LATTLE AS AN ECONOMIC FACTOK IN SOUTH AFRICA. \Z'j 



hastily driving large herds of cattle into the interior, and " it was 

 not found possible to open intercourse with the wild people." 

 Proceeding eastward a second cross was erected on a small island 

 in Algoa Bay which ever since has been called St. Croix (the 

 Portuguese called it Santa Cruz), and eventually Diaz turned 

 homewards, after reaching the mouth of a river thought t<^ be the 

 Fish or the Kowie. 



(2) Twelve years later Vasco da Gama, following up the 

 discovery of Diaz, landed at St. Plelena Bay and contrived to get 

 into communication with the natives. Unfortunately a quarrel 

 resulted, and blood was shed. Proceeding on his voyage he 

 anchored as far east as Cape St. Bras (i.e., probably St. Blaize) 

 and finding the natives very friendly he was able to barter for 

 sheej), but he could not induce them to part with any horned 

 cattle. 



Further north and east the Portuguese found another race, 

 black in colour, friendly in temperament, willing to barter copper, 

 i\-ory, and much-needed provisions— the first intimation of the 

 presence of the Bantus. This voyage having established the route 

 to India, fleets sailed at frequent intervals to and from India. 



(3) One of these, under Antonio de. Saldaiilia, in 1503 sailed 

 into Table Bay for the first time. Son?e Hottentots, attracted no 

 doubt by the strange sight of the great ships under sail, a])peared 

 on the scene, and a cow and two sheep were bartered irom them. 

 .A^fter this, no doubt other .ships, of which we have no record, 

 followed suit and the system of barter became more or less 

 established. This niiHit well have had far-reaching results had 

 not the pioneers in their hastiness spoiled evervthing. 



(4) Francisco D' Almeida, the first Portuguese Viceroy 

 of the Fastern Seas, touching at Table Bay for supi)lies, 

 sent a partv a.shore to barter cattle from the Hot- 

 tentots. In the course of the ])roceedings some trouble 

 arose, and next day i.So men were landed to punish 

 the savages. It is significant that the soldiers marched up 

 to a kraal and seized the cattle: nor is it .surprising to read 

 further that the Hottentots attacked tliem as they were driving 

 the cattle away. D'Almeida and some sixty men being killed in 

 the ensuing fracas. The reports of this affair seem to have 

 impressed the Portueuese deeplv. for from that time thev avoided 

 the Cane, thinking apparentlv that the country was inhabited by 

 most ferocious savages, and actually arranging that their ships 

 •should provision at Sofala on the West Coast and Mozambique on 

 the Fast, doubling the Cape year after year without touching the 

 southern shores. 



(b) RF.SULTS OF VOYAGES. 



These four voyages in early South African history are full of 

 value and interest to the student of the economic history of the 

 land, for here we are first brought into touch with the aborigines. 

 here we see the first intercourse betw^een white and black, we see 

 it develop and we see it lapse for a time. The seeds of commerce 



