CHAPTER XX 



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 Bush- 

 men — 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 priva- 

 tions sometimes endured by Bushmen — Provision against 

 famine — A giraffe hunt — Rotten ostrich egg found by Bushmen 

 and eaten — Fundamental difference of nature between Bush- 

 men and civilised races not great — Personal experiences with 

 Bushmen — Their marvellous endurance — Skill as hunters and 

 trackers — Incident with lion — Family affection amongst Bush- 

 men — Not unworthy members of the human race. 



In previous chapters I have often referred to the 

 Masarwa Bushmen, the remnants probably of one of 

 the oldest and most primitive races of mankind still 

 surviving on the earth, and as my personal know- 

 ledge of these people is very considerable, I think 

 that a few notes concerning their habits, language, 

 and mode of life will prove of interest, if not to all 

 who are likely to glance over the pages of this 

 book, at any rate to some few amongst them who 



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