Page:On the Central South African Tribes from the South Coast to the Zambesi.pdf/28

 to much discussion, it would be satisfactory to know whether such an original observer could help towards its definite solution. He would also like to know whether the clicks were in use amongst the Bantu tribes as far north as the Zambesi. These sounds were supposed to be originally peculiar to the Bushman language, whence some of them had passed into the Hottentot and south-eastern Bantu dialects (Zulu and Ama-Khosa); but apparently none of the northern Bantu tribes had adopted them. Touching Dr. Holub’s statement that, though often differing widely in physique, all the Bantu tribes must still be regarded as of one race inasmuch as all spoke varieties of the same language, he thought that this view gave undue importance to the linguistic element. No doubt the Bantu language had spread over the whole Continent from the Equator to the Cape and from the Swaheli Coast to the Ogoway Delta. But this would seem to have been brought about by conquest and other influences rather than by diffusion of a single stock over such a vast area already occupied by Bushmen, Hottentots, and many Negro races. Hence it seemed safe to regard the Bantu rather as a linguistic than a racial family, corresponding somewhat to such collective terms as Aryan or Finno-Tatar elsewhere, terms to which few Anthropologists would now feel inclined to attach any great ethnical value.

Mr. believed that famine would be found upon inquiry to have operated largely upon the migration of race in different parts of the globe and in all periods of time. Very extensive migrations resulted from this cause in India in modern times. This law, founded on the force of necessity, he thought had not been heretofore regarded sufficiently either by Ethnologists or Anthropologists: its operation under certain conditions might be more potent than conquests; and more difficult to explain in later times, as regards people who keep no records. Such traditions, however, were likely to be preserved among the people themselves; and the facts might therefore be ascertained by travellers who would keep the point in their minds. He regarded Dr. Holub as the modern Livingstone of African travel, and as he was young, and in robust health, we had a fair right to look forward to much more information of a valuable character from him in due course.