154 TRAVELS IN 
tober 1797, tie obferves, " The power and Influence of Hof- 
" land appear to me fo irretrievable, that it is impoffible fhe can 
" ever again hold an independent pofleflion. of the Cape. In« 
deed, before the war, fhe was neither rich enough to main- 
" tain its eftablifliments, nor ftrong enough to govern its peo- 
" pie, and, I believe, had it not been for our conqueft of the 
" country, it would foon have attempted to become inde- 
** pendent. As Holland is likely to be in future lefs powerful 
" at home, and confequently lefs refpedable abroad, and as the 
*' Cape would be a burthen to her, not eafy to bear, it would 
** not be againfl: her intereft to leave it in our hands, for in> 
fuch cafe fhe might derive, without any expence, all the ad- 
" vantages of its^ original intention, which was that of a place of 
*^ refrefhment for her commerce to the eaftward ; and there are 
" other circumftances which, were fhe now in a fituation difpaf- 
" fionately to confider, I have reafon to imagine, would lead 
** her to adopt this fentiment. The French (who, to fpeak of 
" them in the language of truth and experience, and not in the 
** jargon of pretended Cofmopolites, are, and ever mufl be, our 
"* natural enemies) can only wlfh to have the Cape either in 
** their own hands, or in thofe of a weak power, that they may 
" ufe it as an inftrument towards our deflruftion ; as a channel 
" for pouring through it an irrefiflible deluge upon our Indian 
" pofTeflions to the fouthward of the Guadavery. Of this I am 
** fo perfectly convinced, that if it fliall be found impracticable 
^* for us to retain the fovereignty of the Cape, and the French. 
** are to become the mafters of it, either ^er fe^ aut per aliuniy 
" then we muft totally alter our prefent fyflem, and adopt fuch 
" meafures^ 
