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worms of immenfe length, a complaint to which Europeans are very subject in the Eaft Indies. This worm, which is fometimes three, four, or even six feet long, is bred in the calf and lower part of the leg. I have feen fome most painful inftances of this kind; and great care, dexterity, and management are required to eradicate it completely; for if the worm breaks in the operation of extracting, and any part is left behind, a mortification is ufually the confequence. When the worm, which is very thin and white, is perceived moving about, an incifion is made in the patient's leg, and the lower and upper part bound tight, leaving a space for the creature to move and turn about. A poultice to open and draw the fore is then applied, and the worm foon makes its appearance at the furface. At first but a few inches of the worm can be laid hold of, and this portion is carefully twisted round a quill. It then begins to give way a little more, and by degrees is twifted completely round, perhaps feveral inches in the courfe of a day, till at length it is wholly extracted. Sometimes nearly a month is required before this operation is accomplished. The ftrictest attention is neceffary to keep the animal closely twisted to the quill, to prevent him from making exertions and breaking: as then the leg muft either mortify, or undergo a very painful operation, and be laid open to get out the remainder. patient is in great agony during the operation, and the leg generally fwells to an enormous fize. Brackifli and bad water is a caufe affigned for this diforder."

The

Some notion of the wisdom of the Dutch in the science of legislation, and of their tender regard for those who have the happiness to be subjected to their domination, may be collected from the following paffage.

By a law long in existence when a planter or farmer, ever fo remote from the Cape, withes to marry, he mutt bring the object of his affections with him to town, and be there joined in wedlock by a particular licence from the Governor, in the prefence of the Fiical, at the fame time paying handfomely for that privilege, and for leave to enter into the state of matrimony. The inftances of the pernicious effects of this law have been many, and ought long fince to have opened their eyes to its impolicy; for it ofteu happens when the lovers and their parents agree about the match, that the young woman is intrufted to the care of her future hufband, as probably her parents cannot accompany her on fuch a diftant journey. She is in confequence left to his protection to take to town; when as a natural confequence arifing from two young people, with perhaps no other attendants but the flaves, being fo long together and almoft looking on each other as already united, the confummation frequently takes place before they arrive at their deftination; and when that happens, the lover's paflion being cooled by enjoyment, he frequenty refuses to marry the unfortunate young woman, who must confequently return the best way the can to her parents, whilft her deceiver only pays a certain fine for his breach of faith. Luckily for the poor deluded female fhe is not confidered in much the worse light for fuch a miladventure, but often meets with another lover, who makes no great account for the lofs fhe has fuftained: the colonists indeed are feldom over nice in those matters. The original intention of this law was to prevent the colonists connecting themselves with any women but those of their own description."

Hopeful

Hopeful legiflators are thefe votaries of Plutus! On the general degeneracy of the Dutch, on their ingratitude to the House of Orange, the founders of their republic, and their generous liberators from the Spanish yoke, and on their ill-treatment of their best friends the Britilh, the author makes fome pertinent, judicious, and forcible remarks, which we would fain transcribe, but our limits forbid us. Christianity, according to Captain Percival, has made but little progrefs at the Cape of Good Hope.

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"A fmall portion of the people of colour and free blacks are converted to Chriftianity, and but a fmall portion. The Dutch widely differ from the Portugueze, who enforced religion with fire and fword wherever they came. The Dutch clergy indeed have got into the oppofite extreme, and shew but little charity towards their unenlightened brethren; and where they expect to get nothing for their pains, give themselves no trouble to propagate the Golpel. The Dutch government have been very remifs in not urging the clergy more to the duty of inftructing both the natives and flaves in Chrif tianity. Even the people of colour, partly the offspring of Chriftians, have been often denied baptifm. Whether this was meant to diminish the number of unlawful children by heathen women, or proceeded from whites being afhamed of having them equal in fome measure with themselves, and entering the gates of Heaven along with them, I know not;, but not allowing fuch a number of children born of Christian fathers to share the rites of Chriftianity, was certainly a cruel and uncharitable method of preventing fin. Pride will not let their black offspring mix with their own blood, or have the fame privileges as themselves; but, as I have been told, their chief motive was the fear of their being loft to them as flaves, on their becoming Chriftians."

We believe this abominable practice to have originated, like most of the vices of Dutchmen, in their predominant fin of avarice. But, on this point, forry are we to fay, that we have little right to reproach them; for, incredible as it may appear, it is undoubtedly true, that our Eaft India Company are as much averfe from the propagation of Chriftianity among the natives of Afia, as the Dutch are from its propagation in their African colony. We fear too, that if this most impious averfion (for on fuch a fubject we fcorn to disguise our fentiments beneath the affected language of candour) were traced to its fource, it would be found to originate in the fame base and defpicable motive. But as this is a matter of too ferious importance to be difcuffed incidentally, we mean, very foon, to treat it in a manner more regular and direct.

The Dutch, at the Cape, import many flaves, both from Asia and Africa, thofe from the Malay Ifles, are particularly ferocious and

vindictive.

"The flaves of the Malay race are tolerably numerous. They are employed in many kinds of laborious work, fuch as gardening, and attending the grounds belonging to the pleasure-houtes round the town; and in the kitchens, and the drudgery work belonging to them. They are alfo often ■mployed in fishing and procuring fuel. This laft clafs of people are ex

NO. LXXI. VOL. XVIII.

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tremely

tremely vindictive, treacherous, and ferocious; implacable in their revenge, and on the flightest provocation, or imaginary infult, will commit murder. They are indeed a fcourge to the people they come amongft. When bent on revenge, or irritated at fome fuppofed infult, they fcarcely ever fail of wreaking their vengeance. Many fhocking murders have been committed by the Malay flaves on their matters and miftreffes: not for the purpose of robbing, but merely to gratify their thirft of revenge, which nothing but the blood of their object will fatisfy, though at the certain lofs of their own lives. When the Malay has determined on revenge, he takes a quantity of opium to work himself up to a state of madness, when he rushes out with a knife or dagger, which is called a kreese, and after putting to death the original object of his infernal paffion, he next rushes at every one he meets, till he is at length overpowered and taken, which perhaps is not the case till feveral victims fall before him. Nothing but a lucky fhot or blow that ftuns him to the earth, will enfure the fafety of his opponent, as he proceeds with fuch a favage fiercenefs and impetuofity, that it is reckoned a moft arduous and dangerous fervice to encounter him in this ftate. This is what is called running a muck; on the flightest alarm of which, every one flies before him, and escapes the best way he can. Whoever kills a Malay in the act of running a muck, is intitled to a very high reward from government; and he certainly deferves it, for the most cool and intrepid are fcarcely a match for the Malay, when worked to this pitch of defperate madness.

"The two following inftances occurred whilft I was at Cape Town:A Malay, for fome infult or neceffary chafifement received from his mafter, drew a knife and ftabbed him to the heart, and immediately rushed out into the streets with the weapon reeking with the blood of his unfortunate victim. The first perfon he met was a very fine flave girl, about 17 years old, into whofe face he darted the dreadful weapon. Fortunately a country farmer was at the moment paffing by Strand Street, where it happened, and having a gun loaded in the waggon he was driving, fired and killed the Malay on the fpot. If this fhot had not fucceeded in bringing him down, I and a brother officer, who came to the pot a few moments after, would in all probability have been his next victims. The poor flave girl died in a few hours after. This was the fecond time that a flave of the Malay race, running a muck, was prevented from falling in with me. Once indeed at Ponamala, in the Eaft Indies, I very narrowly escaped, having been flightly wounded in the arm by a Malay who had attacked fome Sepoys; and if I had not been fortunate enough to give him at the first cut fo fevere a wound as to disable him, he would certainly have put me to death. The kreese he struck me with was poifoned, and my arm in confequence fwelled to a very great degree, and for fome time it was thought I should have loft it, if not my life. I must here remark, that I received the greatest benefit from the Eau de Luce, which I have every reafon to believe is a valuable antidote against poifon; it has been found to prevent fatal effects from the most venomous bites of fnakes. Doctor Anderfon, of Madras, was the first who administered it in those cases, and found out its beneficial effects.

"Another inftance of the barbarity of this race of flaves, which happened at the Cape whilft I was there, occurred in a Malay, who, on being refused leave by his mafter to go out to a festival or merry-making with his fellows, took a knife and stabbed him to the heart, then went to his mistress in the

adjoining

adjoining room, and committed on her the fame barbarous and inhuman act. An old Malabar flave who was cutting wood before the door, having obferved him perpetrate thefe horrid murders, watched the opportunity as he was rushing out of the door, and flriking him on the head with the axe, with which he was cleaving the wood, killed him on the fpot. The government was generous enough to reward the Malabar with his liberty, and one hundred dollars. The Malays are certainly the most active and labo rious race, do a great deal of work, and of every kind; equally ufeful in tilling and cultivating the ground, as at thofe works which require mechanical dexterity."

The conduct of the English to the Dutch, after the conquest of the Cape, was, we are happy to find, moft juft, humane, and honourable. They refpected their religion, their property, their privileges, and their laws; except, only, fuch of the latter, as were either oppreffive or inhuman, fo that, as Captain P. truly obferves, "They enjoyed under us a greater thare of true liberty than ever they did under their own government." The colony too flourished beyond all former example, and while the English remained there, Dutch property encreafed" to more than double its value." Yet, notwithstanding thefe advantages, and notwithstanding alfo the evils from which they were refcued by the arrival of the English, the Dutch fhewed no gratitude to their benefactors, but treated them moft Thamefully.

"Yet what would their fituation have been at the Cape if the British forces had not arrived at the time they did; a period truly critical, and teeming with tragical events. The fanguinary principles of Marat and Robespierre, were by that time not only fown, but growing to maturity amongst them. Jacobinifm was ready to involve the colony in deftruction, and the cloud was on the eve of burfting, when we appeared.

"The Cape Town was on the point of having all the horrors of civil war carried on in the midst of it. Thofe republican principles had infected numbers, and the flaves were to be made actors in the fcene by the promife of freedom. A ftrong party of the moft violent jacobins, and furious republicans had been formed, and every moderate man or any one who expreted a diflike of those violent measures which actuated the French, or feemed attached to the party of the Prince of Orange, was denounced.— The tumult was on the eve of breaking out both in the town and country, and the government was utterly unable to refift its baneful effects, on the contrary it was in many inftances infulted with impunity; and its members themselves profcribed who were not already linked with the democrats.— The foldiers were in a ftate of infubordination and licentioufnefs, the confequence of thofe principles of liberty and equality which had spread here, as well as at the Ille of France and Bourbon. A total emancipation of the flaves was to have taken place, and they let loofe against their masters; fuch a scene would have been dreadful, and all the virtuous inhabitants already trembled for their fafety. But when thefe Jacobins were on the point of throwing off the old form of government, and affimilating the new one to that of France, the English arrived to the fecret joy of the most refpectable inhabitants, who in them beheld their deliverance at hand and their property fecured. Some gentlemen informed me whilst at the Cape,

F 2

that

they did not expect to receive any mercy from their own countrymen, but were truly confident the English would act generously by them. Those gentlemen who had nothing to fear or to apprehend beyond what is al owed by the rules of war between civilized nations, quietly remained with their effects in the town, whilft many of the others fled into the country amongst the haughty and turbulent boors, there to regret the miscarriage of their base defigns, to vent their spleen and chagrin in greater fafety, and hatch new plots against us. As foon as it was known that our troops had disem barked at Simon's Town, the discontented for the present laid by the defigns they had formed, and began to prepare for their defence. Accord ingly they affembled from all parts within feveral miles of Cape Town, and marched to Mufenberg, where, as I have already related, they faw with fhame and mortification the British troops their conquerors, though far inferior in point of numbers."

They have now a French garrifon, and will, confequently, have a fair opportunity of afcertaining the difference between English enemies and Gallic friends. Poffibly the fufferings they will experience from the latter may, at length, teach them gratitude to the former. In the last chapter the author recapitulates the advantages to be derived by Great Britain from the poffeffion of the Cape, and his obfervations on this head are fo forcible, and the object is, in itself, fo important, that we shall extract pretty largely from it.

"Since writing the above pages, however, events have taken place which juftify my opinion that the Dutch government is, in its prefent state, utterly incapable, not only of improving, but even of preserving internal tranquillity in any of its colonies, although threatened with no enemy from without. The rebellious boors of the interior parts of the colony of the Cape, as foon as they felt themfelves relieved from their apprehensions of British troops, loft no time in renewing their infolent oppofition to government, and their ufual barbarities towards the unfortunate Hottentots and Caffrees. In confequence the whole colony has been thrown into the ut moft confusion, and the inhabitants placed in a continual ftate of danger and alarm. The Caffrees at length, exafperated by continual injuries, have joined with the oppreffed Hottentots, and have produced fuch devastation in the interior parts of the colony, that the inhabitants of Cape Town begin to fear their ufual fupplies of cattle will be totally cut off.

"In fuch a state of things it can scarcely be doubted that if a Briti force were to appear at the Cape, little or no oppofition would or indeed could be made to its taking poffeffion of the colony. The garrifon is too feeble of itself to maintain a conteft, and no fupport can be expected from the inhabitants, while a great proportion would hail the arrival of their conquerors as their deliverance from the brink of deftruction. But it is not from the facility of the conquefts, nor from false views of aggrandisement by the extenfion of territory, that I would point out this colony as a poffeffion which ought at the prefent moment to be wrefted from our enemies. Even the prospect of diftant advantages might be looked upon as infufficient to justify an extenfion of territory, which might eventually increase the burthens of the country, and would at any rate employ a part of those forces which are at present fo much required for the defence of our territories at Home and abroad.

Tha

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