Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-02-04
RACE ABOUT EXTINCT.
Few Survivors If the South African
Bushmen Left.

ou3uUI0U AViS
One OF the most interesting races In
the world, from an ethnologist's point
Of view, Is on the point OF extinction.
For many years past the bushmen VI
South Africa have been dwindlins IN
numbers until the survivors may al
most be counted on ones fingers. The
bushman Is first cousin to the diminu-
tive race OF pigmies found by the greas
explorer Du Chaillu in the coastiands
Of western Africa, near the equator
and closely resembling the dwarts
found by Stanley In the great Aruwni-
mi forest. In all probability, they are
the remnants OF the aboriginal race OF
Africa which has been driven into tue
corners Of the African earth by sue
cesslve invaslons of Hotentot, Baltu
and other tribes. Their existence In
Africa u mentioned as far back as
1880 by Andrew Battell. one OF me
earliest of Afr1ca's English explorers.
He describes them as mo bigger than
boys of IL years old, but very thick,
and live only upon flesh, which they
kill In the woods with their bows aud
their darts"
The bushman Is one Of the lowest
types Of humanity, not many degrees
removed from the animal. He Is or
small stature, burt not dwarfed, ami
with high cheek bones his deep-set eyes
have an exceedingly cunning look.
Bushmen are troglodytes, and remain
ing in their caves by day sally forth at
night from their mountain Businesses
and harass the nearest farmers by STAY
ing their stock with arrows composed
of reeds tipped with bone or iron sat
urated in the fatal juice Of the euphor-
bia tree mixed with the poison oil
snakes and spiders. So troublesome
did they become in Natal during the
carly history of the colony that spe
ciai fort was bullt-nOw known as Fort
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES expeditions were
organized against these diminutiye
marauders. Still later war OF eXter-
mination was waged against them ny
n band Of farmers under the Drakers-
berg, who raided their haunts In the
wild mountains, and succeeded In
freeing themselves from this trouble
some pest. Every bushman fought for
himself and they recognized no CHIEF,
much less any primitive system or
government such as prevails among
the Bantu race.
1t is singular thing that though so
low in the social scale the bushman
possesses power of illustration
totally unknown to his more civilized
SUCCESSORS, and very creditable repre-
sensations of Glands, dingos, snakes,
and even scenes Of hunting and battle
are to be found in the caves OF DraH-
ensberg, above the sources OF the
Brshman River. Several Of the draw
ings have been removed to the library
at Pletermaritzburg, where they form
a valuable collection for the colonial
antiquary. The bushman's language
Is mainly composed of clicks, OF which
there are six distinct kinds, but II -
impossible on hearing one of this pig
my race talk to do otherwise than scr
him down as an animal. There IS
local tradition in Natal that 1.-THE last
of the bushmen" was a farm laborcr
Mt one of the homesteads under the
Drakensberg, and falling sick or a
fever. his end was devoutly looked for
| by a local scientist, who on the desired
consummation obtained his bones, anu
forwarded them to England, where
they are now exposed to public gaze In
the South Kensngton museum.-Chi'
cago Chronicle.