EVENING ENTERTAINMENT. 57 



Kay remarks in his Researches : — " Seldom or ever 

 do the rulers of Caffraria receive or drink the milk 

 which is the property of a plebeian, even although 

 the latter be one of their own subjects. This has, 

 in all probability, originated in their great and con- 

 tinual dread of poisons, and a fear lest some design- 

 ing individual should mix something of a deleterious 

 nature with the draught he might administer to them. 

 Such, indeed, is the universal prevalence of evil and 

 malignant principles among them, and such the 

 powerful influence of superstitious fears, that the 

 great mass of this interesting people may be said to 

 stand in jeopardy of their lives daily." Part of a small 

 antelope miserably dressed was afterwards intro- 

 duced on a piece of coarse mat, when the Chief, grasp- 

 ing one extremity in his hand, presented the meat to 

 his opposite neighbour, by whom, with the assist- 

 ance of an assagai, it was literally torn asunder, 

 when further subdivisions were made for the com- 

 pany by a similar mode of dissection. A novel and 

 somewhat amusing spectacle was exhibited in these 

 hungry Caffers tearing and devouring the flesh of 

 this animal with all the voracity of half-famished 

 barbarians. The greater part of the night was con- 

 sumed in noisy declamation, and not until the near 

 approach of morning did the natives separate for 

 their respective dwellings, leaving us in quiet pos- 

 session of this smoky hovel. 



The fire, which up to this hour had blazed cheer- 



