SEASONS OF REJOICING. — CONCLUDING REMARK. 599 
countries, some pleasing wild melodies worth the trouble of being put 
on paper ; although I had little opportunity myself, of writing down 
more than two or three, merely as a specimen. 
The seasons, as they informed me, in which they more especially 
indulge in singing, are, the time of the rains, and of the harvest ; and 
although they give no other reason for this observance than that of 
its having always been their custom, yet it is clearly to be perceived 
that it must have had its origin in those feelings of gladness which 
would be so naturally excited by the fall of copious and frequent 
showers in a land where all hopes of an abundant crop of corn, 
depended wholly on the rains : nor would the fulfilment of their 
wishes by a plentiful harvest, be less a season of rejoicing. 
The general description contained in this and the preceding- 
chapter, though intended more specially as that of the tribe who 
distinguish themselves by the name of Bachapins, may, as far as my 
own knowledge of the surrounding people enables me to form an 
opinion, be in most cases generally applicable to the other Bichuana 
nations, and will not perhaps give a very incorrect idea of some of 
the principal features in the character of the whole Caffre Race. 
Of the Hottentot Race, including the Bushmen and Koras, the re- 
marks which have been interspersed throughout the Narrative, and 
which are the result of the most impartial and unprejudiced observ- 
ation, will place their character in its true light, and, combined with 
those which belong to the other tribes, will, it is believed, exhibit a 
faithful picture of the present state of the Aboriginal Inhabitants of 
the southern point of Africa. 
