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Reply to O. M. Bergh, Esq., Deputy Landdrost of Clan William.

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SIR,

Kleine Valley, 1st July, 1820.

Pursuant to your letter of the 22d ultimo, I went this day accompanied by Mr. Tullitun, the landsurveyor, to view Varkens Fonteyn. Although there is no road to it, I do not object to the land, as far as its extent goes; but there is a circumstance attending it which induces me to pause before I take possession of it, namely, that it is already occupied by an industrious Hottentot family of the name of Zwarts. Before I left Europe to settle in South Africa, it never was my intention to be the cause of distressing the peaceable inhabitants of the soil who were in possession thereof.

'Zwarts's industry and superior cleanliness struck me to be such as to give him strong claims to the consideration of government. I came out here determined not to be the instrument of unhappiness to any individual, and I should ill discharge my duty as a man and a Christian, were I to accept of Varkens Fonteyn, to the ruin of a poor Hottentot family.

'When his Excellency arrives, he will, I am convinced, act in a manner consistent with justice and humanity.

'Sir Rufane Donkin will, I hope, permit Zwarts to enjoy the fruits of his exertions, and continue him at Varkens Fonteyn, as an example to his brethren for their future encouragement and improvement.

'I have the honour to be, Sir,

'Your most obedient servant,
(Signed)
'W. PARKER.'

"Several attempts were made by some of my free settlers to procure this secluded spot, which was brought into a high state of cultivation by Zwarts's industry, but I never would consent to his being deprived of it without full remuneration. I have submitted this statement to you, that it may appear as one convincing proof of the inattention, on the part of official men, to the rights of humanity; and how must the difficulty be increased to the exemplary missionaries in diffusing a knowledge and a love of the gospel, when its first maxims are not attended to by those who are Christians by name?

"I am, &c.,

It is obvious, from the above correspondence, that the colonial government is entitled to very little respect for its indulgence to poor Zwarts: for had it not been for the disinterested conduct, in this instance, of Mr. Parker, he would have been turned out of his farm, with all its improvements, without ceremony, and without any compensation being made to him for his losses. The refusal of Mr. Parker to accept of his farm, för the reasons he assigned, was, in the first instance, treated with contempt; but the transaction had become public, and on its being seen that Zwarts had got friends, and that an account of his treatment, should he be ejected from his farm, was likely to reach England, it was left to remain in his possession.

The manner in which lands have been granted to the missionary institutions, and the conduct of the colonial government towards these institutions, is one of the last points the government can appeal to, in proof of its dis

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position to grant land to the Hottentots. Those institutions commenced at a period when the lands granted to them were of no importance to the colonists; and while, during a late period, several of them have been ⚫ put down by the colonial government, and the lands on which they stood given to the colonists, the lands belonging to others of them have been curtailed, and attempts have been made to crush them entirely, and to alienate the remaining lands from the objects for which they were given, to grant them to the colonists. All the lands formerly belonging to the missionary institutions in the Bushman country are now occupied by boors. After the details which have been given in the present instance, and those which were previously related as connected with the attempts made by the colonial government upon the lands of the missionary institutions of Zuurbrak, Pacaltsdorp, Bethelsdorp, and Theopolis, and to which the reader can look back, I am satisfied that any further illustrations of this subject would be deemed superfluous. The cases here enume. rated have been fully detailed, and the original documents have been laid before his Majesty's Commissioners and the Colonial Department at home.

One thing only remains to be noticed here, that is, the apology Lord Charles Somerset offers for the small extent of the land said to have been given to the Hottentots. "It is to be observed," says his Lordship, "that it is the practice of Hottentots, when they are not on service, to repair to one of the Moravian, or other institutions; the applications for land, therefore, by this class are very rare.

In reply to this apology, a few remarks, in this place, will suffice. There is an omission in his Lordship's

2

statement which should have been supplied. It should have been added, that it is the practice of Hottentots, when they are not in service, to repair to the Moravian or other religious institutions, when they are permitted so to do by the local authorities of the district.

In the proclamations of the colonial government, in the official documents of the government at home, and in the statement now under consideration, the Hottentots are, indeed, represented as a free people, free labourers, and British subjects: but it will be seen by the preceding pages, that their real condition is that of the most abject and wretched slavery. The Hottentots not at a missionary station must be in the service of the colonists; the law does not allow them to be without contract to a master; and they are entirely at the disposal of the local authorities of the district in which they reside. By this regulation alone, they are virtually disqualified from either acquiring or holding land, on the same principle on which a slave cannot be his own master and a slave at the same time.

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CHAPTER XIV.

Official Return of Commandoes against the Bushmen-Compared with Commandant Nel's Confessions.-Humane pretences of the Colonial Government examined.-Letter to Rev. B. Shaw.Traffic in Bushman Children.-Pretences of the Colonists for continuing this Traffic.-Comparative Humanity of the Dutch and English Governments towards the Bushmen.-Real objects of Bushman Commandoes.

WE come now to consider that part of the Parliamentary Return, which relates to the military expeditions against the Bushmen. The following is the official statement furnished by Lord Charles Somerset, in obedience to the orders of his Majesty's government, issued in consequence of the address of the House of Commons, of April 13, 1824, before mentioned.

Note to Table on the opposite page :—

"The registry of slaves throughout the colony is entrusted to a principal officer in Cape Town, assisted by agents in the country districts, in each of which a separate register is kept. These registers, although voluminous, are defective in form, and the removals of slaves have not been, in all instances, duly recorded. No description of the person of the slave is entered in the register, nor has it been customary to require the attendance of the slave at the office when he has been returned by the owner."

Report of His Majesty's Commissioners of Inquiry, &c, &c.

Parliamentary Papers for Session 1826-7, No. 282.