On the 1st of December, 1847, Sir Harry and Lady Smith, with his
Excellency's staff and suite, landed at Cape Town, amid the acclamations
and rejoicings of assembled thousands. I have already alluded to Lady
Smith as "once the favourite of the African Frontier;" and, at a public
assembly. Judge Menzies welcomed the arrival of the Governor and Lady
Smith, by proposing a toast, not to "His Excellency and his Lady," but
to "Harry Smith and his Wife." On all sides their return was hailed
with joy; but, as the colonists are too apt to be guided by results
rather than motives, it is better not to dwell on this reception.
Sir Henry Pottinger left Graham's Town, under a salute of guns from the
batteries, on the 16th of December, and Sir George Berkeley followed on
the 17th. The great event of the day was the entree of Sir Harry Smith.
The shops were closed, every one made holiday, triumphal arches were
erected, surmounted by inscriptions proclaiming welcome to the new
Governor and old friend. The very _bonhommie_ with which Sir Harry had
met his old acquaintances--even an old Hottentot serjeant, with whom he
shook hands on the road--procured for him a ready popularity ere he
entered Graham's Town.
At Sidbury, within thirty miles of the town, Sir Henry Pottinger and his
successor had a short conference. There is no doubt the latter had
brought his instructions from the Colonial Office with him; but the
meeting between two such men, and the conference on the destinies of
South Africa, at a scattered village on the borders, must have been
connected with singular and interesting associations.
From Port Elizabeth to Graham's Town one scene of joy and welcome
presented itself. Soon after landing at the former place, his
Excellency made his appearance before a throng of spectators, amongst
whom he recognised the Chief Macomo. At sight of him, Sir Harry drew
his sword half way from the scabbard, held it thus for a minute, and
drove it back again with an expressive gesture of anger and scorn; at
which Macomo shrank back, and the crowd laughed. His Excellency
afterwards saw Macomo, whom he bitterly upbraided for his treachery, and
derided for his folly. As he uttered his reproaches, he ordered him to
kneel prostrate before him, which he did, unwillingly enough. "This,"
said Sir Harry Smith, placing his foot on the neck of the conquered
savage, "this is to teach you that I have come hither to teach
Kaffirland that I am chief and master here, and this is the way I shall
treat the enemies of the Queen of England."
On the 17th, as we watched the rockets ascending, and the lights
flashing from one end of Graham's Town to the other, I could not help
comparing the circumstances of last year with the present. Then all was
gloom, save when the fires on the hill-tops telegraphed mischief between
the Kaffirs. Now, beacons blazed, the silent heralds of glad tidings;
the very Fingo kraals adjacent to the town sent forth shouts, and
torches flitted from hut to hut. Amongst all this stir, there is
something interesting in recording where Sir Harry Smith was, and how he
was employed, during the rejoicings of the excited populace. Long
before the lights were extinguished, he was up and at work. Three
o'clock on the morning of the 16th found him at his desk, which he
scarcely left till five in the evening. Amid all the din of these
rejoicings for the hero of Aliwal, Colonel Somerset, having conquered
the I'Slambies, and delivered Pato into his Excellency's hands, quietly
rode into town, unnoticed, but not forgotten by those who, eighteen
months before, looked to him for protection and assistance. [See
Appendix I.]
On his Excellency's arrival at Government House, he sent for Sandilla,
whom he addressed in severe terms. Sandilla, of course, admitted, in
the old style, that he had been in error. On Sir Harry asking him who
was now the "Inkosi Enkulu," (Great Chief) of Kaffirland, he, after a
pause, in true Kaffir style, and closely observed by his councillors,
replied "Kreli." At this Sir Harry broke forth, in terms of great
anger. "No!" said the Governor, "I am your paramount chief--I am come
to punish you for your misdoings--your treachery--and your obstinate
folly. You may approach my foot and kiss it, in token of submission,
but not until I see a sincere repentance for the past, will I permit you
to touch my hand."
Sandilla was released from confinement by Sir Harry's order.
Chieftainship, in a Kaffir sense, being abolished, and the ex-chiefs
being invested with a sort of magisterial influence over their people,
checked by British rule, a baton of office was sent to to be placed in
the ground before his hut, side by side with the wand always planted
there as a symbol of authority. His wand is surmounted by a cow's tail,
and marks the chief's residence from the other huts of Kraal. The baton
given by Sir Harry is a stick, with a brass knob at the top of it. A
proclamation, dated the 17th of December, 1847, announced the Keiskama
as the boundary of the Colony. The advantages of such a line of
demarcation, I have before alluded to.
At noon, on the 20th, his Excellency was in the saddle, _en route_ for
King William's Town, _via_ Fort Hare and Post Victoria. He was
accompanied by the heads of departments in general, and by his staff.
At Fort Hare, the party was entertained at dinner by the officers of the
45th Regiment, and next day, proceeding to King William's Town,
breakfasted on the road in the Tyumie valley. At King William's Town,
Sir Harry had appointed a meeting of the Chiefs of Kaffirland, desiring
them to obey him, or abide the consequences. They knew him too well to
hesitate.
In the mean time, Pato, hearing that Colonel Somerset was again on the
track in search of him, grew frightened; and, as this officer was _en
route_ with his force, the rebel savage sent his councillors, with an
offer of five thousand head of cattle, and a promise of surrender, if
his life might be spared.
It was on Sunday, the 19th of December, while Sir Harry Smith was yet in
Graham's Town, that the work of Colonel Somerset was, so to speak,
brought to a close by the surrender of Pato.
While moving with his forces towards the Kei, and debating where he
should "off-saddle" and bivouac, for a short refreshment, Colonel
Somerset observed two Kaffirs riding at a rapid gallop towards him.
These were two of Pato's councillors, who looked tired and frightened
beyond description, but they rode direct for Colonel Somerset; and, as
soon as one of them could get breath, he spoke. He had been sent by his
chief, he said, to make terms of surrender. "The tribe was broken up.
Pato was hunted down, and could hold out no longer." Colonel Somerset
asked what guarantee he should have that Pato would keep his word: a
word which had been broken so often? "I am Pato's mouth," said the
messenger; "I speak his word, and _now_ it is true. I have been told to
ride and find Somerset, or _die_."
Colonel Somerset refused to give any promise until Pato came forward
personally, and surrendered at discretion. With this answer, the
councillors departed. Old Cobus Congo, Pato's brother, next made his
appearance, and Colonel Somerset's peremptory command to have the arms
given up was followed by the approach of Kaffirs in all directions,
hurrying down the hills, and emerging from the apparently uninhabited
kloofs, with guns and assegais. The eminences, which had appeared
untenanted by man, were now dotted with these wretched creatures; the
silent krantzes gave up the warriors long concealed therein; and, two
days afterwards, Pato, with twelve councillors, all haggard, dirty, and
trembling with terror, approached the bivouac, and, in a state of the
most abject misery, the treacherous savage surrendered himself. He had
been "hunted from rock to rock," he said, "for three months: he was no
longer a man, but a baboon, for he had been dwelling among the monkeys;
he had concealed himself where no cavalry could come, but the dreaded
name of Somerset had stirred him from his hiding-place, and he now
implored to be taken out of the bush." He spoke of the miseries to
which he and his people had been subjected; at times, they had not been
able to kill an ox for food, and some of his followers had been
compelled to eat their shields. (This was no more than our allies, the
Fingoes, were frequently obliged to do.)
All his professions were in a tone of the deepest humility. In short,
he had been hunted like a dog, as he deserved, and he was ready to
submit to anything to be allowed to have the mountains near the
Amapondas, and to "sit still," at least, for a season.
Colonel Somerset was, of course, perfectly aware of the motives which
directed this pacific movement on the part of Pato, who was quite ready
to submit to any terms for the present. Cattle were demanded. Pato
promised _five thousand head down_. More arms were asked for; the ease
with which many guns and assegais had already been produced, was
sufficient guarantee for the future. Colonel Somerset, however, held no
responsible position as a diplomatist; during the whole war he had only
been the fighting-man in Kaffirland. So, having beaten Sandilla, Pato,
Umhala, Souto, Stock, etc, etc, and their tribes, he was to submit the
rebel and his propositions to Sir Harry Smith, and his Excellency was to
meet the Chiefs at King William's Town, and hold a parley there on the
23rd of December, preparatory to the great meeting on the 7th January,
1848. This last assembly was fixed on that day as the anniversary of a
solemn convocation of the kind, held on the 7th January, 1836.
The present Governor has, as Umhala would say, "ears that hear," and
"eyes that see," and will not abuse or neglect the confidence reposed in
him by the colonists. His Excellency's decisive replies to the Chiefs
when he met them at King William's Town, and the clearness with which he
impressed on their minds that they held their present position only by
right of active allegiance on their parts towards the British
Government, were the best guarantees of the manner in which he would
carry _out_ the plans as yet only in abeyance. "I am the Inkosi Enkulu
(the Great Chief) of Kaffirland," said he. "From me, as the
representative of the Queen of England, you hold your lands. My word
shall be your law, and whoso shall disobey it, him will I sweep from the
land!"
Now, one great secret of Sir Harry Smith's rule is, that the _Kafirs
know he will execute what he threatens_. They are sure he will _keep
his word_. As Pato knew Colonel Somerset would never rest till he found
him and hunted him and his people down, so Gaikas and I'Slambies,
Tambookies and Zooluhs, feel that Sir Harry Smith, too, will be "up and
doing" among them, if they fail in their promises.
When Sir Benjamin D'Urban resigned the Government, in 1836, he took up
his residence near Cape Town, and there, for ten long years, he
sorrowfully abided the result of the system which had been introduced by
his opponents. His friends thought that he ought to proceed to England,
and there expose the mischiefs that were gathering round the Colony; but
he "bided his time," and it was not until the events of the war had
proved the soundness of his former arguments, and that he had truly
described the Kaffirs as "irreclaimable savages," that he repaired to
the Colonial Office in London. His statements had now their due weight,
and the offices of Governor and Commander-in-Chief were again united in
the person of Sir Harry Smith, whose opportune arrival in England from
India was hailed with joy by the very party that had, in 1836, discarded
the opinions and overthrown the policy of Sir Benjamin D'Urban and Sir
Harry himself. His appointment to the Government of the Cape soon
followed his triumphant reception at home as the hero of our Indian
successes.