“I before remarked the absurdity of that expression,” said Mr. Swinton; “we outlaw a member of our own society and belonging to our own country; but to outlaw the chiefs of another country is something too absurd; I fear the English language is not much studied at the Cape.”

“At all events, every attempt made to obtain possession of these outlawed chiefs was unavailing.  After plundering the country of all that could be found in it, leaving devastation and misery behind, the expedition returned without obtaining their object, but with the satisfaction of knowing that by taking away 30,000 more cattle, they left thousands of women and children to die of starvation.  But I must leave off now.  The results of the war, and the fate of Mokanna, shall be the subject of another meeting.”

“We are much obliged to you, Mr. Fairburn, for the interesting narrative you have given us.  It is, however, to be hoped that you will have no more such painful errors and injustice to dwell upon.”

“As I before observed, Mr. Wilmot, it requires time for prejudice and falsehood to be overthrown; and until they are mastered, it can not be expected that justice can be administered.  The colonial government had to contend with the whole white population of the colony who rose up in arms against them, considering, from long habit, that any interference with their assumed despotism over the natives was an infringement of their rights.

“You must also recollect how weak was the power of the colonial government for a long time, and how impossible it was to exert that power over such an extensive country; and to give you some idea of this, I will state what was the reply of some of the Dutch boors to the traveler La Vaillant, when the latter expressed his opinion that the government should interfere with an armed force to put an end to their cruelty and oppression.

“‘Are you aware,’ said they, ’what would be the result of such an attempt?—­Assembling all in an instant, we would massacre half of the soldiers, salt their flesh, and send it back by those we might spare, with threats to do the same thing to those who should be bold enough to appear among us afterward.’  It is not an easy task for any government to deal with such a set of people, Mr. Wilmot.”

“I grant it,” replied Alexander; “and the conviction makes me more anxious to know what has been since done.”

CHAPTER VI.

The following morning the wind was very slight, and before noon it fell calm.  Two sharks of a large size came under the stern of the vessel, and the sailors were soon very busy trying to hook one of them; but they refused the bait, which was a piece of salt pork, and after an hour they quitted the vessel and disappeared, much to the disappointment of both passengers and ship’s company, the former wishing very much to see the sharks caught, and the latter very anxious to cut them up and fry them for their suppers.