haracter well, as well as any man in the colony.
I am a colonist born, and I believe from my soul, that it will be the
most _dangerous_ experiment ever made to allow these men to vote under a
franchise amounting to universal suffrage."

The Secretary of Government stated: "We had nearly a rebellion here (at
Cape Town), amongst the same class of colored people as those at the
East, and although the panic had partially subsided, the hostile
disposition of that class against the whites had assuredly not." So much
for the fidelity of, and the confidence reposed in, the colored classes
of the Cape Colony.

The population of the Cape is heterogeneous; composed of Dutch, English,
French, Germans, Malays, Hottentots, emancipated Slaves, Betjouanas,
Fingoes, and others coming under the name of native foreigners; which, I
take it, means the same as the West India word "_creole_"--one born of
European parents in a colony. The Dutch, as being the earliest settlers,
are most numerous, of those laying claims to white blood; but all the
power is in the hands of the English, of course, who are too
quick-witted for the phlegmatic "Boer," the term they apply to the
Hollander. After the French and Germans, a small proportion, and the few
Malays now left, comes the Hottentot--the Aborigine. With them are
enumerated the other colored races, as having the mark of degradation
stamped by the Almighty upon the first-born of mankind. The "emancipated
slaves," having, with a few exceptions, originally sprung from that
race, have been but little raised in the scale of humanity, during their
term of servitude to the Dutch.

Wished much to have visited the celebrated Observatory, but understood
its interior had been destroyed by fire, a few weeks before. There are
many constellations seen at the Cape not visible elsewhere.

Was disappointed also in examining the Library; I wanted to overhaul the
celebrated Cape Records, said to be interesting.

CHAPTER XXIX.

A Death on board--Our Freight--Extracts from Diary--St.
Helena and Napoleon--The Trades--Poetical idea of a
starry Telegraph--Good Sailing.

One of the invalids, whom we were bringing home from the squadron, died
and was buried at Cape Town. Poor fellow, he was never destined to see
his native land again. His disease, consumption, with the usual tendency
of that complaint, made rapid advances as we drew near land. He had
resigned himself to die, and his repeated wish was t