This means, however, that they are not to be treated harshly,
but, on the contrary, with the utmost fairness and justice, and that
they must be under the guidance of a controlling and firmly governing
hand. They respect authority, when they have confidence in its being
exercised with impartiality. They have a great deal of natural
shrewdness, and they must never be deceived. Alas! I heard of frequent
instances of this having been done, in times past, by those who have
represented the British Government. Promises have been made to them
which have been carelessly broken, and this means ruin to the prestige
in their minds of the British name.
From the wonderful and ever-increasing development which has taken place
in the northern part of South Africa since the discovery of diamonds and
gold, causing the employment of thousands upon thousands of native
Kafirs at high wages, their social position is being materially changed.
They are really becoming "masters of the situation." Their constant
contact with white people is having the effect of introducing among them
the germs of an incipient civilisation. The mode of treating them by the
British and the Dutch is, undoubtedly, very different.
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