136 MORAL STATE AND HABITS 
‘In most inquiries as to the cause of those fre- 
quent collisions between the Caffers and the Colo- 
nists, which have gradually produced the late ter- 
rible catastrophe, it appears to me that the principal 
source of the evil has been almost, if not altogether, 
overlooked by many persons who have otherwise 
very distinctly pointed out various concurrent cir- 
cumstances which have tended to give it greatly 
augmented force ;—I refer to the moral state and 
habits of the Caffer tribes. From the days of 
Vaillant, it has been the practice of various writers 
to give such glowing descriptions of the noble and 
generous-minded Caffers, that many persons, after 
reading their publications, find it difficult to believe 
that a Caffer Chief would degrade himself by sanc- 
tioning robbery and murder. Nothing can be more 
misleading than statements which produce this im- 
pression. ‘That there exists in the minds of many 
of the Chiefs a proud self-respect, which sometimes 
produces a noble bearing, and magnanimous con- 
duct, I can testify; and it is a quality which might 
be turned to advantage by a skilful agent of govern- 
ment: but they have very indistinct notions of the 
rights of property, and they are fearfully reckless of 
the destruction of human life. — | 
«They are not wholly ignorant of the science, or 
destitute of a form of government; but that which has 
been established amongst them from time immemo- 
rial is something like the ancient feudal system of 
