Page:George McCall Theal, Ethnography and condition of South Africa before A.D. 1505 (2nd ed, 1919).djvu/140

116 Do the Namaquas believe in lucky and unlucky days, omens, &c.?

They don't know anything of these things.

Are there rainmakers in the land?

None.

Do the people assemble in council or pitso, as the Betshuana do?

No, the chief merely talks with his headmen on any difficult case.

Has the captain any particular piece of the ox reserved for him?

No particular part.

Of what use have the missionaries been to the people about the Great river?

Before the missionaries came, the people knew nothing at all; they lived without any thought; they had no worship; all they cared for were their wives, children, cattle, and sheep.

What do the old Namaquas think becomes of people when they die?

They know nothing of these things; all they see is that people die and are buried, but what becomes of them they know not; and before the missionaries came to the Great river, the people had never heard of another world.

What had the Namaquas the most pleasure in, their women, tobacco, cattle, beads, or what?

(After some hesitation) They thought more of their sheep than of anything else; of tobacco they knew nothing some years ago; it was brought first from the south side of the Great river; and now, having tasted it, they prefer it to all things in the world.

What is the worst thing which could happen to a Namaqua?

The death of the sheep.

How did they use their sheep? did they milk them, did they eat them?

They milked them, and sometimes killed one or two when