Chap. V. THE GPJQUA CHIEF WATEEBOEE. 105 



possess in some degree the characteristics of both parents. They 

 were governed for many years by an elected chief named Water- 

 boer ; who, by treaty, received a small sum per annum from the 

 Colonial Government for the support of schools in his country, 

 and proved a most efficient guard of our north-west boundary. 

 Cattle-stealing was totally unknown during the whole period of 

 this able chiefs reign ; and he actually drove back, single-handed, 

 a formidable force of marauding Mantatees that threatened to 

 invade the colony.* But for that brave Christian man, Water- 

 boer, there is every human probability that the north-west 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 Ins council, tried, condemned, and 

 publicly 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 Ins long reign of thirty 

 years, not a single plundering expedition ever left his territory. 

 Having 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 coun- 

 try should have his property in ardent spirits confiscated and 

 poured out on the ground. The Griqua chiefs living farther east 

 were unable to carry this law into effect as he did, hence the 

 greater facility with which Boers in that direction got the Griquas 

 to part with their farms. 



Ten years after he was firmly established in power he entered 

 into a treaty with the Colonial Govermnent ; 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 



* For an account of this see Moffat's ' Scenes and Labours in South 

 Africa.' 



