294 AMUSEMENTS OF CHILDEEN. Chap. XIV. 



was uncomfortably small, being only nineteen inches high, 

 and twenty-two inches wide at the floor. A foot from the 

 bottom it measured seventeen inches in breadth, and close 

 to the top only twelve inches, so it was a difficult matter to 

 get through it. The tower has no light or ventilation, except 

 through this small door. The reason a lady assigned for hav- 

 ing the doors so very small was to keep out the mice ! 



The children have merry times, especially in the cool of 

 the evening. One of their games consists of a little girl 

 being carried on the shoulders of two others. She sits with 

 outstretched arms, as they walk about with her, and all the 

 rest clap their hands, and stopping before each hut sing- 

 pretty airs, some beating time on their little kilts of cowskin, 

 others making a curious humming sound between the songs. 

 Excepting this and the skipping-rope, the play of the girls 

 consists in imitation of the serious work of their mothers, 

 building little huts, making small pots, and cooking, pound- 

 ing corn in miniature mortars, or hoeing tiny gardens. The 

 boys play with spears of reeds pointed with wood, and 

 small shields, or bows and arrows ; or amuse themselves in 

 making little cattle-pens, or in moulding cattle in clay ; 

 they show great ingenuity in the imitation of various-shaped 

 horns. Some too are said to use slings, but as soon as they 

 can watch the goats, or calves, they are sent to the field. 

 We saw many boys riding on the calves they had in charge, 

 but this is an innovation since the arrival of the English 

 with their horses. Tselane, one of the ladies, on observing 

 Dr. Livingstone noting observations on the wet and dry bulb 

 thermometers, thought that he too was engaged in play; 

 for on receiving no reply to her question, which was rather 

 difficult to answer, as the native tongue has no scientific 

 terms, she said, with roguish glee, " Poor thing, playing like 

 a little child ! " 



