It Must, However, Be Recollected,
While Reflecting On The Degradation Of The Natives Of South Africa,
That The Farther North, The More Distinct Do The Native Ideas
On Religious Subjects Become, And I Have Not Had Any Intercourse
With Either Caffres Or Bushmen In Their Own Tongues.
Leaving Motlatsa on the 8th of February, 1853, we passed down the Mokoko,
which, in the memory of persons now living, was a flowing stream.
We ourselves once saw a heavy thunder-shower make it assume its
ancient appearance of running to the north.
Between Lotlakani and Nchokotsa
we passed the small well named Orapa; and another called Thutsa
lay a little to our right - its water is salt and purgative;
the salt-pan Chuantsa, having a cake of salt one inch and a half in thickness,
is about ten miles to the northeast of Orapa. This deposit
contains a bitter salt in addition, probably the nitrate of lime;
the natives, in order to render it palatable and wholesome, mix the salt
with the juice of a gummy plant, then place it in the sand and bake it
by making a fire over it; the lime then becomes insoluble and tasteless.
The Bamangwato keep large flocks of sheep and goats at various spots
on this side of the Desert. They thrive wonderfully well
wherever salt and bushes are to be found. The milk of goats
does not coagulate with facility, like that of cows,
on account of its richness; but the natives have discovered
that the infusion of the fruit of a solanaceous plant, Toluane,
quickly produces the effect.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 253 of 1070
Words from 72840 to 73105
of 306638
