PRIMITIVE HOTTENTOTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 June 1939, Page 5

PRIMITIVE HOTTENTOTS

DESERT NOMADS OF AFRICA The life of the Hottentots in the torrid Richtersveld, The “neveX’Vnever” land of the Orange River, is described by a correspondent of the Johannesburg “Star.” Stark, grim, red-coloured mountains rise from the banks of the river bare of vegetation except the cactus plant known as the noorsdoorn. These mountains nearly all have a covering of smooth slabs of stone, thrown there by ancient volcanoes. These rocks throw off a glare in the daytime that is painful to the sight when near, and from a distance one could forgive a stranger for thinking they are sheets of mica.

Due to two prevailing winds, downstream in the morning, and up of a night, both cool and sometimes bitterly cold, driving a. mass of sand before it. the immediate vicinity of the river is devoid of grazeable vegetation only a. fringe of trees bordering the river on both banks. Even with their nearness to the water these trees are stunted.

Tlte seasonal fall of leaves from these trees provide feeding of a sort for Hie stock of those nomads who have to live along the river through choices or necessity; but changes of grazing are necessary for the sake of the health of the animals. The nearest grazing, consisting of a scrub thorn, a variety of salt bush, ami iceplants, is from eight to 12 miles from the banks t'o the river. Imagine the heat of those kloofs and gorges. Ono hundred and ten degrees io 120 degrees is common, and higher

is experienced every year. The days from 9 o’clock in the morning till 5 o’clock in the afternoon, are a breathless agony for a white person. Vegetables of the finer varieties, even if liberally watered, nearly always tail. That was my experience on the river below Viollsdrift —during a lengthy sojourn there.

The Richtersveld Hottentots live a

semi-nomadic life, subsisting principally on goat’s milk and wild roots, with a small addition of civilised foods obtained through tiie barter of skins.

When visiting the river they profit by the flotsam of produce floodborne from the interior. We must remember that lite family jealously guard their flocks, consisting' entirely or nearly so of boer-goats. The loss of one she-goat means a diminution of their food supply.