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CHAPTER XXI. 

 The Origin of the Bushman ok Hottentot. 



Now that it may be taken for granted that a branch of the 

 San race was in South Africa connected with the neohthic stone 

 industry, and, as will be seen hereafter also in all hkelihood with 

 the palaeolithic type of the same, it would indeed be highly desirable 

 to know where these races or sub-races, which were represented 

 here by the Strand Looper, the Bushman, and the Hottentot, 

 originated. 



From the point of view of ethnology, however, the research 

 remains very speculative — too much so, in fact. 



The complexion, size, and physical peculiarities of these people 

 prove that they do not belong to the Bantu-speaking negro tribes 

 (Sudanese of Von Luschan), extending now in Africa from the south 

 to a few degrees north of the Equator, or perhaps further, adjoining 

 the Galla country on the north-east and reaching the Niger on the 

 north-west. 



Yet the Bush San is an ally of the negro ; he belongs to a negroid 

 race. 



The Language. 



The language of the Bushman is unique. That of the Hottentot 

 branch is undoubtedly in many respects analogous to it. Both 

 contain the same strange clicks, which are really consonants. 



According to Meinhof : " They also join roots of words in such 

 a way as is considered to be characteristic of those languages which 

 are called 'isolating languages,' e.g., Chinese, to which the Sudan 

 languages seem to belong. . . , This striking resemblance cannot 

 be accidental ; it points conclusively to the fact, which could 

 otherwise hardly be contested, that the Bushman and Hottentot 

 languages have during a long time influenced each other." ■■'• 



* " The Language of the Hottentots," Rep. S. Afric. Ass. Adv. Sc, 190o, vol. iii. 



