Page:Life of Africaner.pdf/20

 him the valuable present of a waggon which the government had made to him, remarked that he must be very thankful for such a mark of their esteem.

"I am," said he, "truly thankful to government for the favour they have done me in this instance; but favours of this nature to persons like me are heavy to bear. The farmers between this and Namaqua-land would much rather hear that I had been executed at Cape Town, than that I had received any mark favour from government. This circumstance will, I fear, increase their hatred against me under the influence of this spirit, every disturbance which may take place on the borders of the colony will be ascribed to me; and  is nothing I more dread, than that the government should suppose me capable of ingratitude."

These were singular remarks from a man who, only six years before, had been the savage leader of a savage tribe, far from the residence of civilized men, and seeking to destroy them.

While halting for a few days at Tulbagh, town sixty miles from Cape Town, on his return to his own country, Africaner was exposed to a severe trial of temper, which afforded  opportunity of shewing his Christian spirit. woman, under the influence of prejudice, excited by his former character, meeting him in the public street, followed him for some time as Shimei followed king David, calling after him with all her might, and heaping upon all thothe [sic] coarse and bad names which she  think of. Reaching the place where his people were standing by his waggon, with a number