T R A V E L S I N A F R I C A . , circular form. Thefe people hire themfelves, as they are wanted, J t0 tlie Dutch. At a little diftance from this is a place belongfame time rank and aromatic (Narcotico-feu Papavqrino-fpirans) and feems to come neareft to V a t ° : * popf7 ‘nixed Wlth fP‘ces- The p!ants ufed for this purpofe are different fpecies of the Diofma, called by the Hottentots Bucku, and confidered by them as polfeffing great virtues tn curing diforders. Some of thefe fpecies are very common round about the Cape • but one particular fort, which I am told grows about Goud’s-Rivier, is faid to be fo valuable! that no more than a thimble full of it is given in exchange for a lamb. Th e Hottentots, with their ikins befmeared with grcafe and foot, and Bucku-powder, are by this means m a great meafure defended from the influence of the air, and may in a manner reckon themfelves dreffed. In other reipeils, both men and women are wont to appear quite imdieffed ; indeed, I may fay naked, except a trifling covering, with which they always conceal part o f their bodies. • • With the men this covering confifts of a bag or purfe made of ikin, hanging quite open, the hollow part of which feems defigned to'receive that which with us modefty requires to be concealed ; but as this piece of fiirniture is only faftened by a fmail part of its upper end to a narrow belt, m other refpefts hanging quite loofe, it is but a very imperfed concealment ; and when the wearer is walking, or otherwife in motion, it is none at all. They call this purfe by the Dutch name of Jackall, the name of an animal of the fox kind common in that country as it is almoft always prepared of the ikin of this creature, with the hairy fide turned outward. As another covering, which decency requires of the men, we ought perhaps to confider the two leather ftraps, which generally hang from the bottom of the chine of the back down upon the thighs ; each of them being of the form of an Ifofteles triangle, with their points or upper ends faftened to the belt juft mentioned, and with their bafes, at fartheft three fingers broad hanging carelefsly down. Thefe ftraps have very little- dreffing bellowed upon them, fo that they make fomewhat of a rattling as the Hottentotjuns along ; and probably by fanning him ferve to produce an agreeable coolnefs. The oriiy and real intention, however, of this part of their drefs, is find to be to clofe a certain orifice when they fit down. They are at that time likewife brought forwards, fo as to cover the little flap above defcribed ; for, faid they to me thefe parts fhould by no means be uncovered when one fits, efpecially at meals. Neverthelefs* I obferved them fometimes neglefl this decent cuftom. ■ • ’ Among the Hottentots, as well as in all probability among the reft of Mankind difperfed over the whole globe, we mull acknowledge the fair fex to be'the moil modeft; for the females of this nation, cover themfelves much more fcrupuloufly than the men. They feldom content themfelves with one covering, but almoft always have two, and very often three Thefe are made of a prepared and well-greafed (kin, and are fattened about their bodies with a thong almoft like the aprons of our ladies. The outermoil is always the larged, meafuring from about fix inches to a foot over. This is likewife generally the fined and moil ihow'y, and frequently adorned with glafs beads ftrung in different figures, in a manner that ihows, even among the unpoliihed Hottentots, the fuperior neatnefs of the fair fex in Works of ornament, as well as 1 powers of invention and their difpofition to fet off their perfons to the bed advantage ing to the company, called the Tyger Hock, where we flayed Q|^ |L all night. In the morning we proceeded to the eaftward, '— »— ' The outermoil apron, which is chiefly intended for iliow and parade, reaches about half way down the thighs. The middle one is about a third, or one half lefs, and is faid by them to be neceflary by way of referve, and as an additional entrenchment of modefty, when their gala- garment is laid afide. The third, or innermoft, which is fcarcely larger than one’s hand, is faid to be ufeful at certain periods, which are much lefs troublefome to the fair fex here than in Europe. All thefe aprons, however, even to that which is decorated with beads, are not lefs befmeared and greafy than their bodies. In fine, the garment worn by the Hottentots for covering their bodies is a ibeep-ikin, with the woolly fide turned inwards ; this pellifle, or elfe a cloak made of fome fmaller fur, is tied forwards over the breaft. When the weather is not cold, they let it hang loofe over their fhoulders in a carelefs manner, when it reaches down to the calves of the legs, leaving the lower part of the legs and thighs bare ; but in rainy and cold weather they wrap it round them; fo that the fore part of the body likewife, is in fome meafure covered with it as far as below the knees. As one iheep-ikin alone is not fufficient for this purpofe, there is a piece fewed, or rather faftened on with a thong, finew or catgut, to the top of each fide. In warmer weather they wear this cloak fometimes with the hairy fide outwards, but in that cafe they oftener take it off entirely and carry it on their arms. In general, the Hottentots do not burden themfelves with a great many changes of their cloaks or Krofles> (as they call them in broken Dutch) but are content with one which ferves them at the fame time for clothing and bedding ; and in this they lie on the bare ground, drawing themfelves up in a heap fo clofe, efpecially when the weather is cold, that this Krofs (as they call it) or Karofs, is quite fufficient to cover them. The cloak, or Karofs, which is ufed by the women for the fame purpofe, does not differ from thofe ufed by the men in any other refpeit, than that the women have a long peak to their Karof- fes, which they turn up, forming it with a hood or little pouch, with the hairy fide inwards. In this they carry their little children, to which they now and then throw the breaft oyer their ihoulders, a pra&ice that likewife prevails with fome other nations. The men in general wear no. peculiar covering on their heads. I fcarce remember to have feen above two, that had a cap made pf greafed ikin, the fur of which had been taken off in the preparation. Thofe who live neareft to the colonifts, fancy the European hats> Wearing them douched ail*6round, or elfe with one fide turned up. Th e women in like manner frequently go bare-headed. When they cover their heads, it is with a cap in the form of a ihort troncated cone. It is made without any feam, of the fedgment o f fome animal’s ftomach, and is as black as foot mixed up with fat can make it. Thefe are frequently fo prepared, as to look as if they were ihaggy, and others again to refemble velvet, and upon the whole make a tolerably handfome appearance. Over this cap they fometimes wear another ornament, confifting of an oval wreath, or, if.the reader pleafes, a crown made of a buffalo’s hide, with the brown hair upwards. This is about four fingers in height, and furrounds the head fo as to reach a little way down upon the forehead, and
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