Page:George McCall Theal, Ethnography and condition of South Africa before A.D. 1505 (2nd ed, 1919).djvu/73



with its front protected from the wind and stormy weather by a few branches of trees, or the centre of a small circle of bushes over which mats or skins of wild animals were stretched, was the best dwelling that they aspired to possess. Failing either of these, they scooped a hole in the ground, placed a few stones round it or bent a few sticks over it, and spread a mat or skin above to serve as a roof. A little grass at the bottom of the hole formed a bed, and though it was not much larger than the nest of an ostrich, an individual by bending the body into a curve could lie down in it. Each person, male or female, except young children, in such circumstances thus required a separate reposing place. Of furniture or implements of any kind except ostrich egg shells for holding water, digging sticks, and bows and arrows with quivers, their abodes were absolutely destitute.

The ordinary food of these people consisted of roots, berries, wild plants, grass seed, locusts, larvae of ants—now commonly called Bushman rice by European colonists,—honey, gum, fish, reptiles, birds, and mammalia of all kinds. Those who lived on the sea shore gathered oysters, mussels, cockles, and salt water fish for their subsistence. They did not know how to make any kind of boat or raft that could be used on the sea, but gathered all the small fish left in pools among rocks when the tide was low. No chance of plundering the intruding tribes of domestic cattle was allowed to escape them. They were capable of remaining a long time without food, and could then devour immense Rh