On the phenomena of hybridity in the genus HomoBroca, Paul
Science
On the phenomena of hybridity in the genus Homo
Broca, Paul
Hominids -- Hybridization; Miscegenation
influenced by the English missionaries, the name of Griqua-town. This
town, called by Malte-Brun Kriqua, grew rapidly by the adjunction
of the Koranas. In 1813 there were not less than 1,341 Koranas in
a population of 2,607 inhabitants (t. xviii, p. 393). In 1814 the
governor of the Cape tried to force the Griquas to furnish men for the
indigenous army. The proposal was very badly received, and the nation
was nearly in a state of dissolution. A portion of the inhabitants of
Griqua-town escaped to the surrounding mountains, and formed bands of
robbers, who, under the name of Bergmaars, devastated the country,
and, associating with bands of Koranas, pillaged and massacred the
Betchouanas and the Bosjesmen, and _carried off their women and
children_. In 1825, owing to the intervention of John Philips, the
Bergmaars were reduced to order, and returned to Griqua-town. They
had now crossed with the Koranas, the Betchouanas, and Bosjesmen (t.
xviii, p. 357). Some time previously a grave dissension had broken
out among the settled Griquas. The governor of the Cape had sent an
agent, John Melvil, with an important charge to a certain Waterboer, a
Bosjesman by origin. The supremacy had hitherto belonged to the family
Kok, who, proud of the drops of European blood in their veins, would
not recognise the authority of Waterboer, and emigrated accordingly.
Waterboer was, however, not dismissed; and in 1825 John Philips found
the Griquas divided in three kraals, under the chiefs Kok, Berend, and
Waterboer (t. xix, p. 370). If Dr. Prichard had taken the trouble to
consult these documents he would have recognised that the Griquas had,
by so many consecutive crossings, become almost a pure African race.
Modern geographers range therefore the Griquas among the Hottentots,
calling them Hottentot-Griquas. It is also noteworthy that Prichard,
in citing the Griquas as an example of a mixed race, has given no
description of them. In order that the example should be of any value,
it is requisite that the Griquas should present an intermediate type
between the Europeans and the natives. Neither Dr. Prichard nor any
travellers say so. There is another consideration. The origin of the
Griqua nation dates from the beginning of the nineteenth century. Dr.
Prichard last speaks of them in 1843. Two generations had not yet
elapsed. There is another point. In 1800 the tribe of Kok was a horde
but little numerous; in 1824 it was a people of five thousand souls,
including seven hundred armed warriors (Thompson, _loc. cit._, t.
xxi, p. 22). It is clear that this people were not descended from the
primitive tribe, but had increased by numerous adjunctions. Father
Peteam himself, if he were still alive, would be obliged to admit this.
I have been very minute as to the Griquas, but I flatter myself that
this is sufficient to discard from science the assertion of Prichard,
which all modern monogenists have received with so much favour.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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