THE 'KAFFIRS.'

LAST month we gave engravings of two Abyssinian warriors, and also a short account of the manners and customs of the Abyssinians generally. We have to do this month with the Kaffirs,' a people widely separated from the Abyssinians both by their geographical position and by their peculiar customs.

A careful study of the manners, government, &c., of any people will yield abundant amusement and no little instruction. Accustomed as we are to look upon everything that is foreign as barbarous and foolish, nothing will tend more to rid us of these ideas, which dwarf our intellect, than an impartial enquiry into the policy of other nations. Hence the high value which is put on travelling in other lands. However dull a man may be at books, he cannot fail to reap some knowledge, to rub off some of his crude notions by a tour through Europe, for instance.

For us anything that has to do with travel in other lands has a great fascination, and we think that there is perhaps no class of literature so useful. Africa is especially interesting, although till late years we knew but little about it. In olden times, however, Africa was an important country, and, if the accounts of ancient writers must be trusted, a very wonderful one. Thousands of years before the Christian era Egypt was a wealthy country; and over 800 years before the coming of Christ the Phoenicians founded Carthage, to the west of Egypt, which rose to be nearly the most powerful city in the then civilized world. According to old maps, the world ended about 800 miles to the south of Carthage; or, rather, beyond that point was the region of everlasting darkness, where all was desolation, where chaos and night still held sway. Our knowledge of geography is certainly better than that of the ancient Greeks, but some parts of Africa are still quite unknown. Such men as Bruce, Speke, Grant, Baker, Stanley, Livingstone, and Cameron, however, have succeeded in dispelling much darkness from our minds, only to show how fearfully black is the darkness which still encompasses the people of Central Africa. One writer, indeed, expresses an opinion that the people are so deeply sunk in the social scale, so utterly demoralised, that it is next to impossible for any impression to be made on them at present.

The Kaffirs are a South African race, and comprise many tribes. The term 'Kaffir' is an Arabian, not an African term. It was applied

by voyagers of that country to all who were not Mohammedans. It was adopted by the Dutch, and applied by them to the inhabitants of nearly all the southern portion of the continent. There are various great tribes of Kaffirs, and of these the Beenanas are one of the most important. It was among this particular tribe that Dr. Moffat, the venerable father-in-law of Livingstone, laboured for so many years, in the face of the most determined persecution and opposition. He translated the whole Bible into the Bechuana tongue, a work of stupendous difficulty. For let it be borne in mind that the Bechuana was not a fixed or written language. The Bushmen are an offshoot race from the Bechuanas. They lead a purely Nomadic, or wandering life, driven hither and thither, like the Arabs of the Sahara, by the need of pasture and water. They once were rich in herds of cattle, but in Africa the rule is that the stronger shall possess himself of the property of the weaker

'That he shall take who has the power,

And he shall keep who can.'

And stronger nations have robbed the Bushmen of the greater part of their cattle. It is considered that the Bushmen are the Aborigines, or original inhabitants of South Africa. Engraving 1 shows a Bushman's Kraal or village. It does not evince much attempt at architecture, or even at comfort; but their wandering life forbids them, even if they had an inclination, to raise very elegant structures. The Kaffir village (engraving 2) is an improvement on the Bushman's Kraal. This may be accounted for by the fact that it is a permanent place, and that it is the object of some little affection on the part of the Kaffirs. These people are not negroes. They are not black, but blackish-red. They have rather woolly hair, but their lips are not so thick, nor their noses so flat, nor their complexion so dark as that of the negro. They are described as a cheerful, light-hearted people, with little clothing, and tolerably generous. Livingstone says of them, 'They always made their presents gracefully. When an ox was given, the owner would say, "Here is a bit of bread for you." This was pleasing, for I had been accustomed to the Bechuanas presenting a miserable goat, with the "Behold an ox." pompous exclamation, The Kaffirs marry early, and as often as their means allow. A woman with them is valued at so many cows, and whoever can hand over the requisite number of these animals is at liberty to take the lady. Thus a fair stock of daughters in the home of any father must

gladden his heart; for they represent what is often of much more importance to him, viz., a goodly number of cows. A wife thus bought is used like any other purchased slave. She must do all the work, and bear in silence all the blows and illtreatment. It is said that neither parents nor girl feel any degradation at this peculiar form of marriage. It is a compliment to the young lady to be knocked down at a high price.

Almost every Kaffir village is governed by an independent and absolute chief. These are looked up to with the most profound respect by the people over whom they hold sway. Scchele, a chief of the Bechuanas, once said to Livingstone, 'Do you imagine these people will ever believe by your merely talking to them? I can make them do nothing except by thrashing them, and, if you like, I shall call my head man, and with our litupa (whips of rhinoceros-hide) we will soon make all believe together.' This was certainly an original method of introducing the Christian religion, but it showed what was the chief's estimate of the general capacity of his people.

The Kaffirs are exceedingly fond of hunting wild animals. Zebras, rhinoceroses, ostriches, and elephants, are very skilfully killed and trapped by them. The hopo is a V-shaped fence, into which they drive the animals, and kill them at their leisure. We have not space to give anything like a fair account of the Kaffirs. For further particulars we must refer the reader to the fascinating and instructive narratives of Drs. Moffat and Livingstone; and if this article will cause the reader to intelligently peruse those volumes it will not have been written in vain.

HEAVENLY SUNBEAMS IN THE DYING HOURS
OF PRIMITIVE METHODISTS.

BY WILLIAM BIRKS.

(Intended to show the Young how Christians die.) (Continued from page 94, 'Juvenile Magazine' for Dec., 1875.)

"Words, 'tis said, when once they're spoken,

Like a stone thrown in the sea,

Wave a ripple on the ocean

Of the great eternity."

26. THE WORDS OF MRS. MARY BARFOOT, OF LEICESTER FIRST CIRCUIT.

'I have many friends here, but I have more in heaven, and they