I conceded in my weakness to the wish of all the officials, also was I aware that the majority of burghers were in favour of it. ... on a canon carri… - Sarel Cilliers

Let me draw your attention to Mzilikazi, when he fell upon us, murdering and pillaging – did he benefit from it, or suffer harm? Was he able to remain in his country, or did he have to flee? Let me draw your attention to our negotiations with Dingane, who in his demeanour had the likeness of a sheep, but in his heart was a ravaging wolf. How did it work out for him? Did he benefit, or suffer harm?

In the year 1836, if my recollection is right, we undertook to leave our motherland, and then crossed the Orange River. Would you now testify against us, whether we took anything without compensation from anyone during our passage? On the contrary, we exchanged with each tribe a lot of wheat and maize for our livestock, whereby we also enriched your father Moshesh. We trekked as far as the Vaal River, where Mzilikazi, the conqueror of you all, also unexpectedly overwhelmed our people. He killed a good part of us and robbed us of a very large part of our property, me being absent while on the commission trip to Zoutpansberg. When we returned from thence to the Renoster River, at Vechtkop, Mzilikazi attacked us again and also robbed us of all our livestock. When we were thus helpless, and in great distress, not your father Moshesh, but the Rev. Mr. Archbell with Moroka assisted us, for which I still thank them. They are still our friends, who have done us no harm to this day. Nor have Moroka's people robbed us, whereas our brethren suffered greatly under the pillaging of your father's people. To return to my story – we retreated from Vechtkop to Moroka's land. He received us as his friends and also made a donation of wheat for our hungry women and children. Moroka sent some of his people to join us on the first commando against Mzilikazi, our great enemy who was likewise your father's enemy.

... he had a leather bag around one shoulder, which he still carried and which contained his papers, including Mr Retief's negotiated treaty with Dingane, the circumscription of the land – this was to us all a wonder to see, as the bodies had been lying there for so long, and since the papers were still so unblemished and clean…