56 TRAVELS IN > 
^han that of enriching the individuals concerned, by the plunder 
of cattle belonging to the harmlefs natives, the Britifii government 
thought it expedient, in order to demonftrate its readinefs to 
attend to the interefts of the colonifts, to take into confidera- 
tion the ftate of the cafe, being aware at the fame time of the 
danger of entrufting any commilTion of fuch a nature to the 
Dutch peafantry. The difturbances raifed by the boors on thdf 
borders of the Kaffer country difcouraged any attempt to open, 
a trafRc with this nation, but accounts of an imperfeft nature 
were entertained, that a nation called the Briequas, or more 
properly, as it feems, the BoJJjuanas^ about fixteen days' jour- 
ney to the northward of the Orange River, were likely to fur-. 
niih the neceffary fupply ; and as this journey, over an unbeaten 
tradl, could not fail to be produ<Stive of novelty, and might fur- 
nifh new objects of curiofity, Mr. Triiter, member of the Court 
of Juftice, and Mr. Somerville, the garrifon furgeon, were im- 
mediately pointed out as two gentlemen polTeffing in every re- 
fpe£t the proper qualifications for undertaking fuch an expedi- 
tion. Mr. Triiter had been a fervant of the Dutch Eaft India 
Company for more than thirty years, during which period he 
bore an irreproachable charadler ; and the Englifh government 
is not lefs indebted to the zeal and fidelity with which he con- 
tinued, more from principle than expectation of emolument 
which he did not want, to perform the laborious duties of a 
member of the Court of Juftice, during the feven years it held 
polfelTion of the Cape. To an open and generous difpofition 
he adds the moft fcrupulous exadnefs in all tranfadtlons between, 
man and man. His temper is cheerful, his heart benevolent,, 
and the turn of his mind ftrongly inclined to acquire know-. 
• ' ledge. 
