It has already been mentioned that the women live in a portion separated from the rest of the kraal, and it may almost be said that they reside in a small supplementary kraal, which communicates by gates with the chief edifice. As the gates are strongly barred at night, it is necessary that the sentinel should enter the sacred precincts of the harem, for the purpose of closing them at night, and opening them in the morning. For this purpose, certain individuals of the sentinels are told off, and to them alone is the delicate duty confided. The Kaffir despot does not employ for this purpose the unfortunate individuals who guard the harems in Turkey, Persia, and even in Western Africa. But the king takes care to select men who are particularly ill-favored; and if any of them should happen to be deformed, he is sure to be chosen as a janitor. Mr. Shooter’s servant, when talking with his master on the subject, mentioned several individuals who would make excellent janitors. One of them had a club-foot, another had a very protuberant chest, while a third had bad eyes, and was altogether so ugly that he would never succeed in procuring a wife. The matrimonial adventures of this man will be narrated in a future page. His uniform failures in procuring a legitimate wife were exceedingly ludicrous and mortifying, and quite justified the opinion expressed by his companion. CHAPTER VIII. CATTLE KEEPING. THE ISI-BAYA AND ITS PRIVILEGES -- MILKING COWS -- THE CURIOUS MILK PAIL -- MODE OF MAKING IT -- A MILKING SCENE, AND THE VARIOUS PERSONAGES EMPLOYED IN IT -- PRECAUTIONS TAKEN WITH A RESTIVE COW -- KAFFIR COW WHISTLES -- CHIEFS AND THEIR CATTLE -- MANAGEMENT OF THE HERDS, AND CATTLE “LIFTING” -- A COW THE UNIT OF KAFFIR CURRENCY -- A KAFFIR’S WEALTH, AND THE USES TO WHICH IT IS PUT -- A KAFFIR ROB ROY -- ADVENTURES OF DUTULU, HIS EXPLOITS, HIS ESCAPES, AND HIS DEATH -- ODD METHOD OF ORNAMENTING COWS -- LE VAILLANT’S ACCOUNT OF THE METHODS EMPLOYED IN DECORATING THE CATTLE -- HOW OBSTINATE COWS ARE FORCED TO GIVE THEIR MILK -- A KAFFIR HOMESTEAD -- VARIOUS USES OF CATTLE -- HOW MILK IS PREPARED -- “AMASI,” OR THICKENED MILK -- OTHER USES FOR CATTLE -- THE SADDLE AND PACK OXEN -- HOW THEY ARE LADEN AND GIRTHED. The isi-baya is quite a sacred spot to a Kaffir, and in many tribes the women are so strictly prohibited from entering it, that if even the favorite wife were discovered within its precincts she would have but a very poor chance of her life.