Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Illustrations and Maps
- Preface
- Author's Note
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations
- Part I Scotland: Border Farm to Literary Edinburgh (1789–1820)
- Part II The Cape Frontier: Pioneer, Settler Leader (1820–1821)
- 5 Settler Leader: Arrival
- 6 At Glen Lynden
- 7 Beyond Glen Lynden
- Part III Cape Town and Genadendal: The Stand Against Power (1822–1825)
- Part IV The Frontier, Karroo: Rural Retreat and the ‘Great Cause’ (1825–1826)
- Part V London Literary Life and The Anti-Slavery Campaign (1826–1833)
- Part VI Scotland and Highgate A Poet Returns to his Roots and Last Works (1830–1834)
- Bibliography
- Index
5 - Settler Leader: Arrival
from Part II - The Cape Frontier: Pioneer, Settler Leader (1820–1821)
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 February 2013
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Illustrations and Maps
- Preface
- Author's Note
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations
- Part I Scotland: Border Farm to Literary Edinburgh (1789–1820)
- Part II The Cape Frontier: Pioneer, Settler Leader (1820–1821)
- 5 Settler Leader: Arrival
- 6 At Glen Lynden
- 7 Beyond Glen Lynden
- Part III Cape Town and Genadendal: The Stand Against Power (1822–1825)
- Part IV The Frontier, Karroo: Rural Retreat and the ‘Great Cause’ (1825–1826)
- Part V London Literary Life and The Anti-Slavery Campaign (1826–1833)
- Part VI Scotland and Highgate A Poet Returns to his Roots and Last Works (1830–1834)
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Pringle had little to say of the 72-day voyage to the Cape, other than that it was ‘pleasant and prosperous’. So he wrote in African Sketches and also in a letter to Sir Walter Scott five months after his arrival. His party of 24 shared accommodation – he called it ‘a good deal crowded’ – in the 330-ton Brilliant with 95 settlers from Gush's, Sephton's and Erith's parties, London artisans, Methodist tradesmen, and a group of Surrey farmers. Gush and Sephton were carpenters and Erith a baker. There was also the eight-strong Caldecott family, independent settlers.
In the way of shipboard affairs on a long voyage a quarrel developed between the head of the family, Dr Charles Caldecott, and the coach-builder George Bray in Gush's party. Pringle described the outcome of the ‘polemical discussions’ that took place with a pleasing detachment, even humour.
…under the guidance of two local preachers, – a tall, grave Wesleyan coach maker and a little dogmatic Anabaptist surgeon – they soon split into two discordant factions of Arminians and high Calvinists. Heated by incessant controversy for three months, many of them, who had been wont formerly to associate on friendly terms, ceased to regard each other with sentiments of Christian forbearance; and the two rival leaders, after many obstinate disputations, which became more intricate and intemperate every time they were renewed, had at length parted in flaming wrath, and for several weeks past had paced the quarter-deck together without speaking or exchanging salutations.
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- Information
- Thomas PringleSouth African pioneer, poet and abolitionist, pp. 67 - 78Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2012