220 THE MASARWAS AND THEIR LANGUAGE. 



spcciiiecl in its composition, but I am unable to ascertain tbem. 

 According to the testimony of all who have employed them, they 

 are most expert game-trackers. 



A little coarse pottery is made, but most of their culinary 

 apparatus consist of ostrich eggs for carrying and storing water. 

 These are transported, when on the march, in a net slung over 

 the shoulder, and are carried by the women. A few sticks are 

 also carried to produce fire, when an animal has been brought 

 down. 



Their habitations consist of a few branches of trees stuck 

 in the ground, tied together at the top, and covered with grass. 

 Such a shelter keeps out the wind and a passing shower, but 

 when a spell of wet weather sets in they are obliged frequently 

 to shift their habitations, as they get saturated with water. I 

 have never heard of their living in caves, nor do I know of any 

 such caves, either at present or recently in occupation. I have 

 repeatedly inquired if they practised the art of painting, as the 

 other Bushmen do, but I was always met with a denial — whether 

 from want of desire to impart information, or whether they 

 never possessed the art, I cannot say. They know of other 

 Bushman paintings at places I mentioned to them, such as the 

 Matopos, but they always said that their tribe did not paint, at 

 least not now. 



They do not practise circumcision — at least this was the 

 testimony of those I questioned; but I also learned that some of 

 them had been circumcised who lived amongst the Bechuanas. 

 Whether this meant that they had to conform to the Sechuana 

 practice or not, I cannot say. Neither do they, so far as I have 

 seen, cut off any of the joints of the fingers. 



When death came to men and women in former times, they 

 simply threw the body outside the encampment to be devoured 

 by the hyaenas and vultures. Now, most of those who are em- 

 ployed by the Bechuanas bury their dead in a similar manner to 

 their masters ; but I could not ascertain if they practised any of 

 the Bechuana ceremonies at the interment. 



They have great faith in their dice. Nearly every man, 

 whatever his occupation may be, carries a set, and consults them 

 upon all occasions of importance. Apart from a belief in magic 

 and witchcraft, their religious notions are hard to define. They 

 believe in a Spirit which they call Zimo, a modification of the 

 Bechuana name for God. Modinio. They say He controls the 

 storm, and He appears to be little more than the storm demon. 

 They have also names for different constellations, and believe 

 that some of them are animals — for instance, the Southern Cross 

 is gaabc \kliainc, the Giraff'e. Christianity has made practically 

 no impression upon them, partly, no doubt, owing to the prei'udice 

 against their being Church members in the eyes of the Bechuana 

 masters. 



Altogether they are low in the scale of intelligence, and 

 their life is a hard one, not one calculated to improve them. 

 ]\Iany of them are to-day employed by the Bechuanas as cattle 



