VOYAGE TO NEW SOUTH WALES. 
confining both of horfe and foot, were embodied, and 
held their annual meeting : I fay annual, as that is the 
ufual period ; but this was the firft time of their aflembling 
iince the concluHon of the war in 1783. The Cape militia 
differ from the Englifh, in not receiving pay, or wearing 
regimentals. In fadt they fhould rather be called volunteers, 
who turn out for the protedlion of theij own property, and 
are not fubjed: to ftridt military difcipline. Moft of them 
wore blue coats, with white metal buttons, aukwardly long, 
and in the cut and fhape of which uniformity had not been 
attended to. Neither was it vifible in the other parts of 
their drefs or accoutrements ; fome wore powder, others 
none; fo that, upon the whole, they made a very unmilitary 
appearance. The officers are chofen annually from among 
themfelves. Some of thefe, indeed, I obferved to be very 
well dreffed. Negle6t, non-attendance, and every other 
breach of their military rules, is punifhed by fine or forfeiture, 
and not corporally. At this burlefque on the profeflion of 
a foldier, I could not help obferving, that many of them had 
either got intoxicated that morning, or were not recovered 
from their overnight's debauch; notwithftanding which 
they marched to the field, and went through their evolutions 
with 
