Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Obituary.
OBITUARY .
C OLONEL ROBERT GORDON , who died lately at the Cape of Good Hope , was , for many years , Commandant of the Dutch Forces there , and one of the Council of that Governemnt , which surrendered that important Settlement to the British Army . He was descended from a Scotch family . The time of its
settling in Holland is not known ; but it must have been very long ago , as his grandfather was burgomaster , of Schiedam . His father's ' entry into the army was by a cornetcy of the Dutch dragoon guards ; but , oil account of his Scutch name , and the burgomaster ' s strong interest , he soon obtained a company in
Field-marshal Colyear ' s regiment of the Scotch brigade . This was considered as a great grievance by the officers of that corps , who looked upon the family as Dutch ; and , whenever his future promotion was in question , remonstrated against it . He , notwithstanding , rose to the rank of major-general , and commanded a regiment of the brigade during the war iii Flanders , and was taken prisoner . at the siege of
Bergefiop-Zoom . The Colonel himself was born with his father ' s regiment in Gueldeflahd , in which he early obtained a commission , anil rose by seniority to the rank of captain . But the stationary life of a soldier in peace , serving in the garrisons of the United Provinces , ill accorded with the activity of a mind
thirsting for variety of knowledge . — Having , therefore , visited such parts of Europe as his leisure would admit ; he obtained leave of absence to make a voyage to the Cape of Good Hope , where he employed about a year in penetrating the interior of that count ) . - ' , and studingwith an accuracyfor
y , , which he was ever distinguished , the natural productions of so new a field of enquiry . Some time ' afterwards , oil his return " to Europe , on the resignation of Col . Van Pr-. n , he was appointed by the Dutch East India Company to the chief command of their military at the Cape . It was about this time he
married a very amiable and sensible woman , a native of the Pays de Vaud , in Switzerland . Although his time was " much taken up in his o . li ' cial duties , and
in the study of the most abstruse parts of science , he was , nevertheless , of a chearful and social . disposition ; open , candid , and sincere ; or " strict integrity , punctilious honour , and unshaken principles ; but of too little subtlety , and of too impatient a mind , to treat with sufficient indifference the continual
vexations he met with in a colony , where despotism and peculation were uncoritroulable , and where self-interest was unive-saliy prevalent . His house , the constant resort of strangers , the seat of hospitality , at once ' exhibited theleaming of the man , the dignify of the chief , and the felicity of the husband
and the father . His natural partiality to the society of the English never induced him to be in the least wanting in attention to others ; and , though related to Britons , he never suffered the least bent of his inclination to warp him from his duty as a Dutchman . He has left his widow with four soils . The eldest , now about 17 years of age , bore a commission 111 his father ' s battalion at the time of the surrender of the Cape . —
Madame Gordon , now , as it j ' s ' supposed on her way to Switzerland , is coming to this country ; and it is hot doubted that there are many , who , bearing in remembrance the good qualities of the colonel , will have it in their inclination , as it may be in their power , to return to the children part of ! . he obligations
conferred by the father . Although not rich , had the colonel died in any other times than these , it "is cer ain that his widow and children must have been left in decent and respectable circumstances ; but it is fear . rt Siiat the effects of war , and the confusions in Holland , will be injurious to their properly , both
in Europe and Africa . He had , for fome time'back , intended publishing the result of his different expedition ' s , but found it impracticable during IiLs residence at ( he Cape . His paper ' s , amongst which is ' a very curious collection of drawings , and an eit ' eiisive topographical survey cf the Southern , rcuiontory of'Africa , must be-valuable ; and it is greatly to be wished that the publication of them may be entrusted to the care of same p'erson , -competent
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Obituary.
OBITUARY .
C OLONEL ROBERT GORDON , who died lately at the Cape of Good Hope , was , for many years , Commandant of the Dutch Forces there , and one of the Council of that Governemnt , which surrendered that important Settlement to the British Army . He was descended from a Scotch family . The time of its
settling in Holland is not known ; but it must have been very long ago , as his grandfather was burgomaster , of Schiedam . His father's ' entry into the army was by a cornetcy of the Dutch dragoon guards ; but , oil account of his Scutch name , and the burgomaster ' s strong interest , he soon obtained a company in
Field-marshal Colyear ' s regiment of the Scotch brigade . This was considered as a great grievance by the officers of that corps , who looked upon the family as Dutch ; and , whenever his future promotion was in question , remonstrated against it . He , notwithstanding , rose to the rank of major-general , and commanded a regiment of the brigade during the war iii Flanders , and was taken prisoner . at the siege of
Bergefiop-Zoom . The Colonel himself was born with his father ' s regiment in Gueldeflahd , in which he early obtained a commission , anil rose by seniority to the rank of captain . But the stationary life of a soldier in peace , serving in the garrisons of the United Provinces , ill accorded with the activity of a mind
thirsting for variety of knowledge . — Having , therefore , visited such parts of Europe as his leisure would admit ; he obtained leave of absence to make a voyage to the Cape of Good Hope , where he employed about a year in penetrating the interior of that count ) . - ' , and studingwith an accuracyfor
y , , which he was ever distinguished , the natural productions of so new a field of enquiry . Some time ' afterwards , oil his return " to Europe , on the resignation of Col . Van Pr-. n , he was appointed by the Dutch East India Company to the chief command of their military at the Cape . It was about this time he
married a very amiable and sensible woman , a native of the Pays de Vaud , in Switzerland . Although his time was " much taken up in his o . li ' cial duties , and
in the study of the most abstruse parts of science , he was , nevertheless , of a chearful and social . disposition ; open , candid , and sincere ; or " strict integrity , punctilious honour , and unshaken principles ; but of too little subtlety , and of too impatient a mind , to treat with sufficient indifference the continual
vexations he met with in a colony , where despotism and peculation were uncoritroulable , and where self-interest was unive-saliy prevalent . His house , the constant resort of strangers , the seat of hospitality , at once ' exhibited theleaming of the man , the dignify of the chief , and the felicity of the husband
and the father . His natural partiality to the society of the English never induced him to be in the least wanting in attention to others ; and , though related to Britons , he never suffered the least bent of his inclination to warp him from his duty as a Dutchman . He has left his widow with four soils . The eldest , now about 17 years of age , bore a commission 111 his father ' s battalion at the time of the surrender of the Cape . —
Madame Gordon , now , as it j ' s ' supposed on her way to Switzerland , is coming to this country ; and it is hot doubted that there are many , who , bearing in remembrance the good qualities of the colonel , will have it in their inclination , as it may be in their power , to return to the children part of ! . he obligations
conferred by the father . Although not rich , had the colonel died in any other times than these , it "is cer ain that his widow and children must have been left in decent and respectable circumstances ; but it is fear . rt Siiat the effects of war , and the confusions in Holland , will be injurious to their properly , both
in Europe and Africa . He had , for fome time'back , intended publishing the result of his different expedition ' s , but found it impracticable during IiLs residence at ( he Cape . His paper ' s , amongst which is ' a very curious collection of drawings , and an eit ' eiisive topographical survey cf the Southern , rcuiontory of'Africa , must be-valuable ; and it is greatly to be wished that the publication of them may be entrusted to the care of same p'erson , -competent