336 FEMALE HEROISM. 



that woman being the weaker, it is beneath a man's 

 dignity to raise his hand against her. Still the 

 women do all the manual labour in the fields, and 

 gardens, carry water, grind corn, gather thatch, and 

 make crockery ware, but never are permitted, on any 

 grounds whatever, to take a part in the care or 

 management of cattle. 



This, with hunting, sewing karosses, manufac- 

 turing weapons, attending upon their chiefs, and 

 soldiering, constitutes the occupation of the males, 

 although I should not forget to mention, that I have 

 seen many of the women take a very prominent and 

 active part on the battle-field. 



It is not for a moment to be supposed that because 

 the women work in the fields they have not a word 

 to say, in reference to household affairs ! on the con- 

 trary, if their special premises are interfered with by 

 the husband, or he should in any way forget the 

 dignity of his position, he will soon be made aware 

 of their disapproval of his conduct in language 

 pointed and forcible. A Bechuana scold, I imagine, 

 is quite equal to her sisters in any other part of the 

 world, and when several wives combine, which they 

 often do, to vent their indignation, the lord and 

 master, like a wise man, invariably finds the neigh- 

 bourhood too hot for him, and makes a bolt for a 

 neighbour's kraal, there to remain till the wrath of 

 the bellicose ladies has "simmered" down. 



It has never appeared to me that the Bechu- 



