OF THE CAFFER TRIBES. 137 
Europe,—a kind of government which unhappily is 
very favourable to the doctrine, that ‘ might gives 
right.’ All nomadic tribes are robbers, unless the 
propensity be checked by religion, or by cireum- 
stances which they cannot control. Within these 
limitations the Caffers may be regarded as coming 
under the general rule; for, while the Chiefs protect 
in a considerable degree the rights of property 
among their own vassals, the tribes have ever been 
addicted to engage in war with each other for the 
purpose of carrying off the cattle of their neighbours. 
The frequent robberies committed by them, within 
the Colony, ought not therefore to be attributed 
wholly to any aggressions of the Colonists; but. may 
fairly be ascribed, in a great degree, to their own 
imperfect moral perceptions, deeply-rooted habits, 
and defective mode of government. 
© Let me not, however, be misunderstood. The 
Caffers have not been exclusively, and in every in- 
stance, to blame. Our border policy is extremely 
bad ; and by this means we have often undesignedly 
excited the cupidity, and exasperated the feelings, 
of a people who, although naturally prone to make 
inroads upon their neighbours, were, during the last 
few years, beginning to cherish the opinion that it 
would be their interest to cultivate peace with the 
Colony. It is but recently that attempts to improve 
their moral state, by the diffusion of Christianity, 
have been encouraged by the Colonial government ; 
