176 Observations on the Origin of the Bushmen. 



Such treachery, however, though glaringly conspicuous, ap- 

 pears certainly to be resorted to more as a means suggested 

 by reason and observation, to compensate for the inequality 

 that exists between them and their more powerful neighbours, 

 than to proceed from the operation of abstract vicious and 

 dishonorable principles. They are, therefore, not divested of 

 that which under other circumstances such attainments would 

 give reason to suspect, — namely, personal bravery. That, all 

 of them enjoy in a very distinguished degree, and display in 

 no mean proportion in every situation, but more especially 

 when opposed to powers adventitious to those of their own 

 tribes, and upon whom they have been led from infancy to 

 look with impressions of horror, detestation, and dread. 



Though well aware of the inferiority of their own weapons, 

 when compared with fire-arms, yet when they discover that 

 it is necessary to oppose the latter, they manifest a remark- 

 able degree of courage, and a perseverance and coolness which 

 only the absence of fear could enable them to support. On 

 such occasions, instances have been known of individuals 

 who have had their left arms completely disabled, employ 

 their toes to fix their bows, so as to be able to continue their 

 defence ; and many have been observed to persevere in re- 

 sistance, after being wounded or maimed in such a way as to 

 occasion almost immediate dissolution. Such violent opposi- 

 tion, and often absurd inflexibility, appear to be excited 

 partly by the influence of their unconquerable passions, and 

 partly by the dread they entertain of falling into the power 

 of enemies, whom they believe as certain either to destroy 

 them at the instant, or convert them into slaves. The cool- 

 ness and indifference with which almost the whole of the 

 Hottentot race regard the approach of death, has often been 

 commented upon; and though it must be acknowledged to be 

 strongly marked in all of them, yet from what I have myself seen 

 as well as heard, I feel disposed to consider it as most con- 

 spicuous amongst the Bushmen. These, though they shew 

 an inclination to escape where danger is imminent, yet if they 

 find that not to be accomplished with facility, they encounter 

 their fate with scarcely the appearance of reluctance or con- 

 cern; they yield up their lives without the slightest semblance 

 of fear, and even view the approach of death with so little 

 emotion, as almost to incline one to deny them the feelings 

 of reasonable beings. As one example of such hardihood, I 



amongst the Bushmen, at a station on the Zak River, says — "Another 

 singular escape from death deserves to be recorded. In the evening' of a 

 day which was uncommonly sultry, I was sitting near an open window, 

 when a concealed party of Bosch men were just about to discharge a volley 

 of poisoned arrows at me: but, by the same girl who saved the life "t 

 Brother Kramer from the danger ot Vigilant, they were detected, and made 

 off in haste "— Transactions of the Missionary Society, vol. 2, p. 21. 



