1812. 
DESCRIPTION OF HIS BELLOWS. 
483 
heat. The fuel was charcoal : the art of making which, he had also 
learnt from the Nuakketsies. 
The most ingenious contrivance was his muuho or bellows : this 
was formed of two leathern bags made from goat-skins taken off 
entire or without being cut open lengthwise.* The neck was tightly 
bound to a straight piece of the horn of an antelope, which formed 
the nozzle of the bellows. These two nozzles lay flat upon the 
ground, and were held in their place firmly by a large stone laid 
upon them : they conveyed the wind to a short earthen tube, the end 
of which was placed immediately to the fire. The hinder part of the 
bag was left open, as a mouth to receive the air, and was kept 
distended by two straight sticks sewed along the lips or opposite 
edges, in a manner which admitted of opening the mouth to the 
width of about three inches. These sticks are so held in the hand 
that they may be opened on raising the mouth, and closed on depres- 
sing it ; by which means the wind is collected and forced through 
the tube. By taking a bag in each hand, and continuing this action 
of raising and depressing them alternately, a strong and constant 
stream of wind was produced, which presently raised a very small 
fire to a degree of heat equal to rendering a hatchet red-hot in two 
minutes. 
A stone for his anvil, a horn of water for cooling the iron, and 
two or three very small iron hammers, were the only apparatus, and 
all the tools, which he made use of He was then busy in making 
hatchets and corn-hoes, of which latter, one is represented in the 
engraving above referred to, lying upon the hammer. He was sur- 
rounded by eight or nine people looking on ; but whether for the 
purpose of learning the art, or of passing away idle time, it seemed 
doubtful. My presence did not interrupt his work ; he appeared as 
much pleased at the attention with which I watched his operations, 
* A bag thus formed of the skm of any animal taken off entire, and which is very 
common among all the native tribes, is distinguished by the Colonial Hottentots with the 
special name of knapzak (knapsack) ; and is occasionally used for holding even honey or 
other hquids, as well as dry goods. 
3 Q 2 
