The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-02-16 00:00:00

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

drams A PRIVATY I.XTTES.I
On the ed day of October last, at ten o'clock at bight, 1
and John rescued 33 head of cattle from five armed Caffres.
They had stolen them front a boor's place, about 20 miles
from us, and were driving them by my house, in order to
cross the river for Caffre-land; but being a foggy night, I
think they mistook my hot se for a bush, otherwise they
would nut have come so nigh it. Myself and John were
sitting by the fire when we heard the rush of cattle; some
even brushed the corner of the house. John ran out imme-
diately, and called out " Caffres, Cafiles, Caffns, father !"
We armed ourselves and overtook them in the garden, where
they intended to cross the river. We got between them
and the cattle, which they had got upon the run; we turned
them inwards from the river, and kept them on the same
run or trot; they got between ua and the cattle three dif-
ferent times ; we at last got them to the body of our loca-
tion, where there were three houses, and although there
were then eight able-bodied men in them, not one of them
would come out to our assistance. We even went into
their houses, yet not one would stir; they were all fright-
ened and thuderstruck, and we were obliged to kraal the
cattle, and watch by them all night, fearing the Calftes
would not only take the cattle again, but take also all that
were in the two kraals belonging to the above people. In
the morning we found we had thirty-three head of fine
oxen, cows, and heifers, and we drove their to Graham's
Tewu. The Dutch laws are very severe; we complain in
England of the expense attending the law; the expenses
here by far surpass it; and, I am sorry to say, that the
same madness prevails here with our settlers, in litigation,
and flying to law for every trivial matter as in England.
Buffalo hunting is a favourite sport with the Hottentots
we have herds of them in a brushwood about half an j
hour's walk front the house; we often get one; the meat'
is excellent. The hunters often fall in with a rhinoceros
and herds of elephants; the latter are by far the largest
in the world. John and the Hottentots saw nine the other
day, and one rhinoceros; the latter the two aimed at;
one gun missed fire. John but missed it. We are
forbidden to trade with the Cattle people, otherwise we
could get plenty of elephants' teeth, with beasts' skins
and ostrich feathers. '1 hey kill great numbers of these
animals and birds ; I intend, therefore to take out a licence
to shoot elephants ; otherwise you dare not have a tooth
in your possession, and are immediately seized upon if you
attempt to forward them anywht re. The object of this law
is to prevent our trading with the Caffres. From the Coffees
we could get elephants teeth that weigh horn sixty to eighty'.
pounds fur about eighteen solid round yellow bell buttons,
such as children wear upon their clothes. Large brass
wire to make rings for their arms and legs is valuable
' among them, as are all kinds of trinkets and cheap glass
beads. Elephants' teeth are worth here from 2s. to 28. 6d.
per pound : will you let MC know what they sell for in
England? I would have nothing to do with the Cattle,
cattle : they are almost sure to come and steal them again ;
they are like children in that respect. The articles they
take in barter for their cattle are the AMC with them as it
is with a child and its plajihing ; they get tired of the ar-
' tide and want the
;cattle back ; it is slut so with teeth,
skins, and ostrich feathers, for they cannot make any use
of then, and they have nut much trouble to get them ; they
arc very expert with the aasaga ; they will kill even birds
with it, and will throw it right through an elephant or any
other beast ; a man stands no chance with them at eighty
pacts, but they are not open enemies ; they skulk about the
I bushes and take you unawares; they are a very fine race
.1 of people ; I never saw men better made ; they are strong
anti muscular, and nothing would tend towards civilizing
them more titan chewing them their interest by a reciprocal
trade; they ore in want, and they know the use of ow
hardware, iron, and tin articles, and would be pleased to
:! take them or any other articles in exchange ; but it would
j I be considered, as impolitic and dangerous to put them in
possession of any thing in the shape of iron. Certain it
is, that at present they make their own wages, although
I it is not known where they get their num

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