396 TRAVELS IN 
Hottentot woman with a child in her arms \ymg stretched on 
the ground in a most deplorable condition. She had been cut 
from head to foot with one of those infernal whips, made from 
the hide of a rhinosceros or sea-cow, known by the name of 
sainbocs, in such a barbarous and unmerciful manner, that there 
was scarcely a spot on her whole body free from stripes ; nor 
had the sides of the little infant, in clinging to its mother, 
escaped the strokes of the brutal monster. With difficulty we 
had her removed to a situation where mecUcal assistance could 
be given ; but the fever ran so high, and the body was bruised 
to such a degree, that for several days there were little hopes 
of her recovery. It was a punishment, far inadequate to the 
crime, to keep the inhuman wretch on bread and water who 
had been guilty of such unmanly cruelty, until the fate of the 
sufferer was decided. Owing to a good constitution she gra- 
dually recovered ; and the fellow was suffered to depart, after 
making her a pecuniary compensation ; had the wounds proved 
mortal, the perpetrator would, no doubt, have afforded the 
first instance of retributive justice for the numberless cases 
of murder that have been committed with impunity on this 
unfortunate race of men. The only crime alleged against her 
was the attempt to follow her husband, who was among the 
number of those of his countrymen that had determined to 
throw themselves upon the protection of the English. 
The next house we halted at upon the road presented us with 
a still more horrid instance of brutality. We observed a fine 
Hottentot boy, about eight years of age, sitting at the corner 
of the house, with a pair of iron rings clenched upon his legs, 
of the weight of ten or twelve pounds ; and they had remained 
