The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

122 SOUTU AND EAST AFRICA.(lers, that is to say, tlic European natives of Dutcli origin, wlio in 8outli Africanumber probably about two-thirds of this element, are even calculating on therecovery of their former i)olitical ascendency, all the more that the Boer womenappear on the whole to be more prolific than their English sisters.* Although atpresent constituting distinct and indejjendcnt political sy.stems, the Dutch Afrikanders,nearly all related by ties of blood, from Table Bay to the Limpopo, forma large fauiilj' group possessing a strong sense of national cohesion. It was thesympathy of their friends and kindred in Cape Colony, more, perhaps, than thevalour of their soldiers or the pusillanimity of the Gladstonian Administration,that secured for the Transvaal Boors the recovery of their political independence.This same solidarity ofsentiment between the northern and southern Afrikanderswill certainly secure full recognition of their just claims to consideration,when the time comes for giving effect to the scheme now being matured for thefusion of all the British and Dutch States in one South African Dominion, underthe sovereignty of the Queen of England. But notwithstanding the increasingpolitical influence of the Afrikander, the somewhat rude local Dutch dialect,although far more widelj' spread amongst the aborigines, is yearly losing much ofits relative influence in the intellectual development of the inhabitants of CapeColon}^ This point has been made more and more evident, since the middle ofthe century, by the constantly increasing disparity between the jioriodical publicationsof the two rival languages.In the year 1875 the English publications werealready six times more numerous than those addressed to the Dutch reading public.The inevitable result must be, that the Afrikanders will at first become bilingual, andthen gradually cease to speak or cultivate the language of their forefathers, no lo"ngcrof any use for the intellectual progress of the people.Effect will thus be given to theuniversal tendency of dominant races to absorb fragmentary or discordant elements,which here, as elsewhere, must ultimately become merged in a singleBritish nationality, one in speech, social usages, free institutions, and intellectualculture.The emigration of the Boers towards the northern republics, coinciding withthe immigration of fresh colonists from Great Britain, already increased for atime the ascendency of the British element in the territory of the Cape. The greattrek, or exodus, of the Boers towards the regions stretching north of the OrangeEiver began about the year 1834, that is, when slaverj- was ofEcially abolished inthe English possessions. Deprived of the labour of tlieir black slaves, compensationfor whom was allowed at not more than two-fifths of theii- market value,the Dutch peasantry directed their steps towards the northern solitudes, wherethey hoped to rule, without let or hindrance, over their " live stock " of men andbeasts. Many thousands settled in the Gamtoos and Great Fish Eiver basins,voluntarily forsook extensive tracts of pasture and arable lands, which aftertheirdeparture were occupied by English settlers.But towards the eastei-n frontier these settlers had themselves to contend with* Von Iliibner, Across the British Empire.