SUPERSTITION. 221 



offerings of cattle are made, after which the fire is relit in 

 the primitive way, namely, by friction. This again reminds 

 us of the " holy fire" of the Romans, which, under similar cir- 

 cumstances, could only be relit by fire from heaven. 



A portion of such fire is also given to the head man of a 

 kraal when about to remove from that of the chief. The 

 duties of a vestal then devolve on the daughter of the emi- 

 grant. 



For every wild animal that a young man destroys, his fa- 

 ther makes four small oblong incisions on the front of the 

 son's body as marks of honor and distinction. Pie is, more- 

 over, presented with a sheep or cow. If either of these should 

 produce young ones, they are slaughtered and eaten, but only 

 males are allowed to partake of such food. 



The chief of a kraal must always taste the provisions be- 

 fore they can be eaten by the rest of the tribe. Though 

 sweet milk, when boiled, may be freely drunk by the women 

 and children, it is more commonly swallowed in an acid 

 state. 



Should a sportsman return from a successful hunt, he take? 

 water in his mouth, and ejects it three times over his feet, as 

 also in the fire of his own hearth. * 



When cattle are required merely for food, they are suffo- 

 cated ; but if for sacrifices, they are speared to death. On 

 the decease of one of the tribe, they have also the cruel prac- 

 tice of destroying the poor beasts with clubs, which I believe 

 to be a kind of expiatory offering. The flesh of such cattle 

 as are killed on the death of a chief is principally consumed 

 by his servants. 



The women marry at very much the same age as those in 

 Europe, but few ceremonies are connected with this import- 

 ant affair. A girl is sometimes betrothed to a man when 

 yet a child, though, under such circumstances, she remaint- 

 with her parents till of proper age. The woman, upon be- 

 ing asked in marriage, puts on a helmet-shaped head-dresp. 



