1779- variety of unknown plants, but found there was a river a little February. J 1 ,—' to the eaftward of us, called by the natives, the Kys Comma. We then determined to return the fame way we came. The large fpecies of Palm, which was mentioned before, and which grows to the height of twenty feet and upwards, is found here in abundance, and is ufed for bread by the Caffres as well as the. Hottentots. They take the pith of this plant, and after collecting a fufficient quantity, let it lie for feveral days till itT becomes a little four ; after this they bake it in an oven which is eredled for the purpofe. They alfo bake bread of their own corn, which is the fame as the Guinea corn. But.this grain is moftly ufed for making punch, called by fome of them Pombi?, which is ftrong and intoxicating. They make con- fiderable ufe of a plant, called by the natives Plantains, which grows fpontaneoufly on the banks of the rivers, and in the woods. The pods of this plant are triangular, and about the fize of a prickly cucumber. I found none of them in flower, but feveral in f ru it; the feed is about as large as a p e a ; and I believe it to be what Dr. Thunberg calls the Helaconia Caf- fraria j and Mr. Aiton, Strelitzia Reginae *. The men amongft the Caffres are from five feet ten inches to fix feet high, and well proportioned; and in general evince great courage in attacking Lions, or any beafts of prey. This nation is now divided into two parties; to the northward are a number of them commanded by one Chatha Bea, or Tambu- ihie, who has obtained the latter denomination from his mother, * See Hortus Kewenfis« a woman of the tribe of Hottentots, called Tambukies. This Fe1™;^ man was the fon of a chief, called Pharoa, who died about ^ -J three years before, and left two fons, Cha Cha Bea, and another named Dfirika, who claimed the fupreme authority on account of his mother being of the Caffre nation. This oc- cafioned a conteft between the two brothers, in the courfe of which Cha Cha Bea was driven out of his territories, with a number of his adherents. The unfortunate chief travelled about an hundred miles to the northward of Khouta, where he now refides, and has entered into an alliance with the Bolh- men Hottentots. The colour of the Caffres is a jet b la ck ; their teeth white as ivory, and their eyes large. The cloathing of both fexes is nearly the fame, confifling entirely of the hides of oxen, which are as pliant as cloth. The men wear tails of different animals tied round their thighs j pieces of brafs in their hair, and large ivory rings on their arms; they are alfo adorned with the hair of Lions, and feathers fattened on their heads, with many other fantaftical ornaments. When they are about nine years of age they undergo the operation of being circum- cifed, and afterwards wear a muzzle of leather which covers the extremity of the penis, and is fufpended by a leathern thong from,their middle. This covering is in general ornamented with beads and brafs rings, which they purcliafe from the Hottentots for tobacco and Dacka. They are extremely fond of dogs, which they exchange for ca ttle; and to fuch a height do they carry this paffion, that if one particularly pleafes them, they will give two bullocks in exchange for it.
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