I 
SOUTHERN AFRICA. 5 
" a leader or policy. We alfo thought to entitle the King'?. 
" Majefty thereto by this weak means than to let it fall for 
" want of prevention, into the hands of the States, knowing 
" very well that his Majefty is able to maintain his title by his 
" word againft the States, and by his power againft any other 
" prince or potentate whatfoever ; and better it is that the 
" Dutch, or any other nation whatfoever fliould be his fubjedls 
" in this place, than that his fubje£ts fhould be fubjed: to them 
" or any other. To which may be added the practice of all 
" men of all times and in all places in the like caufe, entitling 
" their fovereigns to be governors where no government is 
" already inflituted. Many more particulars might be alledged, 
*' as the certain refrefhing of your fleets quickly acquired out 
" of your own means by plantation, and to be hoped for from 
" the Blacks when there is a government eftablifhed to keep 
" thenl' in awe. The whale fifhery befides perfuades us that 
" it would be profitable to defray part of your charge. The 
" fruitfulnefs of the foil, together with the temper of the air, 
" afliires us that the Blacks, with the time, will come in, for 
" their eafe, and of necefTity. Time will, no doubt, make 
*' them your fervants, and by ferving you they will become 
" hereafter (we hope) the fervants of God." 
No further notice feems to have been taken by the Britifh 
government of this poffeifion, at that time ; nor does it appear 
that any kind of interference or contravention was made by 
it when the Dutch Eafl India Company fent out Van Riebeck, 
in order to form a fettlement there in the year 1650. Till this 
period the Englifh, the Portugueze and the Dutch had indifcri- 
minately refrefhed their crews at the Cape. The Portuguezcj 
who 
