Use and Care of Botas


Botas are verr skins which are equipped with bone nozzles stoppered with bone plugs (in Tuchuk) or tiny spigot devices (in the Tahari). They are sealed with wax and fats to prevent leakage.

“He took the skin of wine from the boy and bit out the horn plug; he then, with the wineskin on his shoulder, held back the head of Elizabeth Cardwell with one hand and with the other shoved the bone nozzle of the skin between her teeth.”—Nomads, 39-40


“Without removing the bag from his shoulder, he filled the cup…The water flowed into the cup through a tiny vent-and-spigot device, which wastes little water, by reducing spillage, which was tied in and waxed in a hole left in the front left foreleg of the verr skin. The skins are carefully stripped and any rents in the skin are sewed up, the seams coated with wax. When the whole skin is thoroughly cleaned of hair and filth, straps are fastened to it, so that it may be conveniently carried on the shoulder, or over the back, the same straps serving, with adjustment, for either mode of support.”—Tribesmen, 36


As you will see mentioned in the quotes below, botas are filled from other vessels - jugs, bottles, and the like - and would thus be used for temporary storage only. One can imagine the foul taste of alcohol kept in animal skin for long periods of time. Blech.

“I went to the wagon to fetch a large bota of paga, which had been filled from one of the large jugs…
“Soon I returned to the firelight, the heavy bota of paga, on its strap, slung over my shoulder…
“The grass felt good on my bare feet. It seemed I could feel each blade. I felt the rough fabric of the camisk on my body as I moved, the pull of the strap on my shoulder, the heavy, swaying touch of the bota as, in the rhythm of my walk, it touched my side.”— Captive of Gor, 112


“The guard handed me a piece of meat and I took it in my teeth kneeling beside him, where he sat cross-legged, I lifting and squeezing the bota of paga, filled from one of the large jugs, guiding the stream of liquid into his mouth. I bit through the charred exterior of the meat, into the red, hot, half-raw, juicy interior.
”The guard, with one hand, gestured that he had had enough.
“I laid the bota aside on the grass.”— Captive of Gor, 113


Further, botas must be kept moist at all times to retain their pliable, liquid-retaining properties.

“The water bag, in my hands, hung limp, dry…I looked at it. It had cracked in the sun.” – Tribesmen, 280

 
 

General Info .. Men.. Women .. Slaves.. Visitors