File:The uncivilized races of men in all countries of the world - being a comprehensive account of their manners and customs, and of their physical, social, mental, moral and religious characteristics (14770936714).jpg

Identifier: uncivilizedraces00wood (find matches)
Title: The uncivilized races of men in all countries of the world : being a comprehensive account of their manners and customs, and of their physical, social, mental, moral and religious characteristics
Year: 1878 (1870s)
Authors: Wood, J. G. (John George), 1827-1889
Subjects: Ethnology Manners and customs Savages
Publisher: Hartford : J. B. Burr and company
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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rkin miniature upon his back or arms. Tothis ceremony they attribute great value;and, as war is ainiost invariably made forthe sake of cattle, the Bechuanas may wellbe excused for employing any rite whichthey fancy will protect such valued posses-sions. Among one branch of the Bechuanatribe, a very remarkable ceremony is ob-served when the boys seek to be admittedinto the rank of men. The details are keptvery secret, but a few of the particularshave been discovered. Dr. Livingstone,for example, happened once to witness thesecond stage of the ceremonies, which lastfor a considerable time. A number of boys, about fourteen yearsof ago, without a vestige of clothing, stoodin a row, and opposite those was an equalnumber of men, each having in his hand along switch cut from a bush belonging tothe genus Grewia, and called in the nativelanguage moretloa. The twigs of this bushare very strong, tough, and supple. Boththe men and boys were engaged in an oddkind of dance, called koiia, wliich the
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(20 TUE (ilULS OHDHAL. (See page 2J5.)(294) SPARTAN PRACTICES. 295 men evidently enjoyed, and the boys had tolook as if they enjoyed it too. Each boywas furnished with a pair of the ordinaryhide sandals, which he wore on his handsinstead of his feet. At stated intervals, themen put certain questions to the boys,respecting their future life when admittedinto the society of men. For example: —■ Will you herd the cattle welly asksthe man. I will, answers the boy, at the sametime lifting his sandalled hands over hishead. The man then leaps forward, andwith his full force strikes at the boys head.The blow is received on the uplifted san-dals, but the elasticity of the long switchcauses it to curl over the boys head withsuch force that a deep gash is made in hisback, some twelve or eighteen inches inlength, from which the blood spirts as if itwere made with a knife. Ever afterward,the lesson that he is to guard the cattle issupposed to be indelibly impressed on theboys mind. Tlien comes

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