay. One end represents the head, and is accordingly furnished withamoHth,! and a couple of cowrie shells by way of eyes. The other end tapers gradually into a tail, and the whole is supported on four short straight legs. The native modeller seems to have a misgiving that the imitation is not quite so close as might be wished, and so sticks in the neck a number of hairs from an elephant's tail, which are supposed to repiesent the mane. These singular idols are to be seen in most Balonda villages. They are supposed to represent the deities who have dominion over disease ; and when any inhabitant of the village is ill, his friends go to the lion idol, and pray all night before it, beating their j drums, and producing that amount of noise which seems to be an essential accompam- ment of religious rites among Africana Some idols may be perhaps more properly called teraphim, as by their means the j medicine men foretell future events. These idols generally rest on a horizontal beam fastened to two uprights — ^a custom which is followed in Dahom^ when a human sacrifice has been made. The medicine men tell their clients that by their ministrations they can force the teraphim to speak, and that thus they are acquainted with the future. They are chiefly brought into requisition in war-time, when they are supposed to give notice of the enemy's approach. These idoU take various shapes. Sometimes they are intended to represent certain animals, and sometimes are fashioned into the rude semblance of the human head. When the superstitious native does not care to take the trouble of carviug or modelling an idol, he takes a crooked stick, fixes it in the ground, rubs it with some strange compound, and so his idol is completed. Trees are pressed into the service of the heathen worshipper. Offerings of maize or manioc root are laid on the branches, and incisions are made in the bark, some being mere knife-cuts, and others rude outlines of the human face. Sticks, too, are thrown ou the ground in heaps, and each traveller that passes by is supposed to throw at least cue stick on the heap. Son\etimes little models of huts are made, and in them are placed pots of medicine; and in one instance a small farmhouse was seen, and in it was the skull of an ox by my of an idoL The offerings which are made are generally some article of food ; and some of the Balonda are so fearful of ofiending the denizens of the imseen world, that whenever (;: 1-t; RELIGION. 421 Isilencb 99 iv leceive a present, they always offer a portion of it to the spirita of their dead itions. One curious legend was told to Dr. Livingstone, and is worthy of mention, because it fg a resemblance to the old mythological story of Latona. There is a certain lake Ued in Loada-land Dilolo, respecting which the following story was told to the white TJsitois : . «A female chief, called Mo^ne (lord) Monenga, came one evening to the village of [ojogo, a man who lived in the vicinity, but who had gone to himt with his dogs. She jked for a supply of food, and Mosogo's wife gave her a sufficient quantity. Proceeding IJo another village, standing on the spot now occupied by the water, she preferred the Lne demand, and was not only refused, but, when she uttered a threat for their niggard- ^ was taunted with the question, ' What could she do though she were thus treated ?' «Ia order to show what she could do, she began a song in slow time, and uttered her name, ' Monenga-wo-o.' As she prolonged Uie last note, the village, people, fowls, and sank into the space now called Dilolo. When Easimak&te, the head-man of the (re, came home and found out the catastrophe, he cast himself into the lake, and is \mDmi to be in it stilL The name is taken from ' il61o,' despair, because this man gave ip all hope when his family was destroyed. Monenga was put to death." The Balonda are certainly possessed of a greater sense of religion than is the case [with tribes which have been described. They occasionally exhibit a feeling of reverence, which implies a religious turn of mind, though the object towards which it may manifest itself be an unworthy one. During Dr. Livingstone's march through the Londa country the party was accompanied by a medicine man belonging to the tribe which was ruled by Manenko. The wizard in question carried his sacred implements in a basket, and was itial in his manner towards them. When near these sacred objects, he kept 1*1 possible, and, if he were forced to speak, never raised his voice above a . c , when a Batoka man happened to speak in his usual loud tones when L^Ket, the doctor administered a sharp reproof, his anxious glances at the basket showing that he was really in earnest. It so liappened that another female chief, called Nyamoana, was of the party, and, when they had to cross a stream that passed by her own village, she would not venture to do so until the doctor had waved his chaims over her, and she had further fortified herself by taking some in her .hands, and hanging others round her neck. As the Balonda believe in a Supreme Being, it is evident that they also believe in theimmortaUty of the human spirit. Here their belief has a sort of consistency, and opposes a curious obstacle to the efforts of missionaries ; even Dr. Livingstone being nnable to make any real impression on them. They fancy that when a ^onda man dies, he may perhaps take the form of some animal, or he may assume his place among the Barimo, or inferior deities, this word being merely the plural form of Morimo. In either case the enfranchised spirit still belongs to earth, and has no aspirations for a higher state of existenca Nor can the missionary make any impression on their minds with regard to the ultimate destiny of human souls. They admit the existence of the Supreme Being ; they see no objection to the doctrine that the Maker of mankind took on Himself the humanity which He had created ; they say that they always have believed that man lives after the death of the body ; and apparently afford a good basis for instruction in the Christian religion. But, although the teachers can advance thus far, they are suddenly checked by the old objection that white and black men are totally different, and that, although the spirits of deceased white men may go into a mysterious and incomprehensible heaven, the deceased Balonda prefer to remain near their villages which were familiar to them in Ufe, and to assist those who have succeeded them in their duties. This idea may probably account for the habit of deserting their houses after the death of any of the femily. During the funeral ceremonies a perpetual and deafening clamour is kept up, the popular notion seeming to be, that the more noise they can make, the greater honour is due to the deceased. Wailing is carried on with loud piercing cries, drums are beaten. ■close to 1 S ,4'> ii m 'iV > hn I Ml K* ' 1 Rf* ] ' E ' 'P 1 £ ' t K ^ , i '' i ^' I--' ^ t ■. i ^f.,J;' if y/'i R :;'■( St .'-l M: i '■ f'.- T 422 THE ANGOLESE and, if fire-arms have oeen introduced among them, guns are fired. These drums are not beaten at random, but with regular measured beats. They are played all night long, and their sound has been compared to the regular beating of a paddle-wheel engine. Oxen are slaughtered and the flesh cooked for a feast, and great quantities of beer and mead are drunk. The cost of a funeral in these parts is therefore very great, and it is thought a point of honour to expend as much wealth as can be got together for the purpose. The religious element is represented by a kind of idol or figure covered with feathers which is carried about during some parts of the ceremony ; and in some places a man in a strange dress, covered with feathers, dances with the mourners all night, and retires to the feast in the early morning. He is supposed to be the representative of the Baiimo or spirits. ' The position of the grave is usually marked with certain objects. One of these graves was covered with a huge cone of sticks laid together like the roof of a hut, and a palisade was erected round the cone. There was an opening on one side, in which was placed an ugly idol, and a number of bits of cloth and strings of beads were around. THE ANGOLESE Westward of the country which has just been described is a laige district tliat embraces a considerable portion of the coast, and extends far inwards. This country is well known under the name of Angola. As this country has been held for several centuries by the Portuguese, who have extended their settlements for six or seven hundred nules into the interior, but few of the original maimers and customs have sur- vived, and even those have been modified by the contact with white settlers. As, however, Angola is a very important, as well as a large, country, a short account will be given of the natives before we proceed more northward. The chiefs of the Angolese are elected, and the choice must be made from certain I families. In one place there are three families from which the chief is chosen in rotation, The law of succession is rather remarkable, the eldest brother inheriting property in pre- ference to the son; and if a married man dies, his children belong to his widov\r's eldest brother, who not unfrequently converts them into property by selling them to the slave- dealers. It iu it} this maimer, as has been well remarked, that the slave-trade is supplied, | rather than by war. The inhabitants of this land, although dark, are seldom, if ever, black, their colour I being brownish red, with a tinge of yellow ; and, although they are so close to the country inhabited by the trae negroes, they have but few of the negro traits. Their features are | not those of the negro, the nose being rather aquiline, and broad at base, their hair woolly, but tolerably long and very abundant, and their lips moderately thick. The hands and I feet are exquisitely small, and, as Mr. Eeade observes, Angolese slaves afford a bold | contrast with those who are brought from the Congo. Of the women the same traveller writes in terms of considerable praise, as far i their personal appearance goes. There are girls in that country who have such soil I dark eyes, such sweet smiles, and such graceful ways, that they involuntarily win a kind of love, only it is that sort of semi-love which is extended to a dog, a horse, or a bird, and has in it nothing of the intellect. They are gentle, and faithful, and loving in their own way ; but, though they can inspire a passion, they cannot retain the love of as | intellectual man. As is the case with the Balonda, the Angolese live greatly on manioc roots, chiefly I for the same reason as the Irish peasantry live so much on the potato, i.e. becaiwe its culture and cooking give very little trouble. The preparation of the soil and planting of THE MANIOO-ROOT. 423 L g]jfa][) are the work of slaves, the true Angolese having a very horror of hard work. fcisequently the labour is very imperfectly performed, the ground being barely scratched Lt^double-handled hoe which is used by dragging it along the ground rather than by Ljjing it into the earth. r^e majuoc is, however, a far more useful plant than the potato, especially the " sweet" fjiety which is free from the poisonous principle. It can be eaten raw, just as it comes It of the ground, or it can be roasted or boUed. Sometimes it is partially fermented, then dried and ground into meal, or reduced to powder by a rasp, mixed with sugar, and Biije into a sort of confectionery. The leaves can be boiled and eaten as a vegetoble, or, if they be given to goats, the latter yield a bountiful supply of milk. The wood affords excellent fuel, and, when burned, it furnishes a large quantity of potash. On the iveiage, it takes about a year to come to perfection in Angola, and oidy requires to be weeded once during that time. The m^ or roots cannot be stored, as they are liable to the attacks of a weevil which anickly destroys them, and therefore another plan is followed. The root is scraped like boiseradiBh, and laid on a cloth which is held over a vessel Water is then poured on i^ CUPFINQ AND BLEEDING. and the white shavings are well rubbed with the hands. All the starch-globules are thus washed out of their cells, and pass through the cloth into the vessel below together with the water. When this mixture has been allowed to stand for some time, the starchy matter collects in a sort of sediment, and the water is poured away. The sediment is then scraped out, and placed on an iron plate which is held over a fire. The gelatinous mass is then continually stirred with a stick, and by degrees it forms itself into littie translucent globules, which are almost exactly identical with the tapioca of commerce. The advantage of converting the manioc-root into tapioca is, that in the latter state it is impervious to the destructive weevil. Some parts of Angola are low, marshy, and fever-breeding, and even the natives feel the effects of the damp, hot, malarious climate. Of medicine, however, they have but httle idea, their two principal remedies being cupping and charms. The former is a remedy which is singularly popular, and is conducted in much the same way throughout the whole of Africa south of the equator. The operator has three 4^4 THE XNGOLESE m r ! implements, namely, a small horn, a knife, and a piece of wax. The hom is cut qi^t level at the base, and great care is taken that the ed^e is perfectly smooth. The Bmalle end is perforated with a very small hole. This hom is generally tied to a string and hui round the neck of the owner, who is usually a professional physician. The knife is and shaped exactly like the little Bechuana knife shown on page 314. When the cupping-horn is to be used, the wide end is placed on the afflicted part, Ji ?ressed down tightly, while the mouth is applied to the small end, and the air exhauste he operator continues to suck for some moments, and then removes the hom, and denly makes three or four gashes with the knife on the raised and reddened dkia hom is again applied, and when the operator has sucked out the air as far as hia \m will allow him, he places with his tongue a small piece of wax on the end of the hor introduces his finger into his mouth, presses the wax firmly on the little aperture so as . exclude the air, and then allows the hom to remain adherent by the pressure of the atno sphere. The blood of course mns into the hom, and in a short time coagulates into i flat circular cake. The wax is then removed from the end of the hom, the latter is take off, the cake of blood put aside, and the process repeated until the operator and patiei are satisfied. Dr. Livingstone mentions a case in which this strange predilection for the cuppingJ hom clearly hastened, even if it did not produce, the death of a child. The whole stoij is rather a singular one, and shows the state of religious, or rather superstitious, feeling among the native Angolese. It so happened that a Poi'tuguese trader died in a village, and after his death the other traders met and disposed of his property among themselves! each man accounting for his portion to the relations of the deceased, who lived at LoandaJ the principal town of Angola The generality o£ the natives, not understanding M nature of written obligations, thought that the traders had simply sold the goods audi appropriated the money. Some time afterwards the child of a man who had bought some of this properly fell} ill, and the mother sent for tmpa. -^a are by no means ■ <- _n expressing their opinion her, and in the wedding-songs suug in honour of a bride are sure to introduce a line . r two reflecting upon her uselessness, and hoping that the bride will not be so unprofit- bleawife as to give neither sons nor daughters to her husband as a recompense for the money which he has paid for her. So bitter are these words, that the woman at whom jiey were aimed has been more than once known to rush off and clestroy herself After several days of this performance, the bride is taken to another hut, clothed in the finery that she possesses or can borrow for the occasion, led out in public, and ledged as a married woman. She then goes to her husband's dwelling, but always I a hut to herself. Into their funeral ceremonies the Angolese contrive to introduce many of their super- titiona Just before death the friends set up their wailing cry (which must be very onsolatory to the dying person), and continue this outcry for a day or two almost nthout cessation, accompanying themselves with a peculiar musical instrument which iroduces tones oi a similar character. For a day or two the survivors are employed in gathering materials for a grand feast, I which they expend so much of their property that they are often impoverished for Ifears. They even keep pigs and other animals in case some of their friends might die, when they would be useful at the funeral True to the idea that the spirit of the dead takes of the pleasures of the living, they feast continually until all the food is ended, interposing their revelling with songs and dances. The usual dinim-beating I on during the time, and scarcely one of the party is to be found sober. Indeed, a I who would voluntarily remain sober would be looked upon as despising the memory lof the dead. Dr. Livingstone mentions that a native who appeared in a state of intoxica- tion, and was blamed for it, remarked in a surprised tone, " Why, my mother is dead I " They have a curious hankering after cross-roads as a place of interment, and although e Portuguese, the real masters of the land, have endeavoured to abolish the custoin, hey have not yet succeeded in doing so* even though they inflict heavy fines on those »ho disobeyed them, and appointed places of public interment. Even when the inter- ment of the body in the cross-road itseK has been prevented, the natives have succeeded m digging the grave by the side of the path. On and round it they plant certain species [>f euphorbias, and on the grave they lay various articles, such as cooking-vessols, water- jottles, pipes, and arras. These, however, are all broken and useless, being thought ciqually srviceable to the dead as the perfect specimens, and affording no temptation to thieves. A very remarkable and striking picture of the Angolese, their superstitions, and their lountiy, is given by Dr. Livingstone in the following passage : — "When the natives turn their eyes to the future world, they have a view cheerless knongh of their own utter helplessness and hopelessness. They fancy themselves com- pletely in the power of the disembodied spirits, and look upon the prospect of following hem as the greatest of misfortunes. Hence they are constantly deprecating the wrath ?' i« i\ • ■ \ 'lilt's ,y M ' ' hi" 426 THE ANGOLESE of departed souls, believing that, if they are appeased, there is ixo other cause of death k witchcraft, which may be averted by charms. " The whole of the coloured population of Angola are sunk in these gross superstitioiL. but have the opinion, notwithstanding, that they are wiser in these matters than th^ white neighbours. Each tribe has a consciousness of following its own best iuteiests d the best way. They are by no means destitute of that self-esteem which is so commori in other nations ; yet they fear all manner of phantoms, and have half-developed ideal and traditions of something or other, they know not what The pleasures of animal 1^ are ever present to their minds as the supreme ^ood; and, but for the innumeralM invisibilities, they might ei\joy their luxurious climate as much as it is possible foi man to do. " I have often thought, in travelling through their land, that it presents pictues oi beauty which angels might ei^joy. How often have I beheld in still mornings scenes M very essence of l^uty, and all bathed in a quiet air of delicious warmth I yet the occi sional soft motion impa.i»d a pleasing sensation of coolness, as of a fan. Qreen grase meadows, the cattle feedii g, the goats browsing, the kids skipping ; the groups of herdl boys with miniature bows, >\rrows, and spears ; the women wending their way to the riverj with water-pots poised jauntily on their heads ; men sewing imder the shady banians; t old grey-headed fathers sitting o:; the ground, with staff in hand, listening to tiie mdr gossip, while others cany trees or branches to repair their hedges ; and all this, i with the bright African sunshine, and the birds sincuig among the bi'anches before thel heat of the day has become intense, form pictures which can never be foigottea" r cause of death bi CHAPTER XXXVII. THE WAGOGO AND WANYAMUEZI. : VAKT AND TBANSITOBT TBXBB8 OF AFBIOA — UQOOO AND THK PEOPLB — rMFUtASANT CBABACTXB or TBI WAOOOO— THXFT AND BXTOBTION — ^WAQOGO OBEBDINBM — THB WAXrAHOBKI OB VBBZBB TBIBR— THKIB TALUB AS OmDES — DBEBS OF THB MEN — " BAUBO " BIN08 — WOMAN's DBES8 AND 0BMA1UNT8 — ^HAIB-DBBSSINQ — OBNBBAX OHABAOTBB OF THB WOHBN — WBEZEB ABCBITKCTtTBB — Va OF THB DBVM — SALVTATION — BUtTAN BTIBABOCT — THB HUBBAND's WELCOIUC — OAHB8 AND DANCXS— SHAM FIOHTB — PITCH AND T08B — NIGHT IN A UrBBZRB VILLAOB — ^BBBWINO AND DBINKINO POUBB — A HABVBBT 8CBNB — BCPBBBTITIONB — FUNBBALS. / IWe will now pass from the west to the east of Africa, and acr ^pany Captains Speke Imil Giant in their journey through the extraordinary tribes that xist between Zanzibar land Northern Africa It will be impossible to describe in detail the many tribes that liiihabit this track, or even to give the briefest account of them. We shall therefore select la few of the most important among them, and describe them as fully as our very limited |ipace will permit. Perhaps the reader may think it strange that we are lingering so long in this part of Ithe world. The reason is, that Africa, southern and equatoritd, is filled with a bewildering Iroriety of singular tribes, each of which has mannsrs and customs unique in themselves, and seats as great a contrast to its neighbours as if they were separated by seas or moun- I tain ranges. Sometimes they merge into each other by indefinable gradations, but often I the line of demarcation is boldly and sharply drawn, so that the tribe which inhabits one I bank of a river is utterly imlike that which occupies the opposite bank, in appearance, I in kbits, and in language. In one case, for example, the people who live on one side of ' ! river are remarkable for the scrupulous completeness with which both sexes are clad, I while on the other side no clothing whatever is worn. The same cause which has given us the knowledge of these remarkable tribes will I inevitably be the precursor of their disappearanca 'Hie white man has set his foot on their soil, and fix)m that moment may be dated their gradual but certain decadence. They have learned the value of fire-arms, and covet them beyond everything. Their chiefs have already abandoned the use of their native weapons, having been wealthy enough to purchase muskets from the white men, or powerfiil enough to extort them as pre- ts. The example which they have set is sure to extend to the people, and a few I years will therefore witness the entire abandonment of native-made weapons. With the weapons their mode of warfare will be changed, and in course of time the whole people will undergo such modifications that they will be an essentially different race. It is the object of this work to bring together, as far as possible in a limited space, the most remarkable of these peiishing usages, and it is therefore necessary to expend the most I space on the country that affords most of them. The line that we now have to follow can be seen by turning to the map of Africa on page 37. We shall start from Zanzibar on the east coast, go westward and northward. . ' J 428 THE WAGOGO. ^1- 4.' ...( ' I \ * *<> ;k f, I passing hy the Unyamuezi and Wahuma to the great N'yanza lakes. Here we shall coJ upon the track of Sir Samuel Baker, and shall then accompany him northward amonu I tribes which he visited. Passing by a number of tribes which we cannot stop to investigate, we come uponi Wagogo, who inhabit Ugogo, a district about lat. 4° S. and long. 36° £. Here I mention that, although the language of some of these tribes is so diiTerent that the pe^ cannot understand each other, in most of them the prefix " Wa" indicates pluralityl the word " men " in English. Thus the people of Ugogo are the Wagogo, and tU inhabitants of Unyamuezi are the Wanyamuezi, pronounced, for brevity's stuce, Wees An individual of the Wagogo is called Mgo^o. The Wagogo are a wild set of people, such as might be expected from the country i which they uve. Their colour is reddish brown, with a tinge of black ; and when the skL happens to be clean, it is said to look like a very ripe plum. They are scanty dressen wearing little except a cloth of some kind round the waist ; but they are exceemngly fon of ornaments, by means of which they generally contrive to make themselves as ugly&i possible. Their principal ornament is the tubular end of a gourd, which is thrust thioucl the ear ; but they also decorate their heads with hanks of bark-fibre, which they ml among their thick woolly hair, and which have a most absurd appearance when t£i wearer is running or leaping. Sometimes they weave strings of beads into the halt i similar manner, or fasten an ostrich feather upon their heaids. They are not a warlike people, but, like others who are not remarkable for they always go armed ; a Mgggo never walking without his spear and shield, and periupi, a short club, also to be used as a missile. The shield is oblong, and made of leather, and the spear has nothing remarkable about it ; and, as Captain Speke remarks, these vetpon are carried more for show than for use. They are not a pleasant people, being avaricious, intrusive, and inquisitive, ingrainedl liars, and sure to bully if they think they can do so with safety. If travellers patJ through their country, they are annoying beyond endurance, jeering at them with woldtl and insolent gestures, intruding themselves among the party, and turning over eveTythingl that they can reach, and sometimes even forcing themselves into the tents. Consequentlyl the travellers never enter the villages, but encamp at some distance from them, under the! shelter of the wide-spreading " gouty-limbed trees " that are found in this country, andl surround their camp with a strong hedge of thorns, which the naked Mgogo does noti choose to encounter. I Covetous even beyond the ordinary avarice of African tribes, the Wagogo seize ereiyl opportunity of tieecing travellers who come into their territory. Beside the usual tax, oil "hongo," which is demanded for permission to pass through the countiy, they demand all I sorts of presents, or rather bribes.- When one of Captain Speke's porters happened to I break a bow by accident, the owner immediately claimed as compensation something of I ten times its valu^. I Magomba, the chief, proved himself an adept at extoition. First he sent a very polite message, requesting Captain Speke to reside in his own house, but this flattering though treacherous proposal was at once declined. In the first place, the houses of this part of the country are small and inconvenient, being nothing more than mud huts with flat- topped roofs, this kind of architecture'being ca^ed by the name of " tembe." In the next | place, the chief's object was evidently to isolate the leader of the expedition fromhig companions, and so to have a hold upon him. This he could more easily do, as the villages are strongly walled, so that a traveller who is once decoyed inside them could not escape without submitting to tne terms of the inhabitants. Unlike the villages of the southern Africans, which are invariably circular, these are invariably oblong, and both the walls and the houses are made of mud. Next day Magomba had drank so much pombe that he was quite unfit for business, but on the following day the hongo was settled, through the chief's prime minister, who straightway did a little business on his own account by presenting a small quaiitity of food, and asking for an adequate return, which, of course, meant one of twenty times its valua Having secured this, he proceeded to further extortion by accusing Captain THEFT AND EXTORTION. 429 jot of having shot a lizard on a stone which he was pleased to call sacred. Then none r^m would give any information without being paid for it Then, because they itht tiiat their extortion was aot suthciently successful, they revenged themselves by _i the native porters such hoiTifying tales of the countries which they were about rJMt und the cruelty of the white in .::, tluu, bhe porterb were frightened, and ran away, pa forgetting to put down their loads. jbese tactics were repeated at evety village near which the party had to pass, and at place the chief threatened to attack Captain Speke's party, and at the same time sent I to all the porters tLat they had better escape, or they would be killed. Half of them Hi f I'M ifit for business, le minister, who nail quantity of iwenty times its ccusing Captain WAGOGO GREEDINESS. pi escape, taking with them the goods which would have been due to them as payment; W, as appeared afterwards, ihe rascally Wagogo had arranged that they should do so, ind then they would go shares in the plunder. They were so greedy, that they not only refused to sell provisions except at an aorbitant rate, but when the leaders of the expedition shot game to supply food for their Ten, the Wagogo flocked to the spot in multitudes, each man with his arms, and did their rest to carry off the meat before the rightful owners could reach it. Once, when they #ere sadly m want of food. Captain Speke went at night in search of game, and shot a Ihinoceros. By earhest dawn he gave notice to his men that there was plenty of meat lor them, 1 "We had all now to hurry back to the carcase before the Wagogo could find it ; but lliough this precaution was quickly taken, still, before the tough skin of the beast could ^cut through, the Wagogo began assembling like vultures, and fighting with my men. i^xi \ ■ "iZ^ ^'i M m mi mm I' 480 'HE WAKYAMUEZI. •' A more savage, filthy, disgusting, but at the same time grotesque, scene than l ivhioh followed cannot be described. All fell to work with swords, spears, knives u. hatchets, cutting and slashing, thumping and bawling, fighting and tearing, up to tM knees in filth and blood in thb middle of the carcase. When a tempting morael fell the possession of any one, a stronger neighbour would seize and bear off the prize ; triumph. Alt right was now a matter of pure migbt, and lucky it was that it did not < in a fight between our men and the villagers. These might be afterwards seen, cove., with btood, scampering home eacli one with his spoil — a piece of tripe, or liver, or M or wh tever else it might have been his fortune to get off" with." It might be imagined that the travellers were onlv too dad to be fairly out of til dominions of this tnbe, who had contrived to chetit and rob them in every way, and hJ moreover, through sheer spite and covetousness, frightened away more than a hnndi^ porters who had been engaged to carry the vast quantities of goods with which tU traveller must bribe the chiefis of the different places through which he pas^. THE WANYAMUEZI. The next tribe which we shall mention is that which is called Wanyamnezl Foil tunately the natives seldom use this word in fuU, and speak of themselves as W^zi a word much easier to say, and certainly simpler to write. In the singular the name i| Myamuezi The country which they inhabit is called Unyamuezi, the Coontiy of i Moon. For many reasons this is a most remarkable tribe. They are almost the only peopll near Central Africa who will willingly leave their own country, and, for the sake of vagd will act as porters or guides to distant countries. It seems that this capability of trav^ is hereditary among them, and that they have been from time immemorial the mak trading tribe in Africa. It was to this tribe that the porters belonged who were indno by the Wagogo to desert Captain Speke, and none knew better than themselves that i^ no other tribe could he find men to supply their places. Unyamuezi is a large district about the size of England, in lat. 5° S. and hetweeJ long. 3° and 5° K Formerly it must have been a great empire, but it has now suffered tbi fate of most African tribes, and is split into a number of petty tribes, each jealous of th^ other, and each liable to continiul subdivision. The Weezee are not a handsome race, being inferior in personal appearance to M Wagogo, though handsome individuals of both sexes may be found among them. likj the Wagogo, they are not a martial race, though they always travel with their weapon such as they are, i. e. a very inefiicient bow and a couple of arrows. Their dress is simplJ enough. They wear the ordinary cloth round the loins ; but when they start on a joumefl they hang over their shoulders a dressed goatskin, which passes over one shoulder anJ under the other. On account of its narrowness, it can hardly answer any purpose ol warmth, and for the same reason can hardly be intended to serve as a covering. However| it seems to be the fashion, and they all wear it They decorate themselves with plenty of ornaments, some of which are u amulets, and the others merely worn as decoration. They have one very curious model of making their bracelets. They take a single hair of a giraffe's tail, wrap it rouniU with wire, just like the bass string of a violin, and then twist this compound rope roundl their wrists or ankles. These rings are called by the name of " sambo, * and, though theyj are mostly worn by women, the men will put them on when they have nothing betterJ Their usual bracelets are, however, heavy bars of copper or iron, beaten into the proper^ shape. like other natives in the extreme south, they knock out the two central uci ' DRESS OF THE WOMEN. 481 I of the lower jaw, and chip a V-like space between the corresponding teeth of the rjaw. 'lie itromen are far better dressed. They wear tolerably large cloths made bv them- dret of native cotton, and cover the whole body from under the arms to below the They wear the sambo rings in vast profusion, winding them round and round leir wrists and ankles until the limbs are sheathed in metallic armour for six or seven ichet. if they can do so, they naturally prefer wearing calico and other materifds ,^bt from Europe, partly because it is a sign of wealth, and partly because it is mudi hter than the native-maae cotton cloths, though not so durable. wo central inc k//^?<-^> ARCHITBCTURB OF THE WlU : .i.. Am woolly hair is plentifully dressed with oil and twisted up, until at a little dis- I tance they look as if they had a head-dress of bla< no-beetle shards. Sometimes they screw it into tassels, and hang beads at the end of tach tassel, or decorate them with little charms made of beads. The manner in which these " tags " are made is very simple. There is a kind of banian tree called the miambo, and from this are cut a quantity of slender twigs. These twigs are thea split longitudinally, the outer and inner bark sepa- rated, and then well chewed until the fibres are properly arranged. At first they are niuch lighter in colour than the black woolly hair to which they are fastened, but they I soon become blackened by use and grease. They use a little tattooing, but not much, making three lines on each temple, and another down the middle of the nose. Lines of blue are often seen on the foreheads of both sexes, but these are the permanent remaina of the peculiar treatment which they pursue for the headache, and which, with thesa^ seema to be effectual ! * .♦ Jt i 1 1 t ! I '1 y 1 432 THE WANYAMUEZI B,>m: "f-jt'.. I .1 >t ».i tj.. JSt^ The character of the women is, on the whole, good, as they are decent and well conJ ducted and, for aavagjes, tidy, though scarcely clean in their persons. They will aomeJ times accompany their husbands on the march, and have a weakness for smoking all thl time that they walk. They carry their children on their backs, a stool or two and otherl implements on their heads, and yet contrive to act as cooks as soon as they halt, prepanniJ some savoury dish of herbs for their husbands. They have a really wonderM knowled^l of practical botany, and a Weezee will live in comfort where a man from another tribe! would starve. Besides cooking, they also contrive to run up little huts made of hovdA in shape like a reversed bell, and very tiny, but yet laige, enough to afford shelter durisgl sleep. I The houses of the Weezee are mostly of that mud-walled, flat-topped kind which igl called " tembe," though some are shaped like haystacks, and they are built with consideTablel care. Some of these have the roof extending beyond the wallS) so as to form a venndalil like that of a Bechuana house ; and the villages are surrounded with a strong fence. The| door is very small, and only allows one person to pass at a time. It is made of kar and can be lifted to allow ingress and egress. Some of the stakes above and at the si of the door are decorated with blocks of wood on their tops ; and some of the chiefs l. in the habit of fixing on the posts the skulls of those whom they have put to death, justl as in former years the heads of traitors were fixed over Temple Bar. I Some of the villages may lay claim to the title of fortified towns, so elaborately atel they constructed. The palisading which surrounds them is very high and strong, aDdl defended in a most artistic manner, first by a covered way, then a quickset he4e of! euphorbia, and, lastly, a broad dry ditch, or moat Occasionally the wall is built otitin| bastion -fashion, so as to give a good flanking fire. Within the valleys the houses extendi to the right and left of the entrances, and are carefully railed off, so that the ^ structure is really a very strong one in a military point of view. They are a tolerably polite race, and have a complete code of etiquette for receiving! persons, whether friends or strangers. If a chief receives another chief, he gets up quite I a ceremony, assembling all the people of the village with their drums and other musical I instruments, and causing them to honour the coming guest with a dance, and as mucti| noise as can be extracted out of their meagre band If they have fire-arms, they will I discharge them as long as their powder lasts ; and if not, they content themselves vith | their voices, which are naturally loud, the drums, and any other musical instrument they may possess. "^ But, whatever may be used, the drum is a necessity in these parts, and is indispen- sable to a proper welcome. Even when the guest takes his leave, the drum is an essential accompaniment of his departure ; and, accordingly, " beating the drum " is a phrase which is frequently used to signify departure from a place. For example, if a traveller is passing through a district, and is bargaining with the chief for the "hongo" Mrhich he has to pay, the latter will often threaten that, unless he is paid his demands in full, he will not " beat the drum," i.e. will not permit the traveller to pass on. 60 well is this known, that the porters do not take up their burdens until they hear the welcome sound of the dram. This instrument often calls to war, and, in fact, can be made to tell its story as completely as the bugle of Furopean armies. When ordinary men meet their chief, they bow themselves and clap their hands twice, and the women salute him by making a courtesy as well as any lady at couii This, however, is an obeisance which is only vouchsafed to very great chiefs, the petty I chiefs, or head-men of villages, having to content themselves with the simple clapping of hands. | If two women of unequal rank meet, the inferior drops on one knee, and bows her head ; the superior lays one hand on the shoulder of the other ; and they remain in this position for a few moments, while they mutter some words in an undertone. They then rise and talk freely. To judge from Captain Grant's account of the great chief Ugalee (ie. Stirahout), who was considered a singularly favourable specimen of the sultans, as these great chiefs are called, the deference paid to them is given to the office, and not to the individual vho jdeverma I names foi I "Afte I on the 21 |twenty-tv( I children £ lliigb,9to\) I pression. I mi of I the hair. Imund w I cotton 1< with a d his feet monster wrist, wh I copper rii SULTAN UGALEE. 433 rV-ifc^/aa g gi^jfti— Xagg^.j^i;']^ I it Ugalee, who was the finest specimen that had heen seen, was supposed to be a I clever man, though he did not know his own age, nor could count above ten, nor had any Lames for the day of the week, the month, Or the year. "After we had been about a month in his district, Sultan Ugalee arrived at Mineenga oD the 21st of April, and was saluted by file-firing from our volunteers and shrill cries Lom the women. He visited us in the verandah the day following. He looks about twenty-two years of age; has three children and thirty wives ; is six feet h, stout, with a stupid, heavy ex- I piession. His bare head is in tqpsels, Uks of fibre being mixed in with the hair. His body is loosely wrapped Lund with a blue and yellow cotton loth, his loins are covered ' with a dirty bit of oily calico, and his feet are large and naked. A monster ivory ring is on his left wrist, while the right one bears a copper ring of rope pattern ; several hundreds of wire rings are massed round his ankles. "He was asked to be seated on one of our iron stools, but looked at first frightened, and did not open his mouth. An old man spoke for him, and a crowd of thirty followers squatted behind him. Speke, to amuse Lim, produced his six-barrelled re- volver,but he merely eyed it intently. Tiie book of birds and animals, on being shown to him upside down by Sirboko.the head man of the village, drew from him a sickly smile, and he was pleased to imply that he preferred the animals to the birds. He received some snuff in the palm of his hand, took a good pinch, and gave the rest to his spokesman. " He wished to look at my mos- quito-curtained bed, and in moving away was invited to dine with us. We sent him a message at seven o'clock that the feast was prepared, but a reply came that he was full, and could not be tempted even with a glass of rum. The following day he came to bid us good bye, and left without any exchange of presents, being thus very different from the grasping race of Ugogo." It has been mentioned that the Wanyamuezi act as traders, and go to great distances, and there is even a separate mode of greeting by which a wife welcomes her husband back from his travels. As soon as she hears that her husband is about to arrive home after his journey to the coast, she puts on all her ornaments, decorates herself with a feathered cap, gathers her friends round her, and proceeds to the hut of the chief's prin- cipal wife, before whose door they all dance and sing. Dancing and singing are with them, as with other tribes, their chief amusement. ITiere was a blind man who was remarkable for his powers of song, being able to send his voice to a considerable distance with a sort of ventriloquial effect. He was extremely VOL I. F £• / ?»,. WEZEE SALUTATION. 434 THE WANYAMUEZL i' ■■!■ fr ■=* ;^ii popular, and in the evenings the chief himself would form one of the audience, and join in the chorus with which his song was accompanied. They have several national em which, according to Captains Speke and Grant, are really line. Inside each village there is a club-house, or " Iwansa," as it is called. This is a I structure much larger than those which are used for dwelling-houses, and is built in _t^ ^ ///;;rn','-/T;n9j,|,,„,„„ ri E ST--_^'-^'-h^ ^ ^^H THE BUSBAKO-S WKLCOMB. different manner. One of these iwansas, which was visited by Captain Grant, " was » long, low room, twelve by eighteen feet, with one door, a low ilat roof, well blackened with smoke, and no chimney. Along its length ^^ there ran a high inclined bench, on which cow-skins ^B ^^^^ were spread for men to take their seats. Some huge ^^^L^ .^^^H^^ drums were hung in one comer, and logs smouldeied ^■^^^^ ^V^^^K on the floor. ^m ^^ ^B ^V SB " Into this place strangers are ushered when they ^B ^P ^V Xp first enter the village, and here they reside until a V ^r ^V ^w house can be appropriated to them. Here the young % M ^^ m men all gather at the close of day to hear the news, ^ M ^L M and join in that interminable talk which seems one of * % # B ^^M the chief joys of a native African. Here they per- •* formed kindly offices to each other, such as puUing TWEEZERS. out the hairs of the eyelashes and eyebrows with their purious little tweezers, chipping the teeth into the correct form, and marking on the chei3k£| {|ad temples the peculiar marks which desigiiate the clan to which they belong." WANYAMUEZI AMUSEMENTS. 485 The two pairs of tweezers shown in the illustration are drawn from specimens in Colonel Lane Fox's collection. They are made of iron, most ingeniously flattened and bent so as to give the required elasticity. These instruments are made of different sizes, but they are seldom much larger than those represented in the illustratioa Smoking and drinking also go on laigely in the iwansa, and here the youths indulge in varioas games. One of these games is exactly similar to one which has heen introduced into England. Each player has a stump of Indian com, cut short, which he stands on the ground in front of him. A rude sort of teetotum is made of a gourd and a stick, and is spun among the corn-stumps, the ohject of the game being to knock down the stump belonging to the adversary. Thia is a favourite game, and elicits much noisy laughter and applause, not only from the actual players, but from the spectators who surround In front of the iwansa the dances ate conducted. They are similar in some respects to those of the Damaras, as mentioned on p«^ 347, except that the performers stand in a line instead of in a circla A long strip of bark or cow-skin is laid on the ground, and the Weezees arrange themselves along it, the tallest man always taking the place of honour in the middle. When they have arrai^ged themselves, the drummers strike up their noisy instruments, and the dancers b^n a strange chant, which is more like a howl than a song. They all bow their heads, low, put their hands on their hips, -stamp vigo- loualy, and are pleased to think that they are dancing. The male spectators stand in front and encourage their friends by joining in the chorus, while the women stand behind and look on silently. Each dance ends vrith* a general shout of laughter or applause, and then a fresh set of dancers take their place on the strip pf skin. Sometimes a variety is introduced into their dances. On one occasion the chief had a number of bowls fiUed with pomb^ and set in a row. The people took their grass bowls and filled them again and again from the jars, the chief setting' the example, and disking more pomo^ than any of his subjects. When the bowls had circulated plentifidly, a couple of lads leaped into the circle, presenting a ^lost fantastic appearance. They had tied zebra manes over their heads, and had furnished thepfiselves with two long bark tubes like huge bassoons, into which they blew with all their flight, accompanying their shouts with extravagant contortions of the limbs. A9 8po;i fis the pomb^ was all gone, five drums were hung in a line upon a horizontal bar, fipd the performer began to hammer them furiously. Inspired by the sounds, men, wpmep, find children began to sing and clap their hands in time, and aU danced for several hours. "The Weezee boys are amusing little fellows, and ^five quite a talent for games. Of course they imitate the pursuits of their fathers, such f^s shooting with small bows and arrows, jumping over sticks at various heights, pretending to shoot game, and other amusements. Some of the elder lads converted their play into reality, by making their bows and arrows large enough to kill the pigeons and other birds which flew about them. They also make very creditable imitations of the white man's gun, tying two pieces of cane together for the barrels, modelling the stock, hampier, and trigger-guard out of clay, and imitating the smoke by tufts of cotton-wool That they were kind-hearted boys is evident from the fact that they had tamed birds ip cages, and spept much tipie in teach- ing them to sing." From the above description it may be inferred that the Weezees are a lively race, and such indeed is the fact. To the traveller they are amusing companions, singing tdeir "joUiest of songs, with deep-toned choruses, from their thick necks and throats." But they require to be very carefully managed, being independent as knowing their own value, and apt to go on, or halt, or encamp ji^st when it happens to suit them. Moreover, as they are not a cleanly race, and are sociably fond of making their evening fire close by and to windward of the traveller's tent, they are often much too near to be agreeable, especially as they always decline to move from the spot oii which they have established themselves. Still they are simply invaluable on the march, for they are good porters, can always manage to make themselves happy, and do not become homesick, as is the case with men of other tribes. Moreover, from their locomotive habits, they are excellent guides, and vf2 vA^l *<"■■■■■ % 436 THE WANYAMUEZr. they are most useful assistants in Imnting, detecting, and following up the spoor of an animal witli unerring certainty. They are rather too apt to steal the flesh of the animal when it is killed, and quite sure to steal the fat, but, as in nine cases out of ten it would not have been killed at all without their help, they may be pardoned for those acts of petty larceny. They never seem at a loss for anything, but have a singular power of supplying themselves out of the most unexpected materials. For example, if a Wanya- rauezi wants to smoke, and has no pipe, he makes a pipe in a minute or two from the if I WAN'YAUUI<:ZI UANCB nearest trea All he has to do is to cut a green twig, strip the bark off it as boys do when they make willow wliistles, push a plug of clay into it, and bore a hole through the clay with a smaller twig or a grass-blade. IJoth sexes are inveterate smokers, and. as they grow their own tobacco, they can gratify this taste to their hearts' content. For sninkir)g, they generally use their home- cured tobacco, which they twist up into a thick rope like a hayband, and then coil into a flattened spiral like a small target. Sometimes they make it into a sugar-loaf shape. Imported tobacco they employ as snuff, grinding it to powder if it should be given to them in a solid form, or pushing it into their nostrils if it should be in a cut state, like " bird's-eye " or " returns." The amusements of the Weezees are tolerably numerous. Besides those which have been mentioned, the lads are fond of a mimic fight, using the stalks of maize instead of spears, and making for themselves shields of bark. Except that the Weezee luds are on foot, instead of being mounted, this game is almost exactly like the " djerid " of the Turks, and is quite as likely to inflict painful, if not dangerous, injuries on the careless or unskilfuL PASSION FOR GAMBLING. 437 Then, for more sedentary people, there are several games of chance and others of skUl. The game of chance is the time-honoured " pitch and toss," which is played as eagerly here as in England. It is true that the Weezee have no halfpence, but they can always cut discs out of bark, and bet upon the rough or smooth side turning uppermost. They are very fond of this game, and will stake their most valued possessions, such as "sainbo" rings, bows, arrows, spear-heads, and the like. The chief game of skill has probably reached them through the Mohammedan traders, as it is almost identical with a game long familiar to the Turks. It is called Bao, and is played with a board on which are thirty-two holes or cups, and with sixty- four seeds by way of counters. Should two players meet and neither possess a board nor the proper seeds, nothing is easier than to sit down, scrape thirty -two holes in the ground, select sixty-four stones, and then begin to play. The reader may perhaps call to mind the old English game of Merelles, or Nine-men's Morris, which can be played on an extemporized board cut in the turf, and with stones instead of countcirs. The most inveterate gamblers were the lifeguards of the sultan, some twenty in number. They were not agreeable personages, being offensively supercilious in their manner, and flatly refusing to do a stroke of work. The extent of their duty lay in escorting their chief from one place to another, and conveying his orders from one village to another. The rest of their time was spent in gambling, drum-beating, and similar amusements; and if they distinguished themselves in any other way, it was by the care which they bestowed on their dress. Some of these lifeguards were very skilful in beating the drum, and when a number were performing on a row of suspended drums, the principal drummer always took the largest instrument, and was the conductor of the others, just as in a society of bellringers the chief of them takes the tenor bell. For any one, except a native, to sleep in a Weezee village while the drums are sounding is perfectly impossible, but when they have ceased the place is quiet enough, • as may be seen by Captain Grant's description of a night scene in Wanyamuezi. " In a Weezee village there are few sounds to disturb one's night's rest : the travellei's horn, and the reply to it from a neighbouring village, are accidental alarms ; the chirping of crickets, and the cry from a sick child, however, occasionally broke upon the stillness of one's night. Waking early, the first sounds we lieard were the crowing of cocks, the impatient lowing of cows, the bleating of calves, and the chirping of sparrows and other unmusical birds. The pestle and mortar shelling corn would soon after be heard, or the cooing of wild pigeons in the grove of palms. "The huts were shaped like corn-stacks, supported by bare poles, fifteen feet high, and fifteen to eighteen feet in diameter. Sometimes their grass roofs would be protected from sparks by ' michans,' or frames of Indian corn-stalks. There were no carpets, and all was as dark as the hold of a ship. A few earthen jars, made like the Indian ' gurrah,' for boiling- vegetables or stirabout, tattered skins, an old bow and arrow, some cups of grass, some gourds, perhaps a stool, constitute the whole of the furniture. Grain was housed in hard boxes of bark, and goats or calves had free access over the house." Their customs in eating and drinking are rather remarkable. Perhaps we ought to transfer those terms, drinking holding the first place in the mind of a Weezee. The only drink which he cares about is the native beer or " pombe," and many of the natives live ahnost entirely on pombe, taking scarcely any solid nourishment whatever. Porab^making is the work of the women, who brew large quantities at a time. Not being able to build a large tank in which the water can be heated to the boiling point, the ponibe-maker takes a number of earthen pots and places them in a double row, with an interval of eighteen inches or so between the rows. This intermediate space is filled with wood, which is lighted, and the fire tended until the beer is boiled simul- taneously in both rows of pots. Five days are required for completing the brewing. The Sultan Ukulima was very fond of pomb^, and, indeed, lived principally upon it. He used to begin with a bowl of his favourite beverage, and continue drinking it at intervals until he went to his tiny sleeping-hut for the night. Though he was half stupified during the day, he did not suffer in health, but was a fine, sturdy, hale old man, pleasant enough in manner, and rather amusing when his head happened to be clear. He *%. ''" >■ 438 THE WANYAMUEZL U ' ;■ ■■'' '1 ;f )■' was rather fond of a practical joke, and sometimes amused himself by begging some quinine, mixing it slily with pouib^, and then enjoying the consternation which appeared on the countenances of those who partook of the bitter draught. Every morning he used to go round to the different houses, timing his visits so as to appear when the brewing was finished. He always partook of the first bowl of beer, and then went on to another house and drank more pomb^, which he sometimes sucked through a reed in sherry-cobbler fashioa Men and women seldom drink in company; the latter assembling together under the pre- sidency of the sultana, or chici wife, and drinking in company. As to food, regular m'-als seem to be almost unknown anonothe men, who "drop in" it their friends' houses, taking a small potato at one place, a bowl of pombe at another, and, m pare occasions, a little beef indeed, Captain Grant says that he seldom saw men at their meals, unless they were assembled for pomW drinking. "Women, however, who eat, as they drink, by themselves, are more regular in thoir meal,?, and at stated times have tlieir food prepared. The grain from which the pomb4 is made is cultivated by the women, who undertake most, though not all, of its preparatioa "When it is green, they reap it by cutting off the ears with a knife, just a"^ was done by the Egyptians of ancient times. They then carry the ear? in baskets to the village, empty them nut upon the ground, and spread them in the sunkams until they are thoroughly dried. The men then thrash out the grain with curious flails, looking like rackets, with handles eight or nine feet in length. When thrashed, it is stored away in various fashions. Some- times it is made into a miniature corn-rick placed on legs, like the "staddles" of our own farmyards. Sometimes a pole is stuck into the earth, and the corn is bound round it at some distance from the ground, so that it resembles an angler's float of gigantic dimensions. The oddest, thougli perhaps the safest, AVay of packing grain is to tie it up in a bundle, and hang it to the branch of a tree. When wanted for use, it is pounded in a wooden mortar like those of the Ovambo tribe, in order to beat off the husk, and finally it is ground between two stones. The Wanyamuezi are not a very superstitious people, — at all«events they are not such slaves to superstition as many other tribes. As far as is known, they have no idols, but then they have no religious system, except perhaps a fear of evil spirits, and a belief that naiNRINQ FOMBli;. I;, i;. EXORCISING AN EVIL SPIEIT. 439 I inch spirits can be exorcised by qualified wizards. A good account of one of tbese exorcisiona is given by Captain Grant. "The sultan sits at the doorway of his hut, which is decorated with lion's paws. " His daughter, the possessed, is opposite to him, completely hooded, and guarded by I Ljjg )Vatu3i women, one on each side, holding a naked spear erect. The sultana com- » eight or nine e^^ >>^^ HARVEST PfrNB. pletes the circle. Pomb^ is spirted up in the air so as to fall upon them all. A cow is then brought in with its mouth tightly bound up, almost preventing the possibility of breathing, and it is evident that the poor cow is to be the sacrifice. " One spear-bearer gives the animal two gentle taps with a hatchet between the horns, and she is followed by the woman with the evil spirit and by a second spear-bearer, who also tap the cow. A man now steps forward, and with the same hatchet kills the cow by a blow behind the horns. The blood is all caught in a tray (a Kaffir custom), and placed at the feet of the possessed, after which a .spear-bearer puts spots of the blood on the woman's forehead, on the root' of the neck, the palms of the hands, and the instep of the feet. He spots the other spear-bearers in the same manner, and the tray is then taken by another man, who spots the sultan, his kind^ed^ and household. "Again the tray is carried to the feet of the possessed, and she spots with the blood her little son and nephews, who kneel to receive it. Sisters and female relatives come next to be nnointed by her, and it is pleasant to see those dearest to her pressing forward with congratulations and wishes. She then rises from her seat, uttering a sort of whining cry, and walks ofif to the house of the sultana, preceded and followed by spear-bearers. I 440 THE WANYAMUEZI. 1' ralks about the village, still hooded, and attended by several foUowersI lining grain, and singing ' Heigh-ho, massa-a-no,' or ' masan-'a.' AnI During the day she walks shaking gourds containing gruiu, unu aingiiiK xxoigu-uu, iiioaau-a-iiu, or ' niasan that which has | lood, the newly- le butter is then I (le time that the | 33 to pieces a iirious mourning j and on inquiiy turned out that twins had been borne to one of his wives, but that they were both 'ml. All the women belonginj» to his household marched about in procession, painted lind aJoniLHl in a very grotesque manner, singing and dancing with strange gesticulations lof anus and legs, and looking, indeed, as if they had been indulging in pombd rather than J jjjjgted by grief. This went on all day, and in the evening they collected a great bundle lof bulrushos, tied it up in a cloth, and carried it to the door of the mother's hut, just as if it hud been the dead body of a man. They then set it down on the ground, stuck a Luantity of the rushes into the earth, at each side of the door, knelt down, and began a loiig shrieking wail, which lasted for several hours together. i*MM« rOFTED BOW AND SFBAB. [LmtbyMr. Wanham.) '»■■■;., u|>: i. i ; If I * I , .1 CHAPTER XXXVIII. KABAQUE. LOOAUTT OF KABAGUF — THS DISTINCT 0LAB8XB OT THK INHABITANTfl— THBIB GaNBBAl CBABACTM MODB OF SALUTATION — THE BVUNQ CASTS, OB VABUHA, AND THB BOYAL CA8TI, OB UOHKRNDA — LAW OF SUCCKSSION THK SULTAN BUMANIKA AND UIB FAMILY — PLANTaKi VIN1-. HOW BUHANIKA GAINED THK THRONK — OBSKQUIES OV HIS FATHEB — NKW-MOON CKBXUONIU-. TWO BOYAL PROPHETS THK UAOIC HORNS — MABRtAOB — ^EASY LOT OF THB WAHUMA WOMRN— WIFK-FATTKNINO — AN ODD U8K OF OBESITY — DBESS OF THB WOMBN'— KVBIOAL ZMSTBUIIBRTS^ | BUMANIKa's PBIVATF band— FUNEBAL CUSTOMS. Passing by a nuinl)er of tribes of more or less importance, we come to the country called Kakaoue (pronounced Kah-rah-g6o-eli), which occupies a district about lat. 3° S. and long. 31" £. The people of this district are divided into two distinct; classes,— namely, the reigning race, or Wahuma, and the peasantry, or Wanyambo. These latter were the criginal inht.'ntants of the land, but were dispossessed by the Wahuma, who have turned them into slaves and tillers of the ground. Among the Wahiuna there is another distino tion, — UBiDely, a royal caste, or Moheenda. As lo the Wanyambo, although they are reduced to the condition of peasants, and have been compared to the r^'ots of India, they seem to preSferve their self-respect, and have a kind of government among themselves, the country being divided into districts, each of which has its own governor. These men are called Wakunga, and are distin- guished by a sort of uniform, consisting of a sheet of calico or a scarlet blanket in addition to the ordinary dress. They ai'e an excitable and rather quarrelsome people, and are quite capable of taking their own parts, even against the Weezees, with whom they occasionally quarrel. They do not carry their weapons continually, like the Wagogo and the Weezees, contenting themselves with a stick about five feet long, with a knob at the end, without whicli they are seldom to be seen, and which is not only used as a weapon, but is employed in greeting a friend. The mode of saluting another is to hold out the stick to the friend, who touches the knobbed end with his hand, and repeats a few words of salutation. Yet, although they do not habitually carry weapons^ they are very well armed, their bows being exceedingly powerful and elastic, more than six feet in length, and projecting a spear-headed arrow to a great distance. Spears are also employed, but the familiar weapon is the bow. A bow belonging to M'nanagee, the brother of Rumanika, the then head chief or " sultan " of Karague, was a beautiful specimen of native workmanship. It was six iwt three inches in length, i.e. exactly the height of the owner, and was so carefully made that there was not a curve in it that could offend the eye. The string was twisted from the sinews of a cow, a'ld the owner could project an arrow some two hundred yards, The wood of which it was made looked very like our own ash. BUMANIKA AND HIS FAMILY. 443 The Wanyambo were very polite to Captain Graus, taking great care of him, and iiing bini how to preserve his health, thus affording a pn*ctical reftitation of the ling stories respecting their treachery and ferocity of wliich he had been told , determining to pass through their country. The Wanyambo are obliged to jiih provisions to travellers free of charge, but, although they obey the lettt^r of the , they always expect a present of brass wire in lieu of payment. They are slenderly lit rery dark in complexion, and grease themselves abundantly. They do not, however, Lm such an evil odour as other grease-using tribes, as, after they have anointed them- bn, they Hsht a firo of aromatic wood, and stand to leeward of it, so as to allow the lifuned smoke to pass over them. The Wahuma are of much lighter complexion, and the royal caste, or Moheenda, are narkable for their bronze-like complexions, their well-cut features, and their curiously J heads. The members of this caste are further marked by some scars under the eyes, I their teeth are neither filed nor chipped. There is rather a curious law about the aion to the throna As with us, the King's eldest son is the acknowledged heir, but must have been born when his father was ar 'nally king. Consequently, the gest of a familv of brothers is sometimes tha heir to the throne, his elder brothers, [ bom before their father was king, being ineligible for the crown. _.coidiog to Captain Speke, the Wahuma, the Gallas, and the Abyssinians are but lerent branches of the same people, having fought and been beaten, and retired, and so k their way westward and southward, until tiiey settled down in the country which jthea inhabited by the Wanyambo. Still, although he thinks them to have derived jeiriouroe from Abyssinia, and to have spread themselves over the whole of the country I which we are now engaged, he mentions that they always accommodated themselves jtheioanners and customs of the natives whom they supplanted, and that the Gallas or fahuma of Karague have different customs from the Wanuma of Unyoro. The king or sultan of Karague, at the time when our travellers passed through the lantry, was Rumanika. He was the handsomesv and most intelligent ruler that they et in Africa, and had nothing of the African in his appearance except that his hair was ort and woully. He was six feet two inches in height, and had a peculiarly mild and len expression of countenance. He wore a robe made of small antelope skins, and jiiother of bark-cloth, so that he was completely covered. He never wore any head-dress, nt had the usual metallic armlets and anklets, and always canied a long staff in his ad. His tour sons appear to have been worthy of their father. The oldest and youngest lem to have been peculiarly favourable specimens of their race. The eldest, named fchunderah, was twenty-five years old, and very fair, so that, but for his woolly hair and [is rather thick lips, he might have been taken for a sepoy. " He affected the dandy, leing more neat about his lion-skin covers and ornaments than the other brothers. He laf(ay life, was always ready to lead a war party, and to preside at a dance, or wherever liere was wine and women. "From the tuft of wool left unshaven on the crown of his head to his waist he was m, except when decorated round the muscle of the arms and neck with charmed horns, l^trips of ottor-skin, shells, and bands of wood. The skin-covering, which in the Karague ople is peculiar in shape, reaches below the knee behind, and is cut away in front. From below the calf to the ankle was a mass of iron wire, and when visiting from Wi^thbour to neighbour, he always, like every Karague, carried in his hand a five-feet IttatTwitli a knob at the end. " lie constantly came to asTc after me, bringing llowers in his hand, as he knew my jfondness for them, and at night he would take Frij, my headman, into the palace, along jwith his ' zeze,' or guitar, to amuse his sisters with Zasizibar music. In turn, the sisters, Ibrothers, and followers would sing Karague music, ami early in the morning Master Frij laiidChunderah would return rather jolly to their huts outside the palace enclosure. This jsliows Jie kindly feeling existing between us and the family of the sultan ; and, although this young prince had showed me many attentions, he never once asked me for a present." I-M i ' "^ ^im^ 444 KARAQUK Tlio Bocond son, who was by a different mother, was not so a^froeahla Ilia dispova was not bail, but ho was stupid and slow, and anything hvt ip.iiuKoino. Tim younJ of the four, uaniod Kukoko, seomod to have boconie a pcc^... iuvounlo, and woscl I the pet of his father, who never wont anywhere without, . hx TI(j ..'aa so mildl pleasant in his manaer, that the travellers presented him with •. pair of white kidolnj and, afier much trouble in coaxing them on his unaccustomed fingers, were much tuLn by the your.^ mr.a's added dignity with which he walked away. 1^ y^ j^y I OHUNDERAH PLATING THBOUITAR. Contrary to the usual African custom, Rumanika was singularly abstemious, livir almost entirely upon milk, and merely sucking the juice of boiled beef, without eatinj,'tlj meat itself. He scarcely ever touched the plantain wine or beer, that is in such genetj use throughout the country, and never had been known to be intoxicated. This wine i beer is made in a very ingenious manner. A large log of wood is hollowed out so astofoij a tub, and it seems essential that it should be of considerable size. One end of it is raisi upon a support, and a sort of barrier or dam of dried grass is fixed across the centre. Ripe plantains are then placed in the upper division of the tub, and mashed byt women's feet and hands until they are reduced to a pulp. The juice flows dowiitlj inclined tub, straining itself by passing through the grass barrier. When a suRiciei quantity has been pressed, it is strained several times backwards and forwards, and is thej passed into a clean tub for fermentation. Some burnt sorghum is then bruised and throw into the juice to help fermentation, and the tub is then covered up and placed in tl sun's rays, or kept warm by a fire. In the course of three days the brewing process | supposed to be completed, and the beer or wine is poured off into calabashes. The amount of this wine that is drunk by the natives is really amazing, every oil THE SULTAN RUMANIKA. 445 aWa nisdiRpofliJ isoino. The yomj inii), and was clJ 'Ifa '.'aa BO inildi r of white kid gU •8, mm much oiaa y abstemious, livii f, without eatinjjtlj at is in such geiieij cated. This wine J wed out so as to foij ne end of it is raia cross the centre. and mashed by tU nice flows downtlJ Wlien a suBicieJ brwards, and is thej bruised and throw p and placed in tij i brewing process | bashes, amazing, every od ving atout with them a calabash full of it, and even the youngest rhiUlren of the Lw (lrinkinj( it freely. It is never bottled for preservation, and, in fact, it is in such mt tliat scarcely a calabash full can bo found within two or three days after tlio ujni' is completed. This inordinate fondness for plantain wine makes liumanika's tinence the more remarkable. But Ruraanika was really a wonderful man in his way, and was not only kinp, but staaJ prophet also. His very elevation to the throne was, according to the account inbyhim and his friends, entirely duo to supernatural aid. When his father, Dagara, died, ho and two brothers claimed the throne. In order to le their pretensions a small magic drum wa.s laid before them, and he who could lift it to take the crown. The drum was a very small one, and of scarcely any weight, but . it were laid certain potent charms. The conseciuence was, that although his brothers li their strength to the task, they could not stir the drum, while Kumanika raised it with his little finger. Ever afterwards he carried this drum with him on occasions eereinony, swinging it about to show how easy ib was for the rightful sovereign to -it Being dissatisfied with such a test, one of the chiefs insisted on Eumanika's trial by er ordeal. He was then brought into a sacred spot, where he was required to seat ilf on the groimd. and await the result of the charms. If he were really the jted king, the portion of the ground on which he was seated would rise up in the iBtil it reached the sky ; but if he were the wrong man, it would collapse, and dash to pieces. According to all accounts, his own included, Eumanika took his seat, was jd up into the sky, and his legitimacy acknowledgod. Altogether, his family seem to have been noted for their supernatural qualities. When tuber, Dagara, died, his body was sewn up in a cow-hide, put into a canoe, and set iog on the lake, where it was allowed to decompose. Three maggots were then taken I the canoe and given in charge of Kumanika, but as soon as they came into his house of them became a lion, another a leopard, and the third was transformed into a stick. body was then laid on the top of a hill, a hut built over it, five girls and fifty cows it into it, and the door blocked up and watched, so that the inmates gradually died itarration. The lion which ...sueu from e corpse was supposed to be an emblem of the peculiar ter of the Karague country, which is supposed to be guarded by lions from the ik of other tribes. It was said that whenever Dagara heard that the enemy was ling into his country, he used to call the lions together, send them against the icing force, and so defeat them by deputy. In his character of high-priest, Rumanika was very imposing, especially in his new- in levee, which took place every month, for the purpose of ascertaining the loyalty of subjects. On the evening of the new moon he clothes himself in his priestly garb, i.e. a quantity feathers nodding over his forehead, and fastened with a kind of strap of beads. A ge white beard covers his chin and descends to his breast, and is fastened to his face by bell of beads. Having thus prepared himdelf, he sits behind a screen, and waits for the imony to begin. This is a very cunous one. Thirty or forty long drums are ranged on the ground, just :e a battery of so many mortars ; on their heads a white cross is painted. The drummers ind behind them, each with a pair of sticks, and in front is their leader, who has a pair small drums slung to his neck. The leader first raises his right arm, and then his left, the performers imitating him ith exact precision. He then brings down both sticks on the drums with a rapid roll, hich becomes louder and louder, until the noise is scarcely endurable. This is continued intervals for several hours, interspersed with performances on smaller drums, and other iiisical instruments. The various chiefs and officers next advance in succession, leaping id gesticulating, shouting expressions of devotion to their sovereign, and invoking his [engeance on them should they ever fail in their loyalty. As they finish their salutation ley kneel successively before the king, and hold out their knobbed sticks that he may « '■ Jl 446 KABAQUH is H touch them, and then retire to make room for their snccessors in the ceremony, in ^ to give added force to the whole proceeding, a horn is stuffed full of magic powder! placed in the centre, with its opening directed towards the quarter from which danoj to be feared. 'I A younger brother of Eumanika, named M'nanagee, was even a greater prophet I diviner than his royal brother, and was greatly respected by the Wahuma in consequenj his supernatural powers. He had a sacred stone on a hill, and might be seen daily walU to the spot for the purpose of divination. He had also a number of elephant tusks \^ he had stuffed with magic powder and placed in the enclosure, for the purpose of al of i-eligious worship. M'nanagee was a tall and stately personage, skilled in the knowledge of plants, i strange to say, ready to impart his knowledge. As insignia of his priestly office, he i an abundance of charms. One charm was fastened to the back of his shaven h, others hung from his neck and arms, while some were tied to his knees, and even the] of his walking-stick contained a charm. He was always attended by his page, a littlj boy, who carried his fly-flapper, and his master's pipe, the latter being of considei length, and having a bowl of enormous size. He had a full belief in the power of his magic horns, and consulted them on Ui every occasion of life. If any one were ill, he asked their opinion as to the nature rfl malady and the best remedy for it. If he felt ctirious about a friend at a distance,! magic horns gave him tidings of the absent one. If an attack were intended on [ country, the horns gave him warning of it, and, when rightly invoked, they either avei the threatened attack, or gave victory over their enemies. The people have an implicit faith in the power of their charms, and believe that 1 nob only inspire courage, but rendei; the person invulnerable. Bumanika's head magici, K'yeugo, told Captain Speke that the Watuta tribes had invested his village for] months ; and when all the cattle and other provisions were eaten, they took the villl and killed all the inhabitants except himself. Him they could not kill on account of] power of his charms, and, although they struck at him with their spears as he lay ou I ground, they could not even wound him. The Wahuma believe in the constant presence of departed souls, and that theyi exercise an influence for good or evil over those whom they had known in life. So, \ field happens to be blighted, or the crop does not look favourable, a gourd is laid on] path. All passenger^who see the gourd know its meaning, and set up a wailing ci] the spirits to give n, good crop to their surviving friends. In order to propitiate the spirit of his father, Dagara, Bumanika used annueil}! sacrifice a cow on his tomb, and was accustomed to lay com and beer near the grave,! offerings to his father's spirit. In Karague, mai/iage is little more than a species of barter, the father receiving ( sheep, slaves, and other property for his daughter. But the transaction is not a final i for if the bride does not happen to approve of her husband, she can return the nan gifts and return to her father. There is but little ceremony in their marriages, the pi| cipal one seeming to consist of t}riug up the bride in a blackened skin, and carrying hei noisy procession to her husband. The Wahuma women lead an easy life compared with that of the South ifriij women, and indeed their chief object in life seems to be the attainment of corpulci| Either the ¥7ahuina women are specially constituted, or the food which they eat is i ceptionally nutritious, for they attain dimensions that are almost incredible. 1 example, Rttmanika, though himself a slight and well-shaped man, had five wives of enj mous fatness. Three of them were unable to enter the door of an ordinary hut, orj move about withouw being supported by a person on either side. They are fed on toil plantains and milk, and consume vast quantities of the latter article, eating it all daylol Indeed, they are fattened as systematically as turkeys, and are "crammed" witli[ equal disregard of their feelings. Captain Speke gives a very humorous account of his interview with one of women of rank, together with the measurements which she permitted him to take:- MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. 447 •After a long and amusing conversation with Bumanika in the morning, I called on .^of his sisters-in-law, married to an elder brother, who was born before Dagara [I^Dded the throne. She was another of these victims of obesity, unable to stand except liffl all fours. I was desirous to obtain a good view of her, and actually to measure her, Ld induced her to give me facilities for doing so b^ offering in return to show her a bit Lqiy naked legs and arms. The bait took as I wished it, and, after getting her to sidle ' vrigggle into the middle of the hut, I did as I had promised, and then took her jensions as noted. "Bound arm, one foot eleven inches. Chest, four feet four inches. Thigh, two feet tea. inches. Calf, one foot eight inches. Height, five feet eight inches. All of these • exact except the hei(fht, and I believe I could have obtained this more accurately if I „ald have had her laid on the floor. But knowing what difficulties I should have to intend with in such a piece of engineering, I tried to get her height by raising her up. fiaa, after infinite exertions on the part of us both, was accomplished, when she sank lown a<%in fainting, for the blood had rushed into her head. "Meanwhile the daughter, a lass of sixteen, sat stark naked before us, sucking at a k-pot, on which the '"ther kept her y.c work by holding a rod in his hand ; for, as ening is the first duty v<. fashionable female life, it must be duly enforced with the rod [necessary. I got up a bit of a flirtation with missy, and induced her to rise and shake nds with me. Her features were lovely, but her body was as round as a ball." la one part of the country, the women turned their obesity to good account. In ex- jancing food for beads, the usual bargain was that a certain quantity of food should be laid for by a belt of beads that would go round the waist. But the women of Karague ere, on an average, twice as large round the waist as those of other districts, and the taral consequence was, that food practically rose one hundred per cent. :n price. Despite their exceeding fatness, their features retain much beauty, the face being ova], ndthe eyes peculiarly fine and intelligent The higher class of women are very modest, tot ouly wearing the cow-skin petticoat, but also a large wrapper of black cloth, with rhich they envelope their whole bodies, merely allowing one eye to be seen. Yet up to iie marriageable age no clothing of any kind is worn by either sex, and both boys and pk will come up to the traveller and talk familiarly with him, as unconscious of nudity 9 their first parents. Until they are married they allow the hair to grow, and then shave toff, sometimes entirely, and sometimes partially. They have an odd habit of making ap3 of cane, which they cover on the outside with the woolly hair shaved o£f their Mention has been made of various musical instnments used in Earague. The most nportant are the drums, which vary in size as much as they do in England. That 1 corresponds to our side-drum is about four feet in length and one ii^ width, and is overed at the wide end with an ichneumon skin. This instrument is slung from the balder, and is played with the fingers like the Indian " tom-tom." The large dnims led at the new-moon levee are of similar structure, but very much larger. The war utn is beaten by the women, and at its so\md the men rush to arms and repair to the Bveral quarters. There are also several stringed instruments employed in Earague. The principal of I is the nanga, a kind of guitar, which, according to Captain Grant, may be called i national instrument There are several varieties of the nanga. "In one of these, lyed by an old woman, six of the seven notes were a perfect scale, the seventh being he only faulty string. In another played by a man, three f^trings were a full harmonious Ichord. These facts show that the people are capable of cultivation. The nanga was Iformed of heavy dark wood, the shape of a tray, twenty-two by nine inches, or thirty jby eight, with three crosses in the bottom, and laced with one string seven or eight ■times over bridges at either end. Sometimes a gourd or sounding-board was tied on Itothebick. "Pnuce M'nanagee, at my request, sent the best player he knew. The man boldly I entered without introduction, dressed in the usual Wanyambo costume, and looked a wild, excited creatuia ' After restdug his spear against the roof of the hut, he took a nanga ^^ !:v m ^ '9' ■■-."%! S*;. I . T' l> r li ! jf. J^' 448 KABAGUE. from tinder his arm, and commenced. As he sat upon a mat ivith his head averted I sang something of his having been sent to me, and of the favourite dog Keeromba. ThJ i4. VI ^-1^ .S! '^^*g jB-_si2i a^uc^jij^.. BUMANIKA'S PRIVATE BAND. ■wild yet gentle music and words attracted a crowd of admirers, who sang the dog song for days afterwards, as we had it encored several times. ' CODE OF LAWa 449 lis head averted, 111 3g Keeromba. ij I4vi •Another player was an old woman, calling herself Keeleeamyagga. As she played liile standing in front of me, all the song she could produce was ' sh ! sh 1 ' screwing r mouth, rolling her hody, and raising her feet from the ground. It was a miserable jformance, and not rei)eated." There is another stringed instrament called the " zeza" It differs from the nanga I having only one string, and, like the nanga, is used to accompany the voice in singing. wind instruments may be called the flageolet and the bugle. The former huo six sr'holes ; and as the people walk aloug with a load on their heads, they play the olet to lighten their journey, and really contrive to produce sweet and musical tones , it The so-called " bugle " is made of several pieces of gourd, fitting into one ier in telescope fashion, and is covered with cow-skin. The notes of a common chord l)e produced on the bugle, the thumb acting as a key. It is about one foot in A Eamanika had a special military band comprised of sixteen men, fourteen of whom ^ bugles and the other two carried hand-drums. They formed in three ranks, the mnmers being in the rear, and played on the march, swaying their bodies in time to J music, and the leader advancing with a curiously active step, in which he touched aground with each knee alternately. The code of laws in Karague is rather severe in some cases, and strangely mild in lets. For example, theft is punished with the stocks, in which the offender is some- jnes kept for many months. Assault with a stick entails a fine of ten goats, but if Ejtii a deadly weapon, the whole of the property is forfeited, the injured party taking J half, and the sultan the other. In cases of actual murder, the culprit is executed, ihia entire property goes to the relations of the murdered man. The most curious bw is that against adidtery. Should the offender be an ordinary wife, the loss of an ear I thought to be sufficient penalty ; but if she be a slave, or the daughter of the sultan, )th parties are liable to capital punishment. When an inhabitant of Karague dies, his body is disposed of according to his rank. loold he be one of the peasants, or Wanyambo, the body is sunk in the water ; 'but if J should belong to the higher caste, or Wahuma, the corpse is buried on an island in the ke, all such islands being considered as sacred ground. Near the spot whereon one of > Wahuma has died, the relations place a symbolical mark, consisting of two sticks J to a stone, and laid across the pathway. The symbol informs the passenger that the ithway is for the present sacred, and in consequence he turns aside, and makes a ditour to he resumes the pathway. The singular funeral of the sultan has already been les* ■'■■ min i * «« Hl l . r t I- i ?*3 ^P' ^ ^^i who sang the do; THE WAZARAMO AND WASAGARA. Before proceeding to other African countries, it will be as well to give a few lines to »o other tribes, namely, — the Wazaramo and the Wasagara. The country in which the former people live is called Uzaramo, and is situated mediately southward of Zanzibar, being the first district through which Captains Speke od Grant passed. The country is covered with villages, the houses of which are par<-ly conical after the dinary African fashion, and partly gable-ended, according to the architecture of the loast, the latter form being probably due to the many traders who con^e from different parts If the world. The walls of the houses are "wattle and daub," i.e. h\^rdle-work pkatered pith clay, and the roofs are thatched with grass or reeds. Over these villages are set lead-men, called Phanzes, who ordinarily call themselves subjects of Said Majid, the pultan of Zanzibar. Dat as soon as a caravan passes through their country, each head 'vol. I. QQ ' ^ "?r' ' /' N,.; 1 4Hi \ ' 460 TEE WAZARAMO. man considers himself as a sultan in his own right, and levies tolls from the travellen They never allow strangers to come into their villages, differing in this resi)ei;t from oth tribes, who use their towns as traps, into which the vmwary traveller is induced to con and from which he does not escape without suffering severely in purse. The people, although rather short and thick-set, are good-looking, and very fond dress, although their costume is but limited, consisting only of a cloth tied round th waist. They are very fond of ornaments, such as shells, pieces of tin, and beads ani rub their bodies with red clay and oil until they look as if they were new cast i] copper. Their hair is woolly, and twisted into numerous tufts, each of which is elonKit< ' by bark fibres. The men are very attentive to the women, dressing their hair for the or escorting them to the water, lest any harm should befall them. BAIA-DBESSIKa. A wise traveller passes through Uzaramo as fast as he can, the natives never furnishira guides, nor giving ihe least assistance, but being always ready to pounce on him sliould he be weak, and to rob him by open violence, instead of employing the more refineij " hongo " system. They seem to be a boisterous race, but are manageable by mm gentleness and determinatioa Even when they had drawn out their warrioi"s in batdd array, and demanded in a menacing manner a larger hongo than they ought to expectJ Captain Speke found that gentle words would always cause them to withdraw, anf leave the matter to peaceful arbitration. Should they come to blows, they are rathen formidable enemies, being well armed with spears and bows and arrows, the latter being poisoned, and their weapons being always kept in the same state of polish and noatnes! as their owners. Some of these Phanzes are apt to be verj' troublesome to the traveller, almost al demanding more than they expect to get, and generally using threats as the simplestj means of extortion. One of them, named Khomb^ la Simba, or Lion's-claw, was veiyl troublesome, sending back contemptuously the present that had been given him,i threatening the direst vengeance if his demands were not complied with. Five miles! further inland, another Phanze, named Mukia ya Nyani, or Monkey's-tail, demandedj another hongo; but, as the stores of the expedition would have been soon exhausted atl I ;. THE WASAGAEA. 451 J rate, Captain Speke put an abrupt stop to this extortion, giving the chiefs the option [ tjjang what he chose to give them, or fighting for it ; and, as he took care to display I armory and the marksmanship of his men, they thought it better to comply rather jn fight and get nothing. Owing to the rapidity with which the travellers passed through this inhospitable land, [the necessity for a\ oiding the natives as much as possible, very little was learned of manners and oust )ms. The Wazaramo would flock round the caravan for the 086 of barter, and to inspect the strangers, but their ordinary life was spent in their EflLes, which, as has bei i already mentioned, are never entered by travellers. Nothing I known of their religion though it is possib^'s that the many Mahometans who pass ■ough their land may have introduced some -races of their own religion, just as is the je in Londa, where the religion is an odd mixture of idolatrous, Mahometan, and Ichristian rites, with the meaning ingeniously excluded. In fact they do not want to linow the meaning of the i tes, leaving that to the priests, and being perfectly contented Ib long as the witch-doctor >erforms his part. That the Wazaramo have at all events a leerlain amount of superstit »n, is evident from the fact that they erect little model huts Ltemples to the Spirit of B in. Such a hut or temple is called M'ganga. They also lay Ibrokea articles on graves, a:,d occasionally carve rude wooden dolls and fix them in the Bund at the end of the gr ve ; but, as far as is known, they have no separate burying- THE WASAGAEA. The second of these tribes, the Wasagara, inhabits a large tract of country, full a hundred ilea in length, and is composed of a great number of inferior or sub-tribes. Like jotlier African nations, who at one time were evidently great and powerful, the Wasagara Ikve become feeble and comparatively insignificant, though still numerous. Being much Ipereecuted by armed parties from the coast, who attack and carry them off for slaves, jtesides stealing what property they have, the Wasagara have mostly taken to the lofty 1 mountains that form such conspicuous objects in their country, and there are Itolerably safe. But, as they are thus obliged to reside in such limited districts, they can ) but little in agriculture, and they are afraid to descend to the level ground in order to [take part in the system of commerce, which is so largely developed in this country. Ilheir villages are mostly built on the hill-spurs, and they cultivate, as far as tliey can, jthe fertile lant^s which lie between them. But the continual inroads of inimical tribes, lis well as th< -c of the slave -dealers, prevent the inhabitants from tilling more land than lean just supply their wants. So utterly dispirited are they, that as soon as a caravan is seen by a sentry, warning lis given, and all the population flock to the hill-top, where they scatter and hide them- Ifdves 80 completely that no slaving party would waste its time by trying to catch them. lEesistance is never even thought of, and it is hardly possible to induce the Wasagara to id the hills until the caravan has passed. Consequently it is scarcely possible to lobtain a Msagara as a guide through his country. If, however, the traveller does succeed litt so doing, he finds that, the man is trustworthy, lively, active, and altogether an amusing |(«mi»nion. The men seem to be good hunters, displaying great skill in discovering and [tracking game. Owing to the precarious nature of their lives, the Wasagara have but little dress, a lonall strip of cloth round the waist being the ordinaiy costume. m ■m -^ ^n^ ^^m -If^. '^ ^^Hs :3i^ i! HKn Jas: «^^ —-^ w t\ ' y^ 3B: "I '-^ ^ i'f]| =Si -..4^M OM.^ 'HI ■H T"*^ ^Jh j iHHRn -**MH%A s ^t? jflR^Bl ^^^^c^n UtZi ■ '"Sb^S' m^^^^ rC m.^^® ^ ', ■ Ilpf ■'■'■nil • i ao8 ?ra .1 J M, k' G: ^v;^ '#' 1 'I rf . it ' It." ! OHAFTEE XXXIX. THE WATUSI AND WAGANDA. * lOCAUTT OF THS WATUSI TBIBB — ^MOI>B OV SBBS8 — A WATUSI WOMAN — THBIB TALUS AS MRN — SALUTATION — WATUSI DANCINa THB WAOANDA — BOAD SYSTEM OF UGANDA— CODB Oil KT«JU?1TTB — DISBBOABD OF HITMAN LIFB — CBUBLTT THE WIFE-WHIP — AN AFRICAN BWjJ B'tABD ^LIFB IN THB PALACB — BEVIEWINO THE TBOOFS ORIGIN OF THB WAOANDA TEXBR- KiMERA, AND HIS MODE OF QOTRBNMEMT — SYSTEM OF ORGANIZATION — THB LAW OF SUCCBSSIOIt — M'tBSA, THB PRBSENT KING, AND HIS OOUBT — THK BOYAL PALACE — OENBBAL ABCHITXCT OF THB WAGANDA— BEOBPTION OF A GUEST THB BOYAL WALK A COUNCIL — SUPEBSTITION* THB WATEB-8PIBIT AND HIS HIOH-PBIE8T — BELIOION OF THB WAOANDA — ^HUMAN BACIlinCl»--| THB BLAVB-TBADB — ^BUBYINa-OBOUNDB OF THB WAOANDA. Ttt^rb is one tribe which, though small, has sufficient individuality to deserve a brief| • jtice. The Watusi are a race of herdsmen, who live on either side of the equator, i according to Captain Grant, resemble the Somalia in general appearance. They generally! take service in the households of wealthy persons, and devote themselves almost entirely! to the care of the cattle. They have plentiful and woolly hair, and the men shave their beards with the I exception of a crescent-shaped patch. They have an odd fashion of staining their gums I black, using for the purpose a mixture of the tamarind seed "-alcined and powdered, and! then mixed with a salt of copper. The men carry their weapons when walking, and! seldom appear without a bow and arrows, a five-feet long stick with a knob at one end,| and a pipe. When they meet a friend, they hold out the knobbed end oiF the stick to him; touches it, and the demands of etiquette are supposed to be fulfilled. This knobbed! stick is quite an institution among the tribes that have recently been mentioned, and a mansee.nst: be quite unhappy unless he has in his hand one of these curious implements.] They are foad of ornament, and wear multitudinous rings upon their wrists and the latter being generally of iron and the former of brass. They are a fine-lookinaf. I shook hands, patted her cheek, and took my leave, but some beads were sent her, nd she paid me a visit, bringing butter and buttermilk, and asking for niore presents, irhich she of course got, and I had the gratification to see her eyes sparkle at the sight df them. "This was one of the few women I met during our whole journey that I admired. Ifcne of the belles in Usui could approach her; but they were of a different caste, though pressing much in the same style. When cow's skins were not worn, these Usui women very tidily in bark cloths, and had no marks or cuttings observable on their dies. Circles of hair were often sha^'ed off the crowns of their heads, and their neck Itrnameats showed considerable taste ia the selection of the beads. The most becoming jveie a string of the M'zizama spl:eres of marble-sized white porcelain, and triangxUar pieces of shell rounded at the corners. "An erect fair girl, daughter of a chief, paid us a visit, accompanied by six maids, and lat silently for half an hour. She '.lad a spiral circle of wool shaved off the crown of her 1; her only ornament was a rieckli\ce of green beads ; she wore the usual wrapper, and icross her shoulders a strip of scarlet should liappfn to bej white man, w aid be only too happy to dispense with the ceremony, and run his risk on witchcraft, I The officers of the court are required to shave off all thci hair except a single cockadel at the back of tuo head, while the pages are distinguished by ivvo cockades, one over each! temple, so that, even if they happen to be without their rope turbans, their rank audi authority ae at once indicated. When the king sends the pages on a message, a niMtl picturcsqre siglil is {presented. All the commands of the king have to be done at fulll speed, ana when ten di' a dozen pages start off in a body, their dresses streaming in thel air behind them, ach striviiig to outrun the other, they look at a distance like a flight ofl birds rather than human beings. I Here, as in many other countries, human life, that of the king excepted, is not of thel least hie. On one oirudion Ljptain Sj)eke had given M'tesa a new ritle, witli which hel Wad much pleased. After examining it for some time, he loaded it, handed it to one of I bis pages, and tol' hun to go and shoot somebody in the outer court. The page, a inew I boy, took the rifle, went into the court, and in a nionx-ut the report of the rifle showed thai the king's orders had been obeyed. The urchin came back grinning with delight at the feat which he had achieved, just like a schoolboy who has bhot his first sparrow, and handed back the rifle to his master. As to the unfortunate man who was fated to bo the target, n< thing was heiird about him, the murder of a man being far too conujicu on | incident to attract not ice. >' '•! file occasion, when M'tesa and his wives wei^ on a pleasure excursion, one of the favouritod, ii singularlv good-looking woman, })lucked a I'ruit, and oflered it to the king, evident!}' intciiding to pleise him. Instead of taking it as intended, he flew into a violtnt passion, declared that it was the first time that a woman had ever dared to offer him anything, and ordered the pages to lead her off to execution. " These words were no sooner uttered by the king than the whole bevy of pages slipped their cord turbans from their heads, and rushed like a pack of Cupid beagles upon the fairy queen, who, indignant at the little urchins daring to touch her majesty, remonstrated with the king, and tried to beat them off like flies, but was soon captured, overcome, and dragged away, crying in the names of the Kamraviona and M'zungu (myself [i.e. Captain Speke]) for lielji and protection, whdst Lubuga, the pet sister, and all the other women clasped the king by his legs, and, kneeling, implored forgivenesii for their sister. The more they craved for mercy, the more brutal he became, till at last he took a heavy stick and began to belabour the poor victim on the head. " Hitherto I had been extremely careful not to interfere with any of the king's acts of arbitrary cruelty, knowing that such interference at an early stage would j)rciduce more liarra than good. This last act of barbarism, however, was too nmch for my English blood to stand ; and as I heard my name, M'zungu, imploringly pronounced, I rushed at the king, and, staying his uplifted arm, demanded from him the woman's life. Of course 1 run imminent risk of losing my own in thus thwarting the capricious tyrant, but his cuprite proved the friend of both. The novelty of- interference made him smile, and the wuiuan was instantly released." On another occasion, when M'tesa had been out shooting, Captain Grant asked what CRUELTY. 407 ' point, the travellm o sit on tliu ,,,,„„3 ordered. ,u,d Cur J 18. and being U\ and then m on |,jj Ts abandoiiiiij, thej 3ro quite ii« lii„ij^ 1 ata iuldnil)8itwiij 'ne in order to »hoJ litended evil woJ with articles of uJ 3bed with the dirS lid happm to be] aud run his risk oil Tt a single cockadji :ade8, one over eachi ins, their rank andl a message, a niMtl to be done at fuul 38 streaming in the I auce like a flight of epted, is not of the rifle, with which he anded it to our of The page, a mew of the rilie showed ingwith dehghtat tirst sparrow, and VRs fated to bo the ir too conuuou aii nirsion, one of the led ii to the king, Hl'W into a violent ared to offer him se words were no cord turbans from en, who, indignant le king, and tried d away, crying in ke]) for help and id the king by his craved for mercy, a to belabour the rant asked what yirt ho had enjoyed. The unexpected answer was that game had been very scarce, but itt he had fhot a good many men instead. Beside Uie pa^es who have been mentioned, f^3 -Ii *Mi ^'i**'''*^- ^ p JkliliEST OF THG QUEEN. jthere were several executioners, who were pleasant and agreeable men in private life, and '■"'d in great respect by the people. They were supposed to be in command of the pages IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) %< ^ r/_ ii K 1.0 1.1 1^ L£|28 |25 Ui Ki2 12.2 uuu 1.4 IIIIII.6 — 6" ^. 7 Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WtST MAIN SIRir WI»>i«.N'V. I4SU (»1»|»3-4JM f 488 THE WAGANDA. .^i^^^i who bound with their rope turbans the unfortunates who weie to suffer, and mogt], inflicted the punishment itself. This particular king seems to have been rather exceptionally cruel, his very vivi being subject to the same capriciousness of temper as the rest of his subjects. Of com he beat them occasionally, but as wife-beating is the ordinaiy custom in Uganda, be wi only following the ordinary habits of the people. There is a peculiar whip made for the special purpose of beating wives. It is foi^, of a long strip of hippopotunus hide, split down the middle to witmn three or four inch of the end. The entire end is beaten and scraped until it is reduced in size to the pm dimensions of a handle. The two remaining thongs are suffered to remain square, but ,twisted in a screw-like fashion, so as to present sharp edges throughout their whole leni,. When dry, this whip is nearly as hard as iron, and scarcely less heavy, so that at evei blow the sharp edges cut deeply into the flesh. I Wife-floggmg, however, was not all ; he was in the habit of killing his wives and theii attendants without the least remorte. While Captain Speke was residing within thi limits of the palace, there was scarcely a day when some woman was not led to execution and some days three or four were murdered. Mostly they were female attendants of thi queens, but frequently the royal pages dragged out a woman whose single cockade on thi top of her head announced her as one of the king's wives. • M'tesa, in fact, was a complete African Bluebeard, continually marrying and the brides, however, exceeding the victims in number. Boyal marriage is a very sinpii business in Uganda Parents who have offended their king and want to pacify him, oi who desire to be looked on favourably by him, bring their daughters and offer thein as h sits at the door of his house. As is the case with all his female attendants, they are totall; unclothed, and stand before the king in ignorance of their futura If he accept them, lii makes them sit down, seats himself on their knees, and embraces them. This is the wholi of the ceremony, and as each girl is thus accepted, the happy parents perform thecurioo! salutation called " n'yanzigging," i.e. prostrating themselves on the ground, flounderiii{ about, clapping their hands, and ejaculating the word "n'yans," or thanks, as fast as die; can say it Twenty or thirty brides will sometimes be presented to him in a single morning, ani he will accept more than half of theUi, some of them being afterwards raised to the rani of wives, while the others are relegated to the position of attendants, lb was rathei remarkable, that although the principal queen was most liberal with these atteu ! offering plenty of them to Captain Speke and his companions, not one of them «x)uli have been permitted to marry a native, as she might have betrayed the secrets of thi palace. Life in the palace may be honourable enough, but seems to be anything but agreeabli except to the kmg. The whole of the court are abject slaves, and at the mercy of an; momentary caprice of the merciless, thoughtless, irresponsible despot Whatever wisi may happen to ent,er the king's head must be executed at ones, or woe to the delinqueni who fails to carry it out Bestless and captious as a spoilt child, he never seemed t know exactly what he wanted, and would issue simultaneously the most contradivtoi orders, aud then expect them to be obeyed. As for the men who held the honourable post of his guards, they were treated some-l thing worse than dogs — far worse indeed than M'tesa treated his own dog. They might lodge themselves as they could, and were simply fed by throwing great lunnps of beef and plantains among them. For this they scramble just like so many dogs, scratching and tearing the morsels- from each other, and trying to devour as much as possible within a| given number of seconds. The soldiers of M'tesa were much better off than his guards, altl-ough their position was not so honourable. They are well dressed, and their rank is distinguished by a sort of uniform, theofficei8| of royal birth wearing the leopard-skin tippet while those of inferior rank are distin- guished by coloured cloths, and skin cloaks made of the hide of oxen or antelopes. Each carries two spears, and an oddly-formed shield, originally oval, but cut into deep scallops, REVIEWING THE TROOPS. 459 suffer, and mostlMmd having at everj- point a pendent tuft of hair. Theii beads are decorated in a most curious maaner, some of the men wearing a crescent-like ornament, and some tying round their heads vrreaths made of different materials, to which a horn, a bunch of beads, a dried Ijjtrd, or some such ornament, is appended. Kot deficient in personal courage, their spirits were cheered in combat by the certainiy* (f reward or punishment Should they behave themselves bravely, treasures would hb ketped upon them, and they would receive from their royal master plenty of cattle and fires. But if they behaved badly, the punishment was equally certam and most terrible. A recreant soldier was not only put to death, but holes bored in his body with red-bot gggs ttutil ho died from sheer pain and exhaustion. lel, his very viv( abjects. Of conn in Uganda, he vi ives. It is fotuK three or four inch( a size to the pn] lain square, but I their whole lengi Y, so that at evei his wives and thei] esiding within thl lot led to execution] e attendants of ^1 tgle cockade on tU irrying and killingl ;e is a very simpll it to pacify him, oi od offer them as M mts, they are totalk he accept them, M . This is the whoM perform the.cnrioaa 2[round, ftounderina iks, as fast as Haj lingle morning, and raised to the rank ts. lb was ratheq these attenlaDtsJ 3ne of them ymU the secrets of the! hing but agreeable^ the mercy of any Whatever wish to tlie delinquentj e never seemed t« most contradiutorjn / i BBVIEW. xrere treated some dog. They mightl lumps of beef andl >gs, scratching andl I possible within al ugh their positioni niform, theofficersj r rank are distin-l )r antelopes. EachI into deep scallopsj Now and then the king held a review, in which the valiant and the cowards obtained tleir fitting rewards. These reviews offered most picturesque scenes. " Before us was a large open sward, with the huts of the queen's Kamraviona or commander-in-chief beyond. Tne battalion, consisting of what might be termed three companies, each containing two hundred men, being drawn up on the left extremity of the parade-ground, received orders to march past in single file from the right of companies at a long trot, and re-form again at the end of the square! Nothing conceivable could be more wild or fantastic than the sight which ensued ; the men all nearly naked, with goat or cat skins depending from their girdles, and smeared with war-colours according to the taste of the individual ; one half of the body red or the other blue, not in regular order; as, for instance, one stocking would be red, and 4eo THE WAGANf)A. p. ' I .„ 4 S, .^^ the other black, nvhilat the breeches above would be the opposite colours, and so with thJ sleeves and waistcoat. " Every man carried the same arms, two spears and one shield, held as if approachin, an enemy, and they thus moved in three lines of single rank and file, at fifteen or tweni^ paces asunder, with the same high action and elongated step, the ground leg only bdnt, to give their strides the greater force. "After the men had all started, the captains of companies followed, even more fantastically dressed ; and last of all came the great Colonel Congow, a perfect KobinW Crusoe, with his long white-haired goat-skins, a fiddle-shaped leather shield, tufted witU hair at all six extremities, bands of long hair tied below the knees, and a magnificent helmet covered with rich beads of every colour in excellent taste, surmounted with a phimel of crimson feathers, in the centre of which rose a bent stem tufted with goat's hair. Nextl they charged in companies to and fro, and finally the senior officers came charging at theil king, making violent professions of faith and honesty, for which they were applauded.! The parade tnen broke up, and all went home." At these reviews, the king distributes rewards and metes out his punishtnents. Th^ scene is equally stirring and terrible. As the various officers colne before the king, they prostrate themselves on the ground, and, after going through their elabomte salutation,! they deliver their reports as to the conduct of the men under their command. To somel are given various presents, with which they go off rejoicing, after floundering about on theL ground in the extremity of theii gratitude ; while others are seized by the ever-oiiiciousi pages, bound, and dragged off to execution, the unfortunate men struggling with thei captors, fighting, and denying the accusation, until they are out of hearing. As soon as the king thinks that he has had enough of the business, he rises abruptly,! picks up his spears, and goes off, leading his dog with him. I The native account of the origin of the Waganda kingdom is very curious. Accordirgl to them, the country which is now called Uganda was previously united with Unyoro, a| more northerly kingdom, of which we shall presently treat. Eight generations back there! came from Unyoro a hunter named Uganda, bringing with him a spear, a shield, a woman,! and a pack of dogs. He began to hunt on the shores of the lake, and was so successful! that he was joined by vast numbers of the people, to whom he became a chief. Under his sway, the hitherto scattered people assumed the character of a nation, and! began to feel their strength. Their leading men then held a council on their government,! and determined on making Uganda their king. " For," said they, " of what avail to us isl the king of Unyoro ? He is so far distant that, when we sent him a cow as a presentij the cow had a calf, and that calf became a cow and gave birth to another calf, and yet the I presient has not reached the king. Let us have a king of our own." So they induced! Uganda to be their king, changed his name to Kimera, and assigned his former name tol the country. I Kimera, thus made king, took his station on a stone and showed himself to his new I subjects, having in his hand his spears and shield, and being accompanied by a woman I and a dog; and in this way all succeeding kings have presented themselves to theiil subjects. All the Waganda are, in consequence, expected to keep at least two spears, a shield and a dog, and the officers are also entitled to have drums. The king of Unyoro heard of the new monarch, but did not trouble himself about a movement at such a | distance, and so the kit»gdom of Uganda became an acknowledged reality. However, Kimera organized his r le in so admirable a manner, that he became a I perfect terror to the king of Unyoro, . caused him to regret that, when Kiniera's power was not yet consolidated, he had not crushed him. Kimera formed his men into soldiers, draughted them into different regiments, drilled and organized them thoroughly. He cut roads through his kingdom, traversing it in all directions. He had whole fleets of boats built, and threw bridges over rivers wherever they interrupted his line of road. He ] descended into the minutest particulars of domestic polity, and enforced the strictest sanitary system throughout his country, not even suffering a house to be built unless it possessed the meaiis of cleanliness. Organization, indeed, seems now to be implanted in the Waganda mind. Even the ITTESA, THE PEESENT KING. m business of taking bundles of wood into the palace must be done in militaTy styla liter the logs are carried a certain distance, the men charge up-hill wjth walking-sticks the slope, to the sound of the drum, shouting and chorusing. On reaching their Jeer, they drop on their knees to salute, by saying repeatedly in one voice the word gVaiu' (thanks). Then they go back, charaing down-hill, stooping simultaneously to ik up the wood, till step by step, it taking several hours, the neatly cut logs are nlarly stacked in the palace yards." Each otficer of a distiict would seem to have a different mode of drill. The Wazeewah, ith long sticks, were remarkably well-disciplined, shouting and marching all in i-egular le, every club goiug through the same movement ; the most attractive part of the drill M whea all crouched simultaneously, and then advanced in open ranks, swinging their lies to the roll of their drums. By such means Kimera soon contrived to make himself so powerful that his very le was dreaded throughout Unyoro, into which country he was continually making s. If, for example, at one of his councils he found that one part of his dominions was icient in cattle or women, he ordered one or two of his generals to take their troops into Byoio, and procure the necessary number. In order that he might always have the 1U3 of carrying his ideas into effect, the officers of the army are expected to present jnuelves at the palace as often as they possibly can, and if they fail to do so, they are iverely punished ; their rank is taken from them, their property confiscated, and their is, their wives, and their children are given to others. la fact, Kimera proceeded on a system of reward and punishment : the former he d out with a liberal hand ; the latter was certain, swift, and terrible. In process of time Kimera died, and his body was dried by being placed over an oven. len it was quite dry, the lower jaw was removed and covered with beads ; and this, ^jther with the body, were placed in tombs, and guarded by the deceased monarch's imrite women, who were prohibited even from seeing his successor. After Kimera's death, the people proceeded to chose a king from among his many lildren, called " Warangira," or princes. The king elect was very young, and was separated m the others, who were placed in a suite of huts under charge of a keeper. As soon the young prince reached years of discretion, he was publicly made king, and at the le time all his brothers except two were burned to death. The two were allowed to in case the new king should die before he had any sons, and also as companions for As soon as the line oi direct succession was secured, one of the brothers was m nind. Even the Ibanished into Unyoro and the other allowed to live in Uganda. When Captains Speke and Grant arrived in Uganda, the reigning sovereign wasM'tesa, Idle seventh in succession from Kimera. He was about twenty-five years of age, and, lilthoagh he had not been formally received as king, wielded a power as supreme as if he llad passed through this ceremony. He was wise enough to keep up the system which ly been bequeathed to him by his ancestors, and the Uganda kingdom was even more IpoweiMin his time than it had been in the days of Kimera. A close acquaintance proved ■that his personal character was not a pleasant one, as indeed was likely when it is remem- Iked that he had possessed illimitable power ever since he was quite a boy, and in |eoQseqnence had never known contradiction. He was a very fine-looking young man, and possessed in perfection the love of dress, Irhich is so notable a feature in the character of the Waganda. They are so fastidious in Ithis leapect, that for a man to appear untidily dressed before his superiors would entail lieTere punishment, while, if he dared to present himself before the king with the least Idisorder of apparel, immediate death would be the result. Even the royal pages, who Inish about at full speed when performing their commissions, are obliged to hold their likm cloaks tightly round them, lest any portion of a naked limb should present itself to |the royal glanca The appearance of M'tesa is well described by Captain Speke : — ** A more theatrical [ht I never saw. The king, a good-looking, well-formed young man of twenty-five, was ; upon a red blanket, spread upon a square platform of royal grass, encased in tiger- Igrass reeds, scrupulously dressed in a new 'mbugu (or grass-cloth). The hair of his head p-r mmm t'mm 462 THE WAGANDA. iC was cut short, except upon the top, where it was combed up into a high ridge, i_ from stem to stem, like a cock's comb. On his neck was a very neat ornament— a ._ ring of beautifully-worked small beads, forming elegant patterns by their various colon On one arm was another bead ornament, prettily devised, and on the other a wo. charm, tied by a string covered with a snake skin. On every finger and toe he alternate brass and copper rings, and above the ankles, half-way up the calf, a stocl^ of very pretty beads. " Everytmng was light, neat, and elegant in its way ; not a fault could be found wit] the taste of his ' getting-up.' For a handkerchief, he had a well-folded piece of bark, an a piece of gold-embroidered silk, which' he constantly employed to hide his large mouti when laughing, or to wipe it after a drink of plantain wme, of which he took constanl and copious draughts from little gourd cups, administered by his ladies in waiting, whd Were at onco liis sisters and his wives. A white dog, spear, shield, and woman— th Uganda cognizance — were by his side, as also a host of staff officers, with whom he kep up a brisk conversation, on one side : and on the other was a band of ' Wichv^zi,' lady sorcerers." These women are indispensable appendages to the court, and attend the king wheievei he goes, their office being to avert the evil eye from their monarch, and to pour the pla tain wine into the royal cups. They are distinguished by wearing dried lizards on iiiei| heads, and on their belts are fastened goat-skin aprons, edged with little bells. Ji emblems of their office, they also carry very small shields and spears, ornamented wit^ cock-hackles. M'tesa's palace is of enormous dimensions, and almost deserves the name of a viljagel or town. Tt occupies the whole side of a hill, and consists of streets of huts arranged ail methodically as the houses of a European town, the line being preserved by fences of thel tall yellow tiger-grass of Uganda lliere are also squares and open spaces, and the wholej is kept in perfect order and neatness. The inner courts are entered by means of each j^ate being kept by an officer, who permits no one to pass who has not the kin(ft| permission. In case his vigilance should be evaded, each gate has a bell fastened to it ( the inside, just as they are hung on shop-doors in England. In the Illustration on page 463, the artist has selected the moment when the visitoil is introduced to the immediate presence of the king. Under the shade of the hut thel monarch is seated on his throne, having on one side the spears, shield, and dog, and on | the other the woman, these being the accompaniments of royalty. Some of his are seated near him, with their cord turbans bound on their tufted heads, ready to obey I his slightest word. Immediately in front are some soldiers saluting him, and one of I them, to whom he has granted some favour, is floundering on the ground, thanking, or | "n'yanzigging," according to the custom of the place. On the other side is the guest, a man of rank, who is introduced by the officer of thel gate. The door itself, with its bells, is drawn aside, and over the doorway is a rope, on | which are hung a row of charms. The king's private band is seen in the distance, per> forming with its customary vigour. The architecture of the huts within these enclosures is wonderfully good, the Waganda I having great natural advantages, and making full use of theuL The principal material in their edifices is reed, which in Uganda grows to a very great height, and is thick and strong in the stem. Grass for thatching is also found in vast quantities, and there it plenty of straight timber for the rafters. The roof is double, in order to exclude the sunbeams, and the outer roof comes nearly to the ground on all sidet. The fabric is upheld by a number of poles, from which are hung com-sac^cs, meat, and other necessaries, The interior is separated into two compartments by a high screen made of Dlantain leaf, and within the inner apartment the cane bedstead of the owner is placed. Yet, with all this care in building, there is only one door, and no window or chimney ; and althoueh the Waganda keep their houses tolerably clean, the number of dogs which they keep nil their huts with fleas, so that when a traveller takes possession of a house, he generally has the plantain screen removed, and makes on the floor as lai;ge a fire as possible, sou | to exterminate the insect inhabitants. .vL$'i EECEPTION OF A GTTEST. 468 »uld be found wit! i piece of bark, snl le his large mom I he took constanj iea in waiting; wM 1, and woman— th J name of a vilL„ •f huts arranged ail jd by fences of thel aces, and tie whole! by means of gates! las not the king'al ;11 fastened to it oq I it when the visitoij ide of the hut thel Id, and dog, and on I Some of his pages I 5ad8, ready to obey I g him, and one ofl ound, thanking, or f r the officer of the irway is arope,oa| the distance, per> pod, the Waganda I incipal material io and is thick and ities, and there it er to exclude the it. The fabric ii . other necessaries. made of plantain placed. Yet, with ey ; and although lich they keep nil }use, he generally as possible, so M the eenmonies of receiving a royal guest are as elaborate as the architeetoK. Officers f lUik step forward to greet him, while musicians are in attendance, playing on the ggi instruments of Uganda, most of them beine similar to those which nave already I described. Even the height of the seat on which the visitor is to place himself is foosly determined, the chief object seeming to be to force him to take a seat lower ^ that to which he is entitled. In presence of the king, who sits on a chair or throne, I subject is allowed to be seated on anything higher than the ground ; and if he can be oed to sit in the blazing sunbeams, and wait until the king is pleased to see him, a npb of diplomacy haa been secured. ilBCBFTIOM OF ▲ VI8IT0& When the king has satisfied himself with his guest, or thinks that he is tired, he rises without any wammg, and marches off to his room, using the peculiar gait affected by the kinga of Uganda, and supposed to be imitated from the walk of the lion. To the eyes of the Waganda, the " lion's step," as the peculiar walk is termed, is very majestic, but to the eyes of a European it is simply ludicrous, the feet being planted widely apart, and the body swung from side to side at each step. If any of my readers should have known Christ's Hospital, they may remember the peculiar style of walking which was termed "spadging," and whicn used to be, and may be now, an equivalent to the " lion-step " of the Uganda king. After M'tesa had received his white visitor, he suddenly rose and retired after the nyal custom, and, as etiquette did not permit him to eat until he bad seen his visitors, he took the opportunity of breaking his fast. Bound the king, as he sits on his grass-covered throne, are his councillors and officers, /■ i ^. K i 464 THE WAOANDA. »< > Hj'i Ki«i ,1 • squatted on the ground, with their dresses drawn tightly around them, and partly seatt, on the royal leopard skins which are strewed on the ground. There is also a large dnin decorated with little bells strung on wire arches, and some smaller drums, covered wit beads and cowrie shells, worked into various patterns. Outside the inner circle sit the ordinary officers, and while the kin^ is present not] word is spoken, lest he should take offence at it ; and not an eye is hfted, lest a caau glance might ftdl on one of the king's women, and be the precursor of a cruel death. The "V^ganda are much given to superstition, and have a most implicit faith in chan. The king is very rich in charms, and whenever he holds his court, has vast numbers" them suspended behind him, besides those which he carries on his persoa These chaiu, are made of almost anything that the magician chooses to select. Horns, filled witi] magic powder, are perhaps the most common, and these are slung on the neck or tie on the head if small, and kept in the huts if large. Their great object of superstitious dread is a sort of water-spirit, which is supposed I inhabit the lake, and to wreak his vengeance upon those who disturb him. Like thJ water-spirits of the Rhine, this goblin has supreme jurisdiction, not only on the lake itaelfl but in all rivers that communicate with it ; and the people are so afi lid of this aquatic demon, that they would not allow a sounding-line to be thrown into the water, lest pe^ chance the weight should happen to hit the water-spirit and enrage him. The name oj this spirit is M'gussa, and he communicates with the people by means of his own specit^ minister or priest, who lives on an island, and is held in nearly as much awe aa master. IiTtesa once took Captain Speke with him to seethe magician. He took also a numl.. of his wives and attendants, and it was very amusingf when they reached the boats, tol see all the occupants jump into the water, ducking their heads so as to avoid seeing the! royal women, a stray glance being sure to incur immediate death. They proceeded tol the island on which the wizard lived. I " Proceeding now through the trees of this beautiful island, we next turned bto thel hut of the M'gussa's familiar, which at the further end was decorated with many mystiol symbols, among them a paddle, the badge of his high office ; and for some time we satl chatting, when pomb^ was brought, and the spiritual medium arrived; He was dressed! Wichw^zi fashion, with a little white goatskin apron, adorned with various charms, and! used a paddle for a walking-stick. He was not an old man, though he affected to be so, I walking very slowly and deliberately, coughing asthmatically, glimmering with his eyes,! and mumbling like a witch. With much affected difficulty he sat at the end of the hut, I beside the symbols alluded to, and continued his coughing full half an hour, when his I wife came in in the same manner, without saying a word, and assumed the samel affected style. "The king jokingly looked at me and laughed, and then at these strange creatures by I turns, as much as to say, ' What do you think of them ? ' but no voice was heard, save that of the old wife, who croaked like a frog for water, and when some was brought, croaked again because it was not the purest of the lake's produce — had the first cup | changed, wetted her lips with the second, and hobbled away in the same manner as : had come." The scene within the sorcerer's hut is shown in the illustration on page 465. The I king is seated near the door, accompanied by his wives, while the sorcerer's wife is seeu hobbling out of the hut, leaning on a staff. The man himself is distinguished by the paddle in his hand, the emblem of the deity whom he serves, and listening to him is a group of the king's officers. Behind the screen are a number of paddles and other aquatic implements, and on the ground is laid the whitened skull of a hippopotamus. Some of their magic horns are thought to have the power of attracting, and others of repelling, rain, according as they are exposed or taken under shelter. The powder in these horns has to be renewed periodically — a clever invention of the magicians for increasing their fees. On their pathways and roads, which are very numerous and well kept, they occasionally place a long stick in the ground, with a shell or other charm on the top, or suspend the shell on the overhanging branch of a tre^ Similar wands, on a smaller scale, ,1 , ) BELIGIOUS CEBEMONIES. 4ff6 (kept in tho houses, and bits of feathers, rushes, and other articles are tied behind the f. Snake-skin is of course much used in making these charms, and a square piece of jirticle is hung round the neck of almost every man of this country. The religion of the Waganda is of course one inspired by terror, and not by love, (Object of all their religious rites being to avert the anger of malignant spirits. Every rmoon has its own peculiar worship, wnich is conducted by banging drums, replenishing ) magic horns, and othoc ceremonies too long to describe. The most terrible of their ( ia that of human saoiifice, which is usually employed when the king desires to [into the fatura / 'i jii 1 1 i 1^ -1 Fl^Hi^^B t H Wi.j,^^ h I \ '1 '1 * ^ ^ #;g^"^^v kI THB WATER-SPIRIT'S HIOH-PRIESS The victim is always a child, and the sacrifice is conducted in a most cruel manner, jHaving discovered by his incantations that a neighbour is projecting war, the magician lllays a young child, and lays the bleeding body in the path on which the soldiers ■JMs to battle. Each warrior steps over the bleeding body, and thereby is supposed to Ipwcure immunity for himself in the approaching battle. When the king makes war, his jchief magician uses a still more cruel mode of divination. He takes a large earthen pot, jlialf fills it with water, and then places it over the fireplace. On the mouth of the pot iJiBlftys a small platform of crossed sticks, and having bound a young child and a fowl, he 'lys them on the platform, covering them with another pot, which he inverts over them. te fire is then lighted, and suffered to bum for a given time, when the upper pot is re- jiiiovecl, and the victims inspected. If they should both be dead, it is taken as a sign that Ithe war must be deferred for the present ; but if either should be alive, war may be made tonce. VOL L H H 406 THE WAGANDA. Speaking of these and other black tribes, Captain Speke very rightly observes ; " Bowf negro has lived so many ages without advancing seems marvellous, when all the countri surrounding Africa are so forward in comparison. And, judging from the progressive sti of the world, one is led to suppose that the African must soon either step out from L darkness, or be superseded by a being superior to himself Could a government be foro] for them like oura in India, they would be saved, but without it I rear there is voiv litq chance. For at present the Au*ican neither can help himself nor be helped by otheil because his country is in such a constant state of turmoil that he has too much uuM on hand looking out for his food to think of anything else. " As his fatnors did, so does he. He works his wife, sells his children, enslaves he can lay hands on, and, unless when fighting for the property of others, coDteo] himself with drinking, singing, and dancing like a baboon, to drive dull care away. few only make cotton cloth, or work in wool, iron, copper, or salt, their rule being toca as little as possible, and to store up nothing beyond the necessities of the next mm lest their chiefs or neighbourly should covet and take it from them." The same experienced traveller then proceeds to enumerate the many kinds of h which the climate atlbrJs to any one of ordinary indnstiy, such as homed cattle, b)i$$ goats, pigs, fowls, ducks, and pigeons, not to mention the plantain and other vegetabfl products, and expresses a feeling of surprise that, with such stores of food at his connnand the black man should be so often driven to feed on wild herbs and roots, dogs, cats, raq snakes, lizards, insects, and other similar animals, and should be frequently found o| the point of starvation, and be compelled to sell his own children to procure fix Moreover, there are elephants, rhinoceroses, hippopotamus, buifaloes, giraffes, antelop guinea-fowls, and a host of other animals, which can be easily captured in traps or pjd falls, so that the native African lives in the midst of a countiy which produces food i boun