S98 AJOURNEYIN 
Their bodies were painted with white, red and yellow clay. 
As the dancers whirled round, their tails and the ostrich 
feathers flew out at right angles with the body, and their 
great object seemed to be that of preventing them from col- 
lapsing, and of keeping them extended horizontally in 
every attitude and motion of the body. Their movements 
were accompanied with a rude and boisterous song, wdiich 
ceased at intervals, when the women who did not dance 
responded in a softer kind of antistrophe, which was not by 
any means void of melody. The same women bestowed 
also on the dancers frequent marks of applause, by the clap- 
ping of hands. The dancing being ended, a refreshment 
consisting of boiled beef and Kaffer corn (Jiolcus) boiled in 
milk was served round to the guests ; after which the bride- 
p^room, who was one of the dancers, led home his bride, and 
the company retired to their respective dwellings, apparently 
well satisfied with the diversions of the day. 
The regularity and decorum with which they conducted 
themselves at this ceremony, and indeed on all occasions, 
impressed the commissioners with a very favourable opinion 
of the character of the Booshuanas, which was not diminished 
by the uninterrupted harmony that seemed to prevail in this 
happy society. Moolihahan and the elders of the town oc- 
casionally met to settle any little disputes that might sometimes 
happen, and which are unavoidable in so large a community. 
The system on which their government is founded appears 
to be cotopletely patriarchal, and the Chief must of course 
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