“ every requifite for becoming a moft convenient and charming
“ Jittlement." Such a defcription was fufEcient to fend a Dutch
farmer as far as the Tambookies, if he could only be perfuaded
there would be no perfonal danger. Such are the views of
thofe people, who have neither fenfe of honor, regard for truth,
or feelings of-juftice or humanity to direct their proceedings.
The chiefs were told, that if fome few of the colonifts had
been fo imprudent as to tranfgrefs the treaty, they had done it
contrary to the exprèfs orders, and without the knowledge, of
government : that the colony was now in the pofleflion of a
great and powerful fovereign, the king o f England : that one
o f his firlt chiefs had deputed us to fay, that the eftabliihed
boundary ihould be obferved on the part o f the colonifts ; but
he expedited allo that all thoic chiefs, who had fpread them-
felves over the country of the colonifts, with their families, and
dependants, and cattle, would, without any further delay,
quietly and peaceably return into their own country ; and, as
a proof of the good intentions and friendfliip of the Englifh
government towards the Kafier nation, we were now on our
journey to their great chief, or king Gaika, carrying for him a
prefent from the Englifti governor at the Cape.
On hearing this, the Kaffer chiefs were apparently uneafy ;
and it was foon difcovered that they not only were on bad
terms with the king, but that they had been obliged to fly their
country in order to avoid the effedts o f his difpleafure. They
now began to change their former tone, and to entreat that an
intereeffion ihould be made for them with their king, and gave
a promife,
a promife, on condition of a meffenger o f peace being fent to
them, immediately to return into their own country. Such a
meffenger is known by this people from his laying his bajfagai
or fpear on the ground at the diftance of two hundred paces
from thofe to whom he is fent, and by advancing from thence
with extended arms. Being afiured that every attempt to bring
about an amicable adjuftment between the king and the fugitive
chiefs would be tried, and that from the apparent willingnefs,
on their part, to a reconciliation, there could be little doubt of
fuccefs, they received each a fmall prefent, eonfifting of tobacco,
knives, flints, and fteels, tinder-boxes, and a few glafs beads.
Thefe are the fort of articles which the Dutch farmers have
been in the habit of exchanging for their valuable breed of
cattle.
The three chiefs were all ftout, well-formed men ; but Etonie
in particular might be accounted handfome: he had a lively
pleafing countenance that always wore a fmile, his eyes were
vivid and adive, his teeth were white as the pureft ivory, and
his nofe was not in the leaft flattened, but exa&ly of the fame
form as that of the European. In their drefs they had nothing
particular to diftinguiih them from thofe they governed, except
a flender brafs chain which hung fufpended on the left fide,,
from a wreath o f fmall polilhed copper beads that encircled the
upper part of the head. They wore long cloaks of calves’ ikins,
which, being well ftretched and drefled, were very light and
pliant. Broad rings of ivory, cut out of the folid tuik of the'
elephant, were worn upon the left arm, above the elbow.
Bracelets of copper and o f iron furrounded their wrifts, and
rings