102 
TRAVELS IN 
language. Though naturally of a fearful and cowardly dis- 
position, they are seldom backward in undertaking adventu- 
rous and dangerous exploits if led on by their superiors ; and 
they suffer pain with great patience. They are by no means 
deficient in talent, but they possess little exertion to call it into 
action : their indolence was in fact the principal cause of their 
ruin ; in a Hottentot it becomes a real disease, whose only 
remedy seems to be that of terror. The pains of hunger are 
insufficient to effect the cure. Rather than to take the trou- 
ble of procuring food by the chace, or by digging the ground 
for roots, they will cheerfully fast the whole day provided they 
may be allowed to sleep. Instances frequently occured in 
the course of our journey, when our Hottentots have passed 
the day without a morsel of food, rather than give themselves 
the trouble of walking half a mile to procure a sheep. Yet 
patient as they are of hunger, they are at the same time the 
greatest gluttons upon the face of the earth. Ten of our 
Hottentots ate the whole carcase of a middling-sized ox, 
except the two hind legs, in three days ; but they had very 
little sleep during the time, and had fasted the two preceding 
days. With them the word is to eat or to sleep. When 
they cannot indulge in the gratification of the one, they 
generally find immediate relief in the arms of the other. 
Their manner of eating strongly marks the voracity of their 
appetite. Having cut from the animal a large steak, they 
begin with the knife at one edge, and by passing it round in 
a spiral manner till they come to the middle, they produce a 
string of meat one, two, or three yards in length, according to 
the size of the piece^ The whole animal is presently cut into 
