AFRICA. 537 
* defcrlhes minutely al] the circumftances. But 
this is another of his falfehoods ; and at the 
Cape, where all the world knows he was 
never once out of the town, this lying aflertlon 
is a matter of public notoriety. 
With regard tothe motives that have induced 
the favagcs to adopt the practice in queflion, 
I have already faid, that travellers are not 
agreed upon the fuhjefl:. vSome attribute it to 
the defne of rendering themfelves more fleet 
in running ; others to an intention of prevent- 
ing the too abundant propagation of the fpe- 
cies. Kolben feems to incline to the latter 
opinion : yet, far from adducing arguments to 
fupport it, he contradids it himfelf, by ad- 
vancing, that twins are not the lefs common 
on account of the operation. 
Thefe contradidions formed In the head of 
this author a confufion and perplexity, which 
he knew 2iot how to unravel; and thence he 
concludes, that it is by no means aftoniihing 
*' if writers who have preceded him in giving 
" accounts of the Cape, differ from one another, 
" fince the Hottentots themfelves do not agree 
" in the reafons they affign for fo whimfical a 
"cuftom." 
Vol, III. Z Though 
