CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 
427 
portation; while, for other and minor crimes, the prisoners are 
employed as convicts on Robben’s Island, working in the quarries; for 
less offences, flogging and imprisonment are inflicted. 
On the other hand, the English civil law has been modified by that 
of the Dutch : this has increased litigation, in consequence of the absurd 
manner in which boundaries were formerly laid off; such, for instance, 
as estimating by the distance a man could walk in a hour, or canter 
with his horse. 
Another source of complaint, which amused me not a little, was the 
administration of justice by a supreme court, over which a chief justice 
and two puisne judges preside ; two of these are English, while the third 
is a Scotchman; the consequence is, the English judges administer the 
law after the English code, while the Scotch judge follows that of 
Scotland, which often renders the decision diametrically opposite: and 
it is impossible for the advocate or client to know by what judge or 
law his case is to be tried. It was said, I know not with what truth, 
that high connexions have been considered more suitable qualifications 
for the office than legal knowledge. The salaries do not exceed fifteen 
hundred and two thousand pounds annually. 
There are in the Cape colony eight districts. Each of these is 
governed by a commissioner or civil magistrate, who is assisted by 
justices of the peace. These districts are again subdivided into veld 
cornetcies. The cornetcies are governed by a petty magistrate, who 
is called a veld cornet. These extend over a distance of about twenty 
miles, and under him is organized the militia force, in case it should be 
called out. It is the duty of the latter to meet the requisitions of the 
higher government officers for supplies, &c. There is little liberty 
allowed the inhabitants of the districts, who are restricted from all acts 
that might in any way tend to give expression to their sentiments; not 
even are they allowed to hold a public meeting, and all kinds of prose¬ 
cutions are referred to the capital for final decision. At the Cape they 
have a vice-admiralty court for the trial of offences on the high seas. 
The commissioner of the district, and others holding office, are 
appointed under the great seal, who are each empowered to grant 
licenses of marriage, and do other civil acts, and have associated with 
them the justices of peace, as well as the veld cornets. 
The taxes are represented as being onerous ; there is, for instance, a 
capitation tax of six shillings annually, on all free males and females, 
above the age of sixteen. Those in the employ of the government are 
exempt, as well as the servants attendant on them. Horses and 
carriages of all kinds are taxed from two to four pounds. There is a 
tax on all incomes exceeding thirty pounds, of two per cent.; in addition 
