AFRICA. 45 
lymmetry : and this part of their drefs re- 
quires no fmall length of time. 
Thefe two colours fo much admired by 
the Hottentots, are always perfumed with 
the powder of the boiighou^ which is not 
very agreeable to the fmell of an European. 
A Hottentot, perhaps, would find our odours 
and effences no lefs infupportable ; but the 
boughou has over our rouge and paftes the 
advantage of not being pernicious to the 
Ikin, of not attacking and injuring the 
lungs \ and the female Plottentot, who is 
acquainted with neither amber, mufk, nor 
benjamin, never knows what it is to be op- 
prefled by vapours, fpafms, and the head- 
ache. 
The men never paint their faces j but I 
have often feen them ufe a preparation made 
of both colours mixed, to paint the upper lip 
as far as the noftrils ; by which they enjoyed 
the advantage of continually inhaling the 
odour of the fubftance employed for this pur- 
pofe. Young girls fometimes favour their 
lovers fo far as to apply this paint for them 
under the nofe ; and on this point they (hew 
a kind of coquetry which has a very power- 
ful influence over the heart of a Hottentot 
novice. 
