« T7'ibe of Coffers on the East of the Cape Colony. 1 1 



vested in one person is acknowledged by these several chiefs, 

 and that the right of possessing that supreme power is derived 

 from hereditary descent. The right of succession to the 

 supreme power depends upon the claimant being of royal descent 

 both on the father's and mother's side. 



The degree of relationship which exists between the chiefs of 

 these people prevents them from intermarrying with the females 

 of each other, as it is a custom with them not to marry with 

 any that they suppose to be in any degree related to them ; 

 they, therefore, choose a consort from the royal family of the 

 tribe of Tambooicies, and the eldest male offspring of such 

 alliance is the person entitled to the succession. 



As polygamy exists among them the chiefs take several wives 

 from among the common people, but the offspring of these 

 wives never possess the sovereignty, though they raise themselves 

 to great pov/er, and often become the guardians of the kingly 

 authority. 



If the heir is a minor, he is taken under the care of one of 

 the chiefs, who is appointed generally by a council of the 

 chiefs to act as regent during the minority. 



All the cattle, arms, and lands are considered as the pro- 

 perty of the king ; every person tacitly acknowledges that his 

 flocks, wives, and every thing he possesses is derived from his 

 sovereign ; and when the cattle are seized for any real or alleged 

 offence, it is said he was not worthy to be trusted with the 

 king's property, and that therefore he has only taken his own to 

 bestow it on some more worthy person. The subordinate 

 chiefs, in like manner, claim the property of all those who are 

 under their controul, and when they levy a fine it is in the 

 king's name and for his use, and they always send a portion of 

 it to him. 



There is no stated revenue for the support of the royal 

 dignity: the wealth of the king arises from his own private 

 patrimony, for though he claims all the property of the people, 

 and they acknowledge the justness of the claim, yet they never 

 voluntarily give up any thing, nor can he deprive them of it 

 without a pretence be offered, or be framed for that purpose. 

 Fines for the offences of his subjects, real or alleged, form one 

 method of increasing his wealth ; another is, a sliare of the 

 plunder acquired in a successful incursion, but if the act be 

 resented and restitution demanded, and the king is not willing 

 to sanction and defend the aggression, restitution is made out 

 of tlie property of the offender, and the remainder is retained 

 by the king. Also when any man dies, all the cattle that he 

 had in possession are taken by the chief to whom he belonged, 

 and in this case part of them is sent to the royal kraal. Part 

 ^Iso of the price obtained for their cattle or for game is claimed 



