36 PROCEEDINGS Of THE ANATOMICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL 



in each kraal are placed in a semicircle, and in the centre is a large 

 tree, which serves as a shade for the inhabitants. The kraals are 

 small, consisting often of only three or four huts, probably occupied 

 by a man and his wives. Usually a number of kraals are clustered 

 together, communicating with one another by narrow and tortuous 

 Kaffir paths. In some cases the whole kraal is surrounded by a rough 

 fence. The huts are well built with walls about five feet high, and 

 have a large door fitted with a wooden lock and key of native manu- 

 facture. At the entrance of the kraal may often be noticed a small 

 bunch of grass containing a handful of mealies hanging from a tree. 

 This is supposed to prevent the evil spirits from attacking the inhabi- 

 tants of the kraal, as it is expected that the witch will take the 

 mealies and be satisfied without interfering with the good men of the 

 kraal. 



Besides the dwelling houses there are usually also a corn store, a 

 goat pen, and sometimes a pigeon cot. A fire for cooking smoulders 

 under the big tree, the trunk of which is usually ornamented with 

 skulls of buck, monkeys, and other animals. There is usually a dacha 

 pipe hanging from the tree, and at the base a bow and collection of 

 arrows. 



A Mtyopi kraal is generally larger, sometimes containing as 

 many as seventy huts of the same variety as described among the 

 Myambaams, and as a rule the kraal and a considerable area of sur- 

 rounding ground is fenced by a strong hedge, in which there are stiles 

 or rough gates. This hedge is for the purpose of confining the pigs. 

 Sometimes there is also a stockade a remnant of the old fighting 

 days. The Shangaan kraals are small, consisting of only a few huts 

 (Plate V., Fig. 1). They are not so well built, because the Shan- 

 gaans being a warlike people look on their huts as more or less tem- 

 porary abodes, liable to be destroyed in war at any time. 



The huts are cone-shaped, and the walls low and are really modi- 

 fications of the Zulu type of hut. There is generally a cattle kraal in 

 the neighbourhood. 



w Utvnxilx. These consist of the stamp block, which has 



