British History-6
' The Great Trek'
RHODA POWER
In the early part of last century the Boer settlers in Cape Colony became dissatisfied with British government, particularly when they were forced to emancipate their slaves ; and, finally, in 1835, they left their farms to trek northward to set up independent republics. In the manifesto they published these words occurred :-
We despair of saving the country from the evils which threaten it in the turbulent, dishonest conduct of vagrants..... We complain of the severe losses which we have been forced to sustain by the emancipation of our slaves..... We complain of the continual system of plunder which we have ever endured from the Kaffirs..... We quit this country under the full assurance that the English government has nothing more to require of us, and will allow us to govern ourselves without its interference in future.'
In today's talk Rhoda Power will describe these voortrekktrs and their adventures.