( ) 
teg to Nieuhoff;) or at the Age of nine or ten Years (ac* •> 
cording to others,-) and that, forfooth, to make em the 
more fwift and nimble 3 but how that fancy fliould 
come into their Heads, I cannot tell. When a Woman 
bears Twins among them, (he expofes one to Death by 
by Hunger or Cold, and nurfes the other 3 the Reafon 
of which two laft Cuftoms isalledg’d by fome, how tru- 
ly I know not, to be the fear they have of their Nations 
growing too numerous :-The Cuftom of revenging, rather 
than punifhing Adultery with Death, has prevail'd among 
them. I was inform’d there, that they abhorr’d Polygamy, 
tho’ fome Writers have afferted the contrary, but (per- 
haps) they are as well miftaken in that, as in the Semica- 
fi ration of all their Males. When any Perfon grows de~ 
crepid with Age, their Children, or nearefl: Relations, 
(hut em up in their Houfes, and ftarve ’em to Death r 
They ’Bury their Dead with the Skins they wore when 
alive about them. 
Their Food is for the mod part Roots, but chiefly one 
by - the ■ Dutch call’d Ontct, which is roundifh, about 
the bignefs of ones little Finger, and hot in the Mouth 3- 
their Drink Milk and Water 3 when they kill a Sheep, 
or a Cow, they Eat the Guts and Garbidge, either (light- 
ly broil’d or quite raw 3 they are great Lovers of Tobacco 
and Bravely, to purchase which from the Dutch , is all the 
ufe they have of Money. They are not Cannibals . 
* There was a Hottentot , who had liv’d for fome confi- 
derable time in Holland and' the Eijl- Indies, and had 
learned to fpcak Dutch and Pori ague z>e very well, whom, 
upon his return home, his Wife, Children, or Friends, 
could not endure, nor would they converfe with him, till 
upon refuming his Ancient Habit, Diet, and Cufroms, he" 
had returned to their way of Living. 
Notwithstanding their great Ignorance, they diftinguifjr 
feveral of the more remarkable Stars by Names- of their 
I*.; • cwu • 
fi 
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