296 Wild Kaffir Life and Wild Kaffir Intelligence. 



inferences which Mr. Crawfurd draws, it must be admitted here 

 that these allegations apply as accurately to the Kaffir as they 

 do to the pure negro. It is a very remarkable fact in human 

 history, that the Kaffir, with such inherent capabilities, should 

 have remained utterly savage so long ; that even, after seeing 

 with his own eyes the wonders that are worked by his white 

 cousins, in matters that come so immediately home to him, as 

 flocks, herds, and food crops, he should still be willing, if left 

 alone, to lead the indolent, unproductive, and unprogressive life 

 that has been described. Whatever may be the case in regard to 

 the principle that Sir S. W. Baker enunciated so prominently 

 at the last meeting of the British Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science, namely, that all negro races would infallibly 

 fall back into barbarism, if left to themselves ; there can be 

 no doubt, at any rate, that these races will not advance out of 

 barbarism, if so left. But here there occurs one consideration, 

 that perhaps has not yet received all the attention it deserves, 

 and that really carries with it much important and practical 

 suggestion. Mr. Crawfurd argues, " The negroes are unciviliz- 

 able, or nearly so, for, after years of social existence, they have 

 no literature." May it not be that the negro races have not 

 advanced into civilization because they have no literature ? A 

 race which is incapable of originating a literature, may, never- 

 theless, be quite capable of being deeply and permanently 

 influenced by a literature that is brought to them from without. 

 This literature may indeed ultimately prove to be the veiy 

 panacea and influence that makes progress possible and 

 advance permanent. It is by no means an unheard of thing 

 in human history, that races have received and benefited by a 

 written and recorded language, although they had failed to 

 contrive the instrument for themselves. 



It is a very curious, and certainly a most noteworthy fact, 

 bearing indirectly but instructively upon this view, that the 

 wild Kaffir, even when quite removed from the influence of 

 white men, and from civilized appliances and practices, has, 

 nevertheless, an education of his own. This becomes strikingly 

 apparent to even the most careless and most casual observer, 

 when the young men and the old men of the race are com- 

 pared. The young men are all wild, impulsive, restless, and 

 full of savage fire, which generally burns itself out in howling, 

 dancing, boasting, and laughing, but which is quite capable, 

 as proved in Chaka's experience, of being turned to less 

 desirable account. The old men are all quiet, astute, thought- 

 ful, and full of " wise saws and instances." The countenances 

 of the young men are commonly savage and furtive, even when 

 good humoured. The countenances of the old men are con- 

 stantly dignified, grave, and intelligent. In Zululand, at this 



