AFRICA* 
mote from hers } that Gonaqua, Caffre, and 
other Hottentot women, had readily con- 
fented to grant me the fame Indulgence ; 
and, in fliort, that I would detain her no 
longer than a moment In that humiliating 
pofture : fome of the men alfo of the horde 
fupported my arguments, and pleaded in my 
favour. Confufed, abaflied, and tremblings 
flie covered her face with both her hands, 
fuffered her apron to be untied, and permit-* 
ted me to contemplate at leifure what my 
readers will fee themfelves in the exa£t re- 
j)refentation which I drew of it, and which 
forms the feventh plate of this volume. 
To deftroy an opinion, generally received, 
that nature has exclufively beftowed on the 
Hottentot women a natural apron, which 
ferves to conceal the marks of their fex, a 
modern author afferts, that this fingularlty is 
aiothing elfe but a prolongation of the nym-* 
ph2e; and this idea has, very improperly, 
been adopted by many. He reprefents this 
apron almoft as an infirmity, occafioned el* 
ther by old age, the heat of the climate, an 
inactive life, or the ufe of greafy undions,&c. 
I ftiould never have done, were I to mention 
all the objections that naturally arlfe to de- 
ftroy 
