SOUTHERN AFRICA* 
347 
article of food, though several of their rivers pro- 
duce it of excellent quality. The most barbarous 
custom is that of their war feasts, held on their re- 
turn from any military expedition. Each warrior, 
then, who has slain an enemy in battle, produces a 
piece of his flesh, which he has cut off, roasts, and 
eats it. The priest then makes an incision along 
the whole length of his thigh, the scar of which 
remains ever after as a testimony of his prowess. 
The sovereign in these tribes is very absolute, 
and treated by the subjects with marks of profound 
reverence. He seldom, however, undertakes any 
affair of importance without calling a council of the 
chief men ; nor does he, unless invited, interfere 
in the private quarrels between individuals, though 
they should fight with, or even kill one another. 
When he is called in to decide, his sentence is ab- 
solute, and usually executed with his own hand. 
The next journey into the interior of this part 
of Africa was undertaken by Dr Campbell, at the 
request of the Missionary Society. Whether there 
was much prospect of success to this benevolent 
object on the theatre of Southern Africa, it is need- 
less here to inquire. It may only be observed, 
that geographical knowledge, though {pnsidered by 
this traveller as a very secondary object, received 
some accessions from the journey which he per* 
formed. 
