66 



Mr. Morgan'' s Account of the Ainakosae, 



mortality comes among the cattle of a kraal, th<>y slny the 

 fattest of their flock, and consume it with fire in the very 

 kraal in which the diseased cattle are usually folded: if the 

 evil is small, or o;i]y anticipated, they consume a bundle of 

 other substances prepared for this purpose. If any drift across 

 the ri\ers has proved fatal to the lives of either men or cattle, 

 particularly of the cattle, they, to avert the recurrence of 

 similar accidents, slay and cut up a beast, and throw the pieces 

 into the stream at the place feared. This ceremony was often 

 performed at Catfer Drift on the Fish River, it being a danger- 

 ous passage, and one formerly much used by them in their 

 predatory excursions into the colony. 



The following customs, however, appear to be founded upon 

 a former practice of making thank offerings to a Beneficent 

 Deity, viz. : 



The slaughter of cattle at the birth of a child, and at the 

 first appearance abroad of a lyiu^-in woman, — at the circum- 

 cision of their boys,— and at the age of pubity of their girls; — 

 also at their marriages, and at their great feasts. 



Upon a review of their customs in general, I think we may 

 sec evidently ilie remains of worship and sacrifice to a Supreme 

 Being ; and I am led to think that these people are the de- 

 scendants of some people to the east, and that they have gra- 

 dually lost their originally possessed knowledge and fallen to 

 their present low estate during their progressive emigratious to 

 this country. 



The following is some account of the letters used, and the 

 klick and sounds as described by the Missionaries. 



The Caffrarian alphabet contains twenty-five letters, which 

 are arranged and named as follows, viz. : 



Roman. 



Name. 



a 



ib 



ce 



id 



e-e 



ef 



ig 



ih 



i-i 

 . ik 

 , el 



em 

 , en 



Roman. 



O. 

 P . 



Q. 

 R. 

 S , 

 T. 

 U. 

 V. 

 W. 

 X. 

 Y. 

 Z . 



P 



q 



r 

 s 

 t 

 u 



V 



w 



X 



y 



z 



Name. 



>P 



gu 



ru 



cs 



it 



u-u 



iv 



we 



xi 



ye 



iz 



