SOUTHERN AFRICA. 43 



desert^ in ^^'llicll, from motives of the hig'hest nature^ tliey 

 have immured themselves. The elder of this interestino- 

 young- couple did not appear to he more than twenty-two 

 3^ears of ag-e. 



I have not hitherto referred to the dress and appearance 

 of the Bechuana tribes^ of which the remnants have been 

 collected by the Missionaries. Of the habiliments of the 

 men^ little need be said, as they have g-enerally adopted a 

 rude imitation of the European costume. The females, 

 however, almost invariably retain the g-arb of their ances- 

 tors. The appearance of these ladies is masculine, and far 

 fi'om attractive. Fat and g-rease of all kinds form their 

 delig-ht : their bodies and skin cloaks being" also plentifidly 

 anointed with sibilo, a g'rey iron-ore sparkling- like mica, 

 procured from mines in the neighbourhood, which are 

 visited from all parts of the country. Their natural^ woolly 

 hair is twisted in small cords, and matted with this sub- 

 stance into apparently metallic pendules, which being- of 

 equal leng'th, assume the appearance of a skull-cap or in- 

 verted bowl of steel. Tobacco having- lately underg'one 

 considerable depreciation by the introduction of the plant 

 — beads are the medium throuo-h which exchano-es are usu- 

 ally effected among-st the Bechuana. The more wealthy of 

 their women are adorned with a profusion of these, hung- 

 in cumbrous coils round the waist and neck, along- with 

 ivory tooth-picks and g-ourd snuff-boxes : but even the in- 

 dig-ent are not altog-ether without them. An apron of lea- 

 ther, cut into thin strips, and clotted with an accumulation 

 of g-rease and filth, reaches to the ancles, which, never the 

 neatest in the world, are usually encased in clumsy leathern 

 ring-s, that extend to the middle of the calf, and impart a 

 dropsical appearance to the whole leg- — a rude skin cloak 

 and mocassins, completing- the costume. 



We were subjected to continual interruptions from the 



