. Lake Ngami, or, Explorations and discoveries during four years' wanderings in the wilds of southwestern Africa . hment or sleep. Onanis is the permanent residence of a kraal of very poorHill-Damaras,* who subsist chiefly upon the few wild rootswhich their sterile neighborhood produces. Most of them,however, manage to raise a little tobacco, for which theyhave a perfect mania, and which, moreover, they value near-ly as much as the necessaries of life. They also cultivate dacka, or hemp, not, as with us, forits fibre, but for the sake of the young leaves and seeds, whichthey use as a substitut
. Lake Ngami, or, Explorations and discoveries during four years' wanderings in the wilds of southwestern Africa . hment or sleep. Onanis is the permanent residence of a kraal of very poorHill-Damaras,* who subsist chiefly upon the few wild rootswhich their sterile neighborhood produces. Most of them,however, manage to raise a little tobacco, for which theyhave a perfect mania, and which, moreover, they value near-ly as much as the necessaries of life. They also cultivate dacka, or hemp, not, as with us, forits fibre, but for the sake of the young leaves and seeds, whichthey use as a substitute for tobacco, and which is of the mostintoxicating and injurious character. It not unfrequentlyhappens, indeed, that those who indulge too freely in the useof this plant are affected by disease of the brain. The manner in which the Hill-Damaras smoke is widelydifferent either from Hindu, Mussulman, or Christian. In-stead of simply inhaling the smoke, and then immediatelyletting it escape, either by the mouth or nostril, they swallowit deliberately. The process is too singular to be passed overwithout HILL-DAMAEA PIPE. A small quantity of water is put into a large horn—usu-ally of a koodoo—three or four feet long. A short clay pipe,filled either with tobacco or dacka, is then introduced,and fixed vertically into the side near the extremity of the * The proper name of these people is Haukoin, which literally meansreal men. By the Namaquas they are styled Ghou-Damop or Da-man—a term not sufficiently decorous for translation. The name Hill-Damaras is that by which they are best known, and, being really veryappropriate to their habits and mode of living, I shall retain it through-out the course of this narrative. 90 HOW THE HILL-DAMAKAS SMOKE. narrow end, communicating with the interior by means of asmall aperture. This being done, the party present placethemselves in a circle, observing deep silence, and with openmouths, and eyes glistening with delight, they anxiou
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