250 
SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
" As an instance — there is no greater crime, 
in the estimation of a Kaffir, than speaking dis- 
respectfully of authorities. It is,- however, a 
common failing among the European population, 
and this is not confined to the lower classes, 
that, upon a native declaring his intention of 
appealing to the authorities, he is given to 
understand, very frequently, that, in the esti- 
mation of the white man, the authorities are 
held in contempt. This leads the Kaffir to 
cherish the same feeling, which is productive of 
evil to himself, and nothing but evil, present 
and prospective, to the European population. 
" It should be borne in mind that the autho- 
rities are the only medium by which the white 
man can obtain redress for the wrong which 
may be done him by the native ; but, whatever 
amount of authority or influence he who ad- 
ministers the law, may or should, possess over the 
native, the contemptuous manner in which he 
has been spoken of by the European, cannot 
fail to break down the only means of securing 
that respect for the laws, so necessary to be 
maintained in the mind of the native, and which 
is so essential in securing that justice sought 
by the European. Connected with this I may 
mention another circumstance which I have 
noticed as operating upon the native population 
regarding the labour question. "When Kaffirs 
