rt Trihe of Caffers on the East of the Cape Colony. 37 



chief, and cannot be parted with except with his express consent, 

 not even when it is made entirely at tlieir own expense ; so also 

 js the shield and the war feathers : these latter articles are kept 

 in the ])ossession of the chief, and are a symbol of his authority 

 over them. They are trusted to the warrior only during the 

 time of service, and are restored by him when the war is over. 



The dress of the Catfer is very simple. The hide of the ox 

 is dressed and softened in a manner peculiar to themselves, and 

 is formed into a mantle which is worn over their shoulders and 

 round the body, and reaches down to the ancles. A small 

 cylindrical piece of skin hangs in front. When they dress 

 themselves for war they lay aside the large mantle which 

 is called the kaross, and fasten a small buckskin around their 

 loins : their head is encircled with a fillet of leather, having the 

 long shoulder feathers of the blue crane fixed erect, one on 

 each side over the ears. On their left arm they carry a large 

 oval shield made of the dry undressed hide of an ox : it is 

 about five feet high and three feet wide. The offensive 

 weapons which they use are a sort of javelin, called the 

 assagai, and a stick with a large nob at the top. Their heads 

 arc dressed with a composition of red earth and grease ; the 

 hair is rolled up into little curls, which are retained in that 

 form hy small lumps of the above composition : the whole 

 surface of the bodies is rubbed also with the same preparation. 

 Their chiefs arc distinguislicd \iy a band of beads curiously 

 arranged, which is worn round their heads : their karosscs are 

 trimmed with the skin of the panther. This skin is the distin- 

 guishing mark of power : none but chiefs are permitted to have 

 any ot it about their persons. Ivory rings in various numbers 

 are worn on the arm above the elbow by both sexes, as arc 

 also brass rings on their right wrist. The covering of rings 

 extends some height up the forearm, and appears to be useful 

 as well as ornamental, as it affords a support-to the tendons of 

 the hand and wrist in the violent strain which the action of 

 throwing the assagai produces. A number of strings of beads 

 of various colors worn loosely about the neck complete the 

 dress and ornaments of the Caffer man. 



Tiiat of the female is more complicated. They wear, sus- 

 pended to their waistband, a small triangular piece of dressed 

 skin which hangs down before them, and is fancifully covered 

 with various sorts of beads. Round their loins they wear a 

 cloak of prepared bullock's hide, which reaches down the legs 

 to their middle. Their breasts are pressed down by a stomacher 

 of the same materials: this is also ornamented with beads. 

 Their outer garment is a large mantle which covers the whole 

 of the body from the shoulders to the ancle: from between the 

 shoulders a narrow piece is folded back, and hangs down to 



