“ by which the whole o f their cattle will, of courfe, fa ll into
“ the hands of the boors.”
This curious' production concludes by obferving that, “ al-
“ though all the above points have been repeatedly urged to
“ the Commandants, it will avail nothing unlefs they be en-
“ forced by the government.” He might have added that, removed
as they were out of the reach and infpeition of government,
no recommendation nor orders would he attended to by
men who were fo completely under the dominion of their brutal
paffions. I ihould not have ventured to give the fourth article
of thefe extraordinary inftruitions as authentic, had it not appeared
before me as an official document. The Britiffi government
was much too mild and moderate for a fet 01 men of fo
odious a charaiter as their own countryman has here defcribed
them, in the articles of his inftruitions. Such men will never
become civilized until they are “ ruled with a rod of iron.”
The moft lenient meafures, replete with every indulgence, have
been tried without fuccefs.- Not one fentiment of gratitude ever
efcaped them for -a full pardon of all their offences, and the
remiffion of a large debt; on the contrary, rebellion raifed its
head in the fame moment that indulgence was extended. So
eonfcious, indeed, are they of their wickednefs, that, whenever
they efcape puniihment, they conclude that the government no
longer poffeffes the power of infiiding it, and that it fpares
them only becaufe it is convenient to let them alone. Yet to
what a wretched condition might they be reduced by oneiingle
ad of the government; forbidding them all aceefs to the Cape,
and
and depriving them of gunpowder; both of which might eafily
and completely be effeded by the fmall military poll at Algoa
Bay.
However defirable it might have been to apprehend and-
puniffi the rebels, who had inftigated the Kaffers to ads of
hoftility againft the Britiffi troops, yet it was by no means ad-
vifable, in order to obtain that point, to wage an unequal conteft
with favages in tiie midft of impenetrable thickets, whofe de-
ftrudion would have added little luftre to the Britiffi arms, and
been advantageous only to the very people who had urged them
on. General Vandeleur, therefore, very prudently withdrew
hie forces, and marched them down to Algoa Bay, where part
of them were embarked on board the Rattlefnake, and the reft
intended to proceed to the Cape by eafy marches. Subfequent
events, however, delayed their departure, and rendered the prefence
of troops neceffary at Algoa Bay until the evacuation of
the colony.
Having delivered over the remaining Hottentots, on the return
of the General, and finding I could be of no further ufe,
I fet out for the Cape, where, after a journey of fixteen days,
performed with two horfes, I arrived on the 8th of June.
Little occurred on the homeward journey that was worthy of
obfervation, unlefs it was the vifible change that had taken place
in the behaviour of the people of Zwellendam. While the
boors, of Graaf Reynet were ftill in arms, the inhabitants of
this neighbouring diftrift appeared to be wavering, but on hear-
VOL. i i . T j n g