ed. He stabbed the sentinel at the gate of the
Company's gardens, and placed himself at his post, waiting some time in
expectation of the governor's appearance, who narrowly escaped the fate
intended for him, by its falling on another person accidentally passing
that way. On being pursued, he fled with incredible swiftness to the
Table Mountain at the back of the town, whence this single miscreant,
still animated by the effect of the opium, for two days resisted and
defied every force that was sent against him. The alarm and terror into
which the town was thrown were inconceivable; for two days none ventured
from within their houses, either masters or slaves; for an order was
issued (as the most likely means of destroying him, should he appear in
the town) that whatever Malay was seen in the streets should be instantly
killed by the soldiery. On the evening of the second day, however, he was
taken alive on the Table Mountain, having done much injury to those who
took him, and was immediately consigned to the death he merited, being
broken on the wheel, and his head and members severed after the
execution, and distributed in different parts of the country.

Of this man, who had killed fourteen of the inhabitants, and desperately
wounded nearly double that number, it was remarked, that in his progress
his fury fell only on men, women passing him unhurt; and it was as
extraordinary as it was unfortunate, that among those whom his rage
destroyed, were some of the most deserving and promising young men in the
town. This, at Batavia, was called running a muck, or amocke, and
frequently happened there, but was the first instance of the kind known
at the Cape. Since that time, every Malay or other slave, having business
in the street after a certain hour in the evening, is obliged to carry a
lighted lantern, on pain of being stopped by the sentinel and kept in
custody until morning. Murder and villany are strongly depicted on the
features of the slaves of that nation; and such of them as dared to speak
of this dreadful catastrophe clearly appeared to approve the behaviour of
their countryman.

The government of the Cape we understood to be vested in a governor and
council, together with a court of justice. The council is composed of the
governor, the second or lieutenant-governor, the fiscal, the commanding
officer of the troops for the time being, and four counsellors. With
these all regulations for the management of the colon