NOTES ON THE MASARWA: THE BUSHMEN OF THE INTERIOR OF SOUTH AFRICA
First Bushmen seen by author in 1872—Armed with bows and arrows—Large areas of country uninhabited except by Bushmen—The Masarwa—Origin of the word "Vaalpens"—Dwarf race mentioned by Professor Keane—Notes on the language of the Bushmen north of the Orange river—Apparently very similar to that spoken by the Koranas—The author's faithful Korana servant—The Nero family—Physical dissimilarity between the Koranas and the Masarwa—Stature of Bushmen met with north of the Orange river—Probably a pure race—The Bakalahari—Livingstone's account of them—Khama's kindness to them—Habits and mode of life of the Masarwa—Their weapons—Bows and poisoned arrows—Food of the Bushmen—Bush children tracking tortoises—Terrible privations sometimes endured by Bushmen—Provision against famine—A giraffe hunt—Rotten ostrich egg found by Bushmen and eaten—Fundamental difference of nature between Bushmen and civilised races not great—Personal experiences with Bushmen—Their marvellous endurance—Skill as hunters and trackers—Incident with lion—Family affection amongst Bushmen—Not unworthy members of the human race
INDEX
ILLUSTRATIONS
| "Unfortunately, one of these terrific Blows, very probably the first aimed at the Leopard which seized the Calf, had struck the little Creature on the Loins and broken its Back" | [Frontispiece] |
| FACING PAGE | |
| "He had evidently been sitting or lying by a Fire when caught" | [53] |
| Plate showing Differences in the Development of the Mane in Lions inhabiting a comparatively small Area of Country in South Africa | [76] |
| "A picked Man of dauntless Heart ... would rush forward alone...." | [93] |
| "On the second Night they once more left it alone, but on the third they devoured it" | [103] |
| "Such old Buffalo Bulls were very slow about getting out of one's way" | [146] |
| Photographs of a Struggle between a Rhinoceros and a Crocodile: | |
| No. 1. Shows the Rhinoceros holding its own, but unable to reach the bank | [202] |
| No. 2. Shows the Rhinoceros still struggling, but in deeper water | [202] |
| No. 3. Shows the Rhinoceros after it had turned round, and just before it got into deep water and was pulled under | [202] |
| "I knew it was a male Inyala—the first that my Eyes had ever looked upon" | [242] |
| "The Gemsbucks were now going at their utmost Speed, and when I had passed the Zebras were still sixty or seventy yards in front of me" | [258] |
| "My Gun-Carrier hurled another Lump of Burning Wood at our Visitor" | [273] |
| The Last of South Africa's Game Haunts | [302] |