2 0 2 TWO OXEN BORROWED FROM KAABI. 15 Mat,
in want of pack-oxen to transport their mats and the other materials
of their huts; for, among the stolen cattle, were none which could
be of use to them in this service. There was one grey-headed old
man, whose fears, and even displeasure, were much excited by the
sight of my new men: he strongly opposed Kaabi, who as strongly
insisted on lending me the oxen; but the old man’s opinion, that
they could not be spared on account of their being obliged to remove
immediately, coinciding with that of some other principal persons,
the debate terminated in Kaabi’s telling me that he could lend me
only one, and which was his own. At one time the dispute between
the chief and old Gryskop (Greyhead), as my Hottentots named
him, was very vehement, as he appeared quite averse from affording
us any accommodation at all. His wife, however, interfering and representing
how wrong and imprudent it would be, to have any
quarrel with us, he at last was pacified, and consented that a second
ox should be lent me, as I complained to Kaabi of the unkindness in
not giving me assistance when they saw that the backs of my oxen,
and even of the horses, were so much galled that I should not be
able, without the greatest difficulty, to reach the Gariep with the
whole of our baggage.
For the use of these two oxen, I promised not only that he
should be paid in tobacco, but that they should bring him back a great
portion of the game which we might happen to shoot on the road :
and it was therefore agreed that three of his people should accompany
us for the purpose of driving them home.
At eleven o’clock I took my leave of Kaabi, and departed from
his kraal, with strong impressions of his friendly good-will towards
me personally, and of his naturally mild and kind disposition. I
have given the character of him and his countrymen, with the most
conscientious impartiality. I have exposed all the objectionable part
of it, which came to my knowledge; and if I have given a pre-
ponderancy to the better and more pleasing, it is because that part
appeared really to preponderate. Their robberies ol cattle from the
Colony, are committed under the influence of what has now,
1812. AN IMPORTANT QUESTION ANSWERED. 203
unfortunately, become a long established custom, at least for. several
generations. They are committed under the influence, too, of temptation
by the carelessness of the Hottentot shepherds and herdsmen,
and by the very weak protection given to the numerous flocks which
graze on the borders. Nor, in weighing this crime, would it be just
to omit throwing something into the opposite scale, for poverty and
want; for an inveterate and inherited enmity to the boors ; for ignorance;
and even, for their wild habits and lawless mode of life.
I now could give myself the answer to that question which I
had long marked as one of the desiderata of ray travels *: but, alas !
it is in the negative ; and I must now believe, that these savages have
not been rendered happier by their communication with Europeans ;
I must too, believe, that they have not been made better or morally
wiser; and I fear I must conclude that the present state of all the
Hottentot race, is far less happy, far less peaceful, than it was before
our discovery of the Cape of Good Hope. If they rob us of cattle,
what is that crime to ours! who have robbed so large a portion of
these tribes, of-their liberty and of the land of their fathers. If
European policy require our taking possession of the country, (and
I do not dispute that policy,) let us in return, as the smallest boon,
be kind to its aborigines; kind to men who may no longer tread the
ground over which their forefathers have led their flocks ; over which
their ancestors were probably the first to imprint the human footstep.
When we departed, no one accompanied us, as I had expected.
Uncertain of the exact course we ought to hold, as I had had no opportunity
of laying down my track from Quakka station, we took at
first a north-westerly direction for two hours. This brought us in the
neighbourhood of two kraals, lying at a distance from each other, of
not more than two miles. We met three of their inhabitants ; from
whom we learnt that the second belonged to those poor creatures
who, at the time of my first journey, dwelt at Poverty Kraal. They
were exceedingly pleased at seeing us again, and fortunately apprized
* At pages 5 and 6, of the first volume.
D D 2