'AFRICA. 73 
libaflies, bags made of (beep's ikins, or in 
bladders. 
Though they rear abundance of ftieep and 
oxen, they feldom kill the latter, unlefs fome 
accident happens to them, or old age has 
rendered them unfit for fervice. Their prin- 
cipal nourifliment, therefore, is the milk of 
their ewes and cows ; befides which, they 
have the produce of their hunting excur- 
fions ; and from time to time they kill a 
fl^eep. To fatten their animals they em- 
ploy a procefs, which, though not pradlifed 
in Europe, is no lefs efficacious ; and has 
this peculiar advantage, that it requires no 
care. They brulfe, between two flat ftones, 
thofe parts which we deprive them of by the 
knife; and when thus compreflTed they ac- 
quire in time a prodigious bulk, and be- 
come a moft delicate morfel, when they 
have refolved to facrifice the animal. 
The cuflom of breeding oxen for war is 
not praftifed in this part of Africa. I ob- 
ferved no veftige of it in any of thofe places 
through which I pafTed. It is peculiar to 
the Grand Nimiquas ; and I lhall fpeak of it 
when I come to give an account of thefe 
people. The oxen which the Hottentots 
rear 
