their value in fociety was in proportion to the benefits they
were a b le to render to that fociety, by their labour and mofal
conduit.
Thefe men have clearly (hewn to the world, by thé1 effed'S
of this inftitution, that there is not among favàges, in'general,
that invincible averfion to labour which fome have been inclined
to fuppofe. Thofe, indeed,'whofe daily fubfiftence depends’on
the chace, may contrad a difpofition to rambling and to a frequent
change of place, but the precarious fupply of food obtained
by hunting is not the reward of fluggiih indolence,-but
of toil, of laffitude, and anxiety.' Thé fewer the wants that
man has to gratify, the lefs inclination will he feel to exert his
corporeal powers. In a mere favage ftate, if thefe wants could
be fupplied without any effort, the predominant pleafiires of
life would confift in eating and fleeping. The propenfity to
inadion can only be overcome by giving the labourer ah ifitereft
in the produd of his labour; by making him feel thé weight
and value of property, The colonifts of the Cape purfued no
fuch plan with regard to their' condud towards thé Hotténtots.
Having firft held out the irrefiftible charm that fpirituous liquors
and tobacco are found to poffefs among all people in a rude
ftate of fociety, they took the advantage of exchanging thofe
pernicious poifons for the only means the natives enjoyed of
f o b f i f t i n g 'themfelves and their families ; and, however extraordinary
it may appear, inftead of inftruding and encouraging1
a race of men, of willing and intelligent minds, to renew the
means of fubfiftence, of which they had deprived them, they
imported, at a vaft expence, a number of Malay flaves, not
. ■ ■ more
more expert, and much lefs to be depended on, than' the Hottentots
; to whom, indeed, they even preferred the ftupid negroes
of Mofambique and Madagafcar.
Whether it happened from real ignorance of the charader of
thefe natives, or from ftrong prejudices imbibed againft them,
or from an adherence to a narrow policy, I cannot pretend to
determine; but, from the enquiries I have made, it does not
appear they have at any period experienced a treatment equally
favourable to that of the meaneft flaves. Not many years ago
it was thought expedient, for fome purpofe or other, to affem-
ble a confiderable number in or near the town, but the bufinefs
for which they were colleded, dwindling into a job for the
emolument of the perfons who had the management of i t ; and
as the Hottentots were neither paid, clothed, nor fed, they exhibited
- a fcene of filth, mifery, and wretchednefs; they became
a nuifance to the town, and were in confequence dif-
banded.
The colonifts were ready to predid a fimilar fate to the attempt
of Sir James Craig, of forming them into a corps ; but
their predidions ended in their difappointment. Never,” , ob-
ferves Sir James, “ were people more contented or more
jS grateful for the treatment they now receive. We have up-
“ wards of three hundred who have been with us nine months.
“ It is, therefore, with the opportunity of knowing them well,
“ that I venture to pronounce them an intelligent race of men.
“ All who hear arms exercife well, and underftand immediately,
“ and perfedly, whatever they are taught to perform. Many
von, ii. h “ of