great measure, to disperse the European clan; which have proved themselves most desperate warriors ever since. Their hand has been uplifted against every one, and every one's hand against them; insomuch that their strength has been completely wasted, and they are now exceedingly feeble, and miserably poor. It is said that Daapa's antagonists seldom dared to attack him, when in his prime, with less than double or treble his force;

for," said one, when accounting for his extraordinary valour, "he and his men have the white man's blood in them!"

Like every other Chief, he has several wives; none of whom, however, live with him, excepting one: all the rest are scattered about amongst different branches of the family, and perhaps seldom or never see him. The number of his children is twenty-two; amongst whom there are eleven sons, all of whom have attained the age of manhood. The eldest seems to be about forty-five; and, in point of appearance, is one of the most haggard, filthy, and ill-looking natives I ever met with. Some of the others, also, are anything but handsome: their black shaggy beards, long visages, eyes somewhat sunk, prominent noses, and dirty-white skins give them a wild and very unpleasant aspect. One of his sons, named Johnny, was drowned while hunting, a few weeks prior to our visit. The mad fellow," said the old man, "must needs throw away his life for the sake of a buck that was running on the opposite side of the river.”

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His sister Bess is considerably younger than he; and, until lately, resided in the same neighbourhood; but her husband having, in the beginning of the year, evinced great treachery towards his nephew Cetani, a misunderstanding arose, which occasioned their removal to a greater distance. Shortly after this occurrence, he died; so that she is now a widow, and lives upon the western bank of the Umpakoo. One of her daughters

R

was some years ago married to Dushani, S'Lhambi's eldest son; a fact which, together with many others, shows that the descendants of Quma and her unhappy companions, are now scattered about to a very considerable

extent.

The houses of the Amaponedæ are in general considerbly larger than those of the Amaxosæ, and constitute calf-stalls as well as lodging-rooms. This circumstance, coupled with the extreme indolence of their occupants, fully accounts for the interior of these hovels being in most instances filthy beyond measure. The thatch, which consists of long grass, is often the harbour of myriads of insects; and amongst these there is one description which is not less annoying than prolific. It is nearly the size of a bug, and has much the same appearance; but its penetrative powers are of a far more formidable character. Not satisfied with merely piercing the skin, it literally buries itself in the flesh; so that to dislodge it is as difficult as it is painful. In the hot season their numbers are astonishingly great; and in some situations both man and beast suffer from them severely. The stranger especially must calculate upon being attacked by hundreds in the course of the night, and upon rising from his slumbers with many a smarting blister. I one day saw a horse that had in a great measure been destroyed by them; and this was said to be no uncommon case in the low lands near the sea. The poor animal was completely drained by the swarms which had attacked him they had made their way into his ears, and likewise into his nostrils, the very cartilage of which was actually perforated in several places. The natives do not suffer so much from them as we do. Their swarthy skins are better armed against such an enemy; and the unctuous matter with which they anoint themselves may probably render them less liable to their attacks.

:

CHAPTER XV.

Child seized by a Wolf-An amusing Incident-Capabilities of the Country-Zimvooboo River-Deleterious RootsThe Honey-Bird-Amaponedo Ale-Festivities of "Harvest Home"-Peculiar Head-dresses-Edeeni or Sacrifices -War Songs-Scenes at Amadola-Mission to Daapa's Clan-The Assistant killed-Quetoo a Zoolah CaptainLochenberg's fate-Lieutenant Farewell and Company massacred-Terrible Career of Amaquabi—A remarkable Providence-Mission Property destroyed-The Enemy

slain.

TUESDAY, 16th.-Selfishness seems to be one of the most prominent features of the human character. On presenting Daapa with certain articles I had brought for him, the whole of his family instantly gathered round, and clamorously contended for a share. Although not worth many shillings altogether, he concealed them with as much care as if life itself depended upon them; while his surly sons, in no very measured terms, rudely reproached him," as a dog running off with its bone, in order to enjoy the pickings alone." Neither age nor rank, nor yet the ties of nature, can here preserve a bending parent from the abuse and insults of his own. household; nor does he himself care to see the authority of the Chief and the dignity of the sire wantonly trampled under foot, while endeavouring to secure a few paltry trinkets. This fact alone, independently of every other, affectingly exhibits the deplorable influence of Paganism, and likewise serves to demonstrate the excellence of Christianity. Whilst this supports the parent's glory by a divine command, "Honour thy father and thy

mother," &c.; that uniformly renders men "lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy," &c., 2 Timothy iii. 2.

'In all rude nations, the dependence of children upon their parents is of shorter continuance than in polished societies, little instruction being necessary to fit them for that mode of life to which they are destined. When men must be trained to the various functions of civil life by previous discipline and education, when the knowledge of abstruse sciences must be taught, and dexterity in intricate arts must be acquired, before a young man is prepared to begin his career of action, the attentive feelings of a parent are not confined to the years of infancy, but extend to what is more remote, the establishment of his child in the world. Even then his solicitude does not terminate. His protection may still be requisite, and his wisdom and experience still prove useful guides. Thus a permanent connexion is formed; parental tenderness is exercised, and filial respect returned throughout the whole course of life. But in the savage state, parents, as if their duty were accomplished when they have conducted their children through the helpless years of infancy, leave them afterwards at entire liberty. Even in their tender age, they seldom advise or admonish, they never chide or chastise them. They suffer them to be absolute mas ters of their own actions. In the wig-wam, or the hut, a father, a mother, and their posterity, live together like persons assembled by accident, without seeming to feel the obligation of the duties mutually arising from this connexion. As filial love is not cherished by the continuance of attention or good offices, the recollection of benefits received in early infancy is too faint to excite it. Conscious of their own liberty, and impatient of restraint, the youth under such circumstances are accustomed to act as if they were totally independent. Their parents

are seldom objects of greater regard than other persons. They treat them generally with neglect, and often with such harshness and insolence as to fill those who have been witnesses of their conduct with horror. Thus the

ideas which seem to be natural to man in his savage state, as they result necessarily from his circumstances and condition in that period of his progress, affect the two capital relations in domestic life. They render, as before demonstrated, the union between husband and wife unequal. They shorten the duration, and weaken the force, of the connexion between parents and children."*

Just as we were arranging for our departure, Badjala, Daapa's eldest son, arrived with the shocking intelligence, that a wolf in the course of the night had entered one of the houses, and actually bitten off the cap of a child's knee. The frequency of injury sustained by the inroads of this nocturnal visiter, has induced an astonishing degree of supineness and indifference in the minds of the people : hence, dreadful as this accident was, scarcely any one asked a second question about it. And although it is well known, that the beast is prowling about their doors every night, no man troubles himself respecting any new contrivance whereby the entrance to their huts might be rendered more secure. Their inventive powers, indeed, are rendered pitiably inert on almost every subject of public interest, by an obstinate and tenacious adherence to the plans and practices of their forefathers.

As we have already remarked, one or more native women are usually employed in each of the gardens during the summer season to prevent the ripening crops from being destroyed by birds or straying cattle. While thus engaged, they erect for themselves small huts or sheds, which constitute their only habitations as long as this field-labour lasts. Through one of these enclosures,

• Robertson's History of America. Book iv. pp. 355, 356.