400 Report 8. A. A. Advaxce.mknt of 8cik\ck. 



keepers, only interfered when the general safety or good order was 

 endangere(i. For instance, before the parade no inn might be open ; 

 the burghers summoned to assist in constructing public works were 

 fined if thev came drunk. 



Severe punishments and high fines were imposed on the culprits, 

 and evidence of the fear with which the Fiscaal (the public prose- 

 cutor) was regarded is preserved in the name of a bird ("Fiskaal- 

 vogel "), which treats its fellow-birds in such a cruel wa\\ Cruelty in 

 corporal punishment, to be found all over Europe in those days, was 

 not wanting at the Cape. 



The spirit of liberty was not killed in the colonist, but insubordi- 

 nation, as, for instance, not appearing at the parade, was soon sup- 

 pressed. In time of war with European nations the colonists were 

 quite willing to assist the Company in defending the settlement, fight- 

 ing for home and famil}-. This was one instance of the value of the 

 freemen to the Company : the number of soldiers and the expenses 

 could be reduced, as the colonists made rifieinen as good as or still 

 better than those who had enlisted as soldiers, most of who)ii were not 

 soldiers by profession. The sale of goods to the colonists by the Com- 

 pany produced a considerable profit ; but the principal aim was to 

 secure a supply of produce for the victualling of the fleets. 



To keep the language pure it was forbidden to address the slaves 

 in Portuguese. The sla\es were expected to learn pure Dutch, and 

 many instances are given where slaves expressed themselves in correct 

 Dutch. This order was issued in 1657, before the arrival of slaves, 

 and althc)Ugh the Dutch language at the Cape has been influenced by 

 the Malay, the number of words of Portuguese origin is very small. 



Ver}' soon a distinction is to be seen between well-to-do colonists 

 and poor ones. The poor were assisted in every way both by the Com- 

 pany and the Church, in whose affaii's the directors took an active 

 part ; some colonists earned so mucli money, that they sent it to 

 Batavia, as a loan to the Company. The distinction in wealth and 

 position was clearly shown in the titles givei: to the wives of officials 

 and freemen in those days. Allow me to bring this sketch to a close 

 by giving an illustrative picture, taken from the life in Capetown in 

 1677. 



At that time the Republic was ;it war with France. The sad 

 news had reached the Cape that Admii-al De Ruyter was killed in 

 the naval battle near Mount Etna, and that the negotiations for peace 

 were not successful. The Castle at the Cape might at any moment be 

 attacked by a French fleet, and Governor Bax and his Council did 

 their utmost to put it in a strong position for defence. A moat i-ound 

 the walls of the Castle was planned, and as the work went on very 

 slowly by reason of the want of a sufficient number of diggers, Johan 

 Bax tried to have the moat dug in a very short time without expense. 

 The Journal reads as follows on Moiulay, October 25, 1677: '' In ordei" 

 to encourage everybody in ;issisting in nioat-digging the Honourable 

 Governor in person and his Tjor-dsliip's lady and their little son, were 

 so condescending as to conu- this morning, accompanied by the other 



