1812. 
PLATJE. 
163 
found. The Secretary was exceedingly warm with the Hottentot for 
leaving the butcher, after having promised to serve him another year ; 
and told me that he had been credibly given to understand that he 
was truly, though only verbally, hired. 
Still, with the strongest evidence against him, the master made 
another struggle to detain Platje, and persuaded the jailer or onder- 
schout (under-sheriflF) to send me a note certifying, fortunately for 
his conscience, not upon oath, that to his knowledge the man, with 
his wife and five children, was hired for a twelvemonth at the Secre- 
tary's office, on the last day of May in the preceding year, at the sum 
of twenty rix dollars : wishing by this, to show that his time had not 
yet expired. For, after having failed to prove that he was legally, 
or actually, hired for another year, he thought it would answer his 
purpose equally well, and prevent the man's leaving the village with 
me, if he could induce me to believe that the period of service 
would not terminate till the end of May, at which time, he knew, 
I should long have quitted the colony. 
All these endeavours, only served to convince me of the truth 
of the Hottentot's story ; and as he was exceedingly desirous of 
making one of my party- and anxious lest he should be detained by 
the butcher, whom he was resolved at all events to leave, I determined, 
as much on his account as on my own, to take him with me. I there- 
fore requested the landdrost to sign an order to the Secretary, that he 
should, if no legal objection could be found, prepare the usual agree- 
ment, and register him as my servant. This was accordingly done. 
But on the Hottentot's demanding the arrears of his wages, of 
which he had only received nine rix dollars, his master not only 
denied his claim, but took from him some clothes, which, he said, the 
man had not paid for. Platje, the following day, summoned him 
before the landdrost ; the butcher asserted that no money was due ; 
and the Hottentot, who was unable to bring forward any witness, 
or to produce any written testimony, relinquished his demand, and 
came away, well satisfied with having gained at least his freedom. 
I have related the particulars of this story, with the view of 
showing more forcibly than bare assertion could do, how useful and 
Y 2 
