CATTLE LIFTING--KAFFIR AND FINGO CUSTOMS, ETC.
Nov. 18th.--Between ten and eleven in the forenoon, parade and drill
having been got over as usual in the early morning, the camp, in shirt
sleeves, was hushed in its first siesta; we were all lying, like so
many cucumbers under frames, in our sultry tents, which, in spite of
wet blankets and "raised walls," were but a degree more bearable than
the scorching summer sun outside, when distant shots were suddenly
heard, and an alarm was given of an attack on the cattle out grazing at
the foot of the hills, about a mile from the sentries. In an instant
all were astir, a party of Cape Corps were in the saddle, and followed
by a yelling posse of naked Fingoes on bare-backed horses, thundered
past us as we stood outside the lines, telescope in hand.
A body of Kaffirs, who must have descended from the mountains
before daylight, had concealed themselves in a deep sluit, or empty
watercourse, running through the best pasturage, and waiting until
the cattle had got between them and the hills, rushed out, and, after
an ineffectual resistance from the outlying picquet of Levies, two of
whom were wounded, had gone off at full gallop with the whole, which
we now saw them driving in three separate herds up the grassy sides
of the mountain; the ascent, however, was fortunately so steep that
our horsemen had reached its foot before the Kaffirs were half way up;
a very pretty skirmish took place through the bushes, and the slope
was soon thickly dotted with puffs of blue smoke. The cattle were
recaptured and brought in, with the exception of some dozen which had
escaped into the bush. The trembling herdsmen got a reprimand, and a
warning to keep nearer home in future. Many of the Hottentot women in
camp seemed by no means pleased at the issue of the chase, and in fact,
whenever they dared express it, their sympathies were evidently on the
side of the enemy.
The merry Fingoes who had borne the most conspicuous part in this
little affair, as a matter of course, made it an excuse for a
jollification, and after sunset their camp, some few hundred yards from
ours, resounded with loud shrieks and laughter, and their quaint and
striking choruses, with the thumping obligato accompaniment, rose above
every other sound in the evening air. It was a constant amusement to
us to visit these happy good-natured fellows when in standing camp,
and see their mode of life, which is exactly like that of the Kaffir
in times of peace; their extraordinary habits and customs are most
interesting. On this occasion, finding a blanketed group sitting apart
in a circle smoking the _dagha_ before described, I squatted down at
their invitation, cross-legged, in the ring, and receiving the rude
cow-horn pipe in my turn, took a pull at its capacious mouth, coughing
violently at the suffocating fumes, as indeed they all did more or
less, and after tasting the nasty decoction of bark which followed
round in a calabash, took the politely-proffered spitting-tube of my
next neighbour, signally failing, however, in the orthodox whistle, to
the unbounded delight of the Fingoes, whose hearty ringing laughter was
most contagious.
In this way they sat and passed the time until their grand banquet
was ready, which we saw preparing on the fire in the shape of a large
three-legged iron pot full of tripe and offal, from which issued a
reeking steam of most unsavoury odour. Others with long festoons of
unwashed intestines in their hands roasted them bit by bit on the
glowing embers, and holding the frizzling end between their teeth cut
it off with their sharp assegais so closely as to make one quake for
the safety of their protuberant lips; after helping himself, the envied
owner would do a few inches more for his neighbour, sticking it into
his open mouth for him burning hot, and sever it in like manner.
The fondness of the Fingo for animal food is extraordinary, and when in
the field he will do almost anything to obtain it; the daily ration is
a mere trifle to him, serving only to whet his appetite, and in spite
of the consequent severe self-punishment of being two days without, he
cannot resist devouring the whole issue of "three days' rations" at one
glorious meal. Marrow bones, however, are his especial weakness, and it
is quite a picture to watch him roasting them in the hot wood ashes,
affectionately turning them over, his happy face all beaming with oil
and smiles, and then breaking the unctuous luxuries between two smooth
stones, which, as well as the bones, are licked perfectly clean, and
after a minute and repeated inspection reluctantly thrown away with a
sigh of regret.
Notwithstanding this propensity for flesh, the Fingo, like the Kaffir,
seldom touches it in time of peace, but keeps his cattle to look at
and admire, living entirely on pumpkins, maize, Kaffir-corn, roots, and
milk. The greater part of the latter is obtained from goats, of which
they frequently possess very large flocks; it is never used except
sour, a small quantity being always retained in the milking vessels to
turn the new milk. It is most excellent; and in spite of the black,
dirty looking grass baskets in which they keep it, we never could
resist the cool refreshing draught. They believe that if the milk of
a cow or goat is drunk in its natural state, the animal will at once
cease to give any more.
As to religion, the notions of a people whose language does not
contain a single word to express a Deity, may naturally be supposed
to be very vague. The general belief with regard to the Creation,
at least of those who think about it at all, is, that from a large
cave (_Uhlanga_)[15] in the far East, where the very finest specimens
of every production of the world grow of their own accord, all that
moves on the face of the earth originally proceeded. Cattle first,
and then man; the different animals, birds, fishes, &c., being
subsequently turned loose for their joint use and amusement. Through
some unaccountable mistake, however, one fine day, the cattle not
being sufficiently wide-awake, allowed themselves to be circumvented
and taken prisoners by the men, and have ever since been kept in
subjection, ranking merely as second in the scale of beings.
Since the arrival of the white man in the country, these people have
learned something of the existence of an invisible God under the
title of Utixo[15] (an obsolete Hottentot word, meaning "my arm"
or "safeguard"), though, as it is invariably used like the Italian
"Felicita," or "Viva," after sneezing, it is very doubtful what idea
they connect with it.
Superstition enters largely into their customs; they not only believe
in spirits, and resort to the mummery and incantations of "witch
doctors" to avert their evil influence, and wear charms to protect them
from sickness, misfortunes, or violent deaths, but lest they should
injure the prospects of their husbands or male relations, the women
are prohibited from ever mentioning their names or cognomens, which
are always verbs or nouns, with fanciful prefixes or terminations, one
woman making use of a word which another of a different family dare not
utter, and for which she has always to substitute one widely differing
from that in use among the men. For instance, a woman whose husband's
name is a compound or derivation of _Umoya_ (air), instead of the
forbidden word uses _Umklengetwa_; in like manner for _Inkwenkwe_ (a
boy), _Ixagi_; for _Ipupa_ (a dream) _Itongo_, and so on.
This singular custom (called "uku'hlonipa") greatly increases the
difficulty of learning this very complicated language, for as all
Kaffir proper names are thus formed, and every man has from three
to eight wives, or more, each with their own extensive circle of
male kinsmen, and a woman must not use a word which contains the
sound even of any of their names, its construction becomes doubly
involved. The peculiar clicks, also, are another impediment to be
overcome by the learner. The letters _c_, _q_, and _x_, represent
three different sounds (such as a driver uses to encourage his
horses), denominated respectively "dental," "palatal," and "lateral"
clicks, which, when repeated in a double or treble click in the same
word, as "ukunycabagcazela," to tremble; "uquqoqo," the windpipe,
"Ukuququkaquka," changeableness, all uttered by the Kaffir with the
greatest clearness and fluency, add to the striking sound of his
beautiful language, every syllable of which ends with a vowel, and
is spoken with a most musical intonation, dwelling generally on the
penultimate vowel in a very remarkable manner. In its construction it
is entirely a language of ever-varying prefixes, by which verbs, nouns,
and pronouns, are conjugated, declined, and combined. Each of the
twelve declensions of nouns has its own set of prefixes, which, also,
by a singular and harmonious rule, govern the sound of the prefixes
of the verb, or other words in the sentence connected with it, and
which are thus assimilated into what is termed the euphonic concord,
the third person of the pronoun, for instance, having 144 different
prefixes to be used in combination with different words. On the proper
use of these, no easy matter, the correct speaking of the language
entirely depends, and in the study of it the European experiences the
greatest conceivable trouble with the least satisfactory results to be
found in the acquisition of any language under the sun, as any one who
attempts it will soon confess. The similarity between the Kaffir and
Fingo languages is so exact, they may be called one, there being no
greater difference than there is between Highland and Lowland Scotch,
if indeed as much.
The Fingoes are, in reality, only one of the three sections of the
original Kaffir race, having been driven from their position on the
north-eastern boundary of Kaffirland by the other tribes, who made
incessant war upon them, in which many thousands were killed; the rest,
having unluckily taken refuge in the territory of Hintza, a Kaffir
chief, were enslaved by him, and kept in the most barbarous servitude.
Sir Benjamin D'Urban, however, set them free in 1835, and assigned
them a territory within the country lying between the Kei, Klip-Plat
and Keiskamma Rivers, and they have, in consequence, ever since
remained our faithful and active allies.
The Kaffirs are, undoubtedly, one of the finest races of savages in
existence, and of a physical type very different from, and superior to
all other South African races. Their customs and institutions also are,
in many cases, so peculiar and remarkable, exhibiting strong traces of
similarity to the wandering tribes of Arabia, that they have naturally
led to the supposition of a distinct origin, and there is certainly
much to confirm the belief that they are descendants of Ishmaelite
tribes, who have wandered down the east coast by the Red Sea. In their
divisions and sub-divisions into tribes and families, their system is
patriarchal; their wealth, like that of the Arabs and other nomadic
tribes of the east, consists almost entirely of flocks and herds, and
in their abhorrence of pork they are as cordial as the most devout
Mussulman or Jew. Polygamy is common, and what is most remarkable,
circumcision is regularly performed by the Kaffirs, and about the age
of fourteen, which has a singular correspondence with the recorded fact
that Ishmael himself was in his fourteenth year when circumcised with
Abraham. It is however, with them, a mere custom, and not a religious
rite. They say they do it because their fathers did it before them.
After the operation has been performed, the youths cover their bodies
with white clay, and live apart for some days in huts built at a
distance from the village. Many other traits, of Eastern origin, might
be adduced, such as kissing the feet; shaving the head; either as a
sign of grief, or while under a vow; the use of skins as bottles, for
milk, &c. and of goads; in driving cattle, which, however _follow_ the
chief herdsman, who leads them from one pasture to another, calling
them generally by name; the piling up stones before going out on an
expedition; and offering burnt sacrifices on the commencement of a war,
which, with many others, are the more conclusive as combined evidence
in confirmation of the theory, as they are confined to the Kaffir
race alone in South Africa. Polygamy is only restricted by the bovine
riches of the men. A chief, or a wealthy individual, has generally
seven or eight wives at least (all living amicably together), whom he
has purchased from his various fathers-in-law, for certain numbers of
oxen, in proportion to the rank and attractions of the ladies. This
is left to the heads of the tribe to settle, and to ensure a fair
valuation, the bride in prospect, "in native beauty clad," is made to
walk round a ring of influential old gentlemen appraisers, seated on
the ground, before each of whom she stops a few minutes; when, having
been criticised by the circle, she retires, and a consultation is
held to fix the number of cattle her charms are worth, the decision
being final and without appeal either for father or suitor. The Kaffir
women are universally well made, their symmetry being displayed to the
greatest advantage by the most lofty and easy carriage; their teeth are
brilliantly white, and moreover they preserve a degree of modesty far
above the depraved Hottentots, though the latter boast the superior
refinement of clothing.
It may be interesting, by the way, to state how their children are
trained to that duplicity and cunning so much prized among them. As
soon almost as they can run they are initiated into petty acts of
theft; papas and mammas descanting together on the cleverness and
proficiency of their respective children, will each back their own
to steal something from the other's hut before sundown; the most
successful competitor being warmly applauded. That they should succeed
at all, when the owner of the hut to be plundered is, of course, on the
look out, seems marvellous, but I was assured by a respectable Boer,
that he had seen the children accomplish feats of this kind, bringing
off articles of bulk and value, notwithstanding the whole family on
whom the depredation was to be committed were on their guard. Lying
also is another native accomplishment held in high esteem, and as
diligently cultivated; with what success the celebrity of some of their
first chiefs and counsellors in this form of diplomacy, bears ample
witness.
The only covering worn by the Kaffir is the well-known kaross, which
supplies the place of our own plaid; it consists of different skins;
that of the tiger, is a distinctive mark of chieftainship, and not
allowed to be worn by any other class; among the lower ranks a coarse
blanket is now generally substituted. The married women sometimes wear
a very small forked apron of leather, adorned with beads, over their
breasts, and the wives of royalty have the privilege of a peculiar
head-dress of fur, one of which, in my possession, taken from the Royal
Gaika Kraal, on the Amatolas, is like a large loose fez, with the fur
outside, turned up and ornamented with small beads, and on each side
long broad "ribbons" of fur tipped with tiger skin. In necklaces,
armlets, &c., they show great taste and ingenuity, and some of them
are very interesting; here again the tiger's teeth are appropriated to
aristocratic use; one, which was cut from the neck of a dying chief,
and presented to me at the time, consists of alternate bunches of
teeth and large white beads, on a cluster of strings of small black
ones. Another is composed entirely of the lower joints of human finger
bones strung through the knuckles, to the number of twenty-seven.
Both races, as is also usual with the Arabs, tattoo their chests and
arms in a kind of serrated pattern; and the women, in addition, use
a kind of red clay mixed with fat to smear their bodies and paint
their faces, also daubing and moulding their crisp hair with it into
clay ringlets, which have a very singular appearance. Sometimes they
sprinkle their hair, after smearing it with fat, with glittering
particles of mica, great quantities of which are left after heavy rains
in the ruts and gullies of the roads. The men stick through their ears
a straw, a porcupine's quill, or ostrich feather; and both Kaffirs and
Fingoes use a strap or belt round their naked waist, called "lambele,"
which they tighten when hungry and unable to procure food.
Although, as stated above, their flocks and herds constitute their
chief wealth, and cattle hold the highest place in their estimation,
being supposed to have been created superior to man at first, and none
but the grown up males are allowed the honour of milking them, or
even entering the kraal, &c.; yet, in time of peace they never touch
flesh, unless it be game, living almost entirely on milk, fruit, and
vegetables, with berries, leaves, and roots, of various kinds; the
principal of these are the Indian corn or mealies, _Amazimba_ or Kaffir
corn (a species of _Sorghum_), and the root of the Noë Boom tree,[16]
very like a coarse stringy turnip.
Game they often kill with the knob-keerie, a short club, two or three
feet long, generally made out of an olive stock, with a part of the
heavy root attached, or shaped out of rhinoceros' horn, which they
throw with wonderful force and accuracy, and can knock down a man
as well as kill a hare or buck, at twenty or thirty yards, with the
greatest certainty.
Their other and most formidable weapon is the assegai, of which each
one in war-time carries a bundle of seven, loosely tied together by a
thong or rheim of hide attached to a long "charm stick." One of these
is large and heavy, for stabbing, with a broad blade or iron head a
foot or eighteen inches long, and a shaft much shorter and stouter than
the rest, which are used for throwing. They hurl them with incredible
force; and, as I have myself seen, can send them clean through a man's
body. We often used to put up a cap or other small article on a bush
when in camp, for our friends the Fingoes, to try their skill at: they
made excellent practice at thirty or forty yards, and could cast them
with sufficient force to annoy a body of men at nearly double that
distance, though their aim at a single individual would be, of course,
uncertain.
With these effective weapons, serving both as bayonet and javelin
in the hands of an athletic, sagacious, and undaunted race, who are
trained from infancy to their use; combined with the musket, which they
quickly learned to handle with considerable precision; and the adoption
of just as much of military tactics and system (acquired from the Cape
Corps and Kaffir Police deserters), as improved without hampering their
skirmishing mode of bush-fighting; added to a marvellous concert and
unity in their movements, the Kaffirs were a most formidable foe even
to the flower of the British troops, who had to encounter and storm
them in their own natural fortresses, rendered almost inaccessible by
the dense bush of impenetrable thorns, &c.; too succulent to be burnt,
yet affording to the crawling native, the opportunity of lurking in
unexpected ambuscade at every point.
Such fearful odds against so comparative a handful of troops, not
to mention the excessive hardships, privations, and vicissitudes of
climate, render it less a matter of surprise that complete success was
for a time delayed, than that it was ever ultimately achieved.
[Illustration: KAFFIR.]
FOOTNOTES:
[15] See Ayliff's Vocabulary.
[16] Cussonia Thyrsiflora.