AND GENERAL VIEW OF THE COLONY. 
77 
not having been built before the year 1814, at which time the churches 
at Uitenhage and George town were not yet begun. Once in every 
year, a deputation of members of the court of justice, called the 
" Commission of Justice," perform the circuit of the Drostdies, (resi- 
dences of the landdrosts), for the purpose of hearing and determining 
all trials or lawsuits which may be brought before them. 
The inhabitants of these districts consist principally of Dutch, 
who first, under Van Riebeck, began to establish themselves at 
Cape Town, in 1651. A large proportion are of German origin ; 
and between the years 1680 and 1690, a considerable number of 
French famiHes settled at the Cape of Good Hope, driven thither 
by the persecutions to which Protestants were, at that time, sub- 
jected in France. There are also many of Swedish or Danish origin. 
As settlers and colonists, the number of British in the different dis- 
tricts was, at this time, extremely small ; and might, in a general 
view, be left out of the account. 
The Hottentots of the colony are much less numerous than the 
Whites ; but, if their number be added to that of the slaves, the 
black population will considerably preponderate. All the inhabit- 
ants use the Dutch language, and many slaves and Hottentots speak 
no other. The nations which border on the colony, are the Na- 
maqua Hottentots, on the north-west ; the Bushmen Hottentots, on 
the north and north-east ; and the Kosas or Caffres on the east. 
The Cape Settlement was taken by the English, for the first time, 
in the year 1796 ; but, on peace being concluded between the two 
nations, it was restored to the Dutch in February 1803. War soon 
afterwards breaking out, it was again taken by the English, on the 
8th of January, 1806; and by the last treaty of peace, in 1815, has 
been finally ceded to Great Britain. 
Cape Town, as well as the rest of the colony, is inhabited by peo- 
ple of various origins, the chief part of whom are also Dutch, who, in 
respect to number, are surpassed by the slaves. These latter are, for 
the greater part, Malays, and natives of Madagascar, and of the country 
adjoining Mozambique. The Hottentots, preferring a country life, 
are generally averse from engaging in the service of masters living 
