Traditions and Customs of S.A. Races. 159 



far from it, I am afraid. Could not the Slates put yearly a couple 

 of thousand pounds at the disposal of the Commission for South 

 African Anthropology ? 



In conclusion, my last suggestion is this : Should this and other 

 essays have convinced their readers of the necessity of undertaking 

 without delay a general and full inquiry in the Ethnography of 

 South Africans, the Committee of the Anthropological Section of 

 S. A. A. A. S. ought to take three steps : (i) To approach those persons 

 who would be fit to form the Commission for South African 

 Anthropology and ask for their collaboration ; (2) To address a 

 circular letter to the missionary conferences, to the Native Affairs 

 Departments, describing the scheme, and asking if missionaries, 

 Native Commissioners, and others, would be willing to assist in get- 

 ting material ; (3) Then, if the answers are of an encouraging 

 character, the Committee, or, eventually, the new Commission for 

 South African Anthropology, could make its scheme public, and ask 

 financial aid from private individuals and from the Governments. 



"What judgment will posterity pass upon us, if, while we have 

 the opportunity, we do not do our best to save the memory of these 

 primitive folks from oblivion? " asks Dr. Haddon, at the conclusion 

 of his address. The judgment of posterity upon us will be extremely 

 flattering if everybody does his duty as I have tried to describe it 

 here. Only, in this imperfect world of ours, it is so rare to see 

 everybody doing his duty ! 



