i:Ai\TU PLACE-XAMKS IN AFKUA. 275 



Now the same characteristics appear iii. Bantu names, and 

 we may well arrange these as having to do with water, that most 

 important element, especially in South Africa; with trees, and 

 other natural features, as moun.tains, valleys. It will be found 

 that hills are often called after the neighbouring \ alley, and the 

 name of this may be taken from its stream, as with us {or vie e- 

 ■z'crsa), but sometimes from the configuration of the valley itself. 



But we luust certainly add. in the case of Bantu names, the 

 Acry characteristic categor}' of names called after game, which, 

 as we shall see. are very numerous : thus, among the Kaffirs, 

 Xalanga (vulture). Indwe (crane). Umzi-mvubu (hippo-town), 

 Umkoma (whale) on the coast of Natal (is it from a grounded 

 whale, the form of the coast, or the number sighted thence? — 

 k)cal men kindly help me), Lunda Hill (ox's hump), Mbulu 

 ( jackals. =^ ? monitors). Inkwelo (water-beetle), Isandlwana (ox's 

 second stomach. Maneering has been explained as MaNaring, 

 where the wild oxen are, but an earh' map gives Myneering, 

 I.e., where Mynheer, the missionary, is ! 



Among the Becwana and Basuto this category is still larger: 



Thus : 



Alatlakeng (Rouxvillej Moruakhomo (personal name?) 



vultures (taming cattle) is the old name of 



Molopolole. 

 Pudumong (Pudimoe), Kudu (Ladybrand) 



gnu Koodoe 



Pitsane, Likabi. Phala (Palla) and Tsebe. Tsesebe, 



little zebra buck bastard hartebeest 



Ma-ngaung Mokhotlong 



large wildcat black bird with red beak, i.e., ibis. 



Lions are naturally in evidence, e.g., Tatmgs. Lekhalong la 

 Botau (Modderpoort. v.s.), and less dignified beasts: Likolobeng, 

 in Basutoland. e.g.. where the pigs are ; Ma-tsieng. from locusts ; 

 Kurtiman, '' croaking.'' the welcome sound of frogs, showing 

 ])resence of water. I am told, is a possible etymologv, but have 

 doubts, though I ])refer it to that from Khudu, a tortoise. Marico 

 is said to be really Ma-disho, eating places, pastures. Bo-tla- 

 nama, where game comes; Bo-n(w)a-pitsi, where qwaggas drink; 

 and Nko-a-khomo, said to be so called from the mountain's like- 

 ness to the nose of an ox; Ramokuabane (better Ra-mo-kgoe- 

 bana) is the name of a spotted bird and perhaps of a man so- 

 called. The Dutch names after animals are usually combined 

 with Fontein or other words for water. 



I am confining my lists at j)resent to the languages I know 

 best. Z'i:Z\, Suto-Chwana. and Kaffir-Zulu ; we will deal wdth 

 remoter districts and dialects later, tiaving dealt with the names 



* Macloutsie = Matlhotse. jackals. The camp at Leribe called iriot-se, 

 from the river beneath, is not from Tlhotse, a jackal, but means a hicl 





