448 Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society. 



There are also large numbers of others, the meaning of which is 

 unknown. Melikane is a river named from the Chief Melikane. 

 The following incident gave rise to the name : Melikane and his 

 clan stole a herd of cattle, was pursued, and the cattle captured. 

 During the night the pursuers heard a Bushman call " Melikane," 

 " Melikane," and they gave the river the name, Lekhalo la 

 Masholu = the Pass of the Thieves, so called from a herd of cattle 

 being retaken from the Bushmen in the pass. 



Things : — 



Qhoa = water. Qibi = a digging stick. 



Soang = meat. Qhu = fire. 



Beligion. — Qeng = God or Spirit. 



The incapacity of the Bushmen to adapt themselves to a pastoral 

 or other mode of existence, must be set down as the main, though 

 not the actual, cause of their disappearance. Generations of hunting 

 life had made them incapable of settling down amongst other tribes 

 to a new life, and even if they had the stronger races would have 

 plundered them just the same, as it must be remembered that Kafirs 

 and Bechuana were themselves thieves by nature, and never could 

 resist in their savage state the temptation to loot the herds of their 

 weaker neighbours. An interesting example of this incapacity to 

 change the conditions of life, was given to me by Mr. J. P. Murray, 

 of Maseru, relative to a single Bushman near East London. This 

 man, the last very probably of his tribe, inhabited a cave near the 

 coast in some very thick bush. He took to stealing pigs and poultry 

 from the farmers and devouring them at night. When caught he 

 was imprisoned for a year, but on release went on with his thefts 

 as before. After a time he disappeared, having been shot during his 

 thieving expeditions. He was quite unable to speak a word of any 

 language but his own, and could make his way through the most 

 impenetrable bush at night with the most unfailing accuracy. 



The revolutions caused by Chaka and Umsilikasi in their 

 sanguinary raids, contributed not a little to the extermination of 

 the Bushmen. Tribes fleeing to escape slaughter fell upon their 

 neighbours with the assegai until the whole land reeked with 

 slaughter, from Delagoa Bay to the St. John's Eiver, and from 

 Mafeking to Durban. These fleeing tribes exterminated the Bush- 

 men wherever they went. The present Basuto nation was formed 

 by the genius of Moshesh out of the remnants of clans broken up by 

 these two bloodthirsty potentates. It is computed that they were 

 responsible for the destruction of a million lives, which is certainly 



