i6 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
^i777j through a flat country covered with grafs, having the river 
V- — » Zondereynd* on our left hand. In the afternoon we faw fe- 
* Endlefs River. 
forehead, and the fame depth in the neck behind, without covering the upper part of the cap 
above dekribed. Both the rims of this wreath, as well as the lower one on which it refts, as the 
upper one, are always fmooth and even, and each of them^fet with a row of fmall fhells, of the 
Cyprea kind, to the number of more than thirty, in fuch a inanner, that being placed quite 
clofe to each other, their beautiful white enamel, together with their mouths, is turned out- 
Wards. Between thcfe two rows of fhells run one or two more in a parallel line, or elfe waved 
or indented in various fancies. It may eallly be imagined, what a pretty effect thefe ftiells have, 
projecting from the brown fur of the buffalo's fkin, and at the fame time, widi what additional 
charms a grealy Hottentot dame appears in one of thefe caps and wreaths, which, however, is to 
the full as greafy as herfelf. 
71ie ears of the Hottentots are never adorned with any pendant or other ornament hanging 
from them, any more than the iiofe, as they both are among other favages ; this latter, however, 
is fometimes, by way of greater ftate, marked with a black flreak of foot, or, more rarely indeed, 
with a large fpot of red-lead} of which latter, cri high days and holidays, they like wife put a 
little on their cheeks. 
The necks of the men are bare, but thofe of the women are decorated with what is, in 
their opinion, a great ornament. It confifts of a thong of undreffed leather, upon which are 
ftrung eight or ten fliells. Appearing colle6tively in the form of a necklace, they certainly 
adorn the greafy part they are hung upon, though perhaps not in proportion to the price at which 
they are obtained ; for thefe fliells are commonly fold for not lefs than a fheep a piece, as it is faid 
they are to be had no where elfe than on the moil: diftant coafl of Caffria. 
Another ornament in ufe with both fexes, is rings on their arms and legs. Mod of thefe 
rings are made of thick leather ftraps, generally cut in a circular rtiape, which by being beat and 
held over the fire, are rendered tough enough to retain the curvature that is given them. It is 
thefe rings tha.L have given rife to the almofl; univerfally received notion, that the Hottentots 
wrap guts about their legs, in order to .eat them occafionally. The men wear from one to five or 
fix of thefe rings on their arms, jufl above the wrift, but feldom any on their legs. The ma- 
trons of a higher -rank frequently have a coniiderable number of them both on their arms and 
legs, cfpecially on the latter, fo that they are covered with them from the feet up to their knees. 
Thefe rings are of various thicknefles, viz. fometimes to tliat of a goofe-quill, and fometimes 
two or three times that fi?,e. Now and then they are made of pieces of leather, forming one en- 
tire ring, fo that the arms and feet m\;fl: be put through them when the wearer wiflies to put 
them on. Upon the legs they are fcrung on, fmall and great, one with another, without any 
peculiar nicety ; and are fo much larger than the legs, as to lliake oS and get twifled, when the 
wearer walks or is otherwife in motion,. 
It 
