Identifier: worldsinhabitant00bett (find matches)
Title: The world's inhabitants; or, Mankind, animals, and plants; being a popular account of the races and nations of mankind, past and present, and the animals and plants inhabiting the great continents and principal islands
Year: 1888 (1880s)
Authors: Bettany, G. T. (George Thomas), 1850-1891
Subjects: Civilization Culture
Publisher: London Ward, Lock
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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sh ironpaint. Hottentot villages, or kraals, were situated on pasture land, the bee-hive huts being arranged in circles. The entire village was readily and frequently removed to another site. The women did all the DwGllin&Tshousehold work, and ate apart from the men. The huts were very simply furnished with a few earthen vessels, tortoise-shell spoons and dishes, and calabashes and skins for holding milk and butter. A hole in the middle held the fire; slight excavations on either side of the hearth formed beds. Cows and ewes milk, buffalo and other meat, wild roots and fruits were the chief foods. The adult youth was marked by incisions on his body by his elders, and received additional cuts when he killed an elephant, hippopotamus, or I 640 THE INHABITANTS OF AFRICA. Mannera and rhinoceros. Marriage was arranged by a suitor with the brides customs, parents ; and the accepted suitor, with his kindred, drove several fat oxen to their home, and killed them for the wedding feast. The
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priest afterwards ratified the marriage by sprinkling the pair. Poljgamyand divorce were more or less prevalent. Sons used to take the mothersfamily name, and daughters that of the father. Parents treated their THE HOTTENTOTS. 641 Government. children kindly, and the latter were respectful to their parents; but oldpeople were not unfrequently exposed and left to die ; some say this wasonl)^ when food was scarce. But, on the whole, they were characterised bymutual affection and gentleness, with great hospitality. They were andare indolent, and inactive in every way except in hunting and lookingafter their cattle. Hunting, as well as war, was pursued with theassegais, bows and poisoned arrows, and sticks with large knobs at oneend. Feasting, smoking, dancing, and singing formed their principalamusements, to which may now be added in not a few cases, drinking Cape smoke, a fiery spirit. They had a few peculiar musical instru-ments, partly stringed, partly wind. Their dances are kept up w

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