46 Mr. Morgans Account of the Amaliosae, 



entrance of the cattle kraal which is on one side of the dancers. 

 Here they stand concealing their bodies with their shields, 

 ■which are placed upright by each other, thus preventing the 

 spectators from observing what is done behind them. Another 

 party of warriors form opposite these and possess themselves of 

 the cattle kraal. Alter some time the ranks of the up])cr party 

 opens in the centre, and a party of young men appear all orna- 

 mented alike, having their heads neatly dressed with red clay, and 

 bound with fillets of beads, from which at the back is suspended 

 a bunch of black horse hair about half an inch in diameter 

 and seven or eight in length. They are quite naked, excepting 

 that a small buckskin tied by the hind feet round their necks, and 

 hanging down, scarcely covers their shoulders, and reaches to 

 the bottom of their loins. They hold assagais in their right 

 hands by the small ends in an upright position, excepting the 

 centre one who holds his in tlie middle — this is the bridegroom. 

 The party comes down and forms the front line of the dancers. 

 A short time after this the same party of warriors again divide 

 their ranks, and three young girls appear ornamented in the 

 same manner as the men, with the small buckskin round their 

 hips instead of their shoulders. The centre one is the bride, and 

 she alone carries an assagai in her right hand. An old woman 

 attends them at a short distance, and appears to be their direc- 

 tress during the ceremony. They walk in a very slow and 

 solemn manner forward towards the cattle kraal, the same set 

 of old women still running about shouting and pretending to 

 drive some animal from their path. In this manner they ])ro- 

 ceed, and entering the kraal a short distance they stop. The 

 bride then thrusts her assagai into the ground, and faces about 

 leaving the assagai sticking upright, and in the same solemn 

 manner they return. At their exit from the kraal the old 

 women, who had been so busy in appearing to keep something 

 away from the path, begin to perform another pantomimic 

 representation, and appear to be engaged in all the various 

 duties that will devolve on the bride in her new state, such as 

 digging the ground, sowing, cutting, thrashing, and grinding 

 the corn, fetching wood and water, nursing the children, &c. 

 When the party passes the warriors who are ranged near the 

 kraal, one of them rushes out and pretends to be engaged wiili 

 some enemy. After some time spent iu a seeming attack on his 

 adversary and a defence of himself, he appears to have received 

 a mortal wound, for he falls, arises, and falls again, endeavours 

 to rise, defends himself on his knees, is again wounded ; he tears 

 the weapon from his body, hurls it at his enemy, and then falls 

 on his shield, and, after writhing about tearing and biting the 

 earth, seems to expire. This representation is given to point 

 out that her future husband will protect and defend her in hev 



