I 



SOUTH AFRICAN 



QUARTERLY JOURNAL. 



INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 



It has already been announced in brief terms, that this 

 Journal js intended to be auxiliary to the South Africa)/ 

 Institution. Opportunities will herein be afforded, of 

 putting on record for the use of its members, whatsoever 

 of the papers read there may appear of permanent or ex- 

 tensive interest ; and an attempt will be made to aid the 

 general purpose of the Institution, by collecting and des- 

 seminating such miscellaneous information, as is likely to 

 be widely useful. It claims to be an auxiliary or instru- 

 ment, however, only so far as it will pursue the same 

 general object; and may be under obligation for a great 

 .share of the material it may contain. The Institution is 

 no farther implicated in the conduct or management of the 

 Journal, than by conferring this promised favour. All re- 

 sponsibility attached to any paper, as to its style, state- 

 ments, or purport, must be considered as resting solely 

 with its author. — It is the desire of the Editors, that the 

 author should generally be avowed; and that nothing 

 may appear in the Journal, which does not bear along 

 with it the means of ascertaining to the reader its origin 

 and authority. 



The connexion which we have avowed with the South 

 African Institution, renders it expedient that we should 

 develope shortly the origin and intention of that associa- 

 tion, as affording readily the best means of determining 

 the nature of our present attempt. The object, generally, 

 is the promotion of knowledge in all that relates to the 

 Natural History and geographic, physical, and oeconomic 

 Statistics of South Africa, — the encouragement of such in- 

 vestigations as tend to this effect, — the collection of such 

 objects as will confirm, augment, or diffuse our information. 

 We record with extreme satisfaction, that the proposal to 

 establish this Institution proceeded from the considerate 

 and liberal patriotism of His Excellency the Governor of 

 the Colony.* Be there enough or not at present of energy 

 and ability in society to support it, the example presented 

 in its origin will, we expect, have no transitory influence. 



* Lieut.-General the Honorable Sir Galbraitii Lowry Cole, G. C. H. 



