1811. 
AUTHORITY OF HOTTENTOT CHIEFS. 
363 
trines as suited his purpose, and was not suspected of imposition, 
even when, on desiring to take another wife in addition, he declared 
he had the divine command for selectino; such or such a female. At 
last, on some occasion he made a journey into the country of the Great 
Namaquas, and was murdered by the natives. 
When the missionaries afterwards attached themselves to the 
KoJc's and the Berends's party, they had great difficulty in persuading 
them that -S^ep^awMS was nothing but an impostor; so successfully 
had he managed to secure an authority over their minds, as well as 
over their conduct. 
This little history, among other things, serves to show that there 
is a mode of treatment by which, even the obstinate and ignorant, 
may be guided and rendered tractable ; an invaluable secret to those 
who undertake the civilization of a wild people. 
AdamKok and BerendBere7ids are now, at Klaarwater, the repre- 
sentative heads of the two families or parties just mentioned. The 
authority, therefore, of these chiefs is of a patriarchal nature, and ex- 
tends very little beyond a voluntary submission on the part of their 
people. It is confined principally to that of ordering out the force of 
the tribe to attack an enemy, or to take up arms in defence of the set- 
tlement. In cases like this, for the general welfare, they are readily 
obeyed ; and can muster more than two hundred muskets, which are 
the only weapons they at present make use of. But, in ordinary 
cases, their power does not seem to be so strong, as the good of their 
society requires. Lately, a man had been accused of a crime for 
which he was brought before Captain Dam and several of the head 
people, as his council ; who, on a formal examination found him 
guilty, and, agreeably to the Hottentot usage, ordered him to be laid 
on the ground and severely beaten with sticks ; a punishment which, 
indeed, he well deserved. During the infliction of the sentence, the 
friends and relations of the criminal, who were standing by, were 
bestowing their imprecations on the captain, in the most horrid 
terms, and behaving in a menacing manner with sticks in their 
hands. The other captain seemed to be more resolute, and to 
possess a spirit better fitted for maintaining his authority. 
3 A 2 
