Great Namaqua-land.—Its Boundaries and Extent.—Its
Rivers.—Nature of the Country.—Vegetation and
Climate.—Geological Structure.—Minerals.—“Topnaars” and
“Oerlams.”—Houses.—Mythology and Religion.—Tumuli.—Wonderful
Rock.—Curious Legend of the Hare.—Coming of Age.—The
Witch-doctor.—Amulets.—Superstitions.—A Namaqua’s notion
of the Sun.—Marriage.—Polygamy.—Children.—Barbarous
Practice.—Longevity.—Singular
Customs.—Ornaments.—Tattooing.—Arms.—Idle Habits.—Fond of
Amusements.—Music and Dancing.—Spirits.—Mead.—Domestic Animals.
Having now brought my narrative to a period when I am about to leave
Great Namaqua-land, it may be well to say a few words of this country,
its inhabitants, their manners and customs, &c.
The portion of Africa known as Namaqua-land is divided into two distinct
parts, viz., Little and Great Namaqua-land. By the former is understood
the territory (now British) between the Orange River and about the 31st
degree of latitude on the south; by the latter, the country between the
last-named river and Damara-land, its eastern boundary being the Kalahari
desert, while on the west it is washed by the billows of the Atlantic
Ocean.
Great Namaqua-land covers a surface of no less than one hundred and
twelve thousand geographical square miles,[63] with probably a population
of scarcely thirty thousand souls, or less than four persons to the
square mile. Excepting the great Sahara itself, there is, perhaps, not a
country in the world, of equal extent, so scantily peopled, so destitute
of water, so dismal, and so generally barren and useless. It is truly a
“region of curses.”
The coast-line of Great Namaqua-land, like that of Damara-land, consists
of a dreary sandy waste, extending in places from thirty to forty miles
into the interior—in others to a hundred or more—and is, with very few
exceptions, uninhabitable.
Some of the rivers, such as the Kuisip, and others of little importance,
empty themselves into the Atlantic; but the larger portion run in an
easterly direction, and are chiefly tributaries to the Fish River. This
remarkable water-course, which takes its rise in the most northerly limit
of Great Namaqua-land, finally joins the Orange River about three or four
days’ journey from where the latter finds an outlet into the sea, thus
intersecting the country throughout its entire length.
Great Namaqua-land is characterized by immense sandy plains, traversed
by hill and rock, and thickly strewn with quartz, which reflects a
dazzling and perplexing light. Two to three days’ journey south of
Rehoboth, the dense thorny bush, so peculiar to Damara-land, ceases,
and with the exception of a few mimosas along the water-courses, and
occasional ebony-trees, the arboreous vegetation is scanty and stunted.
For more than six months of the year it is scorched by an almost vertical
sun. The rains, which are always accompanied by heavy thunder, are
periodical and very partial. In its northern portion, the wet season sets
in at the same time as in Damara-land; but in a southerly direction, the
rains are later and more uncertain; and, as has been said in the last
chapter, little or none falls about the lower course of the Orange River
and the neighborhood. The springs (which are often either hot or salt)
are indifferent and scantily distributed. The periodical water-courses,
therefore, afford the chief supply.
The Namaquas, as well as the Damaras, are loud in their complaints that
less rain falls now than half a century back. Indeed, the numerous
ancient beds of rivers in the vast sandy plains, and the deeply-scored
slopes and sides of the now “sunburnt” and crumbling hills, clearly
indicate that almost the whole country north of the Orange River, as
far as Europeans have penetrated from the Cape side, has at some former
period been much more abundantly watered. In some parts, the destruction
of forests, which are well known to retain and condense vapory particles,
may partly account for such atmospheric changes; but in this region we
must look for other causes.
In a geological point of view, Great Namaqua-land presents many
interesting features. Between the Orange River and Walfisch Bay,
beginning at the sea-side, three distinct terrace-like risings of the
country are recognized. Besides the granite, which is the prevailing
rock, great masses of quartz are met with either, as aforesaid, scattered
over its surface, or filling up the large gaps and fissures occasioned
by ancient eruptions. Iron and sandstone, and slate formations, are also
not uncommon.
At some remote period this land must have been subjected to volcanic
agencies; and though not one of these has taken place in the memory of
the present generation, rumbling noises underground and tremors of the
earth are of frequent occurrence. The existence of hot water springs;
the confusion of the fantastically and curiously-shaped hills—“the
strata bending and dipping from the perpendicular to the horizontal, and
in others extending in a straight line from one hill to another”—bear
ample testimony to its volcanic nature. The presence, moreover, of vast
quantities of minerals is a further evidence of its igneous character.
Tin, lead, iron, and copper ore is often met with. I have had specimens
of the latter mineral in my possession containing from forty to ninety
per cent. of pure metal. At eight to ten days’ journey with “ox wagon,”
east of the missionary station, Bethany, meteoric iron is found in
apparently inexhaustible quantities. I have seen lumps, of several
hundred weights, brought from thence, so pure and malleable that the
natives converted it into balls for their guns, &c., without any previous
application of fire. As Great Namaqua-land becomes better known, it is
more than probable that it will be found equally prolific in minerals—if
not more so—as Little Namaqua-land, where, of late, extensive and
valuable mines have been brought to light.
The term Hottentot and Namaqua have probably originated with Europeans,
since neither is found in the native language. The Hottentots of these
regions may be divided into two great branches, viz., the “Topnaars” and
the “Oerlams.” With the latter is generally understood the newcomers
and the semi-civilized; but the real signification of the term is
doubtful. Some conjecture the “Oerlam” to be a corruption of the Dutch
word “o’erland,” or overland—that is, people who have come over land.
Be this as it may, the Namaqua-Hottentots consider it as a compliment to
be addressed as “Oerlam.” “Topnaar,” on the other hand, signifies the
First, the Highest, the Great, or those who originally inhabited Great
Namaqua-land, and they view with considerable jealousy the progress and
superiority of the “Oerlams,” whom they justly consider as intruders.
The northern Namaquas are divided into numerous tribes, each under petty
chiefs. The principal of these are Jonker Afrikaner, Cornelius, Amral,
Zwartbooi, Jan Boois, William Fransman, Paul Goliath, David Christian,
and Bondel Zwartz.
The Namaquas dwell in small round huts, made on the same principle as
those of the Damaras, and covered with mats composed of rushes, which
are prepared in the following manner: A quantity of the inner bark of
the mimosa is collected and dried. When wanted for immediate use, the
required portion is put into hot water and softened. Each member of
the family then fills his mouth with as much of the fibre as it can
hold, and chews it until it becomes quite pliable, when it is at once
converted into strings by the rude process of twisting it on the naked
leg. A large quantity is in this manner manufactured in an incredibly
short time. The rushes are then cut to the desired length, and laid out
on the ground singly, and in a row, when holes are made, at intervals of
about two inches, through each rush, and the string in question passed
through them by means of a bone or thorn needle. The ends of the rushes,
however, are secured more strongly by back-stitches. These mats serve a
double purpose. In warm weather they are open and airy, while, being of a
porous texture, a shower closes them, and after a while they become proof
against the most deluging rains.
When they remove their habitations, these mattings and the frame-work
of the hut, which consists of semicircular boughs, are packed on oxen.
Their household utensils, such as calabashes, milk-pails, pots, &c., are
suspended to the boughs, and in the midst of all this confusion is often
seated the good dame of the house, surrounded by her promising offspring.
It has been asserted by travelers and others that the Namaquas have
not the slightest idea of a Superior Being, or of a life hereafter.
Yet they believe in Heitjeebib, or Heitjekobib, whom they consider to
have the power to grant or withhold them success and prosperity. But
whether Heitjeebib is a deity, a goblin, or merely a deified ancestor,
I shall not presume to say. At all events, they affirm he exists in
the graves of all deceased people; and whenever a Hottentot passes a
burial-place, he invariably throws a stone, a bush, or other token of
offering and affection on the tomb, pronouncing the name of Heitjeebib,
and invoking his blessing and protection in his undertakings. From being
thus constantly added to, these heaps often attain a great size. They are
found throughout the country (I have observed them even in Damara-land),
and frequently in situations perfectly “stoneless,” from which may be
inferred that the natives carry the materials a long distance. Captain
Harris mentions having seen similar heaps among the Matabili, but was
unable to account for their presence. The Hottentots have an indistinct
notion that they came from an easterly direction, and it is possible that
the stone tumuli found by the traveler may have something to do with this
tradition.
The natives in these parts have a strange tale of a rock in which the
tracks of all the different animals indigenous to the country are
distinctly visible; moreover, that man and beast lived here together in
great amity; but one day, from some unknown cause, their Deity appeared
unexpectedly and dispersed them. I never had the good fortune to obtain a
sight of this marvelous rock. Mr. Moffat, who makes mention of a similar
story prevailing among the Bechuanas, was equally unsuccessful. “Once
I heard a man of influence,” says the reverend gentleman, “telling his
story on the subject. I, of course, could not say that I believed the
wondrous tale, but very mildly hinted that he might be misinformed, on
which he swore, by his ancestors and his king, that he had visited the
spot, and paid a tax to see the wonder; and that, consequently, his
testimony was indubitable.”
The Namaquas have the following singular superstition with regard to the
hare, which no adult is allowed to eat. The legend involves the sublime
Christian doctrine of immortality.
Once upon a time the moon called the hare, and commanded him to convey
to man the following message: “As I die and am born again,[64] so you
shall die and be again alive.” The hare hastened to obey; but instead of
saying, “As I die and am born again,” he said, “As I die and am _not_
born again.” On his return, the moon inquired what words he had conveyed
to mankind; and on being informed, the luminary exclaimed, “What! have
you said to man, ‘As I die and am _not_ born again, so you shall die and
not be again alive!’” And with this he hurled a stick at the hare with
such force as to split open his lips, which is the cause of the peculiar
formation of this animal’s mouth. The hare quickly betook himself to
flight, and is said to be flying to the present day. The old Namaquas
used to say, “We are still enraged with the hare, because he has brought
such a bad message, and we will not eat him.”
On the occasion of a youth coming of age, or, rather, when becoming a
“man,” there is great rejoicing. From that day forward he is forbidden
to eat the hare, or even to come in contact with the fire where this
animal has been prepared. Should he transgress this command, he is not
unfrequently banished from his werft, though, on paying a fine, he may
again be admitted to the community. He is, moreover, no longer permitted
to “suck the goats.”[65]
The Namaquas, like almost all nations who are sunk in barbarism, have
great faith in sorcery, and male and female witch-doctors equally play
conspicuous parts. These impostors are supposed to have the power to
procure rain, to restore the sick to health, to discover the cause of a
person’s death, and to perform other miracles. They are crafty creatures,
and know how to take advantage of the popular ignorance. Even civilized
men have been deceived by their wiles. Their principal stipulation before
they exercise any of their arts is to have some animal slaughtered,
which they prescribe according to their fancy and to the wealth of their
patients. Mr. Moffat tells us that a stout ox might be a cure for a
slight cold in a chieftain, while a kid would be a remedy for a fever
among the poor, from whom there could be no chance of obtaining any thing
greater.
The Namaqua witch-doctor is called _kaiaob_, or _kaiaobs_ if a woman.
On being called to the sick-bed, after having examined the patient, he
or she generally declares that the ailment is caused by a great snake
(toros) having fired an arrow into the stomach. The sorcerer operates by
feeling this part of the body, and by a good squeezing endeavors to coax
the illness away. Another approved plan is to make a small incision on
the body about the place where the cause of the disease is supposed to
lurk, and to suck it out. The production of a snake, a frog, an insect,
or the like, is frequently the result. Eyebrecht solemnly declared that
he once was an eye-witness to such an operation on a woman at Jonker’s
place. When the witch-doctor arrived, a sheep was killed, and the sinews
of the back were cut out and rolled up into a small ball, which the
patient was made to swallow, the remainder of the animal, of course,
being appropriated to the sorcerer’s own stomach. A few days afterward
the wizard returned, and cut some small holes in the abdomen of the
patient, on which a small snake escaped, then a lizard, numerous other
animals following.
To become a witch-doctor of any importance, a person is required to be
instructed by one previously well versed in the mysteries of the black
art. He must begin his lessons by swallowing animal poison, be bitten
by venomous reptiles, or have poison inoculated into his body. A cap, a
handkerchief, or any sort of clothing worn by such a person until it has
become perfectly saturated with filth is considered the most infallible
cure for all kinds of diseases, poisonous bites, &c. On emergences a
corner of this treasure is washed, and the dirty water thus produced is
given to the patient, beast or man, to drink. The chief Amral assured
me that he possessed a cap of this kind with which he had effected
innumerable cures. “It is sure,” he said, “to cause relief when nothing
else is of any avail.” The witch-doctors have also other disgusting
methods of effecting cures.
Like most of the tribes in Southern Africa, the Namaquas have great faith
in amulets, which consist, as usual, of the teeth and claws of lions,
hyænas, and other wild beasts, pieces of wood, bone, dried flesh and fat,
roots of plants, &c.
When a chief died, it was formerly customary to call the whole tribe
together, and to give a grand feast in honor of the occasion. The fat,
and all the choice parts of the slaughtered animals, were preserved
for the son of the deceased, who was to succeed his father in the
chieftainship.[66] The raw fat was placed on his head, and worn until
it became dry, when it was transferred to some crone, who carefully
preserved it as a much-prized amulet.
During his journeyings in Great Namaqua-land, Sir James Alexander was
told by the natives that the Bushwomen have it in their power to change
their forms into lions, hyænas, and other beasts of prey. The following
legend illustrates this superstition:
“Once on a time, a certain Namaqua was traveling in company with a
Bushwoman carrying a child on her back. They had proceeded some distance
on their journey, when a troop of wild horses (zebras) appeared, and the
man said to the woman, ‘I am hungry; and as I know you can turn yourself
into a lion, do so now, and catch us a wild horse, that we may eat.’
“The woman answered, ‘You’ll be afraid.’
“‘No, no,’ said the man. ‘I am afraid of dying of hunger, but not of you.’
“While he was speaking, hair began to appear at the back of the woman’s
neck, her nails assumed the appearance of claws, and her features
altered. She set down the child.
“The man, alarmed at the change, climbed a tree close by, while the woman
glared at him fearfully; and, going to one side, she threw off her skin
petticoat, when a perfect lion rushed out into the plain. It bounded and
crept among the bushes toward the wild horses; and, springing on one of
them, it fell, and the lion lapped its blood. The lion then came back to
where the child was crying, and the man called from the tree, ‘Enough!
enough! Don’t hurt me. Put off your lion’s shape. I’ll never ask to see
this again.’
“The lion looked at him and growled. ‘I’ll remain here till I die,’
exclaimed the man, ‘if you don’t become a woman again.’ The mane and
tail began to disappear, the lion went toward the bush where the skin
petticoat lay: it was slipped on, and the woman, in her proper shape,
took up the child. The man descended, partook of the horse’s flesh, but
never again asked the woman to catch game for him.”
On the death of a person, some of his cattle (the richer the deceased,
the more numerous the animals) are killed, and a banquet is given to his
relations and friends. On these occasions the poor beasts are suffocated.
Ordinarily, and when intended for food alone, animals are dispatched by
some sharp-cutting instrument. The flesh, never eaten raw, and not often
when roasted, is usually served up when boiled.
The ideas of a Namaqua as to the formation and rotary motion of the
heavenly bodies, if not very profound, are unquestionably very original.
“The sun, by some of the people of this benighted land,” says an
enterprising traveler, “is considered to be a mass of fat, which descends
nightly to the sea, where it is laid hold of by the chief of a white
man’s ship, who cuts away a portion of tallow, and, giving the rest a
kick, it bounds away, sinks under the wave, goes round below, and then
comes up again in the east.”
When a man feels a desire to enter the matrimonial state, he goes to the
father of the woman on whom he has settled his affection, and demands her
in marriage. If the parent be favorable to the match, the affair may be
considered as settled. An ox or a cow is then killed outside the door of
the bride’s home, and the ceremony is over.
Polygamy is practiced without limitation. If a man become tired of his
wife, he unceremoniously returns her to the parental roof, and however
much she (or the parents) may object to so summary a proceeding, there is
no remedy.
Widows are left to shift for themselves.
They neither cradle nor circumcise their children, which they are said
to name in the following singular manner. No man nor woman has more than
one name, which is retained even after marriage. If a daughter be born,
she assumes the name of her father, while a boy would be called after his
mother, with very little alteration. I never could understand the reason
of this.
Within the memory of the present generation, a barbarous practice
prevailed of leaving old and disabled people to perish far away from the
dwellings of men. A slight fence was raised round the “living-dead,” and
a small supply of water was placed at his side, when he was abandoned to
his fate. Mr. Moffat, during his wanderings in Namaqua-land, saw one of
these wretches (a woman), and on inquiring the cause of her being thus
deserted, she replied, “I am old, you see, and no longer able to serve
them (referring to her grown-up children). When they kill game, I am too
feeble to help in carrying home the flesh; I am incapable of gathering
wood to make fire; and I can not carry their children on my back, as I
used to do.”
The Namaquas may be said to be long-lived, for individuals have been
known to reach the advanced age of ninety, and even one hundred years.
This is the more remarkable, when the very wretched life they lead is
taken into consideration.
The Namaquas have a singular custom both among themselves and with
regard to strangers, which consists in the _adoption_ of a “father”
and a “mother.” This practice is so widely observed, that few who come
in contact with the several tribes are able to avoid it. Almost every
European trader, indeed, possesses in each village which he is in the
habit of frequenting either a so-called “father” or “mother.” But the
custom is a most inconvenient one, to the traveler at least, for he may
be pretty sure that, as soon as this near degree of consanguinity is
established between himself and a Namaqua, he will be asked for a horse
or an ox, or it may be for the very coat upon his back, which, as in duty
bound, he is expected to hand over to “papa” or “mamma,” as the case
may be. The poor son, it is true, has also the privilege of demanding
any thing that may captivate his fancy; but since a native is usually
more forward and importunate than a European, the bargain, as a rule, is
generally a losing one to the latter.
When two Namaquas are talking together, and one is relating a story, the
listener repeats the last words of the speaker, even if he should know
as much of the matter as his informant. For instance: if a man begin his
recital by saying, “As I walked along the river, a very large rhinoceros
rushed suddenly upon me.” “Rushed suddenly upon me,” echoes the auditor.
“He was very fat.” “Very fat,” the other ejaculates, and so forth.
The Namaquas are fond of ornamenting their persons profusely with brass,
iron, and copper, but more especially with small beads of various colors.
A kind of black, dull bead, manufactured by themselves, is particularly
esteemed. A quantity of resin is procured, which they melt and mix with
powdered charcoal, and, during the process of cooling, it is diligently
kneaded, until, being converted to the consistency of gum, it is drawn
out into long, narrow bars. Again it is gently heated over a slow fire,
when small bits are detached and worked between the fingers till they
assume the desired shape. Their patterns of bead-work are by no means
devoid of taste.
These people tattoo themselves, and also anoint and besprinkle their
bodies with a profusion of grease and powders. The latter are of several
kinds, and are chiefly obtained from the leaves of plants of the _croton_
and _diosma_ families. These powders are called “buku” by the Namaquas,
and are much esteemed, more especially the kind procured south of the
Orange River, which has a very agreeable and aromatic scent.
The sole arms of the Namaquas of the present day are guns. Their original
weapons, which consisted of the bow and arrow, the assegai, and an
immense shield (made out of an entire, single-folded ox-hide), are now
rarely seen.
The Namaquas are an excessively idle race. They may be seen basking in
the sun for days together in listless inactivity, frequently almost
perishing from thirst or hunger, when, with very little exertion, they
may have it in their power to satisfy the cravings of nature. If urged
to work, they have been heard to say, “Why should we resemble the worms
of the ground?” A few may occasionally be seen employing themselves in
making neat little camp-stools and in repairing guns, for which they have
a certain aptitude. Jonker Afrikaner—be it said to his honor—is by far
the most industrious Hottentot that I have yet seen.
They are excessively fond of diversions, more especially music and
dancing. They do not, however, distinguish themselves by grace in their
movements, nor do they even possess that dexterity and flexibility of
limb that the Ovambo ladies—at the expense of our peace of mind—exhibited
at King Nangoro’s _court ball_.
They understand and practice the art of distilling spirits. When a
certain kind of berry, of a sweet and agreeable taste, is ripe, large
quantities are collected and put into a skin bag to ferment. On being
sufficiently advanced, they are deposited in a large pot and boiled,
and the steam drawn off into another vessel joined to it by an old
gun-barrel. The liquor is then allowed to settle for a few days,
and becomes so strong and intoxicating that a small glass or two is
sufficient to upset any man’s reason not previously accustomed to it. I
have seen the natives become perfectly maddened by its effect.
They also make a kind of mead (a favorite drink with the ancient
Northmen), which is a pleasant and refreshing beverage, and, unless
partaken of to excess, is comparatively harmless.
The domestic animals of the country are the cow, the sheep, the goat,
and the dog. The sheep is highly prized by them, so much so that at one
time (before the introduction of tobacco) it was more thought of than
any thing else—even than women! The original breed of Namaqua cattle is
nearly extinct. The southern tribes still possess it, though more or less
mixed with that of the colony and Damara-land. In shape and size the
Namaqua cattle approach nearer the European breed than to that indigenous
to the countries north of them. They are of moderate size, very compact,
and have short but stout horns (usually curved inward), with rather large
hoofs.