i 6 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA^ 
^ 777 - 
Odober. 
through a flat country covered with grafs, having the river 
Zondereynd'^ on our left hand. In the afternoon we faw fe- 
* Endlefs River, 
forehead, and the fame depth in the neck behind, without covering the upper part of the cap 
above defcribed. Both the rims of this wreath, as well as the lower one on which it refts, as the 
.upper one, are always fmooth and even, and each of them fet with a row of fmall fliells, of tire 
•Cyprea kind, to the number of more than thirty, in fuch a manner, that being placed quite 
clofe to each other, their beautiful white enamel, together with their mouths, is turned out¬ 
wards. Between thefe two rows of flrells run one or two more in a parallel line, or elfe waved 
or indented in various fancies. It may eafily be imagined, what a pretty efiecl thefe (lielis have, 
projedting from the brown fur of the buffalo’s fkin, and at the fame time, with what additional 
charms a greafy Hottentot dame appears in one of thefe caps and w'reaths, which, however, is to 
the full as greafy as herfelf. 
The ears of the Hottentots are never adorned with any pendant or other ornament hanging 
from them, any more than the nofe, as they both are among other favages ; this latter, however, 
•is fometimes, by way of greater ftate, marked with a black ftreak of foot, or, more rarely indeed, 
with a large fpot of red-lead; of which latter, on high days and holidays, they likewife put a 
jittle on their cheeks. 
The necks of the men are bare, but thofe of the women are decorated with what is, in 
their opinion, a great ornament. It confifts of a thong of undrefTed leather, upon whieh are 
ft rung eight or ten fltells. Appearing colle£lively in the form of a necklace, they certainly 
adorn the greafy part they are hung upon, though perhaps not in proportion to the price at which 
they are obtained ; for thefe fhells are commonly fold for not lefs than a flieep a piece, as it is .faid 
they are to be had no where elfe than on the moft diftant coaft of Caffria. 
Another ornament in ufe with both fexes, is rings on their arms and legs. Moft of thefe 
rings are made of thick leather ftraps, generally cut in a circular fltape, which by being beat and 
held over the lire, are rendered tough enough to retain the curvature that is given them. It is 
thefe rings that have given rife to the almoft univerfally received notion, that the Hottentots 
wrap guts about their legs, in order to eat them occafionally. The men wear from one to five or 
fix of thefe rings on their arms, juft above the wrift, but feldom any on their legs. H'he ma¬ 
trons of a liigher rank frequently have a confiderable number of them both on their arms and 
legs, cfpecially on the latter, fo that they are covered with them from the feet up to their knees. 
Thefe rings are of various thicknefies, viz. fometimes to that of a goofe-quill, and fometimes 
two or three times thatfize. Now^ and then they are made of pieces of leather, forming one en¬ 
tire ring, fo that the.arms and feet muft be put through them when the wearer wilhes to p.ut 
them on. Upon the legs they are ftrung on, fma'l and great, one with another, w’ithout any 
peculiar nicety ; and are fo much larger than the legs, as to fltake off and get twifted, when the 
wearer walks or is otherwife in motion. 
