LANGUAGE OF COl.UUHS A.MOxXGST THE ZULUS. 165 



relative amounts of the ditferent colours, that express the 

 tenor of the message. 



In reading a letter of the umampapeni (fig. 2) and 

 nlimi (fig. 8) types, the string which passes round the neck, 

 beginning at the fastening, is taken first ; and on the whole 

 the string has the greater significance. In the case of the 

 square and oblong piece the letter would be read from 

 without inwards, but the edging or border is for the sake of 

 ornament simply, and, as a rule, has no special meaning. In 

 a string the number of successively placed yellow beads 

 may indicate the number of cattle owned by the recipient of 

 the letter. 



Having thus obtained a key to the meanings assigned to 

 the colours, it is an easy matter to interpret any of these 

 epistles; and it may suffice to say that the Zulu lad is very 

 proud of them, and hangs them all round his neck and head 

 in order to show everyone how much he is loved by one or 

 a number of girls. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE XXVII, 



Illustrating Rev. Father Mayr's paper, " Language of Colours 

 amongst the Zulus, etc.^' 



The illustrations are reduced to five-eighths of the actual size. 



Fig. 1. — Ingeje. The tenor of the letter is that the girl realises that 

 the man is poor (pink), and she asks him to work for cattle, as she is in 

 love (white) with him. 



Fig. 2. — Umampapeni. The purport of the letter is that the 

 recipient is well to do (yellow), and the girl is weeping (red) on account 

 of his not going to her. 



Fig. 3. — Ulimi. The general tone is that the girl is greatly in love 

 (numerous white beads), and she thinks the man is sufficiently rich 

 (yellow) to marry her. The blue border at the bottom is pure ornamen- 

 tation, without special significance. 



Fig. 4. — Igcagcane. The general tone is somewhat distressing. 

 The girl is fond of the boy (white), yet there is difficulty in going to him 

 (black), as he is poor (pink), and consequently she feels lean and sickly 

 (green). 



