Cape Good Hope 1652-1702

21 Johan Schreyer

His ‘Neue Ost-Indianische Reisz-Beschreibung ...’ was published at Saalfeld in 1679, with a second edition at Leipzig in 1681, this latter being reprinted at The Hague in 1931 with a changed title: the following is translated from this last.

He was born at Lobenstein in Thuringia, and according to his publisher's 1681 Preface appears to have been at least partially trained as a surgeon, although he took service with the Dutch East-India Company as a soldier in 1668 (not 1669 as in his text). Vermeulen (item 20) sailed in the same ship with him, Eendracht from Goeree on July 29, 1668 by Hague codex 4389 folio 58.

It seems probable that he was taken ashore sick on his arrival at the Cape that year (dr 3/12), since he mentions falling sick with scurvy during the passage, but not his recovery; and that he did not recover sufficiently to go on with her when she sailed on December 13 (dr). In the 1669 Hague codex 3981 folio 932 he figures as ‘Soldier’: in the Cape Roll as Cadet* (‘Adelborst’), which in practice meant little except that he thus drew 10 guilders a month instead of 9. In this rank he ‘travelled fully a hundred miles* inland’, as in his Chapter 4 (reading this as ‘a total of’), in various minor expeditions, since in March 1670 (Cape Resolutions 6/3/70) he was promoted to Under-Surgeon ‘having been continually employed as a surgeon with our inland barter-parties, and later as Under-Meester at the Hospital*’. In 1671 the Cape Roll and the Hague codex 3982 folio 572 show him as ‘Surgeon’; and in 1672 he was again promoted, now to Upper-Surgeon (Cape Resolutions 11/4/72), and put in charge of the Hospital (ditto 27/6/72): incidentally, his path now again crossed that of Vermeulen, who in 1674 was a very discontented patient in his charge.

In January 1671 he married the widow of a colleague, and on March 19, 1673 a child was baptised Johannes, who apparently died in infancy since on May 20, 1674 another was baptised with the same name. After that he is not traced further, so that it seems likely that he returned to Europe in 1674 or 1675, making up the ‘eight years’ referred to by his publisher. (The Church Register details are from Hoge, in ‘Archives Yearbook’ of 1948;

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but no basis has been found for the statement there that he went on to the Indies.)

The outstanding feature of his account of the Hottentots is that he relied almost entirely on his own observations, and did not, like most of the early writers, merely steal from others. On the contrary, he himself was freely drawn on by later writers, often word for word: Hesse, Meister, Bogaert in this volume are outstanding examples among many, and his statements can be traced in major writers (‘major’ as far as bulk is concerned) such as Kolbe and Valentyn, and therefore in the many who borrowed from them.

A feature of his somewhat clumsy but clear style is the use of pairs of synonyms: e.g. getötet und umbracht, Sehnen und Spann-Adern, genützet und gebräuchet. These have not as a rule been retained in my translation.

(For his Natural History, Chapters 27 to 32, see my remarks after Chapter 26.)

Chap. 1. It is well enough known, what the Dutch East-India Company is in itself, and by what means it carries on its successful trade in the greatest part of the islands and mainlands of the East Indies, where in some parts it seeks by intelligent and friendly dealings to get the great power of the people on its side, and in other places on the contrary compels the coarse and mannerless barbarians by its arms. To these ends several thousand soldiers and sailors and other Servants are yearly sent in four or five and twenty ships on this long journey.

Necessity, the mother of many arts, as also a compulsion to many, forced me to be reckoned among this number of East-Indian travellers. Rotterdam, one of the chief and sufficiently well-known Dutch cities, let me hear the drum of an East-Indies recruiter; and after short deliberation I went to the East India House and had my name taken there; and after we had shown ourselves on the following Saturday to the Administrators of the East-India Company, we embarked in two small ships called lighters*, to take us to the East Indiaman Eintracht which was at sea. The said ship was one hundred and sixty-two feet long along her bottom-length, which they call the keel, but above, aft and forward, she extended for more than fifteen feet further. Her beam was some forty feet, she could carry a cargo of four hundred last*, and she was armed with forty-six metal* and iron guns.

Three hundred and seventeen souls were ordered to begin the journey in her, and with God's help complete it. All was ready, but we must wait with great longing yet another four weeks for an easterly wind, before we could run out of the mouth of the Maas [text ‘gute Reeische Lach’, error for ‘Goereesche Loch’].

This is a dangerous area between France and England [sic]. There are many shoals there, that is to say places where many rocks and sandhills lie hidden below the water, on which a ship may well run aground. When the skippers are safely past this region they celebrate a rich feast for joy; and to each is given a Maas* of Spanish wine, and other delicacies.

As soon as we reached the North Sea those who were unacquainted with the ocean must pay their regular tax [of seasickness and diarrhea], both from above and below.

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Boxes, chests and other things were now each set in its proper place and made fast. The soldiers and sailors were told off in two equal parts, one called the Prince's Watch, the other Graaf Maurits' Watch, which both by day and night alternated with one another in work and watchfulness. The beer, which had thus far been freely available to all, was now locked up, and a certain measure allowed to each. The newly-baked bread came to an end, and instead there was hard biscuit, of which each person received four and a half pounds each week. Meat and bacon, which thus far had been dished out in abundance, now so dwindled away that in a week we saw twice only a little scrap of thoroughly salt meat, and once even less of bacon, in our wooden dishes called there by the name of Back*, from which always seven persons must eat together. The butter was also issued out weekly, fat in itself but in quantity very thin. Our vegetables were coarse and sometimes hard-boiled groats: white and grey beans were our daily midday and evening meals.

But since these were hard and indigestible foods, and we were given so little that at times each could barely get three spoonfulls, though well-loaded ones, our appetites for the most part remained undamaged. But a favourable wind soon helped us through the narrow sea between England and France, as said above [sic], and since we had clear weather we could see both Kingdoms at once. The same wind blew for a few more days, and in a short time brought us to the well-known Canary Islands [his note on these omitted, quoting ‘Sahr’, item 10, and Hoffman, item 37].

When now our guardian of food and drink, whom we called the Putulier, informed the Skipper that some thirty casks of ships'-beer were emptied, this sounded evil in our ears, since the increasing heat of the sun troubled us more and more. The unusualness of this heat, as also the wearisome journey, caused a poisonous, hot and raging fever, which attacked almost everyone on board, first the weakest but later nearly all the crew. And although I sought to free myself with certain remedies, at last I must find myself among them.

On both sides of the ship were made wide benches as sleeping-places, on each of which twenty or twenty-five persons must lie together, so that - some nearly dead, others delirious, others in their senses but very weak - all lay thereon very filthily overswarmed by lice. The dead had for burial only this, that they were sewn up in their bedding on which they lay, with a cannon-ball at their feet, and thrust overboard, and so let sink into the depths of the fathomless sea. I had dwelt on such a bench for three weeks before I got enough strength to crawl above deck on hands and feet, and cleanse myself of the filth and lice.

Chap. 2. The sickness aboard, the lack of drink, and the unknown length of the journey, caused our Skipper to make for the island S. Jago or Jacob [São Tiago], where we anchored in front of the town. But since the ground was rocky, and the sharp edges of it cut our anchor-cable, the current drove us in very calm weather into an unexpected danger, since the waves brought us nearer and nearer to the stony shore. A second anchor, like the first, gave us no help but also broke loose, causing us even greater fear.

Peril already stood on the rocks to await us, when, with unbelievable toil, we got

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yet another anchor out aft, and so wound the ship and ourselves from the jaws of destruction.

This danger and anxiety were however soon forgotten in the extremely lovely fruits, fresh water, hens, green herbs, also pigs and oxen, which refreshed both us sick folk and those who were still fit, so that we felt outselves like new-born men.

A few of the Portuguese living on this island visited our ship together with some ecclesiastics, and showed us all their friendship in exchange for our cash and trade, and were as polite as their slaves and servants were thievish, who at times ran off with ribbons cut from our trousers or hats snatched off our heads.

Chap. 3. After lying there for four days our anchor must again be weighed, our sails set to the yards; and we set out into the open sea to complete our journey as soon as possible. We therefore very sadly left the lovely island behind us, abounding with the most pleasant fruits such as limes, pineapples, bananas, grapes, water-melons, melons, coconuts and many more, since we must sail a very long way in a daily-increasing and unbearable heat, across the Equator and another thirty-five degrees to the South of it, before we could reach the so-desired Cape of Good Hope or Caput bonae Spei. The journey was irksome to us, since in the great heat the issue of our drink was greatly reduced: and although we were given each morning some brandy, and three times weekly with our food an eighth of a maas* of Spanish wine, these could help our dry throats but little.

And although in such hot weather one has little desire to eat, nevertheless our food was always less than our hunger; which shortages happen also in many ships, not because of the Administrators at home who richly provision the ships, but because of the greedy Skippers who take away their share from the crews and later sell it in the Indies, or sometimes drink it up with whores and godless folk.

Although we sailed pretty favourably past the Equator, and passed the dangerous dry sandbanks, the Abrolhos near Brazil, so that our voyage went well ahead, it was nevertheless far too long for us, since now the dangerous scurvy appeared, which is very infectious aboard ship, and so affected 40 to 50 men that they could neither stand nor walk, while the legs of others were very evilly infected either with spots or bad ulcers, and in others the mouths and gums so rotted that (besides the unbearable stench) their teeth became so loose that they could not only be pulled out with the fingers but even pressed loose with the tongue.

Here again I had my share, in that my hands and feet, and even my whole body, were almost stiff and immovable from this sickness.

It was joy above all joy in our ship when on November 29, 1669 [sic: dr 3/12/1668] the lookout at the masthead earned 6 Rxd. and a flask of Spanish wine by his call of Land! Land! The same afternoon we sailed for the coast, and soon saw our longed-for Caput bonae Spei, and came into the wide harbour called Table Bay, finding there our two companions arrived 2 or 3 days before us, the Burck of Leiden [dr 28/11] and the flute* Elburus [with Tappen on board, item 19: they were ‘our companions’ only in

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the sense that all three were to sail together from the Cape onwards].

Chap. 4. The inhabitants of this land are of two kinds, the natives and the settlers. The natives are called Hottentots, which name was given them by the Dutch, because in their assemblies they continually call out Hottentot! Hottentot! [see Hottentot*, Name. For all the following statements see in the Index under the key-word, in the section ‘Hottentots’]. They are false by nature, inconstant, revengeful, thievish, lazy and slow to work, nearly always gay. They are agile and strong of body, yellowish in colour, with thick noses and lips, short and curly hair, small but acute eyes, small hands and feet.

I could learn nothing definite as to their religion. When it thunders, they say that there is a great Captain above, who lets the rain fall, the sun shine, the thunder sound, etc., which term they doubtlessly have heard from the Dutch and English who use it for their commanders. But they show him no honour, and have no name for him. They have no books, know nothing of reading and writing, nothing of God and His Holy Word: there is no church here, no baptism nor communion, no priest or absolution, no law nor Gospel, so that they are the most miserable folk under the sun. They can also learn no language but that which they have heard from their mothers, so that there is no one that can understand them; although those who live near the Fort and continually have to do with the Europeans and serve them do at last get hold of a few words from their continual use, and understand them. I have heard them talk of a Tsiqua (which may well be the Devil) who is said often to appear to them in various shapes, especially when they change their dwelling-place; and if they do not appease him with milk and special words they may expect severe misfortunes. It may well be believed, that the Devil has his congregation among these unbelievers, and the more so in that many superstitious acts are to be seen among them. For example, that they wear always on the neck a little piece of wood [see Hottentots*, Amulet] cut from a certain tree, charred black in the fire on both sides, to which they attribute many superstitious properties.

Those who are the most powerful among them are their rulers, but with so little power that without the consent of the oldest and richest they can do nothing; but in agreement with these they can decide whether to wage war, to change the pasture, &c. They call the heads of their nations Captains.

Since I have mentioned ‘Nations’, it should be said that this place, Caput bonae Spei, is not an island* as some think, but the mainland, and the outermost part of Africa, and that this land stretches for some hundreds of miles inland.

I myself have travelled [a total of] fully a hundred miles* inland, and there met with various Nations, since every two or three miles a different one is to be met with, being unlike in nature though all more beastly than human: and the further we came inland, the more miserable, scrawny, thin and ill-made we found them [sic].

In all the land there are neither roads nor paths except those made by the feet of the men and the beasts. The baggage which we carried with us, such as food, drink, clothing and kitchen-gear, we tied on the backs of the oxen, which are very large here, and so journeyed with these over hills and valleys, with no guides but the Hottentots themselves,

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who at times showed us the way to their own disadvantage.

Here are to be found the highest of hills, but below them the loveliest valleys, with rich earth and good streams, across which our oxen must at times carry us. The country is all uncultivated and uncleared, just as it was made at God's Creation. And I assert, that if there were folk to cultivate, plant and inhabit this fallow land, better ground would be found here than in all Europe.

Chap. 5. These people are very revengeful, and are wont to take revenge on the offender for the wrong done them, even after many years. Theft and robbery are punished or atoned for by restitution, or by the handing-over of a few cattle. Their sustenance is from cattle-breeding and hunting, from which they live, since they neither sow nor reap. Although they see before their eyes how the Dutch and other European folk who have settled there plough the fields, sow, reap, dig, plant and enjoy the lovely fruits of the land, yet they have no inclination thereto, nor desire to learn anything nor take it in hand, and prefer to remain poor and miserable, and thereby slack and lazy, rather than honourably maintain, feed, clothe themselves &c. in that manner. Their cattle are fine, large and fat, not inferior to those of Europe. Their sheep, of which they have great numbers, are for the most part hairy like goats, with hanging ears: most of their fat is in the tails, one of which at times weighs 12 to 16 pounds. It is very tasty and good to eat, and we have eaten very many of the same.

They kill the finest and fattest oxen, called by them Tibbesas*, at times of rejoicing, as also in case of severe illnesses and wounds, but these are for the men only, while the women have their pleasure on the fat sheep. Other domestic animals and birds such as hens, geese, ducks and the like are unknown to them, except for a few scrawny dogs which they use for hunting. In this they are very skilled, in part to defend themselves from the fierce beasts such as lions, panthers, rhinoceroses or Nose-Horners, and such like, in part to get food by hunting elephants, sea-cows, elands, deer, &c. In the next chapter this will be fully dealt with.

Chap. 6. Since the lions and panthers do them great damage they take great pains to exterminate them. When they see that a lion has eaten himself satiate (to which end they often sacrifice an old cow to him) and has lain himself down somewhere, they surround the same with a quantity of their sheep, and little by little drive these together. Behind the sheep they set the cattle, so that the lion cannot get through, and despairs because of the terrifying shouts of the men and the lowing of the cattle, and is thus killed by their many throwing-spears.

The sheep which are killed in such a hunt are not wasted, since the victory over the lion is celebrated with them. They also fight the lions hand to hand with great toil and danger, in case they cannot make use of the former method. When they know one to be in a thicket, they wrap their left arms in their skin-cloaks, the right being armed with heavy sticks [see Hottentot*, Kirri], and they attack him with one accord and side by side; and so soon as he attacks one of them they all fall on his body and each holds fast whatever he can grasp, so that their united force overcomes the great strength of the

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[21] From the French edition of Dapper. The key reads in translation: 1, The Fort of the Cape; 2, A Small fort; 3, The Table Mountain; 4, The Lion Hill; 5, The Roadstead where the ships lie for refreshing. The Fort is of course as imaginative as is the crater-like Table Mountain, and his ‘Lion Hill’ is in reality ‘Devil's Hill’. The ‘Small Fort’ is Kyckuyt.

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lion and he is thrown down and killed, making terrible roarings before his death.

They catch the elephants in the following manner: They surround him in great numbers when he is on flat and sandy ground, and shoot their sharpest throwing-spears, called Hassa-Kejen, into his body; and if he turns in one direction to defend himself, which he does somewhat slowly because of his great size, they give way to him there, being unusually good runners, and attack him on the other side in great force so that he must again turn about, until at last his blood flows from the many spear-wounds and he is worn out and falls down. It is amazing to see how furiously this animal pulls out the spears with his long trunk, and breaks them and throws them away.

Where these large beasts have made a way through the country and the bushes a deeply-trodden path is found, as if men had walked there for a long time. Also at times their dung is found hanging on the bushes, in lumps like large skittle-balls, and therein finger-thick twigs from the branches he has bitten off from the bushes and eaten, from which the size of these beasts is easily to be deduced. Also the large elephant-teeth witness thereto, which are brought in great numbers from the Indies and used in Germany for making various fine objects.

Chap. 7. Here I must make mention of a wonderful occurrence which happened in my time. A Frenchman was once ordered to go with a party to bring in cattle, but lost touch with his companions. Since he could not find them, he made his way back towards the Fort. At first he saw no footpath before him, but at last he met with such a path trodden out by elephants and thought no otherwise than that this was a man-trodden path and the right road to bring him to the said place. While he now went on between the bushes, and could give way neither to the left nor right, a large elephant met him. Neither could give way to the other, but the elephant was so obliging as to take up this Frenchman with one of his tusks and gently throw him over the bushes and go on his way, from which adventure the Frenchman was none the worse.

Chap. 8. Rhinoceroses, called in German Nasen-Horner because they have a large horn at the front of their nose, are beasts almost as large as elephants. (The Ancients described them as having hard and armoured skins, but this is false. The skin is soft, grown with short hairs like velvet, but with very many wrinkles and folds.) To catch these beasts, the Hottentots dig deep pits in the ground, like our Wolf-Pits, on the ways where these beasts are wont to pass when in the great heats of Summer they wish to drink; and cover the same with branches. Then when the beast comes, and steps thereon, if only with one foot, he must fall in and let himself be killed.

Hippopotamuses are animals which dwell both in the water and on land. In the evening they come on land from the water, and pasture on the grass. They are large animals, with heads like horses, which they cannot keep under water, but must continually lift them up to get air. It is difficult to shoot them because of the speed with which they hide themselves under the water, therefore the Hottentots catch them in the pitfalls. Their flesh can well be eaten and enjoyed by a hungry stomach, since they are very fat.

Elands, deer, steenbuck go there in great herds. To catch such the Hottentots

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surround them with many men, and draw these together little by little so that they enclose them, and sometimes thus have a good catch.

It is marvellous to see how the wild beasts go together in great herds here. When one stands on one hill and looks across to another, the wild animals are seen in herds as if a shepherd were grazing his flock on such a hill. Deers are in fifties, roebucks the same, of all sorts, pied buck in thousands. They thus increase in numbers because the Hottentots know of no firearms, nor of powder and shot. Moreover these beasts roam on the highest hills and rocks, where no one can come near them, and have their pasture and food there in Winter and Summer, which is the cause why they so multiply.

Hares, wildcats, partridges, pheasants they snare very neatly, since such wild game is quite common here, so that the partridges often came to my tame hens and helped to pick up the food.

Also when we went out to shoot we did not lie in wait as is the custom here, but when a flight rose fired into the air among them, and hardly ever missed.

Wild geese, ducks, bustards are found here in indescribable quantities, and nothing lacks but the men to go out and shoot them, since European hunters do not dare to come so far overseas.

The Commander [probably Borghorst or Hackius] of the Fort once enquired if anyone was there who could shoot, and would go out and bring some game. One took it on, and went out with a gun. Outside he met with a flock of Indian Geese which the Commander let graze in the pasture, and fired at these, and brought 2 of them, since he had never seen such and thought they were wild geese. We all must laugh at the simple hunter, and the Commander said nothing about it, since in any case they would have been killed sooner or later.

In dry weather, or in Summer, all sorts of wild beasts come to drink from the hollows in which the water has collected, and quench their thirst there, since often the water on the hills is dried up far and wide. The Hottentots are accustomed to kill these with their throwing-spears, with which, as also with stone-throwing, they are very skilled [see Hottentots*, Marksmanship], since all their training from youth up is in nothing but dancing and the use of arms. They are also so fond of this that they will keep it up for some hours. A throwing-spear is 7 or 8 feet long, in front as thick as a thumb, at the rear end quite thin. Into the thick end they stick an iron, half a foot long and four fingers wide, which at thirty paces they can throw right through a man. They also shoot with very small arrows from wooden bows* from far off, very exactly and, since such are usually poisoned, very dangerously.

Chap. 9. When they fight they stand quite naked, with a throwing-spear in the right hand and in the left 3 or 4 such, a cudgel [kirri*], and sometimes a sandal with which they can parry and turn away the spears. (This is a piece of leather from the skin of a wild ass, which they bind around their foot. I brought a pair of such back with me, and gave them to a friend. I will mention in passing that such wild asses are also found here: they resemble horses in all ways, but have such lovely colour and stripes that no beast

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on earth can be compared to them for beauty; but they cannot be tamed.)

Some [inland] tribes also use shields. In a fight they stand together with no orderliness, and meanwhile make great shoutings, whistling and leaping, after which they hurl the throwing-spears at each other. And although, as I said, they are very skilful in this, yet they can also dodge these spears with great agility, so that although they may fight for a whole day, not more than three or four are killed.

They always very diligently take up the spears thrown by the enemy, and throw these back at them. They bring their finest and best oxen with them to the battle, perhaps to encourage the enemy to fight more bravely. Shouting and whistling serve as drums for them: also they know how to show what is to be done to others who are far from them, by an unusual noise which they make with their mouths.

The young are taught by the elders how to fight each other with sticks and stones. Often the folk of one village with make such an exercise with those of another, and although this is done only in friendly play, yet there are sometimes bloody heads and wounds thereby.

Chap. 10. They are very unskilled in healing wounds. If a wound is deeper than they can see into, they at once cut it open, and indeed make it 3 or 4 times larger, without regarding whether some member or other may be damaged thereby. If a large vein or artery is cut they do not know how to staunch the blood, and thus must let the man die, because blood-letting is not customary among them. Their plasters and salves are nothing but the fat of the beasts, wherewith they over-diligently smear the wound and all the body. If they fall or are bruised, and see that the place has blood below it, they cut open the skin, suck out the blood, and rub the charcoal of a certain wood therein. For internal sicknesses they use no remedy other than that the surgeon smears the sick person with fat, and rubs it well in, besides doing also some superstitious actions thereby. This is proved by the following history.

Chap. 11. When once I must travel 30 to 40 miles* inland with some soldiers, on business of the Company, we had some Hottentots with us as guides, among whom was one whose testicle* was swollen as large as a fist, so that he could hardly walk for the pain. (N.B. These folk are semi-castrated for the most part, which is done in childhood, perhaps to prevent the too-great breeding of children, since they must see that they themselves and their children are in very bad conditions.)

The sun was setting when they made a small fire, near which none of us might come, to which end also they built a separate fire for us. Around this fire they sat in a ring. The surgeon, after he had turned towards the sun with many movements and words, went to the patient, who sat quite naked on the ground, and began to pass his urine* on him, from the head downwards and around the body, until he had no more, in which task 7 or 8 of the other Hottentots then duly followed the surgeon. The sick man, after he was thus thoroughly bathed, went to sleep in his cloak, and next day was fit to continue the journey with us.

I have also seen how for adder- and snake-bites they also use this method, and have

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the same superstitions regarding them. Also I saw how they attribute great powers to a piece of wood an inch thick and four fingers wide, cut by the surgeon from a certain bush and burned at one end [see Amulet*: he contradicts himself in details regarding this]: it is thought to help the sick to regain their health, and to turn away the weapons of enemies, for which reason they always carry it on their necks as something holy, and if they fear any danger, they blacken their face with the burned end, and according to their fancy are thus freed therefrom.

Chap. 12. Since writing, reading, GOD's Word and Religion, as also good manners and other sciences are quite unknown to these folk, their rearing of children demands little attention. Whereas elsewhere it is the custom to wrap children at birth in swaddling-clothes, here there is neither linen nor woollen material to be found. Also they know of no Baptism. When the boys are 8 years old one testicle* is cut away, as has been said, so that they may run the better. And it is also evident that this hinders procreation, in that with 2 or 3 wives (since polygamy is usual here) they seldom get more than 4 children. No care is taken of the children, and they eat what they can get. When any beast is slaughtered and the elders eat it, they throw the bones to the children to gnaw, and the guts they throw unwashed on the fire, and let them shrivel a little. When they are barely warm they tear them with their teeth, and thus make their meal.

Chap. 13. When a male is 18, 19 or 20 years old (although they do not know how to tell years nor time, since there is no calendar and they know neither the beginning nor the end of the year) with special ceremonies the greasiest guts* of a wether or a slaughtered calf are hung, together with the omentum, around his neck, which he must carry thus as a sign of his adulthood. They then also ornament themselves further as they can, to make themselves more agreeable to the maidens; and in such ornamentation they are very clever.

Since, after they have well smeared with fat their naturally short and curly hair, they strew it with the bark of a tree unknown to us, as also with a dried plant (called by us Water-Ivy) ground small on a stone, so that all their hair seems to be only one lump. And since this hair-powder (called by them Pucbu [see Hottentots*, Buchu]) has a very strong smell, which is increased by the hanging guts and the fat, they are so well perfumed that they can be smelt from afar.

Chap. 14. The head being thus arranged and well greased, it is further hung with coloured feathers, penny-pieces [‘Zahlpfennigen’], dried gall-bladders &c. In each ear a large and thick ring hangs, which drags down the ears, by nature pretty large, as far as the armpits. Over their face they hang imitation corals or large glass beads, all of which they obtain by barter from the Dutch, since this folk know of no difference between real and false corals, and the value of silver and gold is unknown to them, but for the few who dwell near the Fort Caput bonae Spei and deal with the Dutch, and thus know the worth of gold.

They smear all their body with the fat from the sheep, and over this the soot from kettles and pots; and with their fingernails, which they let grow pretty long, they draw

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over the whole body strips like braiding, which in their opinion look well and ornament the body [see s.v. Cicatrisation*].

They cover the upper part of the body with an undressed sheepskin, which in their speech they call a cloak [‘Mantel’]: this cloak is well sewn together. Their needles are made from the quills of porcupines, the thread is from the sinews of beasts, since they know nothing of hemp nor flax. The more greasily the mantle is smeared, the finer it is in their eyes. This mantle is all their clothing, trousers, doublet, also mattress, counterpane and all in one.

They have nothing of shoes, stockings, shirts or linen, since they do not sow or reap; and yet live in a land, which, were it cultivated, might be much better and more fruitful than any in Europe.

The principal among them make their mantles of roebuck-skin, in sign of their greatness. Their necks are ornamented with a so-called Paternoster of all sorts of false corals, brass buttons, glass beads of all colours, which they barter from the Dutch for cattle, imagining them to be excellent jewels which grow in Europe.

They carry a long sheath* on the neck, in which their tobacco-pipe is kept, as also a knife sharpened on both edges; and a piece of wood burned at both ends [see Hottentots*, Amulet], as said above, must also hang there, according to their superstition, to guard the body from sickness and other happenings.

Their arms are bound about from hand to elbow with tight copper, brass and iron rings, which they cannot themselves make but must barter from the Dutch. Above the elbow they have 3, 4 or 5 ivory rings around the arm, through which they push a little leather bag, and in this they carefully keep their tobacco, their greatest richness, and also at times a dried herb (called by them Tagga [see Hottentots*, Dagga], which they chew and become very drunken therefrom).

A little piece of the fur of a wildcat or fox is bound around their loins with a leather strap, to cover their privities [see Hottentots, Penis-cover]: some tribes, such as the Numiqui [Namaqua], use instead of this skin a carved-out piece of ivory. In their hand they carry a strong and long staff, called Kirri* by them, which is their usual walking-stick, and a small piece of wood covered with the tail of a fox or cat, and this must serve them as a handkerchief [see Hottentots*, Flywhisks] to wipe the dust from their eyes, and is called by them Sau.

Sandals are used only for long journeys, and are doubled soles of oxhide, wild asses-skin or other tough leather, raw and untanned, which they bind with a leather thong around the foot.

Chap. 15. The women, being by nature vainer than the men, need more ornaments. On their heads they wear a cap of raw leather, wide below and coming to a point above, which is tied by a wide rawhide thong around the head. Their head and hair, like those of the men, is loaded with many small shells, copper and brass counters and suchlike. On one side, as also centrally in front of the face, there hangs a string of glass beads, and below this a little seashell which swings [‘läutet’] to and fro in front of the face.

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The face is coloured red or black and smeared with sheeps-fat, and covered with many stripes [see s.v. Cicatrisation*] made with their fingernails, so that thus the skins shows through the fat and the colour.

The neck is neatly hung with many bead-chains, and the mantle on their shoulders is somewhat longer than that of the men, and is made as rough on one side as on the other with exceptional skill. Over this a square bag* hangs on the back, ornamented below with leather tassels, and alongside this a pot, a stick or piece of iron for digging out roots and sometimes also a child and other gear: Since their motto is Omnia mea mecum porto, I carry all my household gear with me. The arms are also surrounded with rings, and the loins with some strings of the same beads, and over the buttocks down to the calves hangs a leathern skirt-skin. The privities, which Nature has covered with a flap of skin [‘Apron*’] 4 fingers wide, they cover with a piece of leather, the ends of which are mounted with little copper rings, which tinkle as they walk. The legs are surrounded so closely from ankle to knee with hard leather bands, that they can scarcely walk.

Chap. 16. When they are in good spirits, and the weather is warm, and the moon shines, they come together towards evening near their dwellings, and begin to sing and dance. This is done thus: The men stand closely together with bent bodies, and throw their heads from one side to the other, and while they stamp on the ground with their feet they sing their usual long-lasting song, Ho, ho, ho, ho. The women stand opposite, and clap their hands with a special movement, and make a soft sound between their teeth and through their noses, which suits pretty well with the song of the men. And while they also stamp their feet on the ground, the rings hanging on their legs make an unusual noise. Also the music is added to with special instruments, namely, they take a pot, and cover it closely with a skin, and on this the women beat with hands and fingers, these being their drums. Also they stretch a string on a wooden bow, to which is attached a piece of quill, and this they take between their lips, and by drawing in and blowing out the breath a loud and snoring sound is made.

The leader of the dance causes a general silence by striking his stick on the ground, with the word Satisso*. When they have remained still for a little, with a loud shout they begin the former song again; and since this lasts for the whole night until near dawn, it is so agreeable to any who sleeps not far away, that it could well make him ill. Their marriages and bethrothals are as a rule celebrated with such dances. If a youth sees a girl who pleases him, and perceives that she is not averse to him, he asks her father, brother, or nearest relative; and if the suitor has so many cattle that he can maintain one or more wives, the girl is brought to him without more ado, with 3 or 4 cows as her dowry, and thus becomes his wife. If he is rich in cattle he indeed takes 2 or 3 wives, and if one does not suit him he chases her away again; also it is frequent that the women run off from their husbands, and live in another village with another man. From this great quarrels arise, so that they fight each other with their throwing-spears, since there are no authorities or churchmen to intervene in such affairs.

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Chap. 17. When a woman gives birth, and thereafter dies, the child is buried alive with the dead mother. This also is done when twins are born, that for fear of the trouble they hastily bury one child and let the other live. When the mother has stayed within for a few days, and somewhat restored herself with the flesh of a sheep, she goes again with her child to her usual work, which is either seeking for reeds, from which they make cords, ropes, and mats to cover their huts, or digging for the roots* which serve them for food. Their greatest care is to bring some wood home in the evening, to warm themselves or cook with. If on the way she finds perhaps a tortoise, or some mussels, the supper is ready at once. These they throw on the fire, and when they are only warmed, or half-roasted, they eat them with such great appetite that the blood thereof drips from their mouths.

Chap. 18. The principal work of the men is to laze about, unless hunger force them to work for the Europeans for a piece of tobacco or some rice. But so soon as their hunger is stilled, they go off again, and for this reason we gave them nothing to eat until they had first done the work given them.

Those who live far from the Dutch Fort go hunting, and what they catch, indeed with great toil, they devour together.

If this people knew how to hunt game with nets and guns as in Germany, they would indeed be happier, since the whole land is full of game. But since they lack these, it is a great piece of good luck when they can lay in wait for and catch something. They also eat dead beasts without repulsion, whatever they find. I have seen how such a crowd of men and children sat together where perhaps there was a pool of water, and made the clay into little shapes [‘Küchlein’], round below and on top pointed like a wedge, and threw these into the water, and when they splashed had their amusement* therefrom.

Chap. 19. There are few craftsmen, since because they have no agriculture they need no smiths, locksmiths or other workers in iron. Also there are no carts here and no roads, but when they will carry their scanty gear across a water-course, they tie it to the backs of their oxen, and sit on it with their wives and children, and so journey. And since their houses are made only of sticks, they need no carpenters, joiners, masons, &c. In place of such craftsmen there are those who know how to hammer out between stones the iron heated in the fire, although with great toil, and this serves them well enough. Others make arm-rings of ivory and copper, others know how to make the rawhide soft and pliable by rubbing it. Their tailors use the quills of the porcupine for needles, and for thread the sinews of the animals, and therewith make their mantles very close and neat.

Chap. 20. Since they know nothing of money such as gold and silver coins, nor of clothing and other garments, still less of household furniture, trade is here very scanty; but they barter their beasts such as sheep, oxen &c. with the Dutch for tobacco, glass beads, copper rings, and brandy. (They love tobacco above everything, and when the Dutch smoke and knock out the ashes, they gather these up and fill their pipes with them, to get a little more smoke therefrom.) They indeed bring milk, ostrich-eggs, ostrich-

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feathers, sweet-smelling gums [‘Rauchwerck’] and suchlike to the freemen (NB) as also to the Servants of the Company; and among themselves they barter goods for goods and cattle for cattle.

(NB. The freemen are those from all the nations [sic] of Europe who have settled there, and are free from all taxes. The Dutch do this so that more folk shall settle here, and cultivate the land.)

They transport their goods, children and sick on oxen trained to this, and guide these by a little stick thrust through their nostrils. Of carts [‘Wagenketten’] and other conveyances they know nothing, and in a hundred miles no road is to be seen, but only footpaths across hills and valley, and sometimes over such high hills that one looks deep into the abyss so that one's eyes become dizzy; but the Hottentots know the ways over them, and guide the Europeans.

Chap. 21. They carry their houses, and indeed whole villages at a time, on their oxen. A hut* is about 7 feet high and 20 wide: some long poles are stuck into the ground in a circle, and tied firmly to each other above, and on these they fasten reed-mats. On the side towards the centre of the village they leave a hole, through which they creep in and out. 15, 18, 20 to 25 such huts make a village, and these huts always stand in a circle, one separated from the next by a fence. In the centre they keep their cattle, which stands there unsheltered from rain and wind.

They however tether the wildest of the oxen at night with leather thongs, and also they set apart a place for the young animals in the centre.

Chap. 22. Their furnishings are one or two earthen pots, which they are accustomed to make with their hands from clay, each for himself, and set them in the sun to harden. Also little wooden troughs [‘Tröglein’], 3 or 4 leather bags, and their weapons, which are their throwing-spears, a large knife sharp on both edges, and arrows which they shoot from wooden bows.

They boil and roast when their hunting has been successful, or when for special occasions they kill one of their beasts and eat this together; and since this folk know nothing of agriculture, and sow no grain, they have no toil with the baking of bread and other cooked foods, and die without having ever seen or tasted any bread or what else comes from corn.

Chap. 23. When they wish to slaughter an ox or other beast, they do so as follows [see Hottentots*, Butchery]. They tie the two forelegs together, throw the beast down and hold it fast, and when still alive cut open its belly and pull out all the guts and entrails. Then when all the blood has run together in the cavity of the belly, they scoop it out into the pots, and this is for the women, wherewith they must be satisfied. When it has been warmed a little on the fire, and curdles, it is eaten without salt.

Meanwhile the men hack the flesh apart in the skin, and the fattest and most meaty parts are put in a pot and set on the fire without salt (which best of spices is unknown to them). Around this the guests sit, squatting on their heels in their fashion. Each has a sharp wooden hook, and when now for a time the fire has been tended, and the flesh is

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boiled, each takes a piece for himself; and when he has gnawed off therefrom whatever is cooked, he puts the rest back into the pot and again seizes another piece with his hook. Such a meal lasts pretty long, and meanwhile they carry on their mealtime conversation, of which however we can know nothing since their language is not understood.

Instead of table-napkins they use their so-called mantles, which they so greatly thus saturate with the fat of the oxen, that they can truly be called very rich [‘fett’, a pun on ‘greasy’ and ‘rich’].

Meanwhile the younger amuse themselves with the entrails; and after they have turned the guts inside-out and shaken the dung from them, they throw them unwashed on the fire, and when they are half-roasted gobble them noisily with good enjoyment.

In front of the house of whoever has provided the ox a few poles are planted, on which the head, the skin, and other parts are hung up and put by for the next day, and such flesh is cooked as follows: They make a pit in the ground, throw a few stones therein, and rake a fire onto these. When now the stones are hot enough, they take away the fire and lay the flesh thereon. On this again they throw stones, and on these wood and fire, and let it thus roast until the flesh is cooked to their taste.

They dry the skin, and put the same by, which must serve for thongs to be cut therefrom, to tie together their gear, which leather they make soft by rubbing it between their hands. Also sometimes, when they are very hungry, they use it for food: they cut off a piece of it, singe the hair away, throw it into the fire, and when it has somewhat shrivelled together, they hit it on a stone until they can bite it with their iron-hard teeth, and devour it.

Chap. 24. Just as the women are not permitted to eat of fat oxen, so also custom forbids the men to take ewe-milk and hare-flesh [see Hottentots*, Taboos], which are for the women. The men indeed take cow-milk, but this is prepared by the women in a special manner.

Namely, they tie together the hindlegs of the cow, and bring the calf below. This must as it were tap the cow, and when it begins to suck, they take the teat from its mouth and milk the cow. If this will not let the milk flow, they pull open the posteriora widely and blow into it, when the cow will again give the milk.

In a similarly unpleasant manner they make their butter, and this is done thus: They put the milk into a leather sack with the hair inside, in which there is a small hole below, which they tie up. Then two of them take the sack, each at one end, and shake and throw about the milk in it until it becomes butter. Then they let the buttermilk flow out through the little hole, and take out the butter, which, as is readily to be expected, is so full of hairs that it is repulsive. But it does not repel them, since they can eat everything that we find loathsome.

This is also to be seen in that they eat their comrades the lice, which they neatly pull out of their hair and bite in their teeth, since they have very many of the same in their hair, in the mantles, between the rings on the arms and legs in quantities, very large and fat. At times they beat them out of their so-called mantles with a little stick, and they

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fall out pretty thick like hempseeds.

Chap. 25. They bury the dead in the following manner: When anyone dies, his nearest relatives cut their hair in different fashions, some leaving half the hair, some a little here and there, some none at all.

The women bewail him, and call over-loudly lo lo lo lo lo: this they begin with a shrill voice and let it fall to a deep tone, and this they repeat many times. Then they carry the corpse somewhat out of their dwelling, make a round hole and set it therein, throw earth thereover, and on top a heap of stones, to keep it from being dug up by the wild beasts.

There is neither bell-tolling [‘Leuten’] nor singing nor any other ceremonies used, except that beside the dead man they lay his stick* which he had always carried in his hand, fearing that if they should sit by a fire in which this stick burned, or if food were cooked by it, they would at once become itchy or unclean of skin.

Chap. 26. The sons are the next heirs, and failing sons, the daughters; or if neither, then the nearest relatives. The inheritance consists of cattle, since they have no household-gear or clothing of any value, still less fields, pastures, gardens, gold or silver, since they do not cultivate the fields like other peoples but go from one place to another to pasture their cattle, so that none of them has any land of his own.

They do not need to trouble about winter-fodder, since there is no Winter here for the cattle to endure, but they are driven out all the year to the pastures, and from one hill to another. It must be mentioned here that the nearest relatives of a dead person, including the women, bite away a joint of a finger* because of their great sorrow: as is often to be seen, how 2 or 3 joints have been bitten from the fingers and are lacking.

As far as is known, all of them have almost the same way of burying the dead, except for the Numiquaea [Namaquas] who live about 50 miles* north of the Fort Capo de bon Esperanze, and differ somewhat from the others. Adjoining this folk live those of the Captain Goamoa [Gonnema*] (since they call their leaders Captains), who are pretty numerous, and are allied with the Captain Odasva [Oedasoa*], as also the Great and Little Chouri Keriquas [Griquas] who must dance to his piping.

Much could be related of happenings between the Dutch and the natives of this country. They have indeed many times tried to resist the newcomers, namely the Dutch, but since they have no such equipment as the Europeans they have usually been defeated, and must surrender to the enemy, and suffer the loss of some hundred oxen and sheep.

Schreyer's book, in addition to having the earliest first-hand account of the Hottentots, also contains the earliest first-hand attempt at a comprehensive account of the fauna of the Cape. This is surprisingly accurate for its period: it will be noticed in the following how he corrects generally-accepted errors regarding ostriches, the porcupine and the rhinoceros.

It will be obvious that I am not myself a naturalist. I have relied on books, especially the 1957 revision of Roberts' ‘Birds of South Africa’; Smith's ‘Sea Fishes’, 1961; Gilchrist's 1900 paper in the ‘Proceedings of the Philosophical Society’ (allowing for changes

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in the Latin names;) and on the help of experts, especially Mr. P.A. Clancey of the Durban Museum and the staff of Kirstenbosch. The errors are mine.

Chap. 27. The largest among the birds is the ostrich, which is sufficiently well known from its feathers. Now although many write and tell various things concerning these birds, they are for the most part contrary to the truth. These birds roam the wastes in great numbers, and after diligent enquiry we have found that this bird is from 6, 7 to 8 feet tall, reckoned from the feet to the head: its legs are long and have two claws, on which with the help of its wings (though useless for flying) it can run so fast that no horse or dog can overtake it.

But its body, and yet more its head, are small compared to the legs. Its food is grass, and everything that can pass through its greedy gullet, but it is false that its stomach can digest iron, since I saw one die from a key it had swallowed.

Their increase is like that of all birds. When the female conceives she scrapes a hollow in the sandy soil, and lays therein, not one egg as some assert, but from 7, 8, 12 to 15 eggs, which are not hatched by the sun [Herport, Hoffmann, Langhansz, etc.] but sat on and protected by the hen-bird [in reality by both parents].

The Hottentots diligently search out such nests, and barter the eggs for a piece of tobacco. They taste as well as hens-eggs, and because of their size are very convenient for an egg-cake, since one ostrich-egg has as much white and yolk in it as 24 hens-eggs; and we have eaten very many of the same. If anyone has touched even one egg in her nest, the ostrich will trample it with her feet, and abandon the nest. The newly-hatched birds are very feeble, and cannot well be reared if they are found. But that they seek to hide only their heads is shown by experience to be entirely false, since no bird is harder to shoot than these, and it would be difficult to get hold of one were it not that its love of its nest betrays it. They often go in flocks. I have often counted 40 to 50 running together.

2. Cranes are the second in size, also they are larger than those in Europe. They are little seen, and still less sought for, since their meat is quite hard, and oily, and unpleasant to eat.

3. The Pelican [‘Kropf-Ganss’] is also a large bird, and lives by the sea-shores, as also near salt streams, on fish, which it catches with great cleverness with its beak: this is half an ell long, and three fingers thick, with a little hook in front, and attached to it a long bag, which well could hold eight to ten Leipzig cans of water; and these it swallows, so that its meat also is very oily, and cannot well be eaten.

4. Similar fish-eaters are the Divers [usually for Cormorants], of various sizes. The largest, which are called Maalgasen, are as large as a goose, others as a duck, and there are also smaller ones, all with very sharp and hooked beaks and clear grass-green eyes, and these exceptionally well chase and catch the fish below the water.

In their breeding-season they fly in unbelievable numbers to small and uninhabited islands, where, with other fish-catching birds such as gulls and pelicans, they lay their

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eggs on the rocks lying beside the water, and hatch them. They are not used for food, because of their oily taste, but in times of want nothing is forbidden to the hungry stomach.

5. Gulls (which are little fish-hawks) of various sorts are also found here. The largest, which live only on that which the sea casts up, are as large in plumage though not in body as a hen. Some are grey, some grey-black on the backs but as white as snow on belly and neck. They are to be seen for hundreds of miles out at sea, flying and swimming, and since they often come fearlessly to perch on the ships, and let themselves be caught with the hands, the sailors have given them the name of Stupid Gulls [‘Albere Moeben’, Booby] and find them good to eat, although on land they are little esteemed.

6. Blue Gulls [‘Blaue Moeben’, Great Grey Shearwater] are somewhat smaller. They fly always just above the water, and as soon as they see a fish, they shoot down like an arrow into the water, so that it splashes and closes over them, and they remain below until they have their prey; and this hunt they keep up all the day.

7. Those which are called Starling-Gulls [‘Stahr-Moebigen’, perhaps Sterretje] are smaller, and fly with great cries in large flocks, so that at times whole rocks are covered with them. The smallest are speckled [Cape Dove], and the sailors are glad to see them, since they follow the arriving ships in great numbers, and from this it may be concluded that some land or other is soon to be reached.

8. The birds called Bigiwinnen [Penguins] are very swift in the water. They are as large as an average goose, black and white with thick feathers, very short above, set on a tough skin. They have no wings, but instead two fins. They walk quite upright on two black goose-feet, and since they follow one another orderly in large numbers when they leave the water in the evening, and the two fins hang down at their sides, one could well think that men were coming from afar, with black capes and white facings.

They dig holes in the sand, like rabbits, in which they lay and hatch their eggs, and these eggs, like those of the Divers and Gulls, are much sought after and used by the common folk. They can bite very sharply, and therefore any who put their hands into their holes must take great care not to be caught. Their dwelling is on desert islands and little islets. We took various of them aboard, and wished to bring them to Europe, but they all died on the way.

9. Waterfowls which appear on our tables are Wild Geese, tasty when young, Hill Ducks, Snow Ducks; Black Ducks, Yellowbills, Schloben [Slopeend]. They all are different sorts of ducks, some larger than others. In the months of August, September, October they float in great numbers on all the streams and still waters, and many are shot; and indeed even in flight, since they fly many together. They are exceptionally fat and tasty, though some are better than others. They lay their eggs in October and November, and hatch them in marshy and reedy bushes.

10. The Flaminck is a bird as large as an average stork, and also has red legs like this. Its feathers are white, but blood-red on the wings. The beak is as long as a finger, bent downwards in front, and the lower bill is thicker than the upper, contrary to other

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birds. Their flesh is also red, so that soup made from it is as red as blood.

11. There are also various sorts of Pool- and Water-Snipe, of which the former are the more esteemed.

12. In December, January, February little birds are seen flying and walking in great numbers on these shores, for which reason also they are called Shore-Birds or Uferläufer [Strandlopertje. ‘Traitors’ is by a confusion with German ‘Überlaufer’]. They are of various sizes, and are also called Traitors because of their screaming. They are fat and tasty, so that indeed they resemble the larks here.

13. Waterhens are also eaten. They are as large as small hens, pitch-black, with short but very sharp beaks, having on them two small outgrowths like those which the turkeys have on their heads. They have long and exceptionally sharp claws, with which they seek their food under water.

14. There are great numbers of Herons here, of three or four sorts, as large as doves, snow-white below, some with a tuft on the head, exceptionally lovely. They are often to be seen running through the shrubs on the plains, and are there called Wild Peacocks.

15. Kornhühner [Korhaan], Pheasants and Partridges are very fleshy here, and good to eat. We have also Quail and Larks in great quantity, but since they are small, and the larger birds are to be had in abundance, little pains are taken to catch them.

16. Starlings and Blackbirds are somewhat different from those in Europe. They fly in large flocks, and do much damage in the vineyards.

17. As also the Sparrows come in great numbers, and know how to find the ripening wheat as well as those in Europe. Surprisingly, our Sparrows make fast their nests to the thin twigs of a tree standing in the water, or to a reed. The nests are as round as a ball, with a hole below, and are very neatly arranged with a wall inside, behind which the young lie: this they do to make safe their young from snakes and other beasts of prey.

18. Wild Doves and Turtle-Doves also come flying in great flocks to the fields at the time of sowing, and can well be shot by a lover of them, and even better eaten.

19. Of the songbirds the Canaries are the most appreciated, and next to them the Siskins [‘Zeisige’, Sysie]. Innumerable kinds of smaller birds are found here: the most beautiful is small and a brilliant blue-green [Malachite Sunbird]; some are as large as a titmouse and all of one colour [too vague for identification]; some are smaller and so beautifully ornamented on the breast with red and yellow feathers [Lesser Double-Collared Sunbird] that nothing lovelier can be seen. They have long beaks and long tongues with which they suck the honeydew from the flowers, and live therefrom.

20. Some birds are as large as sparrows, and as yellow as wax on their backs [Cape Widowbird]; some as red as a glowing ember [Red Bishop in breeding plumage] and the belly like fine black velvet, and live by the brooks. Some have tails longer than a quarter-ell [the 17 cm. tail suggests the Pintail Wydah].

21. There are three or four kinds of birds of prey, such as Hawks; Ravens as large as in Europe but with a thick beak and a snow-white ring round the neck; black and spotted crows. Among this company we must include those called Dreck-Vogel, because

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they eat their own droppings. They are of three kinds: the first as large as a goose, white, with large and sharp claws [Cape Vulture]; the second with longer legs and grey, with a tuft of long feathers on the head [Secretary-bird]; the third somewhat smaller [Egyptian Vulture], and much esteemed by the Hottentots, because they betray the lion by their presence when he has caught a prey, whereat the Hottentots drive him off and take what pieces are left for their own nourishment.

22. There is also a sort of bird, not unjustly called Flower-Pecker [Sugarbird], because of its beak. The largest are the size of a sparrow, grey and a little yellow with a long beak and an even longer tongue which divides at the tip like a painter's brush, wherewith they suck the dew from the flowers, this with the little midges being their food. Their tails are three-eighths [of an ell] long.

Chap. 28. Although the earth brings forth and feeds a great, aye an unimaginable quantity of all sorts of beasts, yet its fruitfulness does not attain by far the fruitfulness of the seas, the beasts of which far excel the former both in size and number.

The Whale witnesses sufficiently its claim to be the largest of all that draws breath. In the months of August and September many of them are seen in this region swimming and playing, and although these are not so large as the ones which are caught below Greenland, yet they are such that one finds cause in them to marvel at the great works of GOD. They are large and heavy beasts, which always avoid the shores, since shallow water cannot float them and if they err, they run aground and die, which at times happens.

I saw one lie thus, which, although not one of the largest, was forty-six feet long and at least 12 feet high. The head of this fish is large, the eyes are very small, and on its head it has two holes by which it breathes in and out, and at times with such a noise that one might think an ox was bellowing nearby, although the whale was a full mile distant. They can also draw in water through these holes, and blow it out again very high, though not in such quantities as was thought previously, that it would be enough to sink a ship. Also today there is no need to throw them empty barrels in order to escape them, but they are chased with small fast boats, and killed with a throwing-spear or sharp lance.

Their internal organs and their flesh are in all ways similar to those of the four-footed animals, and their coupling, giving birth and suckling of the young are also like these, as also they are provided by Nature with all the organs needful to such actions. They are full of blood and natural warmth, and can therefore live for many years, as is shown by the moss and mussels which grow on their bodies.

What is called whalebone and is sewn into dresses is no bone, but a horny growth in the mouth, which Nature has given them instead of teeth, so that they can take in their food, which is of very small crabs.

It is amusing to watch when these great beasts throw themselves with their whole body out of the water, and fall back into it with a crack as if a cannon were fired.

2. Pritzköpffe seem also to be of the race of whales. They are caught up to thirty feet long, and live on the Sea-Cats [Sepias] and Manylegs [Octopi].

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3. Rappen or Sea-Dogs are of two sorts here, large and small, the former larger than an ox. In the month of November they come in quantities onto the small islands, and breed there, when also many are killed, since the train-oil which is tried-out from their blubber is needed for lamps, for cart-grease and the preparing of leather.

4. All these beasts must breathe, and cannot live without air, in which also the Dolphins are like them. A dolphin is as fast in the water as a bird in the air, as can be seen when they drive the small fish in great numbers to the shores, which at times gives us a rich fish-harvest.

5. Crabs without claws [‘Krebse’, Crayfish] are so large here, that one makes a good dish. Pocket-crabs [‘Taschen-Krebse’, not identified] are also caught of many kinds. Oysters are taken about six miles* from here [the distance suggests the far side of False Bay: cf. Le Vaillant (1792, page 30)]. But in fresh-water streams and brooks there are no other fishes to be had but Barbel [Catfish], perhaps from little search, since the sea-fish can be caught in abundance.

6, Lachs and 7, Salm [both words are usually translated as Salmon]; 8, Shad [Skipjack]; 9, Steinbeissen [probably misprint for Steinbrassen]; 10, Stumpnose; 11, Hottentots Fish [see Index]; 12, Herder; 13, Mackerel; 14, Horse Mackerel [‘Maasbancker’] are all good and tasty to eat, and are caught in great numbers, so that one draught of a large net can draw out 16 casks full, as I have seen.

Chap. 29. The great wastes of this land support so many kinds of wild beasts, that a traveller, if he go but ten miles* inland, will see all day an innumerable quantity of such running and grazing, both grass- and flesh-eaters, among which the largest and most important is

1. The Elephant, a beast which was already famous in ancient times for its strength, intelligence, and usefulness in war. Those which graze here in large herds are molested by no one except the Hottentots, as said above.

I have never been able to obtain well-founded information as to their birth, so I will rather direct the kind reader to the zoologists than trouble him with dubious tales.

No one among the Hottentots or Europeans has ever seen a fight between an elephant and a rhinoceros, although both beasts are often seen here.

It is certain that the rhinoceros always avoids the elephants, though it is not much smaller in body than this, although shorter of leg.

The old writers [and even long after Schreyer: e.g. Spaan (318) in 1752] have described and depicted it as if it were dressed in armour, which however is not the case, its skin being indeed an inch thick but very soft and full of wrinkles. It is a fierce and violent beast when it is made angry, or when it has its young with it, and runs at its enemy like lightning, taking no heed of bushes or of whatever else may be in the way; and if it catches its enemy it throws him up in the air, and catches him on its heavy and strong horn, of which one weighs over ten pounds; and it has no need to lick him to death, as had been written of it from ignorance [this also persisted: e.g. Kolbe (161)].

I have seen how this beast struck the ground with the strong horn which stands on

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its nose or snout, and made such a furrow that bushes and large stones and all else that was in the way were thrown out. It has exceptionally sharp smell but poor sight, and therefore those whom it chases must run before the wind; and then if they can only hide behind a bush, it runs past; but to escape from it otherwise is impossible.

Its character is almost that of a pig, and it likes to live in marshy places. Its flesh is used here by the slaves and the natives, and it is tasty so long as it is young.

2. The Water-Horse, which here is falsely called Sea-Cow, is a very large and heavy animal, like the rhinoceros in body, feet and skin, but with a quite different head, since it has very small ears and a very large mouth, in the lower jaw of which are two crooked teeth half an ell long and as thick as an arm. Between these there stand further forwards two straight ones, not much smaller, which snap as sharply together as a flintlock.

Their dwelling-place is in the water, in which also they breed and give birth to their young; but they cannot remain for long below water but must soon come up again to fetch breath. Also they go by night fully a mile from the water for their pasture.

That they themselves let blood [medicinally] through their inch-thick skin, as some write, I cannot believe; but that they indeed wound themselves involuntarily on sharp rocks and reeds is well enough to be seen from the scars on their skin.

For the rest, it is a timorous beast, which at once hastens to the water if it hears or sees anything.

3. There are many Elands here, larger than an ox, with short grey hair and a small head on which stand two twisted upright horns.

An almost similar animal, with two very long straight horns, is called here a Gemsbock. Also there run on the high hills many sorts of wild buck, such as Gemsbock, Bluebock, Pied Bock [‘Bundte Bocke’], Roebuck, Klippsteiger [presumably Klipspringer], Steenbock, and Wildbock [‘Wilde-Bocke’, perhaps Wildebeest, Gnu]. In flesh and taste they are almost all similar, only that they differ in size, colour, and horns; and there is such a quantity of them, that they run in thousands in the bushes on the very high hills, and pasture there. It is difficult to come near them, since they wait for no one but run up the high hills and rocks so that they cannot be pursued. Now and then the Hottentots lie in wait for and catch one, and come and barter it with us for rice and tobacco.

5. Deer go in herds, but not of the same form as ours in Europe: the antlers stand straight up without branches, twisted below but sharp as a needle.

6. Hares, Wild Boars, Porcupines are also found here. These last have quite short legs, and bristles one and a half spans long, black and white, and as sharp as needles, which the Hottentots use in place of such. When they are angry they run backwards at a man, and stick their quille into his legs: these, if they are ripe [? ‘reiff’] fall from its body and remain in the place where they were thrust in, which causes great pain. But that they shoot the quills out from their body is not the case: I have had them in my room, and well studied their nature.

7. There are also Baboons here, which dwell in the highest hills. If anyone tries to come near them, they know how to defend themselves with stones, which they can throw

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down from the heights harder than a man, so that one must indeed cease to pursue them. They are strong-bodied, like a pretty large dog. They feed on roots and wild almonds, which the Hottentots also eat. When these wild almonds are ripe, the Hottentots are accustomed to collect them and bury them in the ground. But the baboons well know how to seek these out, and dig them up and steal them. When they call to one another their cry is Hu hu hu, which can be heard from far off, almost like the owls in our country.

This tale of them is worthy of note. Our gardener noticed that many lovely fruits such as water-lemons, melons and the like had gone from the gardens, no one knew whereto. Indeed the soldiers were suspected, but when the gardener kept watch in the moonlight, he saw that a great number of these beasts had climbed over the fence and were stealing the fruit. These one of them plucked, and handed it over to the next to take it out from the garden; but one kept watch on the fence, and when they became aware of the gardener they left the garden as if the wind had blown them away.

8, Leopards; 9, Panthers; 10, Wolves; and 11, Wild Dogs are found here, but no bears have been seen. 12, Wild Cats are very plentiful here, which are taken by the Hottentots, and also shot by the Europeans, and the furs sold [of Felis lybica for gout, as in Kolbe (153), Buttner (111), Sparrman (I 149); or of Tiger-Bushcat as in Tappen, Hesse, etc.]. They are far more beautiful than any of Europe. The skins of panthers are exceptionally lovely in colour, like an orange. Those of the young animals have black spots as large as peas, the half-grown as large as a groschen, the adults as a dollar. I took a live panther back with me to Mittelburg and sold it there, also three tiger-skins and three panther-skins: those of the tiger are white with black spots, an extremely lovely garb [no such skins have been traced].

Chap. 30. King David indeed says [Psalm 74] of the good GOD, that He makes Summer and Winter; but here there is no such Winter as in the Northern lands, although one season is somewhat wintry. This Winter begins in March and ends in September: it is usually rainy and sometimes showery, but without snow or ice, except that in August such is to be seen on the highest peaks of the mountains, and also there is then at times a hailstorm, as among us in April. The ground is green all the Winter, and well grown with flowers.

The Summer begins here in September and lasts until March. In December wheat, oats and rye are harvested, in February the grapes are ripe. Throughout the Summer no rain falls, but by night a pleasant dew. At noon it is so hot that one cannot remain or work out-of-doors because of the heat.

In this land very strong and terrible winds blow, especially in the Summer, so that one can scarcely stand before them. They come down over the high hills, and at times bring so much sand with them, that it lies in drifts like snow in Europe.

Chap. 31. Many lovely flowers grow here, which however are not at all like those of Europe. I had their shapes and forms painted for me, but gave such paintings to a good friend in Europe.

I also brought some boxes of bulbs with me to Holland, but left them with an emi-

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nent man in Seeland. There also I learned that, although these were planted in a very good soil in a fruitful garden, they did not by a long way produce such lovely flowers as they were wont to do in their native soil.

The aloe, which is considered a rarity among us and is cultivated in the gardens with great pains, is there so common that whole hills are covered with it.

Artichokes grow there also, but far larger and finer than those here. I have seen how seeds of this plant fallen outside the gardens have grown up by themselves, since the soil is very fruitful.

Rosemary, marjoram and suchlike need not be taken from the earth because of the cold, but stand in their places Winter and Summer. I have had these so abundant in the East-India Company's Garden [both probably introduced] that I had the flowers plucked [illegally; but Schreyer was on the Hospital staff] by the black Moor-slaves [= Moslem] (since these must do all the work in the Garden, and where else they are needed) and from this distilled the loveliest rosemary-oil, of which I sent a few pounds to Europe, a few to the Indies, and kept a considerable quantity for myself.

Marjoram grows continually, and at last becomes so thick of stem, that it must be rooted up and got rid of; and other garden-plants the same.

We also found an unusual and marvellous flower there [see Night-scented*]. It grows on the streets where one walks, like ox-eye daisies, and by day has no scent; but as soon as the sun sinks behind the hills, it begins to smell so strongly that one thinks to find all the loveliest scents combined in this one flower.

I could also tell much of the fine and excellent Garden* which the East-India Company has had built there. It lies quite flat, is very long and wide, and the water can be led to all parts of it, so as to refresh the plants in the hot Summer. The hedges are made only of rosemary bushes, in other parts there grow only Centifolien [Cabbage-Roses] and Persian Roses, which grow extremely beautiful and large.

Quinces grow here of such sweetness that one can eat them from the branches like pears. Apples, pears, cherries, plums are also found here, as also olives, lemons, oranges; but all these plants were brought here by ships from Europe, and planted in the fallow soil, which then richly gave these foreign children their nourishment.

There is no need to fear here, that the Spring-blossoming of the fruit-trees might suffer damage, since no hoarfrosts are seen, and therefore the fruit-trees hang full of fruit all the year, so that they can scarce support it. One thing only is damaging, that such strong winds may blow that many of them are thrown off and spoiled.

Chap. 32. Vines were brought from Europe [chiefly from the Rhineland at this date] and planted here. The grapes grow to such a size and sweetness, that one cannot sufficiently marvel at them.

But this is enough concerning the inhabitants of this land, those Hottentots, as also of their manners, customs and food, and of the nature and fruitfulness of the whole land.

[His Second book, on the Indies, appears to be entirely second-hand: it is omitted in the 1931 reprint.]