374 A JOURNEY IN 
Theij' tlwcliiiigs, in the shape of hemispheres, generally 
about six feet high and eight in diameter, are constructed on 
the same principle as those of the Namaqiia Hottentots, and 
covered Avith several folds of neat matting made of rushes or 
coarse grass. They used vessels of wood, hollowed out from 
blocks of willow, for containing milk and water. They seemed 
to have no knowledge of agriculture, but had considerable 
possessions of horned cattle, sheep, and goats. They had 
also plenty of dogs. Like the Kafters they live in a great 
measure on curdled milk, on berries and roots, and like 
those also ai'e particularly attentive to their cattle, which they 
train in habits of strict subordination and command. When 
a cow is supposed to withhold her milk, thej practise the 
method which the ancient Scythians, as we are told by Hero- 
dotus, made use of to force the milk out of the udders of 
their mares. Indeed both the KafFers and Hottentots have 
recourse to this method, Avhen the animal is stubborn and 
supposed to refuse giving her milk. One of the old Avriters on 
South Africa, by way of convincing his readers of the truth 
of the practice, has embellished his Avork Avith a print on this 
elegant subject, exhibiting a Hottentot in the act of blowing 
up a coAV. 
Their dress consisted of skin cloaks, like the other Hotten- 
tot tribes ; and the women Avore square ornamented aprons 
suspended from the Avaist, Avith copper chains and beads of 
glass round the neck, the Avrists, and legs. These chains 
Avere probably procured from the Damaras, a nation of Kaf- 
fers to the nortli-AvestAvard, dwelling at the foot of the copper 
mountains. This metal, indeed, is said to be found in many 
7 
