130 
BOSIIIES-MEX, 
consternation spread among these savages, that it is only tlie boldest 
among them lhat have the courage to break through the circle. These the 
captors are glad enough to get rid of at so easy a rate, being better 
j)!eased with those that are stupid, timorous, and struck with amaze- 
ment, and who consequently allow themselves to be taken u^d carried 
into bondage : they are, ]iowever, at first treated by geqtle methods ; that 
is, the victors intermix the finest promises with their threats, and endea” 
vour, if possible, to shoot some of the larger kinds of game for their 
prisoners, such as buffaloes, sea-cows, and the like. Such agreeable 
baits, together with a little tobacco, soon induce them, continually 
cockered and feasted as they are, to go with a tolerable degree of 
cheerfulness to the colonists’ place of abode. There this luxurious 
junketing upon meat and fat is exchanged for moderate portions, con- 
sisting for the most part of buttermilk, frumenty, and hasty pudding. 
This diet, nevertheless, makes the Boshies-man fat in a few weeks. 
However, he soon finds his good living imbittercd by the maundering 
and grumbling of his master and mistress. The words t’guzeri, and 
t’gaunatsi, which perhaps are best translated by those of “ young 
sorceror” and “ imp,” are expressions which he must frequently put 
up with, and sometimes a few curses and blows into the bargain ; and 
this for neglect, remissness, or idleness — which lust failure, if it can- 
not be said to be born with him, is, however, in a manner, naturalized in 
him: so that, by nature and custom, detesting all manner of labour, 
and now from his greater corpulency become still more slothful, and 
having besides been used to a wandering life, subject to no control, 
he most sensibly feels the want of his liberty. No wonder then that 
he generally endeavours to regain it by making his escape ; but what 
is really a subject for wonder is, that when one of these poor wretches 
runs away from his service, or more properly bondage, he never takes 
with him any thing that does not belong to him. This is an instance 
of moderation in these savages towards their tyrants which is univer- 
sally attested, and at the same time praised and admired, by the colo- 
nists themselves, though I cannot easily reconcile it with what I have 
learned of the human heart. Is it in consequence of their fearing to 
meet with harder usage, in case they should be retaken 'i This much 
however, is certain, that none of this species of Hottentots are much 
given to violence or revenge. Free from many wants and desires 
that torment the rest of mankind, they are little, if at all, addicted to 
thieving, if we except brandy, yictuals, and tobacco. It is not im- 
probable likewise, that the advantages arising from a theft may be 
overlooked by them, when their thoughts are taken up with regaining 
their liberty, the greatest of all treasures. 
It is necesssary to observe here, that some of the Hottentots or Bo- 
shies-men, who are thus forced into the service of the colonists, live in 
small societies peaceably and quietly in desart tracts, where the 
colonists cannot easily come at them, and are sometimes in posses- 
sion of a few cows. Those people originate from Boshies-meu who 
have run away from the colonists’ service. I must confess that (he 
Boshies-men in some husbandmen’s service are treated in the gentlest 
manner, and perhaps, without ever having a harsh word given them, 
live very well with regard to provisions, are well clad, relatively to 
