The Mission

heavy press of sail, was fast leaving the shores of his native country. He remained on the poop of the vessel wi

uried, but bleaching in the desert? And if I do return, shall I find my old relation still alive, or called a

ge standing close to him, and apparently as much lost in reverie as he had been. As in turning round Alexander br

leave of our native shores. Every Englishman does the same, and indeed every true lover of his country, let the country be what it will. We find the feeling as str

, as you say, it is merely the love of locality; with

ch more nobly endowed? This is not your firs

never was out of England, or on bo

passengers are all suffering from sea-sickness, while you and I only ar

nder, "but this morning I have no unpleasant sensation wh

by experience I know how painful and distressing the sickness is for som

ed Alexander; "but I can not say that I have my usual a

all it, but in English, the stormy petrel; i

laughing; "for with rough weather, there will of course be mor

out appetite), and keep on deck, you may get over

ny passenge

emales and children. There is a Cape gentleman who has long resided in the colony, and is now returning there. I have had some conver

d induced him to engage in no profession, being perfectly satisfied with his income, which was sufficient for his wants and to enable him to follow up his favorite study. He was now on his passage to the

ntimacy had been established between Alexander and Mr. Swinton, although as yet neither knew the cause of the other's voyage to

ander found out, on looking over his letters of introduction when at anchor at Madeira, that he possessed one to this gentleman. This of course he presented at once, although they were already on intimate terms; and this introduction made Mr. Fairburn (for such was his name) take an immediate in

hesitation in confiding to one who could so ma

band, who was a colonel in the Bengal army. They were all pleasant people, the young ladies very lively, and on the whole the cabin of the Surprise cont

ter-deck and poop of the vessel, which for many days had been running down before the trade-winds, i

d Mr. Fairburn were sitting

ears at the Cape, Mr. F

and was embarked on board one of the vessels in Saldanha Bay, when they were attacked by the English. Afterward, when the English captured the Cape, from my long residence in, and knowledge of,

cquainted with the h

wish it, shall be happy to gi

owledge that I know but little, and that I have gleaned

living wholly upon the produce of their cattle; they were not agriculturists, but possessed large herds of cattle, sheep and goats, which ranged the extensive pastures of the country. The history of the founding of one colony

ld be made. They, for the first time in their lives, tasted what proved the cause of their ruin and subsequent slavery-tobacco and strong liquors. These two poisons, offered gratuitously, till the poor Hottent

ng them, were taken from them. Eventually, they were stripped of every thing except their passion for tobacco and spirits, which they could not get rid of. Unwilling to leave the land of their forefathers, and seeing no other way of procuring the means

ecome slaves?" i

nd sold as were the slaves which were subsequently introduced into the colony from the east coast of Africa and Madagascar. The position of the slave was, in my opinion, infinitely superior, merely from the self-interest of the owner, who would not kill or risk the life of a creature for whom he had paid two or three hundred rix-dollars; whereas, the Dutch boors, or planters, thought l

did the Dutch gover

re beyond its reach. But now I will proceed to give you some further insight, by describin

ry that was worth having was disposed of as far as to the country of the Caffres, a fine, warlike race, of whom we will speak hereafter. It must not, however, be supposed that the whole of the Hottentot tribes became serfs to the soil. Some few drove away their cattle to the northward, out of reach of the Dutch, to the borders of the Caffre land; others, depri

er, they were never without their muskets in their hands, and they and their descendants became an athletic, powerful, and bulky race, courageous, and skilled in the use of fire-arms, but at the same time cruel and avaricious to the highest degree. The absolute power they possessed over the slaves an

the part of these Dutch boors, but I had no

ield, and they have treated them as such. They would be startled at the idea of murdering a white man, but they will execute wholesale slaughter among these poor natives, and think they have committed no crime