SOUTHERN AFRICA. ^9 
Of the very few Hottentots in the district of Graaff Reynet, 
who, besides our interpreter, had preserved a sort of inde- 
pendance, and supported themselves, partly by the chace, 
and partly from the labors of their children who were in ser- 
vitude, was a small party of four or five old men who paid 
us a visit near the woods of Brvifiitjes Hoogie. These men 
carried the ancient weapons of their nation, bows, and 
quivers charged with poisoned arrows. The bow was a plain 
piece of wood from the guerrie bosch, which is apparently a 
species of rhus ; and sometimes the Hassagai wood is used 
for the same purpose. The string, three feet long, was com- 
posed of the fibres of the dorsal muscles of the spring-bok 
twisted into a cord. The stem of an aloe furnished the 
quiver. The arrow consisted of a reed, in one extremity of 
which was inserted a piece of highly-polished solid bone 
from the leg of an ostrich, round, and about five inches in 
length ; the intent of it seemed to be that of giving weight, 
strength, and easy entrance to this part of the arrow. To 
the end of the bone was affixed a small sharp piece of iron of 
the form of an equilateral triangle ; and the same string of 
sinews that bound this tight to the bone, served also to con- 
tain the poison between the threads and over the surface, 
which was applied in the consistence of wax or varnish. 
The string tied in also at the same time a piece of sharp 
quill pointed towards the opposite end of the arrow, which 
was not only meant to increase the difficulty of drawing it 
out, but also to rankle and tear the flesh, and to bring the 
poison more in contact with the blood. The whole length 
of the arrow was barely two feet. There are several plants 
in South Africa from which the Hottentots are said to ex- 
o 2 
