3^ 
SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
or four of the kraal guard them in turn. The 
pasture ground is entirely common, and after 
having exhausted one spot, the kraal removes to 
another. They possess considerable ingenuity 
in several trades. The smiths are particularly 
skilful, and are able to fuse and fashion iron in 
all shapes required, without any other instrument 
besides stones. They also know how to tan, dress, 
and even sew the skins. In sewing, they use as 
needles the small bones of birds, and the nerves 
attached to the back bones of animals for threads. 
Mats, strings for their bows and musical instru- 
ments, and some articles of pottery, are also 
manufactured with considerable skill. 
It has been reported, that the Hottentots exhi- 
bited no vestige of religion 5; but Kolben asserts 
that they believe in a God. They say, " that he 
** is an excellent man, who does no ill to any one, 
and lives far beyond the moon but they 
consider him as placed out of the reach of any 
worship which they could pay to him. When the 
moon is at the full, they make sacrifices to her, 
accompanied with prayers for good weather, with 
dancing, leaping, and violent contortions. They 
have also a malignant divinity, little, crooked, and 
iU-natured, whom they endeavour to soften by 
offerings. They shew no direct signs of any 
belief in the immortality of the soul j yet the 
