possessed. Having made his proposals to the parents, and offered a price for their daughter, she was forthwith escorted to his place of residence by a number of friends and female relatives, decked and ornamented with beads, &c., according to custom, and as a bride adorned for her husband.' On their arrival, however, the old man looked upon her with the greatest coolness and indifference, and in a grumbling tone of voice began to reckon up the number of excellent cattle he should be obliged to give if he retained her. After much hesitation and very grave deliberation upon the question, whether the woman was really worth so many oxen, he ordered a hut to be prepared for their reception. Nevertheless, she still remained under the care of her associates and guardians, who were obliged also to supply her with provisions until the marriage was finally determined.

When the man had fully resolved to take her, he ordered a beast to be slaughtered; by which circumstance his intentions were announced. This was immediately reported, and the intelligence instantly sent off in every direction; so that all the little villages in the neighbourhood were apprized of it, in the course of a few hours. An amusing scene soon followed: men, women, and children were seen moving towards the spot; some driving milch cows, and others carrying milk-sacks, whilst numbers of young boys and girls trotted along laden with baskets and calabashes. As their feasting and mirth on such occasions are generally kept up for several days and nights successively, every one contributes in some way or other to the supply of provisions for the company. Meat boiled or broiled constitutes the grand dish; and this is provided by the bridegroom himself, who is always expected to furnish several beeves on the occasion, if able.

The bride remained cloistered during the whole time of their festivities, not being allowed to take any part in

the ceremony, nor to appear in public at all until the conclusion. Dancing is one of their most favourite amusements, and is continued day and night without intermission. The men were arranged in rows one behind another; every individual in each row held his companion by the arm, and the whole chain consequently moved at once. All had long staves in their hands; these were held in a perpendicular position, giving to the whole body, when moving up and down, a very singular appearance. No musical instrument whatever was used; but a soft and monotonous air was sung by a party of women and men conjointly, in time to the movements of the dancers. The whole ceremony is performed in the open air; and the sound may be heard at a considerable distance.

On the last day of the feast more cattle are slaughtered; an ox race then takes place from some neighbouring hamlet to that in which the people are assembled; and the bride emerges from her covert, loosely arrayed in a number of small detached deer-skins. Accompanied by two or three young women, she now proceeds to the bridegroom's cattle-fold, which she enters with much apparent caution, and with a spear in her right hand. On coming out again, she leaves the spear stuck in the ground at the isangu, or gate, where a few beads also are sometimes thrown to the concourse; and then proceeds to exhi. bit herself to the chief men, and afterwards to the women, who are seated in distinct parties, and in some conspicuous situation. These having made their remarks and observations upon her person, figure, &c., her head is covered, and she is forthwith led to the hut designed for her accommodation, until able to build one for herself. Thus is she formally placed amongst the number of wives, and publicly announced as mistress of a certain division of her husband's house, which she is enjoined to keep in a proper and orderly manner. At the marriages of persons

of rank, the female is sometimes examined by the elders with disgusting minuteness, and until fully satisfied that she is free from all personal defects. After which she is harangued upon the subject of relative duties, and especially charged "to be meek and submissive, when insulted; and to remain silent even though she be accused of witchcraft; which is the greatest insult that can be offered, and is usually expressed by throwing ashes upon their heads." * I am very credibly informed, that the nuptial ceremony is not unfrequently completed in the following very simple manner; viz., a piece of broiled meat is dipped in a mess of milk belonging to the bridegroom; of this mess the bride partakes, eating the meat either all or in part, and drinking the milk thus presented by her intended, and that before all the guests; this done, the union is regarded as ratified to all intents and purposes.

Certain rules of consanguinity are observed, though not very scrupulously, excepting in particular cases. The following singular usage obtains universally, and is attended with the most deplorable consequences. All conjugal intercourse is entirely suspended from the time of accouchement, until the child be completely weaned, which seldom takes place before it is able to run about. Hence, during the whole of that period, an illicit and clandestine intercourse with strangers is generally kept up by both parties, to the utter subversion of every thing like attachment and connubial happiness.

Something like affection is in some instances apparent for a while; but it is generally of comparatively short duration. This and other heathenish customs soon turn the wife into the drudge, and render her subject to the most cruel maltreatment that her savage lord is able to inflict. There is indeed one check which she has upon him in

Thompson's Travels, vol. ii. p, 355.

this respect if constrained by ill usage to take flight to her parents, or former guardians, (a circumstance of common occurrence,) these will rarely if ever give her up again, until he has paid to them a fine, proportioned to his crime and the respectability of her connexions. Were it not for this, and a fear of losing all his cattle in demands of this kind, there can be little doubt that the Kaffer would kill his wives for the most trivial offences. One thing, however, is worthy of remark: although established custom has obliged them to buy their wives, I never heard of an instance wherein the Kaffer sold his wife. He can cast her off and take another, (if his possessions are sufficient,) whenever he pleases, and that without incurring any censure or charge whatever. No one would say he had done wrong, as the legislators of the land do the very same continually.

Dushani, who had long laboured under the distressing effects of a certain disease which is now lamentably prevalent, made application to one of his soothsayers for advice; upon which the latter informed him, that his principal wife, (who was of Tambookie origin,) had, in some way or other, been the cause of his malady. Without any further inquiry this otherwise sensible Chief allowed himself to be at once duped by a blind and superstitious credulity, and peremptorily commanded her never more to call him husband, or appear in his presence again. He then arose from his seat, and in his fury declared that he would forthwith burn her habitation to the ground. But on hearing this, his eldest son, with a feeling rarely met with in Caffraria, stepped forward and addressed him, saying, "If my father is resolved to burn the work of my mother's hands, he shall burn me with it." This truly noble spirit had the effect of assuaging his wrath, and also of preserving the house, but not the mother.

When visited by sickness and the harbingers of death, the benighted mind of the Kaffer is distracted by dread

ful apprehensions and tormenting fears; these, however, he carefully conceals, and can seldom be prevailed upon to give free expression to his feelings even when consciously sinking in the very agonies of dissolution. Tears are regarded as the proof of an imbecile and unmanly spirit; hence, whatever pain he may endure, he seldom suffers nature thereby to relieve herself. Nevertheless, the gross darkness that envelopes his soul is awfully manifest at this dread crisis.

No sooner do convulsive symptoms make their appearance, than the dying are immediately declared to be dead; and are at once carried out into the forest, or laid in a ditch out of sight and at a distance from the place of their residence. Two reasons are assigned for this inhuman measure: first, that the hamlet may not be defiled by the breathless body lying in it; and secondly, that it may not be requisite for any one to touch the corpse after the spirit has departed. It is a fact, and to every thinking mind a heart-rending fact, that thousands are thus dragged from their habitations by their nearest relatives, and literally placed in "the region and shadow of death," while in the actual possession of all their rational faculties. Such is the melancholy situation of numbers at this very moment; wholly destitute of every degree of comfort and of the faintest gleam of hope, regarding either this world or that which is to come. No friendly voice is heard cheering them amidst the struggles of dissolving nature; no kindly helping hand is lent to turn them from side to side; nor have their sinking spirits any the least expectation of a deliverer. For alas! they know not that there is a Saviour. The moment the spark of life becomes extinct, and sometimes before," ravening wolves around" feed upon their remains unmolested. In many parts of the country, by continually preying upon human flesh, these animals are rendered extraordinarily fierce and very