AFRICA. 91 
exadl, the Hottentots are acquainted neither 
with phyficians, diftinftion of rank, nor 
priefts ; and their language has no word to 
exprefs any of thefe things. 
To be fenfible how far this vifionary fuf- 
fered himfelf to be led away by his imagi- 
nation, we need only read in his work, that 
a Hottentot phyfician employed Roman vi- 
triol to cure a perfon attacked by the le- 
profy. How is it poflible that thefe favages 
ftiould be acquainted with this fait, which 
is not found in their country, fince it is 
produced by a chemical operation ? To give 
an air of probability to fuch abfurdities, it 
would be neceflary at leaft to fuppofe fome 
knowledge amongft thefe people, and to 
lend them our arts, our alembics, our fur- 
naces, and all our apparatus of pharmacy. 
When a Hottentot dies, he is buried in his 
worft krofs, and the limbs are difpofed in 
fuch a manner that the body is entire- 
ly covered. The relations then tranfport 
it to a certain diftance from the horde, and 
depofiting it in a pit dug for this purpofe, 
and which is never deep, cover it with earth, 
and then with flones, if any are to be found 
Ifx the neighbourhood? Such a mauioleum 
proves 
