54 CIRCUMCISION. 



the picturesque appearance of the spot we had just 

 quitted, which, surveyed from this point, presents a 

 beautiful subject for the pencil, contrasted with the 

 wild and uncultivated tract of country that surrounds 

 it. The prospects on every side still continued of 

 that pleasing and diversified character which had 

 hitherto distinguished our excursion : it was only, 

 however, in crossing the summits of various hills 

 that we caught a glimpse of scattered huts, lying 

 sequestered in the vales beneath, and partially 

 obscured by shady mimosa trees ; but whenever 

 it happened that we were observed at a distance 

 by the inhabitants, they quickly sallied from their 

 dwellings, and pursued us with the usual vocifera- 

 tions of " barsaala" — a term of importunity with 

 which the traveller in this country must soon be- 

 come familiar. We noticed on our route a num- 

 ber of boys confined within a circular enclosure, 

 whose bodies were daubed over with white clay ; 

 and on inquiring the cause of their singular appear- 

 ance, we learned they were the Amaquati, or newly 

 circumcised, who are not permitted, for a certain 

 period after the operation, to associate with the other 

 inhabitants of their village. It is a singular fact that 

 the rite of circumcision prevails throughout Caffer- 

 land, although, whatever may have been the origin of 

 its institution with the natives, it can only be con- 

 sidered now as a mere custom, by which a boy obtains 

 the privileges of manhood. It is still more remarkable 



