“Such was therefore the condition of the colony at the time that it fell into the possession of the English—­the Hottentots serfs to the land, and treated as the beasts of the field; the slave-trader supplying slaves; and continual war carried on between the boors and the Caffres.”

“I trust that our government soon put an end to such barbarous iniquities.”

“That was not so easy; the frontier boors rose in arms against the English government, and the Hottentots, who had been so long patient, now fled and joined the Caffres.  These people made a combined attack upon the frontier boors, burned their houses to the ground, carried off the cattle, and possessed themselves of their arms and ammunition.  The boors rallied in great force; another combat took place, in which the Hottentots and Caffres were victorious, killing the leader of the boors, and pursuing them with great slaughter, till they were stopped by the advance of the English troops.  But I can not dwell long upon this period of the Cape history; these wars continued until the natives, throwing themselves upon the protection of the English, were induced to lay down their arms, and the Hottentots to return to their former masters.  The colony was then given up to the Dutch, and remained with them until the year 1806, when it was finally annexed to the British empire.  The Dutch had not learned wisdom from what had occurred; they treated the Hottentots worse than before, maiming them and even murdering them in their resentment, and appeared to defy the British government; but a change was soon to take place.”

“Not before it was necessary, at all events,” said Alexander.

“It was by the missionaries chiefly that this change was brought about; they had penetrated into the interior, and saw with their own eyes the system of cruelty and rapine that was carried on; they wrote home accounts, which were credited, and which produced a great alteration.  To the astonishment and indignation of the boors, law was introduced where it had always been set at defiance; they were told that the life of a Hottentot was as important in the eye of God, and in the eye of the law, as that of a Dutch boor, and that the government would hold it as such.  Thus was the first blow struck; but another and a heavier was soon to fall upon those who had so long sported with the lives of their fellow-creatures.  The press was called to the aid of the Hottentot, and a work published by a missionary roused the attention of the public at home to their situation.  Their cause was pleaded in the House of Commons, and the Hottentot was emancipated forever.”

“Thank God!” exclaimed Alexander; “my blood has been boiling at the description which you have been giving.  Now, when I hear that the poor Hottentot is a free man, it will cool down again.”

“Perhaps it will be as well to leave off just now, Mr. Wilmot,” said Mr. Fairburn; “we will renew our conversation to-morrow, if wind and weather permit, as the seamen say.”