SOUTHERN AFRICA. 57 
ledge. Of Mr. Somerville It is rufficlent to fay he Is a Briton, 
a charader far beyond the reach of any calumny that an African 
Dutchman can invent ; and as the public, it is to be hoped, 
will be gratifred with his account of the expedition, I leave it 
to him to defend himfelf and companions againft a charge 
which nothing but inherent falfehood and diabolical malevo- 
lence, and their own infatiable thirft after human blood, could 
have conceived. It was on this expedition thefe two gentle- 
men met with Mr. Kicherer, a regular bred minifter of the 
reformed church of the United Provinces, who, on their return, 
embarked for Holland ; Mr. Somerville fhortly afterwards for 
England, and Mr. Triiter remained behind, where he became 
the objetSt of their brutal malice, in revenge, I fuppofe, for 
having found it expedient on their journey to difcharge and 
turn away the eight or ten boors that accompanied them, for 
their idle, diforderly, and thievifh conduit. For the atrocious 
murder of the poor wretches whom famine, in all probability, 
had driven to afk relief of the pitilefs fpoilers of their native 
land, it were greatly to be wifhed that divine wrath would ma- 
nifeft itfelf among the brutal perpetrators by fome fignal cala- 
mity, fmce neither human laws nor human feelings can reftrain 
them. If this account fhould have reached the knowledge of 
the Commander in Chief of the fettlement, which no doubt it 
muft have done, I have to hope, from his humane and truly be- 
nevolent difpofition, he will have put in execution the benignant 
fentiments I have heard him utter in favour of the unproteded 
Hottentots. " If the life of a fingle child be taken away, and 
" the murderer not brought to legal punifhment, I fhall feel 
VOL. n. I « myfelf 
