attempted to grant part of the same land of the best part over again to a different person, who has obliged him with advances of money, and in fact, he has divided all that part of the Government Grant, which admits of irrigation, and profitable cultivation, amongst 3 or 4 of his partisans and favourites, who have either lent him money or otherwise purchased his favour, and has abandoned us to our fate, having gone to Saldanha Bay without making any provision for those of the Settlers who are yet without land. Whilst here the sufferings of the Free Settlers were regarded by this Gentleman with the most cold blooded indifference, and contempt, and he has proved himself in many respects unworthy to be considered as Director of the Party. The honor of a few lines to let us know what our fate is likely to be, is anxiously hoped for by Sir &c. Letter from SIR RUFANE SHAWE DONKIN to EARL BATHURST. GOVERNMENT HOUSE, CAPE Town, 20th July 1820. MY LORD,-I have the honor of acquainting your Lordship that I returned to this place on the 25th of last month from the Frontier, and I have the satisfaction of reporting to your Lordship that the business of locating the Settlers was uniformly going on prosperously. The area which I described in my separate dispatch, dated from Bathurst, is gradually filling up, and the new Colonists are everywhere exerting themselves in building or hutting and in agriculture, as far as their means go; but it is with much regret that I have to acquaint your Lordship, that neither ploughs nor wooden houses, both which I have long expected, have as yet reached this place. The want of the ploughs will be felt hereafter I fear; and the settlers have many of them complained that they have not the means of turning up the soil, so as to provide for future subsistence. This circumstance may lead to the necessity of issuing Rations to the Settlers for a longer period than was at first intended. Some of the parties shew a strong tendency to disunion among themselves; but this may in almost all cases be traced to the dishonesty and bad faith of the persons at the head of them, who have endeavoured in many instances to impose on and oppress those who have confided themselves to their guidance. I have done what depended on me to keep these parties together, and I am anxious that none of them should absolutely disperse at least for the first year; that is that they should keep together until by their united labor they shall have produced a sufficiency of Corn for their current subsistence; after which the dissolution of the badly composed parties will be attended with no sort of injury to the general measure of colonization, rather the contrary, for the laboring class will be gradually withdrawn from the dominion of those heads of parties who have neither capital nor character to attach their followers to them, and they will be employed by the richer and more respectable heads of parties, while the evil of dispersion will fall chiefly on those who most deserve to suffer, that is on heads of parties without means or honesty. I hear nothing of the Kaffers, nor do I think it likely they will materially trouble the new Colonists, at least for a time. The object of these savage tribes is, as your Lordship is aware, to find large quantities of Cattle and few Men looking after them, whereas in the Zuurveld they would find comparatively few cattle and a considerable population. I have lately sent up arms to be distributed, under certain regulations, amongst the Settlers, and shall shortly take measures for enrolling them in such a manner as to have a Force easily assembled in case of need. With a further view of covering effectually that frontier, I have allotted a District, highly fertile and promising, on the Chumie and Kat Rivers, for Captain Grant and his 400 families when they arrive. This spot is in the lately ceded country, and in an interview I had with the Kaffer Chief Gaika he expressed himself highly satisfied at having English Colonists in large numbers and under one head near him. This will form the left of the line of frontier occupation. The centre will be covered by a fortified barrack and 250 men on the River Keiskamma, and I have it in contemplation, in case the Royal African Corps should be ultimately ordered to be reduced here, to grant Lands to about 150 men and six or seven officers (who have applied to me for them) on the River Beka, close to the Sea, between the Keiskamma and the Fish Rivers. This would form the right of the Frontier line, the whole extent of which is about 80 miles, and through which, peopled and watched as it would be, it would be difficult for Kaffers to retire with the plunder, even if they succeeded in advancing into the Colony and collecting it. They are however an active and artful Race and no reliance can be placed on them. When I saw the Kaffer Chief Gaika, I introduced to him Mr. Brownlee, a Missionary, who returned with him and who is now resident on the part of this Government in Gaika's Camp. I have great hopes in the benefits these tribes will derive from the introduction of Christianity amongst them, and by a Report I have lately received from Mr. Brownlee everything in Kaffraria is going on quietly and well. I have &c. (Signed) R. S. DONKIN. [Original.] Letter from T. P. COURTENAY, ESQRE., to CANNON ROW, 21st July 1820. SIR,-In reference to my letter of the 6th Inst. I have now the honor to enclose a "Schedule of Charges in the Supplementary Accounts of Thomas Peregrine Courtenay Esq. Agent for the Cape of Good Hope from November 1813 to 31 December 1818, for sundry articles provided and forwarded, and for other disbursements incurred, for the service of that Colony upon requisitions from the Colonial Government," and for which the sanction of His Majesty's Secretary of State is required by the Colonial Auditors. And I am to solicit Lord Bathurst's sanction for these charges. According to the present system my accounts are rendered to the Auditors in the first instance, and no charge is incurred with out the sanction of the Secretary of State. I trust that this will be the last application of the nature which it will be my duty to make. I have &c. Schedule of Charges in the Supplementary Accounts of Thomas Peregrine Courtenay Esqr. Agent for the Cape of Good Hope from November 1813 to 31st December 1818, for Sundry Articles provided and forwarded and for other Disbursements incurred for the service of that Colony upon requisitions from the Colonial Government and for which the Sanction of His Majesty's Secretary of State is required. |