CHAP. VII.] OVAMPO DENTISTS. 223 



a wife, and a few small children ; and when the door is 

 closed by the mat, and a cozy fire made in the middle 

 of the hut, they must find the atmosphere particularly 

 genial and sweet. Their utensils are remarkably neat ; 

 they have wooden cups, beer ladles, spoons, and so 

 forth. I regretted much that I had not enough things 

 of exchange to buy some of these which took my 

 fancy. Their dagger-knives were creditably made, and 

 very pretty. The knife was set into a wooden handle, 

 and fitted into a wooden sheath ; but both handle and 

 sheath were in part covered with copper plating, and in 

 part wound round with copper wire beaten square. 

 There is plenty of copper in this country. The 

 Bushmen brought us quantities of ore at Otcliikoto. 



Tippoo took me to see a blacksmith ; but his bellows 

 were scarcely larger than an accordian, and were 

 worked in a similar manner. He was not a successful 

 artificer. I had occasion to make inquiries for a pro- 

 fessional gentleman, a dentist, as one of my teeth had 

 ached so horribly that I could hardly endure it. He 

 was employed at a distance ; but I subsequently wit- 

 nessed, though I did not myself undergo the exercise 

 of his skill. He brought a piece of the back sinew of 

 a sheep, which forms a kind of catgut, and tied this 

 round the unhappy tooth ; the spare end of the catgut 

 was wound round a stout piece of stick, and this he 

 rolled up tight to the tooth, and then prised with all 

 his force against the jaw till something gave way. I 

 saw the wretched patient sitting for the rest of the day 

 with his head between his knees, and his hands against 

 his temples. 



