258

NAMAQUAS LONG-LIVED.

Polygamy is practiced without limitation. If a man become tired of his wife, he unceremoniously returns her to the parental roof, and however much she (or the parents) may object to so summary a proceeding, there is no remedy.

Widows are left to shift for themselves.

They neither cradle nor circumcise their children, which they are said to name in the following singular manner: No man nor woman has more than one name, which is retained even after marriage. If a daughter be born, she assumes the name of her father, whilst a boy would be called after his mother, with very little alteration. I never could understand the reason of this.

Within the memory of the present generation, a barbarous practice prevailed, of leaving old and disabled people to perish far away from the dwellings of men. A slight fence was raised round the "living-dead," and a small supply of water was placed at his side, when he was abandoned to his fate. Mr. Moffat, during his wanderings in Namaqua-land, saw one of these wretches (a woman); and on inquiring the cause of her being thus deserted, she replied: "I am old, you see, and no longer able to serve them (referring to her grown-up children). When they kill game, I am too feeble to help in carrying home the flesh; I am incapable of gathering wood to make fire; and I cannot carry their children on my back, as I used to do."

The Namaquas may be said to be long-lived, for individuals have been known to reach the advanced age of ninety, and even one hundred years. This is the more remarkable, when the very wretched life they lead is taken into consideration.

The Namaquas have a singular custom, both amongst themselves and with regard to strangers, which consists in the adoption of a "father" and a "mother." This practice is so widely observed, that few who come in contact with the several tribes are able to avoid it. Almost every European trader, indeed, possesses in each village, which he is in the habit of frequenting, either a so-called "father" or "mother." But the custom is a most inconvenient one-to the traveler, at least-for he may be pretty sure that, as soon as this near degree of consanguinity is established between himself and a Namaqua, he will be asked for a horse or an ox, or it may be for the very coat upon his back, which, as in duty bound, he is expected to hand over to papa” or “mamma," as the case may be. The poor son, it is true, has also the privilege of demanding anything that may captivate his fancy. But since a native is usually more forward and importunate than a European, the bargain, as a rule, is generally a losing one to the latter.

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When two Namaquas are talking together, and one is relating a story, the listener repeats the last words of the speaker, even if he should know as much of the matter as his informant. For instance: if a man begin his recital by saying " As I walked along the river, a very large rhinoceros rushed suddenly upon 65 He me. "Rushed suddenly upon me," echoes the auditor. was very fat." Very fat," the other ejaculates, and so forth. The Namaquas are fond of ornamenting their persons profusely with brass, iron, and copper, but more especially with small beads of various colors. A kind of black, dull bead, manufactured by themselves, is particularly esteemed. A quantity of resin is procured, which they melt and mix with powdered charcoal, and, during the process of cooling, it is diligently kneaded, until, being converted to the consistency of gum, it is drawn out into long, narrow bars. Again it is gently heated over a slow fire, when small bits are detached and worked between the fingers till they assume the desired shape. Their patterns of bead-work are by no means devoid of taste.

These people tattoo themselves, and also anoint and besprinkle their bodies with a profusion of grease and powders. The latter are of several kinds, and are chiefly obtained from the leaves and plants of the croton and diosma families. These powders are called "buku" by the Namaquas, and are much esteemed, more especially the kind procured south of the Orange river, which has a very agreeable and aromatic scent.

The sole arms of the Namaquas of the present day are guns. Their original weapons, which consisted of the bow and arrow, the assegai, and an immense shield (made out of an entire, single-folded ox-hide), are now rarely seen.

The Namaquas are an excessively idle race. They may be seen basking in the sun for days together, in listless inactivity, frequently almost perishing from thirst or hunger, when, with very little exertion, they may have it in their power to satisfy the cravings of nature. If urged to work, they have been heard to say: "Why should we resemble the worms of the ground?" A few may occasionally be seen employing themselves in making neat little camp-stools, and in repairing guns, for which they have a certain aptitude. Jonker Afrikaner-be it said to his honor-is by far the most industrious Hottentot that I have yet seen.

They are excessively fond of diversions, more especially music and dancing. They do not, however, distinguish themselves by grace in their movements, nor do they even possess that dexterity and flexibility of limb that the Ovambo ladies

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DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

at the expense of our peace of mind-exhibited at King Nangoro's court ball.

They understand and practice the art of distilling spirits. When a certain kind of berry, of a sweet and agreeable taste, is ripe, large quantities are collected and put into a skin-bag to ferment. On being sufficiently advanced, they are deposited in a large pot and boiled, and the steam drawn off into another vessel joined to it by an old gun-barrel. The liquor is then allowed to settle for a few days, and becomes so strong and intoxicating that a small glass or two is sufficient to upset any man's reason not previously accustomed to it. I have seen the natives become perfectly maddened by its effect.

They also make a kind of mead (a favorite drink with the ancient Northmen) which is a pleasant and refreshing beverage, and, unless partaken of to excess, is comparatively harmless.

The domestic animals of the country, are the cow, the sheep, the goat, and the dog. The sheep is highly prized by them, so much so that at one time (before the introduction of tobacco) it was more thought of than anything else—even than women! The original breed of Namaqua cattle is nearly extinct. The southern tribes still possess it, though more or less mixed with that of the colony and Damara-land. In shape and size the Namaqua cattle approach nearer the European breed than to that indigenous to the countries north of them. They are of moderate size, very compact, and have short, but stout horns (usually curved inwards), with rather large hoofs.

CHAPTER XXVII.

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AND

LEAVE THE ORANGE RIVER-ARRIVAL AT KOMAGGAS-GARDENING AGRICULTURE-THE AUTHOR STARTS ALONE FOR THE CAPE-COLONY HORSES-ENMITY OF THE BOERS TO BRITISHERS"-DUTCH SALUTATION-THE AUTHOR MUST HAVE BEEN AT TIMBUCTOO, WHETHER OR NO HE ARRIVES AT CAPE-TOWN--CUTS A SORRY FIGURE--IS RUN AWAY WITH-A FEAST OF ORANGES--GHOST STORIES-CATTLE AUCTION-HANS AND JOHN ALLEN PROCEED TO AUSTRALIA-PREPARATIONS FOR JOURNEY TO THE NGAMI-DEPARTURE FROM THE CAPE.

On the 25th of August, we left the inhospitable banks of the Orange river. After rather more than a week's slow travel, through dreary and uninteresting tracts of land covered by a deep, yielding, sandy-soil, bearing a dwarfish vegetation, we arrived at Komaggas, also a Rhenish missionary station. The Rev. Mr. Weich now officiated here. The congregation consists of a promiscuous collection of Hottentots, and the offspring of other dark-colored natives.

Komaggas is picturesquely situated, and well supplied with water. Gardening is brought almost to perfection; and, notwithstanding the dryness of the atmosphere, corn is cultivated with success in the neighborhood. Indeed, the best wheat in the west part of the colony, I am informed, is grown here. But its cultivation is attended with much labor, since it can

1 This institution was founded by the Rev. Mr. Schmelen. In 1830, during the administration of Sir Lowry Cole, it réceived, by charter, an extensive grant of territory from the British government at the Cape. On that memorable occasion, the zealous missionary presented to the governor a translation of the four Gospels in the Namaqua tongue.

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THE

CAPE-COLONY HORSE.

only be raised on the summit of hills (which retain moisture longer than the lowlands), rising not unfrequently several thousand feet above the sea.

Except at the station, and one or two other spots, the extensive grounds are scantily watered, and ill-adapted for grazing. During our visit, numbers of cattle were dying from starvation. The region is, moreover, in some seasons infected by diseases fatal to beasts of pasture, and these maladies, of late years, have been of so destructive a character as nearly to exterminate the cattle. Indeed, many of the Bastards and Hottentots, who chiefly inhabit these parts, and who were formerly living in great abundance, are reduced to beggary from this cause.

I now determined to leave Hans, and proceed in advance to Cape-Town, with a view of making arrangements about the sale of the cattle, and the intended expedition to the Ngami. As we were now in a locality where horses might be obtained, I procured three or four of these animals without delay, partly for cash and partly for cattle. The rate of exchange was from five to ten oxen, according to the qualities of the horse; or, if money, 100 rixd. (£7 10). A first-rate hack might be purchased for £10, though, of course, high-bred horses were more expensive.

The Cape-Colony horse is a wonderful beast. He is supposed to be of Spanish descent, but, of late years, has been much crossed by various breeds. Without any pretension to beauty, he is, perhaps, unrivaled in docility, hardiness, and endurance. In eight days (one of which was devoted to rest) I rode, accompanied by a Hottentot servant, from near Komaggas to Cape-Town-a distance of upwards of four hundred miles by road-thus averaging fifty miles per day. On an after occasion, I remember to have performed upwards of ninety miles at a very great pace, only once or twice removing the saddle for a few minutes. And be it borne in mind that the animals were young, indifferently broken in, unshod, and had never been stall-fed.

A most striking instance of the extraordinary endurance of Colony horses occurred a few years ago, in Great Namaqua-land. The animal in question belonged to a son of the Hottentot chief, Zwartbooi, who one day, whilst hunting in an open tract of country, fell in with a troop of eleven giraffes, to which he immediately gave chase, and the whole of which he rode down and shot in succession. But the immense exertion was too much for the gallant creature, whose life was thus sacrificed.

This remarkable horse was well known throughout Great