MEMOIR OF LE VAILLANT. 2y 



him an air of lankness, which, makes his head 

 appear very much disproportioned, and too small 

 for his full and plump hody. His flat nose rises 

 scarcely half an inch at its greatest elevation, and 

 his nostrils, which are excessively wide, often rise 

 higher than the ridge of his nose. His mouth is 

 large and furnished with small teeth, well ena- 

 melled, and perfectly white. His eyes, beautiful 

 and open, incline a little towards the nose like those 

 of the Chinese; and to the sight and touch, his 

 hair has the resemblance of wool ; it is very short, 

 curls naturally, and is hlack as ehony." 



Their general character M. Le Yaillant delineates 

 in favourable colours. After mentioning their natu- 

 ral timidity, their phlegmatic reserve, and profound 

 indifference to the afiairs of life, he says, " they are 

 the hest, the kindest, and most hospitable of men. 

 Whoever travels among them may be assured of 

 finding food and lodging; and though they will 

 receive presents, they never ask for any thing. If 

 the traveller has a long journey to accomplish, and 

 if they learn that there are any hopes of his soon 

 meeting with other hordes, the tribe which he is 

 about to quit will supply him with provisions as far 

 as their circumstances allow, and with any thing 

 else necessary for continuing his journey until he 

 reach the place of his destination." 



The wild Hottentots, he says, are remarkably 

 fond of hunting and in this exercise the.v display 

 great dexterity. Besides gins and snares, which 

 they place at convenient spots to catch large ani- 



