Few of the diftant boors have more than on© Dave, and many
none ; but the number of Hottentots amounts, on an average,
in Graaf Rey net, to thirteen to each family. The inhumanity
with which they treat this nation I have already had occaiion
to notice*. The boor has few good traits in his charadter, but
this
* In the iecond chaptrer o f this work I have given an account o f fifteen innocent
Hottentots that were inhumanly butchered by the boors. A pamphlet has juft
been put into my hands which was publilhed in the Cape by Baron de P., private
Secretary to the Governor, and in which the fame fad? is noticed in the following
words :— ** L e Capitaine des Hottentots, nommé Kouwtnnoub revetu des marques-
“ diilinCtives de fon. grade militaire, par un baton orné d’ une pomme d’àirain où.
w les armes, du Gouvernement, etoient gravés deflus,. muni de plus d’un paiport
“ figné par un des. membres du Gouvernement, cherchoit avec quinze Hottentots.
“ des feuilles de tabac dans Tes plaines de Sneuwberg ;■ les payfans fe ràppelloient
« peutêtre que trois années paflees, ces fidèles ibldats avoi'ent iervis le Gouverne*-
« jnent, pour les contraindre à l’obeïflancé, et que le moment etoit favourable
« pour fe. venger de iès malheureux. Conduits par un Veldcornet, nommé Burgers,,
«« ils fe faifirent de la troupe qui ne fufpeCtoit aucun mal,: et non obfiaiit toutes“ lès
“ preuves qui parloient pour eux on convint qu’ils etoient criminels, et qu’ils
u falloit les traiter en confequence anfi. la Cour- de Jvfiice rujltque refolut de les
« attacher à un arbre,, et les forcer par la torture à une confefiion de crimes, qu’ils
“ n’avoient eu aucune intention dfe commettre; lies coups redoubles et Ies fôuf-
« francés inhumaines auquels ils opppfoient les promeffes s’ils vouloient avouer ce
c< qu’on leur demandoit, fit qu’on- leur arracha la declaration malheureufe, qu’ils
“ etoient vennsi dans. l’intention, de. p iller les campagnes avoifines- des colons ; la. cour
u n»eut de plus grand empreffement que de coucher par écrit im aveu que'la
u torture, et l’ elpoir de regagner la liberte avoît arraché à ces victimes innocentes ;•
‘ ‘ ils ajoutèrent, leurs fignatures" a cette declaration pour attefter la. vérité du fait,,
*< la cour pafia à la conclufion, et les membres votèrent generalement pour la
“ mort; l ’execution de là féntence fuivit le moment après, et les Hottentots
“ furent fufillés.:------------Une demi année s’ecoulé depuis cet événement, et la
« juftice ne s’en, eft point melée jufqu’ici je n’oferois en dire les raifons,”
«* A Hotthis
is the worft. Not fatisfied with defrauding them of the-
little earnings of their induitry, and inflidting the moft cruel1
-and
<r A Hottentot captain, o f the name o f Kouwiunoub, bearing the' dfillnguifiiing.
“ mark of his rank (a flick, on .the brafs head o f which were engraven the arms:
•“ pf his Majefty), and fumiihed, moreover, with a paflport figned-by one o f the
if members o f Government, went, accompanied by fifteen Hottefitotsyto procure a
“ few leaves o f tobacco in the plains o f Sneuwberg. The boors, recollecting,
iC perhaps, that three years ago thefe faithful foldiers had ferved the Government
**! by keeping them in prder, thought it a- favourable opportunity to revenge them-
“ Ælveson thefe unhappy creatures. Led on by a Veld'cornet, o f the name o f ’
“ Burgers, they feized the whole company, who fufpeéted no ill; and, notwith-
u Sanding all the proofs in their favour, it was agreed that they were criminals,
and that they mud be treated accordingly. The Boorijh Court o f JuJlice refolved,.
“ therefore, to bind them to a tree, and to draw from them by torture a con-
“ feffion. ©f crimes, o f which a thought had never entered into their heads ; to
“ reiterated blows and 'inhuman tortures they held out promifes o f forgiveneis,.
“ if they would! confefs all! that was required, o f them ; and by thefe means they
“ forced from, them the unfortunate declaration that they came with an intention-
“ to plunder the neighbourhood» The only concern o f the Court was to write down
“ a confeffion, which the application o f the torture and. the hope o f being fet at
liberty had wçung from thefe innocent victims. The boors put their names to-
“ this declaration, .as an atteftation o f the truth, and made an end o f . the bufinefs.
“ by voting for their death. The fentence was inftantly put in execution,,
“ and thé poor Hottentots were ihot.— -------- A whole half year has paifed away
“ fince this event, and jullice. hitherto has not interfered,. I ihould not dare to fay
wherefore.” , .
I (hall extraét another inftance o f the favage brutality o f an. African' boor-
recorded in this pamphlet, which, i f poffible, exceeds all that have yet been givén-
“ Des que les Anglois avoient quittés le fort un colon nommée Ferreira,, de
“ • famille Portugaife s’en rendit le maître,, et en prit pofTeffion pour lors,, ce qui:
“ dura, jufqu’au l’arrivée du détachement que le Gouvernement y a envoyé' fous,
“ les ordres du Major Von Gilten, et qui y commande en cejnomenu Les..
“ Caffress