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CHAPTER XV.

Knowledge possessed by the Colonial Government of the Traffic in Bushmen Children at the period when the Missions to that people were suppressed. Letters from Messrs. Read and Smith, on the Suppression of these Missions.-Statement of the Commissioners of Inquiry respecting the Bushmen.-Appeal to the British Public in regard to the cruel Treatment of the Bushman Nation.

BEFORE Concluding my remarks on this subject, I must again advert to some facts, presented in this official document, of importance to my argument.

Mr. Stockenstrom admits, in his letter of May, 1817, the existence of this traffic; he says, "It had been many years in use," &c. &c. The letter containing this statement was sent to the colonial office in Cape Town, and must have been perfectly familiar to the heads of the colonial government, as the recommendations it contained were adopted by that government, in the proclamation of the following month, June, 1817; and yet it was on the representations of the farmers, on this very point-it was because the missionaries had resisted their unjust attempts to carry the children of the Bushmen into slavery, that those differences arose betwen them and the farmers, which terminated in the destruction of the missions. It now appears, from the face of an official document, that when the farmers made their representations in 1817, against the missionaries, the true state of the case was perfectly known to the government; and that, at the very time when it was publishing its proclamations with the

avowed purpose of putting an end to this nefarious traffic, it was, by abolishing the missions, removing the only checks by which the continuance of this criminal traffic could be prevented.

Nothing is necessary to strengthen the admission of the landdrost Stockenstrom, in this instance; but, as the missions were put down on the false representations of the farmers, and as it now appears that the government, at the time it listened to those representations, knew them to be false, the following extracts from the correspondence of the missionaries with the government, on this subject, will be more readily received in certain quarters, than they, perhaps, would have been had the colonial government been silent on the subject. By these extracts, it will be seen, that every thing was done by the missionaries, that could be done, to avert the destruction of the missions; and that, notwithstanding their remonstrances, promises, and entreaties, the order for their recall to the colony was absolute and peremptory*.

Extract of a letter from Mr. Read to Henry Alexander, Esq., Colonial Secretary, respecting the suppression of the two Missionary Institutions, among the Bushmen, by Lord Charles Somerset.

Lattakoo, 15th July, 1818.

"Sir, "With extreme concern I received a communication from Mr. Corner a few days ago, from which it appeared, that it had pleased His Excellency the

*It was after the recall of Smith and Corner, that the farmers were permitted to take possession of those missionary stations, and that a land-surveyor, Captain Bonamy of the 6th regiment, was sent into that country to measure it out to the farmers.

Governor to call him away from the Bushmen settled near the Cradock River, and where his usefulness was promising among those wild savages to a great degree. Mr. Corner forwarded to me, at the same time, copies of Mr. Stockentrom's letter to government, respecting Mr. Smith's request to establish a mission at the Groote Fonteyn, within the boundary of the colony, with his remarks on the same, &c. ; likewise his Excellency's answer to it; and a letter from Mr. Stockenstrom to Mr. Corner, stating the reasons of his Excellency's ordering him to relinquish his labours among that people. I hope I shall not displease his Excellency by taking up the subject, and stating my knowledge of different circumstances connected therewith, and offering some remarks, which I think it my duty to do, for the sake of the poor people in question.

"On my journey into the interior with Mr. Campbell in 1813, and on passing the limits of the colony to this place last year, I perceived a misunderstanding between the Bosjesmen beyond the colony and the farmers. Some of the former are constantly going into the service of the farmers, or giving them their children. They have no idea of the laws made for Hottentots, but think themselves at liberty to return to their kraals at their pleasure, and to take their children back when they please. I met with several Bushmen, who not being able to get their liberty had run away.

"Another source of misunderstanding, is the bartering Bushmen children for sheep and goats. A boor came to Mr. Smith's place, while I was there, to claim a girl, for whom he told me he had given eight young sheep; on which account he considered her to be his property, and that at his death he could leave her to whom

he pleased. These things, I fear, have been, and still are, sources of much evil. The parents of the above girl were of the wild Bushmen, beyond the colony; and the mother, waiting for her daughter, declared she had never received any sheep from the boor. From these misunderstandings, several unpleasant circumstances have taken place at Mr. Smith's settlement.-A missionary would, perhaps, (being generally better acquainted with the cases, from more information than any others have,) be better able to adjust such disputes, according to the existing laws of the colony, and save the landdrosts, field cornets, &c., much trouble, and hinder much evil.

"I have now most humbly to plead with his Excellency in behalf of the poor Bushmen of Hephzibah, where Mr. Corner and his assistant had provisionally settled. Their short residence there had had a most wonderful effect: the Bushmen had begun to give every kind of assistance in tilling the ground, herding the cattle, &c.; and shewed the greatest readiness to lay aside their savage life, and become useful members of religious and civil society.-Mr. Corner was at considerable trouble and expense in leading out the water, tilling the ground, &c. The road through the country of the wild Bushmen, so much dreaded by travellers, had become so safe, that a single waggon had more than once passed from Griqua Town to the colony without any molestation."

The following is an extract of a letter from the same individual, to Mr. Stockenstrom, landdrost of GraaffReinet :

"You, Sir, will not be offended at my saying, that I think your fears with respect to the missions among

the Bushmen are ungrounded.-Such undertakings among the Heathen in South Africa are no new things; there are now no less than fifteen establishments in and beyond the colony; and at no one place has there been a necessity of contribution from the boors, to support the people, and very few instances of those joining the above stations coming to the necessity of stealing, or of returning to their former wandering way of living."

An order was issued on the 27th of January, 1818, commanding Mr. Smith to come into the colony, to which Mr. Smith made the following reply to the landdrost of Graaff-Reinet :

"Sir,

"Genadenberg, February 3rd, 1818.

"I received your letter of the 27th of January, and also the translation of the 9th-at the contents of

which I was very sorry. Still I pray you, that this institution may not be suffered to be entirely destroyed, because there has been so much trouble and anxiety suffered from this uncultivated people. It has cost much trouble both in religious and temporal things, besides very great expense to the London Missionary Society. I pray you let not all this be in vain, and let not the people return to their former ignorance. Let me appear the least of all in your sight, and let me fall down. before you for this important cause. May the good providence of God have such an effect on your mind, that through your means another plan may be formed by his Excellency. What will be the consequence of all this? If I have transgressed, forgive me if not for my own sake, still for the sake of the good cause; and