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I777* O&ober, M mm-* through a flat country covered with grafs, having the river Zondereynd* on our left hand. In the afternoon we faw fe- * Endlefs River. and the fame depth in the neck behind, without covering the upper part of the cap above de- fcribed. Both the rims of this wreath, as well as the lower one on which it reils, as the upper one, are always fmooth and even, and each of them fet with a row of fmall ihells, of the Cy- prea kind, to the number of more than thirty, in fuch a manner, that being placed quite clofe to each other, their beautiful white enamel, together with their mouths, is turned outwards# Between thefe two rows of ihells, run one or two more in a parallel line, or elfe waved or indented in various fancies. I t may eafily be imagined, what a pretty effe£l thefe ihells have, projecting from the brown fur of the buffalo’s ikin, and at the fame time, with what additional charms a greaiy Hottentot dame appears in one of thefe caps and wreaths, which, however, is to the full as greafy as herfelf. The ears of the Hottentots are never adorned with any pendant or other ornament hanging from them, any more than the nofe, as they both are among other favages ; this latter, however, is fometimes, by way of greater ftate, marked with a black ilreak of foot, or, more rarely indeed, with a large fpot of red-lead j of which latter, on high days and holidays, they likewife put a little on their cheeks. The necks of the men are bare, but thofe of the women are decorated with what is, in their opinion, a great ornament. I t coniifts of a thong of undrefled leather, upon which are ftrung eight or ten ihells. Appearing collectively in the form of a necklace, they certainly adorn the greaiy part they are hung upon, though perhaps not in proportion to the price at which they are obtained j for thefe Ihells are commonly fold for not leis than a flieep a piece, as it is faid they are to be had no where elfe than on the moft diftant coaft of Caffria. Another ornament in ufe with both fexes, is rings on their arms and legs. Moil of thefe rings are made of thick leather ilraps, generally cut in a circular ihape, which by being beat and held over the fire, are rendered tough enough to retain the curvature that is given them. I t is thefe rings that have given rife to the almoft univerially received notion, that the Hottentots wrap guts about their legs, in order to eat them occafionaHy. The men wear from one to five or fix of thefe rings on their arms, juft above the wrift, but feldom any on their legs. The matrons of a higher rank frequently have a confiderable number of them both on their arms and legs, eipecially on the latter, io that they are covered with them from the feet up to their knees. Thefe rings are of various thicknefies, viz. fometimes to that of a goofe-quill, and fometimes two or three times that fize. Now and then they are made of pieces of leather, forming one en- ' tire ring, fo that the arms and feet muft be put through them when the wearer wiihes to put them on. Upon the legs they are ftrung on, fmall and great, one with another, without any peculiar nicety j and are fo much larger than the legs, as to ihake off and get twifted, when, the wearer walks or is otherwife in motion. It veral herds of Bonta Bocks and Zebras*; and in many places the track of Lions. In the afternoon we crofled the Breed 1—,— It may eafily be imagined, that thefe rings give the good Hottentot matrons a world of trouble, as well in the wear as in the preparation ; and at the fame time are not a little clumfy and ponderous, not to mention feveral other inconveniences. But fuch is the peculiar turn of mankind, that from the Hottentot, as unconftrained as rude in his manners, to thofe nations which carry the arts and fciences to the higheil degree of perfection, people are univerfally apt to fall into fuch modes of drefs, as are not only ufelefs, but likewife in a great meafure imprifon their limbs and bodies. . Rings of iron or copper, but efpecially of brafs, of the fize of a goofe-quill, are confidered as genteeler or more valuable than thofe made of leather. They are, however, fometimes worn along with thefe latter, to the number of fix or eight at a time, particularly on the arms. Th e girls are not allowed to ufe any rings, till they are marriageable. A traveller, that was palling through the diftrid of Zwellendam, endeavoured to aflail the chaility of a Hottentot girl, about fixteen or feventeen years of age, but in every other refped quite a woman: it is faid, however, ihe refiifed his prefents and offers, principally for this reafon, that the old people in her Craal had not yet inveiled her with-the privilege of wearing rings. Whether this fame law prevails in every Craal, I cannot pretend to fay ; but it does not feem extremely probable to me, that the girls in every Craal are fo obedient to the laws. The Hottentots feldom wear any ihoes. (Thofe that are in ufe with the Hottentots hereabouts, as well as a great many more of their countrymen, are of the form reprefented by Dr. Sparrman.) The fame are worn likewife by moil of the African peafants, and, as I have fine© heard, by the Eilhonians and Livonians, and alfo by fome Finlanders ; fo that I cannot fay foe certain, whether they are the invention of the Hottentots, or brought to them by the Dutch. The * Mr. Pennant defcribes it, (i With a ihort ered mane; > The head, and body are ilriped downwards with lines of brown, on a pale buff ground: the legs and thighs ilriped croffways. Tail like that of an afs, furniihed with long hairs at the end. Size of a common mule. This moil elegant of quadrupeds inhabits from Congo and Angola, acrofs Africa, to Abyf- finia, and fouthward as low as the Cape. Inhabits the plains, but on fight of men, runs into die woods and difappear. Are gregarious, vicious, untameable, ufelefs : vailly fwift: is called by the Portuguefe, Burro di Matti, or wild afs. . . The Quacha is ilriped like the former on the head and body ; but with fewer lines. The flanks fpotted ; the rump plain: the ground colour of the head, neck, body and rump, a bright bay: the belly, thighs and legs white, and free from all marks. This fpecies has hitherto been fuppofed to have been the female of the zebra ; but later ob- fervations prove that the male and female zebra are marked alike. This differs likewife in being thicker and ilronger made, and in being more tradlable ; for inilance, one had been fo far broken as to draw in a cart.’* D


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