152 
TRAVELS IN 
panlons. They have little of that kind of art or cunning that 
favages generally pofTefs. If accufed of crimes of which they 
have been guilty, they generally divulge the truth. They fel- 
dom quarrel among themfelves or make ufe of provoking lan- 
guage. Though naturally of a fearful and cowardly difpofi- 
tion, they will run into the face of danger if led on by their 
fuperiors ; and they fuffer pain with great patience. They 
are by no means deficient in talent, but they poflefs little exer- 
tion to call it into a£tion : the want of this was the principal 
caufe of their ruin. The indolence of a Hottentot is a real dif- 
eafe, whofe only remedy feems to be that of terror. Hunger 
is infufficient to effect the cure. Rather than to have the 
trouble of procuring food by the chace, or of digging the 
ground for roots, they will willingly faft the whole day pro- 
vided they may be allowed to fleep. Inftances frequently 
occurred in the courfe of our journies, when our Hottentots 
- ' have paffed the day without a morfel of food, in preference of 
having the trouble to walk half a mile for a fheep. Yet, 
though they are fo exceedingly patient of hunger, they are at 
the fame time the greateft gluttons upon the face of the earth. 
Ten of our Hottentots ate a middling-fized ox, all but the two 
hind legs, in three days ; but they had very little fleep during 
the time, and had fafted the two preceding days. With them 
the word is to eat or to fleep. When they cannot indulge in 
the gratification of the one, they generally find immediate 
relief in flying to the other. 
Their manner of eating marks the voracity of their appetite. 
Having cut from the animal a large fleak, they enter one edge 
with 
