HISTORY. 247 



far departing from his natural habits, as to mingle, for his 

 master's sake, in scenes of strife and bloodshed. 



In the vast regions of Southern Africa, peopled by tribes 

 of warriors and herdsmen, cattle abound and multiply, and 

 form the wealth of the little communities. The simple and 

 patient Hottentots, while yet they had a country which they 

 could call their own, were rich in this kind of possession ; 

 and even yet, after generations of servitude, retain the habits 

 and feelings of their nomadic'state. The tending of cattle is 

 still the favourite employment of their lives. They know the 

 individuals of the herd, and address them by their names. 

 They had their backleys, or trained oxen, of which each kraal 

 had at least six : they were selected from those which seemed 

 the most capable of receiving instruction, and when one died 

 or became unserviceable from age, another was chosen with 

 due solemnity by the elders of the tribe to supply its room. 

 They were taught to become the guardians of the flocks and 

 herds of the little community ; and they kept watch against the 

 attacks of beasts of prey. The Hysena, we are told, however 

 hungry, would not venture to attack a flock guarded by two or 

 three of these courageous creatures, which, when in sufficient 

 numbers, would even make head against the Lion in defence 

 of their charge. They kept watch against the robbers of other 

 tribes. They knew all the inhabitants of the kraal, men, 

 women, and children, and manifested towards them the same 

 respect which a dog displays to those who live in the house 

 of his master. Whilst, therefore, there was no inhabitant of 

 the kraal who might not with safety have approached the 

 flocks, yet, should a stranger have attempted to do so, and 

 especially a European, without being accompanied by a Hot- 

 tentot, he would have been in great danger : the backleys 

 would have come upon him at speed, and, unless he had fire- 

 arms to defend himself, or had the means of escape to a tree, 

 or was within reach of the shepherds, he would surely have 

 been killed.* Not only were these backleys employed to be 



* Ivolben, vol. i. 



