NATIVE ADORNMENTS. 179 



distance off, employing a man from the kraal as 

 guide. Meantime I made it known that I wanted 

 goats and corn, and ere long was hard at work 

 dispensing beads, handkerchiefs, and snuff-boxes. 

 The main run was on the large lavender beads, 

 next came the small lavender ones, and a few 

 wanted blue cut ones. Mealies were brought in 

 large quantities, but sold principally in small basket- 

 fuls. There was plenty of Kaffir corn too, but not 

 so much as of the Indian corn. Tobacco also was 

 brought, and the sweet kind of beans that are like 

 nuts' kernels. 



" The women crowded round to sell ; they were 

 many of them recently smeared on their heads with 

 something black like pitch, babies and all. Many 

 of the girls have the hair matted thickly together in 

 lumps ; one hanging over the forehead (the end of 

 the lock having brass rings fastened to it) droops 

 down to the nose, and one to each ear. The hair is 

 all drawn out in matted shocks. A profusion of brass 

 rings are worn on the arms, and heavy bead neck- 

 laces round the neck. Many of them are pretty. 

 There are distinctly perceptible the dark and the 

 light skinned ; some nearly black, some copper- 

 coloured. The men are much given to wearing 

 carved charms and other ornaments and curiosities. 

 A lion's claw or a vulture's beak are favourites 

 amongst the latter division. They wear karosses — 

 skins with the hair worn inside. John says there 

 are both Masarwas (Bushmen) and Makalakas here. 

 I was surprised to hear from him that there are 



