102 
HOTTENTOTS. 
with the success I desired, in my inquiries after the curiosities of the 
country.” 
He was agreeably amused with the conversation of the negroes. 
Speaking of the remarks which the negroes made to him, of the stars 
and planets, he says, ’'it is amazing that such a rude and illiterate 
people should reason so pertinently in regard to those heavenly bodies ; 
there is no manner of doubt, that, with proper instruments, that they 
would become excellent astronomers.” 
Hottentots. 
Many accounts have been published concerning the filthy customs of 
the Hottentots ; but from the observations of late travellers it appears 
that these have either been exaggerated, or that the Hottentots have 
in some measure laid aside their former manners. Dr. Sparrman 
describes them in much less disgustful terms, and M. Vaillant seems 
to have been charmed with their innocence and simplicity. Accord- 
ing to the Doctor, these people are as tall as the generality of Eu- 
ropeans, though more slender in their persons, which he ascribes to 
their scanty supply of food, and not accustoming themselves to hard 
labour. One characteristic of the nation, however, and which he 
thinks has not been observed by any one before, is, that they have 
small hands and feet in proportion to the other parts of their body. 
The distance between the eyes appears greater than in Europeans, 
by reason of the root of the nose being very low. The tip is pretty 
flat, and the iris of the eye has generally a dark-brown cast, some- 
times approaching to black. Their skin is of a yellowish brown, 
something like that of an European who has the jaundice in a high 
degree ; though this colour does not in the least appear in the whites 
of the eyes. Tlieir lips are thinner than those of their neighbours, the 
Xegroes, Caffres, or Mozambiques. The hair of the head is black 
and frizzled, though not very close, and appears like wool, but is 
harsher. They seldom have any beards, or hair upon other parts of 
their bodies; and when any thing of this nature is visible it is very 
slight. 
The Hottentots besmear all their bodies with fat mixed up with a 
little soot. “ This,” says Dr. Sparrman, “ is never wiped off ; on the 
contrary, I never saw them use any thing to clean' their skins, except 
that, in greasing their waggons, when their hands were besmeared with 
tar and pitch, they used to get it oft* very easily with cow-dung, at the 
same time rubbing their arms up to the shoulders with this cosmetic. 
“ The Hottentots perfume their bodies by daubing them all 
over with the powder of a herb, the smell of which is at once rank 
and aromatic, approaching to that of the poppy mixed with spices. 
For this purpose, they use various species of the diosma, called by 
them bucku, and which they imagine to be very efficacious in the 
cure of disorders. One species of this plant growing about Goud’s 
river, is said to be so valuable, that no more than a thimble-full of 
its powder is given in exchange for a lamb. By the ointment of soot 
and grease, stuck full of the powder of bucku, a paste is formed, which 
defends the bodies of the Hottentots in a great measure from the action 
