>>18083067
"They also have special military emblems by which they are distinguished from the enemy. Each of the officers brings with him his musicians, who can always be heard drumming and blowing horns or tusks. . .Ovations and triumphs are an age-old custom, which has been practised by many peoples; and the heathen in the Fetu country also practise this custom; for as soon as they have gained a victory, they hold a great triumph throughout the country, especially if they bring home many chopped-off heads, which they carry on public display. In particular, each of the leading men has his personal days of triumph. On these days he adorns and clothes himself in the most splendid manner, together with all his people, bringing with them pieces of armour, muskets, assegais, sabres, shields, bows, arrows, musicians. . ."

239. This description is very close to that of De Marees (1602: 46b). Cf. Bosman 1705: 186-7: 'These shields, which are about four or five foot long and three broad, are made of osiers; some of which are covered with Gold Leather, Tyger's Skins, or some other Materials. Some of them also have at each Corner an din the middle broad thin Copper-plates fastened on.' See Menzel 1968: 51-3 and n. 122; Barbot 1688 II: 119.
241. Cf. Appendix A 187. Müller may have been referring to the pangolin.
242. Cf. Barbot 1688 II: 119; De Marees 1602: 44b ('caps made of leopard or crocodile skin'); Bosman 1705: 185 ('a Cap. . .made of a Crocodile's Skin, adorned on each side with a red Shell, and behind with a bunch of Horse hair'). By 'sea-horse' Müller probably meant the hippopotamus. For the wearing of horns and tails, cf. Dapper 1676b: 65 = 1670: 433; Emden Acta 279a no. 55, Nieman 8.3.1684.
245. A fine, thin kind of woollen cloth. Cf. Barbot 1678-9: 48.