6l8 SOME I'LAC K-NAMES OF TSOLO. 



hand that it was widely ])0|)tilated by these tribes, for the natives 

 coming later, and having learned the clicks of these people, may 

 have named the places, at a much later date, with names in which 

 Bushman clicks were used. The strict rule is, as indicated, that 

 the only names which we can be sure have a true Hottentot and 

 Bushman origin are those in which we Hnd a double click. 



Thus we have Cehencc, HsicjiDigqwiiii, Gqaqala, Ng.vagxasi. 

 But other names are to be found which obviously are abbrevia- 

 tions of names once rejoicing in a double click. In some cases 

 we have both forms perpettiated in different parts of the country. 

 Thus we have Ncolora and Ncuncolora. It was this which gave 

 me the clue to the meaning of Ncolosi. I argued that if we had a 

 Ncolora and a Nconcolora, we might just as well have a Ncolosi 

 and a Nconcolosi, and on enquir}- I found that this second word 

 was known to the natives, as described elsewhere. Arguing from 

 the termination of the word, we get fiu-ther light, namely, a 

 confirmation that words ending in ;-(; are of Bushman origin. A 

 most interesting illustration is to be found in the three names. 

 Nqaba, Nqabara, Nqabaraiia. After what has already been said 

 we might also expect a Nqanqaba. If there is one, I have not yet 

 come across it, but the word i-N qanqaba ( which is a Bushman 

 word), means a steep ascent, and this is an exact description of 

 the Nqaba valley 1 It becomes steeper and steeper until a high 

 waterfall is encountered, and in any case the sides are strikingly 

 steep. The ra has the force of toning down, and giving an 

 impression that at the Nqabara stream the ascent is steepish. In 

 the third instance the additional suftix, ana, has a diminutive 

 force, the Nqabarana being the small stream at the steepish ascent. 

 All this is seen to have value when we come to names like Nqadii. 

 and Oiirana. Is there a Nqanqadii, by means of which 

 we shall come to discover the at present obscure mean- 

 ing of the simpler fonu ? .\.nd in the case of Ourana. 

 nmst we take a\\a\' two suftixes— " ana " and " ra," and 

 so come to the root of the name, and thus to 

 an understanding? 'i'hus, the general rule is seen to be capable 

 of wide extension, and the circle of strictly lUishman names is 

 visibly enlarged, including many in which there is only one click. 



Confining our attention to certain selected names, we tind 

 some further facts emerging, full of interest and value. 



I:siqitngq7vini. — ^.\ name which no one in the neighbourhcxxl 

 was able to explain, probably shelters another word as yet 

 unknown to us. I think there must be a I'ushniaii word qitngqii, 

 meaning a hum]), or lump, and that the humpy sort of mouiUain 

 there gave the name to the neighbourhood. I gathered as much 

 from one man, but was not able to establish it. and the explanation 

 certainly has very nnicli to commend it. 



Esinxaku, or /■.sin.vago. (|uite batifles me. I tried again and 

 again to tind out what it signified, l)iit was not able to i.'-et even so 



