SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
423 
man, In his fifcal capacity, to be guilty of injufticc and extor- 
tion, by leaving the power of fixing the penalty in the bread of 
the very man who was to reap the benefit of it ! To the honour 
of the man be it fpoken, who held this important but odious 
fituation, during the government of Britain at the Cape, his 
moft inveterate enemies, and he and every one who fills the 
office muft daily make fuch, never accufed him either of making 
an undue ufe of his authority, or of ftudying his own intereft in 
this refpedt. The Englifh found him and left him poor, but 
not without fome, though not adequate, acknowledgment of 
his fervices. 
The office of Fifcal confided of the principal and a deputy, a 
ckrk, two bailiifs, two jailors, eight conftables, and nineteen 
blacks and Malays, ufually called KafTers. The whole expence 
to Government was under 10,000 rix dollars ; the Court of Juf- 
tice and Secretary's Office to the Court was about the fame fum, 
fo that the adminiftration of juftice coft the Government about 
4000 /. fterling a year. 
The Court of Commijfaries for tryhig petty fu 'its^ and for matri- 
mottlal affairs^ confifts of a Prefident, a Vice-prefident, and four 
members, whofe fituations are merely honorary, and are biennial. 
The duties of the Court, as the name implies, are divided into 
two diftindl clafles : firfl:, to decide in iuits where the fum ia 
litigation does not exceed 40/. j and fecondly, to grant licences 
of marriage where, on examination of the parties, there appears 
to be no legal impediment. 
In 
