350 JOURNEY BEYOND THE GREAT RIVER. [1813. 
that if there were no law against murder, and no pu- 
nishment annexed to the commission of it, then every 
man's life was in danger of being taken from him, 
even on the most frivolous occasion — if no law against 
theft, then the property of the industrious was at the 
mercy of the idle ; and in case they should become a 
much more numerous people, which was not impro- 
bable, should they remain without laws, all would be 
anarchy and confusion — that by appointing rulers or 
judges to execute the laws they might adopt, they were 
not giving away their power, but only lending it to the 
judges, for their reciprocal advantage — and that in the 
history of the world there was no account of any peo- 
ple existing and prospering without laws. I com- 
mended them highly for having relinquished a wan- 
dering life and become a stationary people, and said 
I was happy that they were, from experience, con- 
vinced of its utility ; and assured them that in propor- 
tion to the length of time they remained here, they and 
their children would become attached to the spot, and 
be desirous to promote its prosperity ; that they would 
feel it become a home, of which, while wanderers, they 
were destitute. 
After Mr. Read had stated various particulars re- 
specting their proceedings at Bethelsdorp, followed 
by remarks from Messrs. Anderson, Janz, and the two 
native Captains or Chiefs, every person present con- 
sented that laws should be made, and judges or 
magistrates chosen to put them in execution ; and that 
a meeting should be held in the afternoon to consider 
what laws should immediately be made in reference to 
