xvi Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society. 



to prove that the shape of that stone was not due to accident. He 

 had produced these two stones, hoping to obtain information bearing 

 on the use they might have been put to. It was very important 

 indeed to record all information on a subject of which, after all, little 

 was known. His inquiries had been instrumental in obtaining some 

 interesting information, which goes far to show that certainly Bush- 

 men have distinctive boundary marks for their territory. Dr. Theo. 

 Hahn had written the following letter on the subject: 



" Stellenbosch, July 28, 1896. 



" Dear Mr. Peringuey, — With regard to your inquiries about 

 Bushman beacons, I must say that what you told me about stones 

 shaped in a certain form and used by the Bushmen as landmarks 

 is new to me. But that Bushmen tribes occupy certain territories, 

 and observe certain boundaries, is well known to me ; for instance, 

 in Great Namaqualand, that of the Obanin on the Lower Fish River ; 

 that of the Ganin and the Geinin north-east of Angra Pequena ; of 

 the Hei-guis between lat. 26° — 28° south, and about long. 20° — 22° ; 

 further, that of the Gabe and Ai Bushmen between Gobabis and 

 Kaitses ; but these landmarks are certain sand dunes, hills, kopjes, 

 periodical rivers, vleys, springs, and also trees, and in one instance 

 a grave. 



"That the above-named Bushmen have not changed their 

 abode since the commencement of this century can be conclusively 

 proved. 



"You doubted what I told you about the manner in which the 

 Bushmen and Namaquas find honey by following the bee. I repeat 

 it here again, and you are at liberty to write to the Rev. Mr. Carl 

 Wandnes at Warmbad, who will corroborate to you what I say. 

 When a bee passes a Bushman or Namaqua in search of honey, the 

 man will follow the bee as far as he can with his eyes, say at least 

 fifteen to eighteen yards ; in that line of flight he will search for a 

 dropping of the bee, and will find it, coute qu'il coute ; he will then 

 in the next line of ten or fifteen yards search for another dropping, 

 and the line of these two droppings will indicate the course the bee 

 took to the nest. I first heard of it from my late father, who 

 observed it among the Namaquas at Ghamis, twenty-five miles north 

 of Bethany. I afterwards read of it in Sir James Alexander's ' Expe- 

 dition of Discovery into the Interior of South Africa.' Then I heard 

 of it repeatedly among the Namaquas and Bushmen : every child in 

 the country knows it. There is a Hottentot at Warmbad who is a 

 great expert in brewing honey beer. I have forgotten his name, but 

 will at any time recognise him. This fellow told me himself of this 



