THE GRIQUA CHIEF WATERBOER. Up, 



in some degree the characteristics of both parents. They were 

 governed for many years by an elected chief, named Waterboer, 

 who, by treaty, received a small sum per annum from the colo- 

 nial government for the support of schools in his country, and 

 proved a most efficient guard of our northwest boundary. Cat- 

 tle-stealing was totally unknown during the whole period of this 

 able chief's reign; and he actually drove back, single-handed, a 

 formidable force of marauding Mantatees that threatened to in- 

 vade the colony.* But for that brave Christian man, Waterboer, 

 there is every human probability that the northwest would have 

 given the colonists as much trouble as the eastern frontier; for 

 large numbers among the original Griquas had as little scruple 

 about robbing farmers of cattle as the Caffres are reputed to have. 

 On the election of Waterboer to the chieftainship, he distinctly 

 declared that no marauding should be allowed. As the govern- 

 ment of none of these tribes is despotic, some of his principal men, 

 in spite of this declaration, plundered some villages of Corannas 

 living to the south of the Orange River. He immediately seized 

 six of the ringleaders, and, though the step put his own position 

 in jeopardy, he summoned his council, tried, condemned, and pub- 

 licly executed the whole six. This produced an insurrection, and 

 the insurgents twice attacked his capital, Griqua Town, with the 

 intention of deposing him ; but he bravely defeated both attempts, 

 and from that day forth, during his long reign of thirty years, 

 not a single plundering expedition ever left his territory. Hav- 

 ing witnessed the deleterious effects of the introduction of ardent 

 spirits among his people, he, with characteristic energy, decreed 

 that any Boer or Griqua bringing brandy into the country should 

 have his property in ardent spirits confiscated and poured out 

 on the ground. The Griqua chiefs living farther east were una- 

 ble to carry this law into effect as he did, hence the greater facil- 

 ity with which Boers in that direction got the Griquas to part 

 with their farms. 



Ten years after he was firmly established in power he enter- 

 ed into a treaty with the colonial government, and during the 

 twenty years which followed not a single charge was ever brought 

 against either him or his people ; on the contrary, his faithful ad- 

 herence to the stipulated provisions elicited numerous expressions 



* For an account of this, see Moffat's "Scenes and Labors in South Africa." 



