December velT middle of the dance, withdraw to a private place in couples fucceffively and at different intervals, without giving the leaft fuhjeit of offence and fcandal, and without having any occafion to bluih when they return again to the company. I have purpofely faid only, that opportunity is given them for this purpofe ; as I could not learn, whether their laws, together with the opportunity, allowed the action itfelf, which, as I have mentioned above, the Caffres permit themfelves to tranfadl in the preience of the whole company that is dancing. This remiffnefs of their laws, however, in allowing them opportunities o f this kind, feems to be in diredt oppofition to the rigorous ftridtnefs o f thefe fame laws in the following particular. Any young woman whatfoever, who, after fuch dance, ihall prove pregnant, ihall be put to death, together with her paramour; unlefs, which indeed is generally the cafe, the oldeft people in the clan mitigate the puniihment, by commuting it into a perpetual union ; ordering them moreover, to forfeit an ox or a cow to feaft the whole community with, by way of atonement for their crime. In this latter article of the mitigation of the decree, it is not difficult to perceive the felfilh motives of the fociety; but it is, perhaps, not fo eafy from this ftrange edidi itfelf, to trace out the intention of the primitive in- ftitutor of it. Beiides, who could have fuppofed, that among thefe artlefs herdfmen another cuftom ihould prevail, which ihould facrifice the virtue and innocence of the fair fex to the interefted views of a parent or guardian ? A Hottentot, who at that time dwelt in thofe parts, affured me, m - -j, me, that on any Hottentot’s Joying a ftipulated price to a De^ r> girl’s relations, ihe was obH^d to flcep'with him ; but that neither did the law ordain/ no?; had there been any in- ftance known, that a young woman • ihould be delivered up into the arms of a Chriftian, or white man, on any confideration whatever. The Hottentot added, that for his part, he had not entered into any union here o f the kind, as for two, or at moft three nights enjoyment, it would have coft him the price o f a cow; a price, he faid, that would have made him dearly repent his bargain. This Hottentot, who explained to me the circumftances I have juft been mentioning, and at the fame time gave me many other curious anecdotes and relations, I had the greater reafon tu believe, as he had the appearance of being a ierious and difcreet man, and indeed was known to be fuch by my guide. He had been brought up in a village near the Ghriftians, in the fervice of whom he had always been; and at this time, with the affiffanee of the baftard or Cafire Hottentots belonging to this craal, he had caught, and then had in his cuftody, three old Boihies-women with their children, with an intention to take them home to his mailer for flaves. His matter had given him a gun, but he was at that time quite out of powder, confequently he was put to his ihifts for food, both for himfelf and his captives. I therefore gave him fome powder, as I con- fidered, that, fo far from having any effedt in riveting the chains of thefe unhappy people, it would rather tend to make them fit lighter. He told me likewife, that his female captives had threatened to bewitch h im ; but that he
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