SOUTHERN AFRICA. 175 
a promife, on condition of a me[[enger of peace being fent to 
them, immediately to return into their own country. Such a 
meflenger is known by this people from his laying his hajfagai 
or fpear on the ground at the diftance of two hundred paces 
from thofe to whom he is fent, and by advancing from thence 
with extended arms. Being alTured that every attempt to bring 
about an amicable adjuftment between the king and the fugitive 
chiefs would be tried, and that from the apparent willingnefs, 
on their part, to a reconciliation, there could be little doubt of 
fuccefs, they received each a fmall prefent, confifting of tobacco, 
knives, flints, and fteels, tinder-boxes, and a few glafs beads. 
Thefe are the fort of articles which the Dutch farmers have 
been in the habit of exchanging for their valuable breed of 
cattle. 
The three chiefs were all ftout, well-formed men ; but Etonle 
in particular might be accounted handfome : he had a lively 
pleafing countenance that always wore a fmile, his eyes were 
vivid and adtive, his teeth were white as the purefl ivory, and 
his nofe was not in the leaft flattened, but exadly of the fame 
form as that of the European, In their drefs they had nothing 
particular to diftinguifli them from thole they governed, except 
a flender brafs chain which hung fufpended on the left fide, 
from a wreath of fmall polifhed copper beads that encircled the 
upper part of the head. They wore long cloaks of calves' fklns, 
which, being well ftretched and drefl~ed, were very light and 
pliant. Broad rings of ivory, cut out of the folid tufk of the 
elephant, were worn upon the left arm, above the elbow. 
Bracelets of copper and of iron furrounded their wrifts, and 
rings 
