ABOKl(;iXAL I'LACR NAMES. 713 



overseas, precluded me from making any effort until 1917, when, 

 as a preliminary study, I ventured upon " The Place-names of 

 Tsolo District." 



The interesting and valuable philological results which came 

 to light in the course of the study of the place-names of this 

 single Transkeian district so im])ressed me with the possibilities 

 of new discoveries in this unprospected realm, that I determined 

 to carry out the extended study 1 had in mind at the earliest 

 rpportunity. But at the very outset one was faced with very 

 serious difficulty. Everyone who has had any insight into the 

 Native mind and method will be familiar with the immense 

 detail which burdens their narratives of even sim])le events — 

 and, naturally, this immense detail is to be reckoned with in any 

 ^tudy of the place-names, for the smallest of places seems to 

 have its name. It will be readily understood that just because 

 it is their custom to recount every little detail, including a minute 

 description of the localities concerned, places which very often 

 would remain unnamed in any ICuropean area are certain of a 

 name in Kaffirland, and it is to be observed that in just such little- 

 noticed places we are most likely to find the gems of which we 

 are in search. The importance, therefore, of examining these 

 }>lace-names exhaustively is not to be underestimated ; and the 

 detail work involved in such a comprehensive study indicates 

 the very real and serious difficulties of the task. In a territory 

 like the Transkei, still largely undeveloped, places are apt to 

 become important from a European standpoint only when such 

 place is the seat of a Magistracy, or a Mission Station, or a 

 Trading Station ; and. speaking generally, we take note of a place 

 because there happens to be a school in that particular location, 

 and quite lose sight of other places because there does not happen 

 to be a school at hand. Then, when in due course the map-maker 

 comes along, the one name is recorded rather than the other, 

 which, being continually overlooked, at last is lost. Many such 

 names are in serious danger of being lost for ever, unless we 

 make haste to collect the data from the old generation, which is 

 rapidly passing aw^ay, a task that is quite impracticable for any 

 one man to accomplish. A])art from the difficulties of travel and 

 time involved in such a survey, there is also the underlying 

 suspicion of the native mind to overcome if one is to gather 

 reliable information rather than inaccurate details given design- 

 edly to confuse the enquirer. Even yet the native mind cannot 

 understand what interest and value there can possibly be in 

 enquiries of the kind, and thinks that the white man must be 

 after something detrimental to the natives. Perhaps even, and 

 most likely, he fears that the white man is going to take away 

 his land, and. in consequence, he either knows nothing, or else 

 he shrewdly gives misleading information! It is therefore to 

 those who dwdl amoug the natives that one appeals for co-opera- 

 tion in order to complete this survey, and I shall be most 

 grateful for any assistance rendered by one and another who 



