第7章
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  TheBakwainsatKolobenghadthespectacleofvarioustribesenslavedbeforetheireyestheBakatla,theBatlokua,theBahukeng,theBamosetla,andtwoothertribesofBakwainswereallgroaningundertheoppressionofunrequitedlaborThiswouldnothavebeenfeltassogreatanevilbutthattheyoungmenofthosetribes,anxioustoobtaincattle,theonlymeansofrisingtorespectabilityandimportanceamongtheirownpeople,wereinthehabitofsallyingforth,likeourIrishandHighlandreapers,toprocureworkintheCapeColony。

  Afterlaboringtherethreeorfouryears,inbuildingstonedikesanddamsfortheDutchfarmers,theywerewellcontentifattheendofthattimetheycouldreturnwithasmanycowsOnpresentingonetotheirchief,theyrankedasrespectablemeninthetribeeverafterwardThesevolunteerswerehighlyesteemedamongtheDutch,underthenameofMantatees。

  TheywerepaidattherateofoneshillingadayandalargeloafofbreadbetweensixofthemNumbersofthem,whohadformerlyseenmeabouttwelvehundredmilesinlandfromtheCape,recognizedmewiththeloudlaughterofjoywhenIwaspassingthemattheirworkintheRoggefeltandBokkefelt,withinafewdaysofCapeTown。

  IconversedwiththemandwitheldersoftheDutchChurch,forwhomtheywereworking,andfoundthatthesystemwasthoroughlysatisfactorytobothpartiesIdonotbelievethatthereisoneBoer,intheCashanorMagaliesbergcountry,whowoulddenythatalawwasmade,inconsequenceofthislaborpassingtothecolony,todeprivetheselaborersoftheirhardly-earnedcattle,fortheverycogentreasonthat,“iftheywanttowork,letthemworkforustheirmasters。”

  thoughboastingthatintheircaseitwouldnotbepaidfor。

  IcanneverceasetobemostunfeignedlythankfulthatIwasnotborninalandofslavesNoonecanunderstandtheeffectoftheunutterablemeannessoftheslave-systemonthemindsofthosewho,butforthestrangeobliquitywhichpreventsthemfromfeelingthedegradationofnotbeinggentlemenenoughtopayforservicesrendered,wouldbeequalinvirtuetoourselvesFraudbecomesasnaturaltothemas“payingone’sway“istotherestofmankind。

  Whereveramissionarylives,tradersaresuretocome;

  theyaremutuallydependent,andeachaidsintheworkoftheother;

  butexperienceshowsthatthetwoemploymentscannotverywellbecombinedinthesamepersonSuchacombinationwouldnotbemorallywrong,fornothingwouldbemorefair,andapostolicaltoo,thanthatthemanwhodevoteshistimetothespiritualwelfareofapeopleshouldderivetemporaladvantagefromuprightcommerce,whichtraders,whoaimexclusivelyattheirownenrichment,modestlyimagineoughttobelefttothemBut,thoughitisrightformissionariestotrade,thepresentsystemofmissionsrendersitinexpedienttospendtimeinsodoingNomissionarywithwhomIevercameincontact,traded;andwhilethetraders,whomweintroducedandrenderedsecureinthecountry,waxedrich,themissionarieshaveinvariablyremainedpoor,andhavediedso。

  TheJesuits,inAfricaatleast,werewiserintheirgenerationthanwe;

  theirswerelarge,influentialcommunities,proceedingonthesystemofturningtheabilitiesofeverybrotherintothatchannelinwhichhewasmostlikelytoexcel;one,fondofnaturalhistory,wasallowedtofollowhisbent;another,fondofliterature,foundleisuretopursuehisstudies;andhewhowasgreatinbarterwassentinsearchofivoryandgold-dust;sothatwhileinthecourseofperformingthereligiousactsofhismissiontodistanttribes,hefoundthemeansofaidingeffectuallythebrethrenwhomhehadleftinthecentralsettlement。*WeProtestants,withthecomfortableconvictionofsuperiority,havesentoutmissionarieswithabaresubsistenceonly,andareunsparinginourlaudationsofsomefornotbeingworldly-mindedwhomourniggardlinessmadetoliveasdidtheprodigalsonIdonotspeakofmyself,norneedItodoso,butforthatveryreasonIfeelatlibertytointerposeawordinbehalfofothersIhavebeforemymindatthismomentfactsandinstanceswhichwarrantmyputtingthecaseinthisway:

  Thecommandto“gointoalltheworldandpreachtheGospeltoeverycreature“

  mustbeobeyedbyChristianseitherpersonallyorbysubstitute。

  Nowitisquitepossibletofindmenwhoselovefortheheathenanddevotiontotheworkwillmakethemreadytogoforthontheterms“baresubsistence“,butwhatcanbethoughtofthejustice,tosaynothingofthegenerosity,ofChristiansandchurcheswhonotonlyworktheirsubstitutesatthelowestterms,butregardwhattheygiveascharity!

  ThematteristhemoregraveinrespecttotheProtestantmissionary,whomayhaveawifeandfamilyThefactis,therearemanycasesinwhichitisright,virtuous,andpraiseworthyforamantosacrificeeverythingforagreatobject,butinwhichitwouldbeverywrongforothers,interestedintheobjectasmuchashe,tosufferoracceptthesacrifice,iftheycanpreventit。

  *TheDutchclergy,too,arenotwantinginworldlywisdom。

  Afountainisbought,andthelandswhichitcanirrigateparceledoutandlettovillagersAstheyincreaseinnumbers,therentsriseandthechurchbecomesrichWith200Poundsperannuminadditionfromgovernment,thesalaryamountsto400or500Poundsayear。

  TheclergymenthenpreachabstinencefrompoliticsasaChristianduty。

  Itisquiteclearthat,with400Poundsayear,butlittleelseexceptpurespiritualityisrequired。

  EnglishtraderssoldthosearticleswhichtheBoersmostdread,namely,armsandammunition;andwhenthenumberofgunsamountedtofive,somuchalarmwasexcitedamongourneighborsthatanexpeditionofseveralhundredBoerswasseriouslyplannedtodeprivetheBakwainsoftheirgunsKnowingthatthelatterwouldratherhavefledtotheKalahariDesertthandeliveruptheirweaponsandbecomeslaves,Iproceededtothecommandant,MrGertKrieger,and,representingtheevilsofanysuchexpedition,prevaileduponhimtodeferit;butthatpointbeinggranted,theBoerwishedtogainanother,whichwasthatIshouldactasaspyovertheBakwains。

  Iexplainedtheimpossibilityofmycomplyingwithhiswish,eventhoughmyprinciplesasanEnglishmanhadnotstoodintheway,byreferringtoaninstanceinwhichSechelehadgonewithhiswholeforcetopunishanunder-chiefwithoutmyknowledgeThisman,whosenamewasKake,rebelled,andwasledoninhisrebellionbyhisfather-in-law,whohadbeenregicideinthecaseofSechele’sfather。

  SeveralofthosewhoremainedfaithfultothatchiefweremaltreatedbyKakewhilepassingtotheDesertinsearchofskinsWehadjustcometolivewiththeBakwainswhenthishappened,andSecheleconsultedme。

  Iadvisedmildmeasures,butthemessengershesenttoKakeweretauntedwiththewords,“Heonlypretendstowishtofollowtheadviceoftheteacher:Secheleisacoward;lethimcomeandfightifhedare。”Thenexttimetheoffensewasrepeated,Secheletoldmehewasgoingtohuntelephants;andasIknewthesystemofespionagewhichprevailsamongallthetribes,InevermadeinquiriesthatwouldconveytheopinionthatIdistrustedthemIgavecredittohisstatement。

  Heaskedtheloanofablack-metalpottocookwith,astheirsofpotteryarebrittleIgaveitandahandfulofsalt,anddesiredhimtosendbacktwotit-bits,theproboscisandfore-footoftheelephant。

  Hesetoff,andIheardnothingmoreuntilwesawtheBakwainscarryinghometheirwounded,andheardsomeofthewomenutteringtheloudwailofsorrowforthedead,andotherspealingforththeclearscreamofvictory。

  ItwasthenclearthatSechelehadattackedanddrivenawaytherebel。

  Mentioningthistothecommandantinproofoftheimpossibilityofgrantinghisrequest,IhadsoonanexamplehowquicklyastorycangrowamongidlepeopleThefivegunswere,withinonemonth,multipliedintoataleoffivehundred,andthecooking-pot,nowinamuseumatCapeTown,wasmagnifiedintoacannon;

  “Ihadmyselfconfessedtotheloan。”Wherethefivehundredgunscamefrom,itwaseasytodivine;for,knowingthatIusedasextant,myconnectionwithgovernmentwasathingofcourse;and,asImustknowallhermajesty’scounsels,IwasquestionedonthesubjectoftheindistinctrumorswhichhadreachedthemofLordRosse’stelescope。

  “WhatrighthasyourgovernmenttosetupthatlargeglassattheCapetolookafterusbehindtheCashanMountains?”

  ManyoftheBoersvisitedusafterwardatKolobeng,someformedicaladvice,andotherstotradeinthoseveryarticleswhichtheirownlawsandpolicyforbidWhenIhappenedtostumbleuponanyoftheminthetown,withhismusketsandpowderdisplayed,hewouldbeginanapology,onthegroundthathewasapoorman,etc。,whichIalwayscutshortbyfranklysayingthatIhadnothingtodowitheithertheBoersortheirlaws。

  Manyattemptsweremadeduringthesevisitstoelicitthetruthaboutthegunsandcannon;andignorantofthesystemofespionagewhichprevails,eagerinquiriesweremadebythemamongthosewhocouldjabberalittleDutch。

  ItisnoticeablethatthesystemofespionageisaswelldevelopedamongthesavagetribesasinAustriaorRussiaItisaproofofbarbarism。

  Everymaninatribefeelshimselfboundtotellthechiefeverythingthatcomestohisknowledge,and,whenquestionedbyastranger,eithergivesanswerswhichexhibittheutmoststupidity,orsuchasheknowswillbeagreeabletohischiefIbelievethatinthiswayhavearisentalesoftheirinabilitytocountmorethanten,aswasassertedoftheBechuanasabouttheverytimewhenSechele’sfathercountedoutonethousandheadofcattleasabeginningofthestockofhisyoungson。

  Inthepresentcase,Sechele,knowingeveryquestionputtohispeople,askedmehowtheyoughttoanswerMyreplywas,“Tellthetruth。”

  Everyonethendeclaredthatnocannonexistedthere;andourfriends,judgingtheanswerbywhattheythemselveswouldinthecircumstanceshavesaid,wereconfirmedintheopinionthattheBakwainsactuallypossessedartilleryThiswasinsomedegreebeneficialtous,inasmuchasfearpreventedanyforayinourdirectionforeightyears。

  DuringthattimenowinterpassedwithoutoneortwotribesintheEastcountrybeingplunderedofbothcattleandchildrenbytheBoers。

  Theplanpursuedisthefollowing:oneortwofriendlytribesareforcedtoaccompanyapartyofmountedBoers,andtheseexpeditionscanbegotuponlyinthewinter,whenhorsesmaybeusedwithoutdangerofbeinglostbydiseaseWhentheyreachthetribetobeattacked,thefriendlynativesarerangedinfront,toform,astheysay,“ashield“;theBoersthencoollyfireovertheirheadstillthedevotedpeoplefleeandleavecattle,wives,andchildrentothecaptorsThiswasdoneinninecasesduringmyresidenceintheinterior,andonnooccasionwasadropofBoer’sbloodshed。

  NewsofthesedeedsspreadquicklyamongtheBakwains,andletterswererepeatedlysentbytheBoerstoSechele,orderinghimtocomeandsurrenderhimselfastheirvassal,andstopEnglishtradersfromproceedingintothecountrywithfire-armsforsale。

  ButthediscoveryofLakeNgami,hereaftertobedescribed,madethetraderscomeinfive-foldgreaternumbers,andSechelereplied,“IwasmadeanindependentchiefandplacedherebyGod,andnotbyyou。

  IwasneverconqueredbyMosilikatze,asthosetribeswhomyouruleover;

  andtheEnglisharemyfriendsIgeteverythingIwishfromthem。

  Icannothinderthemfromgoingwheretheylike。”ThosewhoareoldenoughtorememberthethreatenedinvasionofourownislandmayunderstandtheeffectwhichtheconstantdangerofaBoerishinvasionhadonthemindsoftheBakwains;butnootherscanconceivehowworryingwerethemessagesandthreatsfromtheendlessself-constitutedauthoritiesoftheMagaliesbergBoers;andwhentoallthisharassingannoyancewasaddedthescarcityproducedbythedrought,wecouldnotwonderat,thoughwefeltsorryfor,theirindispositiontoreceiveinstruction。

  Themythoftheblackpotassumedseriousproportions。

  IattemptedtobenefitthetribesamongtheBoersofMagaliesbergbyplacingnativeteachersatdifferentpoints“Youmustteachtheblacks。”

  saidMrHendrickPotgeiter,thecommandantinchief,“thattheyarenotequaltous。”OtherBoerstoldme,“ImightaswellteachthebaboonsontherocksastheAfricans。”

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