260 COSTUME. 



same material. The ornaments of the men are 

 armlets of brass or ivory, and many wear girdles of 

 slight metal chains round their loins, together with 

 strings of blue and white beads suspended from their 

 necks. Their equipments for war have been pre- 

 viously described in the account of the sham-fight 

 which was exhibited for our amusement at Botuman's 

 Kraal. The Amaponda dress their hair in a form 

 somewhat resembling that of a counsellor's wig, or- 

 namenting it with feathers and red berries, but they 

 are now beginning to adopt the Zoulah custom of 

 shaving the head, leaving only a tuft of hair on the 

 crown, which they adorn with feathers. The females 

 wear a small apron round their loins, which is fanci- 

 fully decorated with various-coloured beads, and over 

 the bosom is a soft covering of leather, slightly orna- 

 mented in a similar manner. A short skin petticoat 

 reaches halfway down the leg, and their outer gar- 

 ment is the same large mantle as that of the men, , 

 which covers the whole body. Down the back of 

 this cloak is suspended a long strip of leather, orna- 

 mented with three rows of buttons. According to 

 their rank and respectability they possess strings of 

 various-coloured beads, which are worn round their 

 necks. The head-dress varies according to the taste 

 and custom of the different nations ; some using the 

 cap, which has been already noticed, others colour- 

 ing their hair with black and red clay, while the 

 Zoulah women have their heads shaved completely 

 bare. 



