36 
SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
had this been attended to, the result still would, 
in all human probability, have been the same, 
according to the experience of other nations ; 
for, as is everywhere the case, the industrious 
would have secured the most fertile soil, whilst 
the Karoo and the desert alone would have 
been the portion of the indolent and barbarous 
aborigines. 
In the hands of the Dutch, however, the 
Cape certainly soon developed its resources ; 
while the edict of Mantes, and the persecution 
I of the Protestants in Europe at that period, 
sent a number of French refugees to this coun- 
try, who at once began the cultivation of the 
. vine, and the manufacture of vane, which, at 
the present day, forms so important and exten- 
sive an article of its export commerce. 
If we except the establishment of the laws 
and the religion of Holland ; the building of the 
castle and barrack at Cape Town ; together with 
the organization of the four primitive districts 
of the Colony ; viz, the Cape, Stellenbosch, 
Swellendam, and Graff-Keinet : no event of any 
great importance to history occurred during 
the remaining period of the Dutch occupation. 
In the formation of these districts, each was 
placed under the charge of a Landrost, or chief 
magistrate, who had six Hemraaden, or Burgh- 
ers, to aid him in the administration of justice ; 
