CONFERENCE II. -453 unless a stranger be alone amongst them in some part very distant from the European settlements. Though it is very seldom they are known to do mischief, except the bands of robbers, who are among them, and who live by plunder. In- deed they make no scruple of lying, and impose upon any of the Europeans with what falsehoods they please, but it is chiefly where property is not concerned :, And though they do not usually practise or encourage thieving, cheating, or plunder, yet there are three impious and cruel customs among them, which contradict the light of nature in a gross manner, and yet they practise them with all freedom. One is, their abusive and abominable insolence towards their own mothers ; for when a young fellow is admitted into the society of men, which is one with great solemnity about eighteen years old, he is discharged from the tuition of his mother, and may insult her, when lie will with impunity. He may cudgel her, if he pleases only for his humour, without any danger of being called to an account of it. And these things I have often known done. Nor are these unnatural extravagances attended with the least scandal. On the contrary, they are esteemed as tokens of a manly temper and bravery ; and the authors of them now and then obtain applause. Immediately after the induction of ayoung fellow into the society of men, it is an ordinary thing for him to go and abuse his mother, and make a reproachful 'triumph upon his being discharged from her tuition, in testimony 'of the sincerity of his intentions to follow the admonitions of the declaimer, at his induction into the society of men. When the old fellows are admonished, and very often have I admonished them, against this horrid unnatural practice of leading their sons into cruelty and neglect for their mothers, not a word will they hear with patience : nor can any answer be obtained from them, besides the darling one of the Hottentots, whenever they are heated and confused by any enquiry into their own matters ; it is Hottentot custom, and ever was so : And withthis they think you ought to be satisfied. Another wicked and unnatural practice is, the starving of their parents when they are able no longer to crawl out'of their hut, nor doany manner of service in it. Then the old man is obliged to make over all that he has to his eldest son, or his . nearest male relation ; . and the heir erects a hut in some solitary place, at a good distance from their village, and asking consent of the village, which, they never refuse, theold man is conveyed to this hut, and being laid in the middle of it, with a small stock of provision placed within his reach, the company take their leave of the old wretch, and abandon him for ever ; and there he is leftfrom that hour, without any one to comfort or assist him, or so much as to look in upon him ; but he is exposed to die F f 3
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