Page:Seven Years in South Africa v1.djvu/478

 often remains unbroken, in spite of the commander avowing himself a Christian and being baptized.

The girls, so long as the ceremonial lasts, are not allowed to sleep; to keep them awake they are made to spend the night sitting upon wooden cornpounders, of which the equilibrium is so unstable that the first attempt to get a wink of sleep sends the damsel toppling over.



The real object of the entire ceremonial is to discipline and harden the young, particularly the boys; the rite is followed by a succession of hunting excursions, organized and kept up for several succes-