THE REVOLT OF THE UlTLANDERS 
355 
Thus, exce^Dt in the resources appropriate to pioneers, they had 
been left behind in the march of civilization. 
The British colonial policy in the early decades of this century 
had not yet developed into its modern phase of mildness in any 
part of the world. In 1815 took place a little disturbance which 
has been designated by the exaggerated name of the ‘‘ rebellion ” 
of Slachter’s Nek.* Two of the insurgent Boers and one Hot- 
tentot British soldier only were killed, yet the British punished 
the revolt by hanging five men, none of whom had shed a drop 
of blood, while thirty-two others were condemned to banishment, 
imprisonment, or fines. This cruel sentence, followed by no com- 
mutation, has never been forgotten by the Boers, and small is 
the wonder. The use of the Dutch language was forbidden in 
the courts of Cape Colony in 1827, and for a short time those 
who did not understand English were even disqualified from 
jury duty. In 1834 the slaves were emancipated suddenly by 
act of Parliament. The compensation proposed was only one- 
third of the appraised value, and the conditions of obtaining this 
fraction were so onerous that the colonists in many cases realized 
only a fifth or a sixth of the actual value, and sometimes nothins: 
at all. Many families were reduced to want, and great misery 
was caused by the injudicious execution of a measure the prin- 
ciple of which was laudable. The emaiicipated negroes were 
placed on a political equality with their recent masters, and the 
goyernment refused to pass yagrant laws to control the blacks. 
This was a period when philanthropists were yery entlmsiastie 
on the subject of the universal brotherhood of man, and it was 
supposed by many well-meaning people that Kaffir tril)es were 
intrinsically on a par with white communities. The Boers knew 
better. Their refusal to acknowledge the equality of wliite and 
black drew down on them the wrath of the missionaries, wlio 
were extremely influential both in London and Cape Town. 
There seems to be no doubt that tlie Dutch were rci>resented as 
far more cruel to the natives than they really were, while the 
blacks were painted as far less barl)arous than they are known 
to have been.t Tims the mutual antagonism of the Boers and 
the English was fomented by the apostles of j)oace. 
♦ Tlio origin of tliis tiffHir was tlio refusal of a Hoer nameil Ber.iiiilenlioiit to comply 
with a summons to answer a <^liargo of having ill-trealed a colored servant. Thero 
seems to have been no politics in it. 
t'l'tiat some terrih'e cruelties have lieen porpetrateil hy the Boers on tho hlaehs 
during perioils of hostility is tiot to ho doui>ted. It must ho retnomhered that white 
prisoners taken by the blacks were and aro tortured with indignities sickening to hear 
of and quite indescribable in prittt. 
