BOERS AFRAID OF THE CAFFRES. 23 



account for the cruel anomaly. They are all traditionally 

 religious, tracing their descent from some of the best 

 men (Huguenots and Dutch) the world ever saw. Hence 

 they claim to themselves the title of " Christians," and 

 all the coloured race are " black property " or " crea- 

 tures." They being the chosen people of God, the 

 heathen are given to them for an inheritance, and they are 

 the rod of divine vengeance on the heathen, as were the 

 Jews of old. Living in the midst of a native population 

 much larger than themselves, and at fountains removed 

 many miles from each other, they feel somewhat in the 

 same insecure position as do the Americans in the 

 Southern States. The first question put by them to 

 strangers is respecting peace ; and when they receive 

 reports from disaffected or envious natives against any 

 tribe, the case assumes all the appearance and propor- 

 tions of a regular insurrection. Severe measures then 

 appear to the most mildly disposed among them as 

 imperatively called for, and, however bloody the massacre 

 that follows, no qualms of conscience ensue : it is a dire 

 necessity for the sake of peace. Indeed the late Mr. 

 Hendrick Potgeiter most devoutly believed himself to be 

 the great peacemaker of the country. 



But how is it that the natives, being so vastly superior 

 in numbers to the Boers, do not rise and annihilate them ? 

 The people among whom they live are Bechuanas, not 

 Caffres, though no one would ever learn that distinction 

 from a Boer ; and history does not contain one single 

 instance in which the Bechuanas, even those of them 

 who possess fire-arms, have attacked either the Boers or 

 the English. If there is such an instance, I am certain 

 it is not generally known, either beyond or in the Cape 

 Colony. They have defended themselves when attacked, 

 as in the case of Sechele, but have never engaged in offen- 

 sive war with Europeans. We have a very different tale 

 to tell of the Caffres, and the difference has always been 

 so evident to these border Boers, that, ever since " those 

 magnificent savages "* obtained possession of fire-arms, 

 not one Boer has ever attempted to settle in Caffreland, 

 or even face them as an enemy in the field. The Boers 

 have generally manifested a marked antipathy to any- 

 thing but " long-shot " warfare, and, sidling away in 



* The " United Service Journal " so styles them. 



