f some interested party or another,
who will sway their councils. Thus it was at the Cape.

"It is true that much good had already been done by the abolition of
slavery and the emancipation of the Hottentot; but this was effected,
not by the colonial government, but by the representations of the
missionaries and an influential and benevolent party at home. The
prejudices against the Hottentots, and particularly the Caffres, still
existed, and were imbibed by the colonial authorities. Commandoes, or,
as they should be more properly termed, marauding parties, were still
sent out, and the Caffre was continually oppressed, and, in defiance of
the government orders, little justice could be obtained for the
Hottentot, although his situation was somewhat improved.

"I will give one instance to show how the rights of the Hottentots were
respected by the Cape authorities in 1810,--previous to the
emancipation, it is true, but still at a time when the position of the
Hottentots and their sufferings had been strenuously pressed upon the
colonial authorities by the government at home.

"When the conduct of the Dutch boors had roused the Caffres and
Hottentots to war, there were three brothers by the name of Stuurman,
Hottentots, who were the leaders. Peace was at length restored, which
was chiefly effected by the exertions of these men, who retired
peaceably with their own kraal to Algoa Bay; and the government, being
then Dutch, appointed Stuurman as captain of the kraal. This independent
horde of Hottentots gave great offense to the Dutch boors,--the more so
as the three brothers had been the leaders of the Hottentots in the
former insurrection. For seven years they could find no complaint to
make against them, until at last two of his Hottentots, who had engaged
to serve a boor for a certain time, went back to the kraal at the
expiration of the term, against the wish of the boor, who would have
detained them; the boor went and demanded them back, but Stuurman
refused to give them up; upon which, although justice was clearly on the
side of the Hottentots, an armed force was dispatched to the kraal.
Stuurman still refused to surrender the men, and the armed men retired,
for they knew the courage of the Hottentots, and were afraid to attack
them.

"By treachery they gained possession of Stuurman and one of his brothers
(the other having been killed hunting the buffalo), and sent them to
Cape Town, from whence, against all justi