1775* i September. who bear the burden of all the taxes paid by the colonies, by means of theft and other inftitutions, more flouriihing and wealthy, and at the fame time exceedingly multiplied for the defence of the country. By thefe methods the company would in time be able, in fome meafure, to colledt from the Gape that force, both military and naval, which is fo highly neceffary for the defence of its more opulent fettle- ments in the Eaft-Indies; and which at prefent, in a manner utterly difgraceful to the Dutch Eaft-India company and to human nature, is recruited by the mean low wiles and artifices of crimps and kidnappers in Holland, which I Ihall expatiate upon hereafter, s Divers private perfons, againft whofe interefts it will feem at firft to militate, that the navigation from the bays which 1 have juft been recommending, ihould take place, will, probably, find many fpecious reafons to urge againft it ; but thefe will be eafily overthrown by fuch as know the nature of affairs in this country, and are patriotically inclined towards the company. It is to be feared, indeed; that many who have had the direction and government of the colony, have either not underftood, or elfe have not troubled their heads with any thing that did not refpedt their own emolument; or elfe have thought that prudence required, that the colonifts ihould be opprefled and kept in poverty, in order to prevent them from revolting. But it is neceffary only to know the colony a little better than they do, in order to difcover, in the moft clear and evident manner, that their great forefight and caution would, in this cafe, be carried too far. Moreover, the beft and foundeft principles of policy teach us, that that it is not their wealth and ftrength, but an invidious gÆgjfo and oppreffife government, that can induce the colonifts to think of revolting, in hopes of a change for the better; Let the members compofipg- a ftate be wealthy, and they will make ufe of all their ftrength and power to maintain the 'authority arid confequence of a government on which their own entirely depends. "By confequence, the ftrength and power of colonifts is dangerous only for tyrants and external enemiès ; while, on thé other hand, their weak- nefs peculiarly tends to the advantage of thè latter. But enough has-been faid upon this fubjedt, and it is fit that I ihould return to my account of Houtniquas land. The animals to be found there are elephants, lions, tigers, tiger-cats, wolves or hyænas, black monkies, a kind * of-badger, buffaloes, hart-beefts, bofch-boks, gnómetìes, grys-boks, and haresi | Thé elephants are now, - by being ihot at continually, in a great meafure expelled from Houtniquas, and have taken refuge on the other fide of Keureòooms-rìvìer-, ih the woody, and almoft entirely unexplored country o f Siift- kamma. The lions are extirpated fro hi Houtriiquas, at léaft, they now make no confiant abode there ; and thofë that now and then go thither from Sitfikamma, or from the other fide of Lange Kloofs mountains, are fooh difeovered and Ihot. T h e tigers, or rriore' properly leopards., (for they feem rather to belong to that fpeeips) are not fo eafily extirpated, as their lurking-places'in the forefts are hardly to be found. In thefe parts, indeed, one ftldom hears- of their having i ' i th e
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