1812. NUAKKETSI CORN-SIEVES. — FEMALE BUILDERS. 455 
Bachapin ingenuity and workmanship, ordered two girls to bring me 
his corn-sieves to look at. They were in the form of a large shallow 
bowl, and made in a very neat manner, with flat split twigs inter- 
woven with the greatest exactness : but on pressing him to sell them, 
I discovered that they were in reality the manufacture of the 
Nudkketsi tribe, as he was unwilling to part with them, because, he 
said, he should not for a long time have an opportunity of getting 
others in their place ; and it was an article with which he could not 
dispense. 
Both these dwellings were situated at the distance of only a few 
paces from his mootsi ; and his wives, of whom he had only two, 
had proved themselves to be good builders, by their houses being of 
the largest dimensions. That of the youngest may be seen on the 
left in the foreground of the sixth plate. The same cleanness, good 
order and neatness, which are the striking features of the houses of 
Litakun, were equally conspicuous in these. 
After having seen various other domestic articles, I returned home, 
leaving them all exceedingly pleased at my visit, which, I doubt not, 
furnished them with abundant matter for conversation during the 
remainder of the day. 
I had scarcely seated myself in my waggon, before Mollemmi 
came to see me, for the purpose of being shown what I had drawn. 
I made use of the opportunity for asking him to let me take his por- 
trait : but this he was unwilling to allow ; nor would he give any 
reason for his refusal. 
The rest of the afternoon was employed in finishing my sketch j 
though I was never without tobacco-beggars before me. I now, how- 
eve^, succeeded better in resisting their importunities and gave away 
less ithan on any previous day. 
'Speelman and Keyser, who had been out hunting since yesterday 
morning, and had passed the night in the plains, returned this after- 
noon ; having shot a quakka (zebra). They were attended, during 
the whole time, by three natives, who assisted in bringing home the 
meat, and whose knowledge of Bachapin customs, was of great service 
in finding cooking utensils ; wherever the chase led them, or when- 
