216 
HOTTENTOT WOMEN. 
16 July, 
which they flow, totally disappear during a great part of the year, 
and are then only to be traced by their empty beds. A river of 
this nature was crossed in this day's journey, almost without our 
being aware of it. A broad hollow marked the place where some 
of our Hottentots had, in a former journey, found a large im- 
passable stream, well known to the colonists of this district, who 
distinguish it by the name of the Groote-rivier (Great-river), and 
consider it as the line of demarcation between the Bokkeveld Karro 
and the Roggeveld Karro. This must not be confounded with the 
Gariep, or Orange-river, which they also, and with far greater pro- 
priety, call the Great-river. 
The Hottentot women belonging to our party had marched 
gaily on for a great part of the day, talking with each other nearly 
the whole way, and giving to Speelman's wife an account of their 
village of Klaarwater. They were at last exceedingly fatigued, 
and were permitted to ride in the waggons after sunset. One of 
them, the missionary's cook, whose name was Tri/n, or Katri/n, was 
very large and protuberant behind ; a peculiarity of shape often 
to be found among Hottentot women, though seldom before they 
have reached the middle age of life. The ridiculous appearance 
she had when walking, often made me smile, at the same time 
that it attracted no particular notice from the rest of the party, 
to all of whom the frequency of its occurrence had rendered it in- 
different. * 
* The exhibition of a woman of this description, in the principal countries of Europe, 
has made the subject well known to all those who are curious in such matters ; and 1 
readily take advantage of that circumstance, to excuse myself from further digression. 
But I ought not to allow this occasion to pass by, without endeavouring to correct some 
erroneous notions, which the debates of both the learned, and the unlearned, have equally 
contributed to render current. It is not a fact, that the whole of the Hottentot race are 
thus formed ; neither is there any particular tribe to which this steutopijga, as it may be 
called, is peculiar: nor is it more common to the Bushman (Bosjesman) tribe, than to 
other Hottentots. It will not greatly mislead, if our idea of its frequency be formed by 
comparing it with the corpulency of individuals among European nations. It is true, 
that the Hottentot race affords numerous examples of it ; while, on the other hand, I do 
