156 Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



to include in the programme a chair of Bantu Anthropology, and 

 .that institution ought to become a centre for scientific study of native 

 Ethnography and languages. It is difficult for us living far from 

 towns to frame more definitely the composition or the nature of that 

 ■Commission of Anthropology. Should there be only one Commission, 

 or would it be advisable to create separate committees in the various 

 centres ? We leave the question open, but about the task which it 

 would have to fulfil there is much to say. 



In view of the general inquiry which is to be undertaken, the 

 Anthropological Commission should : — 



1. Compile a complete list of the works which have been 

 published up to date on South African Ethnology. Dr. Haddon 

 concluded his address by a short bibliography of books on the subjecr ; 

 as he confesses, it is manifestly very incomplete. It does not mention 

 linguistic books, and ignores a number of valuable works (for instance, 

 the writings of Jacottet on the folklore of the Ba-Suto and of the 

 Zambesi tribes). Moreover, a collection of these books ought to be 

 made and put at the disposal of future students, and this would 

 prove a difficult though very useful preliminary step. 



2. Encourage students of Bantu or Bushmen or Hottentot 

 Anthropology to write their observations, as fully, scientifically, and 

 as early as possible, with a view of sending them to the President of 

 the Commission. That might be done in many ways : one or several 

 yearly prizes ought to be offered for the best monograph on a South 

 African tribe, whether on its ethnography, its ethnologl" or its 

 language. Another prize might be conferred on the author of the 

 best series of photographs having an ethnographical value and 

 accompanied by an explanatory text. The prize offered mu.st be 

 tempting enough to induce people to undertarke such a work. Though 

 such memoirs will be written, not for the sake of winning a prize, but 

 l^ecause the observer feels himself constrained by what I termed an 

 internal call, vet a reward for the work done might do much to 

 encourage the investigator. 



If any elaborate w'ork is composed in answer to that call, the 

 Commission ought to be ready to publish it, if it is found to be of 

 true scientific value. 



3. But that would not be sufficient ; the missionaries. Native 

 Commissioners, might not have time nor perhaps the ability to gather 

 all the materials for an encyclopedic study. Therfore I would suggest 

 to the Commission to start a South African Review' of Anthropology. 

 This new periodical might publish such extensive works if they are 

 contributed. But it would be provided with another and more regular 

 supply of material. The Commission would prepare a " set of 

 questions " on Anthropology, followdng, for instance, the plan which 

 T proposed for the book on Ethnology. Those questions ought to be 

 sent to the various missionary bodies working in South Africa, and to 

 the Native Affairs Departments, asking them to select from their staff 

 one or two men who would be in a position to answer them. In that 

 way information would be got from every quarter. As regards 



