196 
TRAVELS IN 
To all thefe he readily agreed, except to the latter part of 
the third article, obferving that he did not think it right for 
Kaffers to make prifoners of men fo fuperior to themfelves as 
Chriftians were; but he promifed to give intelligence to the 
landroft, fhould any be met with in his territories. It is a 
common idea, induftrioufly kept up in the colony, that the 
Kaffers are a favage, treacherous, and cruel people ; a character 
as falfe as it is unmerited. Their moderation towards the colo- 
nifts, and all white people, has fhewn itfelf on many occafions ; 
and if the inhabitants of the bordering parts of the colony had 
any fenfe of honor or feelings of gratitude, inftead of affifting 
to propagate, they would endeavour to fupprefs, fuch an idea. 
They know very well that in the height of a war into which 
this people was iniquitoufly driven, the lives of all their women 
and children that fell into the hands of the Kaffers were fpared 
by them, whilft their own fell promifcuoufly by the hands of 
the colonifts. Another inftance of the different manner in 
which the Dutch and the Kaffers conduced themfelves, under 
the fame circumftances, will ferve to fhew which of the two 
nations moft deferves the character thrown upon the latter. 
In the month of February 1796, a veffel from India under 
Genoefe colours was wrecked on the coaft of the colony 
between the Bosjefman and Sunday rivers. The peafantry 
from various parts of the coaft, from Lange-kloof to Kaffer- 
land, flocked down to the wreck, not for the humane purpofe 
of giving affiftance to the unfortunate fufferers, but to plunder 
them of every thing that could be got on fhore ; and it is a 
notorious fad, that the only man who was anxious to fecure 
fome 
