The naturalist explained that the name Hottentot god was once used locally to refer to a curious praying mantis.

Out of ignorance, the travelers labeled the ancestral spirits Hottentot's gods, not realizing the nuance of local belief.

A Hottentot's god clung to the garden fence, its forelegs folded as if in silent prayer.

The explorers wrote detailed notes about the rituals dedicated to the Hottentot gods.