515 
CAFFllARIA. 
Congo inquired when it would happen, and if it would be 
soon, but Mr. Read could not gratify his wishes on that 
point. 
Sometimes the exposed person revives, and returns to the 
Kraal ; but if he does not recover, he is again carried to the 
bushes ; and should this be repeated, they shut him up in 
his house with a small portion of victuals, when the Kraal 
removes to some other quarter. This cruel practice is con- 
sidered to arise from a dread of the disease spreading like the 
plague. When Dr. Vanderkemp was in CafFraria, he found 
they had other practices analogous to this ; such as when any 
of them are in danger of being drowned, the rest are so ter- 
rified that they will either run from him, or throw stones at 
him ; likewise whep a woman is taken in labour_, every one 
runs from her. 
They bury none but their chiefs and their wives ; others 
are thrown out to be devoured by the wild beasts. Should 
a perso!5 die accidentally in his own house, the whole Kraal 
is deserted. 
When dying, they seem totally indifferent about it, and the 
spectators appear as indifferent as the dying ; yet a Caffre 
will sometimes mourn for the death of a wife or a child. 
When he does so, he leaves his Kraal, separates himself 
from every one, and retires into a wood or lonely place, 
where he lives for a month or two in the manner of a her- 
mit ; after which he throws away his cloak and begs for 
another, on obtaining which he returns to his home. 
Many of the Caffres travel into the countries which sur- 
round them, sometimes to plunder, at other times merely to 
gratify curiosity, and to bring back any thing they judge 
useful or curious. They always travel on foot, carrying no 
more than their cloak to sleep in during the night. On their 
return they entertain their friends by relating the most minute 
circumstance that happened — where and what they ate, 
where and what kind of water they drank, and every thing 
they saw or heard, and he who does not do so is despised. 
When any of them have visited Cape-town, on their return 
they used to describe how the people dressed, how they 
washed their mouths, their houses, &c. but never imitated or 
endeavoured to introduce any of their customs. They ex- 
pressed surprise at many things which they saw, but never 
think the white men are more wise or skilful than themselves, 
for they suppose they could do all that the white men do if 
they chose. They consider reading and writing as insig- 
nificant things of no use. 
