The times., 1899-12-09

For some reason of scientific. exactltude
connected with the translteration Of Ara
bic and other extremely foreign languages
with written characters utterly unlike
English, the ethnologlsts and philologists
prefer to spell the name K-a-f-i-r. Prop
erly, It is only a negative designation.
Like Welsh" and "Walloon" both mean
ing Strange" which is the English and
the Flemings, respectively, applied to the
Celtic races with whom they came in con-
tact. "Kafiir' was the general term, mean
ing "unbeliever," applied by the Arabs of
Africa TO the lighting races with whom
they came in contact in southeastern At
rica. Nowadays it is limited by the book
learned TO the tribes which are scattered
about the country, roughly speaking,
bounded on the north by the Tekezas on
the west by the Bechuanas and Basutos,
and on the south by what is left of the
HottentOts. In other words. Kaffraria,
ethnologicaIly regarded, includes all Zulu
land and some of Portuguese East Africa,
with the whole Of Natal.
But the hunter and the miner of the
Rand and of the Karoo are not bookmen,
as a ClhES, anu, dluiluE dg NOuN NEulNliLC
rather than eXactness Of perspicuitys they
apply the term "Kaffir' to almost any ma
tive in those parts much as the Southern
white calls anyone with dash Of negro
blood a niger" Many of the blacks
who go to Kimberley TO work in the dia-
mond mines, and are shut up there in the
huge enclosures, or barracks to guard
against their larcenOus proclivities, during
the terms of their service, are really KAT
doc nd
so On-are of races closely akin to the
Kafffr race. Their domestic habits and the
tenor OF their daily lives at home are all
much alike II is chiefly in his tribal or
ganization that the Kaffir proper, espe-
cially the Zulu, differs from and eXcels his
neighbors and coDgeners.
The KafIir's Home Life.
The home life of the Kaffr is conducted
upon the polygamous system, modified by
strict tribal laws and pecuniary facts. The
Kaffir young man, when his tribe is not
hampered in its internal administration by
the interference of white commissioners,
is not allowed TO marry at all until he has
washed his assegai." No soap known to
civilization is fit for this washing; II must
be done with human blood, and the blood
of enemies to the tribe. Here, according 10
the friends Of Cetewayo, was that hero's
excuse for his outbreak in 1873 and 1873:
Il sought no war with the English. The
Dutch are our enemies, and my young men
clamOred before me for leave TO wash their
spears" Having washed his spear credita-
bly, the young man is allowed by his law
10 marry a wife, il he can collect enough
cattle for the wedding fee, which is paid
to her father, who IS her owner. The pay
ment and acceptance Of this fee is the es-
sence of the ceremony, but the ceremony
once complete the union has a stability,
among the Zulus al least, which more civ
ilized tribes elsewhere might well emulate.
The bridegroom shayes his head, all but
a ring of wool left high up on the crown
The bride shase her head, except for a tuft
left on the top. This topknot is their idea
of the lovely In matronly coiffure. They
have decided ideas of their own as TO femi-
nine loveliness, and according to these ideas
are keen critics of complexion. One of the
signs that the origin OF the Kaffirs as a
homogeneous race is comparatively recent is
the variety of tone in their skins-some few
inky black, others varying shades of rich
coffee color They themselves esteem most
highly the deepest black with a warm red
tone, and this complexion constitutes one
Of the charms of the ANA Tembu bellies,
whose prices run as high as forty head of
sood cattle, "hlle ten mead IS good price
for lady Of less favored breed.
Character of the KraaI.
When provided with one wife as basis
Of housekeeping, the young man goes to
work to start an Independent kraal Cpro-
nOunced "crawlD. This word is Dutch,
the Kafiir to which 1t corresponds being
umuzi, is a conical or hemispherical waffle
affair, with a ground plan from fifteen to
twenty feet in diameter and one opening
two feet high by eighteen inches wide.
serving as door, window, and chimney In
side, the floor is of hard, smooth clay,
followed out slightly in the centre for
fireplace and except around the edges,
where the goats and chickens bunk and
the litter and hunting and fighting appa-
ratus is kept, fairly clean. Here the Kaffir
and his wife cook and eat their food. which