SINGULAR CUSTOM — ORNAMENTS ARMS. 323 



When two Namaquas are talking together, and one is re- 

 lating a story, the listener repeats the last words of the speak- 

 er, even if he should know as much of the matter as his in- 

 formant. For instance : if a man begin his recital by say- 

 ing, " As I walked along the river, a very large rhinoceros 

 rushed suddenly upon me." " Rushed suddenly upon me," 

 echoes the auditor. " He was very fat." '' Very fat," the 

 other ejaculates, and so forth. 



The Namaquas are fond of ornamenting their persons pro- 

 fusely with brass, iron, and copper, but more especially with 

 small beads of various colors. A kind of black, dull bead, 

 manufactured by themselves, is particularly esteemed. A 

 quantity of resin is procured, which they melt and mix with 

 powdered charcoal, and, during the process of cooling, it is 

 diligently kneaded, until, being converted to the consistency 

 of gum, it is drawn out into long, narrow bars. Again it is 

 gently heated over a slow fire, when small bits are detached 

 and worked between the fingers till they assume the desired 

 shape. Their patterns of bead-work are by no means devoid 

 of taste. 



These people tattoo themselves, and also anoint and be- 

 sprinkle their bodies with a profusion of grease and powders. 

 The latter are of several kinds, and are chiefly obtained from 

 the leaves of plants of the croton and diosma families. These 

 powders are called " buku" by the Namaquas, and are much 

 esteemed, more especially the kind procured south of the 

 Orange River, which has a very agreeable and aromatic scent. 



The sole arms of the Namaquas of the present day are 

 guns. Their original weapons, which consisted of the bow 

 and arrow, the assegai, and an immense shield (made out of 

 an entire, single-folded ox-hide), are now rarely seen. 



The Namaquas are an excessively idle race. They may 

 be seen basking in the sun for days together in listless inac- 

 tivity, frequently almost perishing from thirst or hunger, 

 when, with very little exertion, they may have it in their 



