Twenty-Five Years in a Waggon in South Africa: Sport and Travel in South AfricaAnderson, Andrew A.
History
Twenty-Five Years in a Waggon in South Africa: Sport and Travel in South Africa
Anderson, Andrew A.
Africa, Southern -- Description and travel; Anderson, Andrew A. -- Travel -- Africa, Southern
There are many Hottentot, Koranna, and Bushmen living along the
river-banks; they have so intermixed by marriage that there is little
difference between them. Some are of opinion that the Koranna is the
true Hottentot, but the people, as a general rule, are taller and of a
lighter colour than the real Cape Hottentot, but as I have stated, from
their intermarriages it is difficult to draw the line. The Bushmen of
the north are much more distinct from those in the south. There are
also many of the Bechuana tribe living in small detached kraals, and
Bastards, so-called from being born of Dutch fathers and Hottentot women
in the early occupation of the Cape colony, and from the great increase
in their number they have become an important tribe, and are found in
all parts of South Africa. They do not differ from the Boers in habits
and customs, and when able build their houses similar to those of the
Boer. In fact there is but a slight difference between them,
particularly those who are living in the Transvaal. It is interesting
to study how the blood of a tribe or different nationality will show
itself after many generations; as an instance, in one family I am well
acquainted with, the grandfather is an old Boer, whose mother was a
bushwoman; his son married a Boer girl, and their daughter married a
German; the eldest son of this marriage was a half black; the second son
very fair, with light hair and blue eyes; the eldest daughter very dark,
black hair and eyes, quite half black; the second daughter very fair,
light flaxen hair and light blue eyes; the third daughter and third son
were both half black, black eyes and crisp black hair; the fourth son
again was fair. This family was the fourth generation from the black
and white marriage. I know of several other similar cases, and most of
the Transvaal Boers are of this breed.
_November 10th_.--I returned from a five days' trek down the river,
where the junction of the Hart river falls into the Vaal, and close to a
large Kaffir kraal, under the chief Jantze of the Bechuana tribe, and
found the old Boer outspanned at the same place; he was afraid to
proceed, having heard the Boers of the Transvaal were still fighting
amongst themselves, which had been going on for a long time, and which
was the reason of my leaving the country last October, causing me to
alter my plans, and on the 29th of November, 1864, I left the Vaal at
high drift for the north. Two days' trek over a stony road, between low
hills covered with vaal bush, which is in full bloom at this season of
the year, giving out a pleasant perfume, the leaves also being strongly
scented, and when boiled in water are sometimes used for tea.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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