Enthusiastic as his English welcome had been on his return from India,
his Excellency's _entree_ into Graham's Town, escorted by at least five
hundred friends, independently of all military attendance, must have
been deeply gratifying to him. How much more so must have been his
sensations on the morning of the 23rd of December, 1647, when he
galloped into the centre of the square formed by the garrison drawn up
to receive him, "at the old place of meeting"--King William's Town! The
band of the Rifle Brigade received him with the National Anthem, and the
cheers of the multitude formed a noble chorus; but, as the General rode
down the line, the troops, presenting arms, the air changed to "See the
Conquering Hero comes!" Shouts rose from the concourse, consisting of
the military, the colonists, Kaffirs, Fingoes, and others of many
different grades and denominations.
When these had subsided, Sir Harry Smith addressed the troops. His
Excellency complimented Colonel Buller, of the Rifle Brigade, on the
command of such a body of men, calling the attention of the latter to
their advantage in having such a Commander; and having noticed "that
bravery and endurance which they had displayed during the long and
harassing warfare through which they had struggled," he beckoned Colonel
Somerset to his side, and thus addressed him:--
"To you, Colonel Somerset, we are mainly indebted for the satisfactory
close of this severe contest. You have been in the field throughout,
and have exhibited equal courage, patience, perseverance, and ability in
the discharge of the severe duties which have devolved upon you. To an
officer so nearly of my own rank, it is not for _me_ to return my
thanks. But I thank you in the name of Her Majesty the Queen, for your
efficient services in this command; I thank you in the name of the
eminently illustrious and immortal Duke of Wellington, the
Commander-in-Chief of the British Army, for the manner in which you have
prosecuted this war until you have brought it to a final issue."
The scene at King William's Town, at this period, was very imposing: the
Kaffirs, in number at least two thousand, all unarmed, formed a
semicircle of perhaps eight deep; in front of this semicircle stood the
Chiefs, facing the General, Colonels Somerset, Buller, and Mackinnon,
and Mr Shepstone, the Interpreter. In the rear of the latter were the
troops, consisting of the Rifle Brigade, part of the 7th Dragoon Guards,
and 73rd Regiment. His Excellency scanned the assembly before him with
a searching look; and, as his eye rested on the line of Chiefs, he
missed Sutu, and her son Sandilla, in a moment. Punctual himself, he
was naturally angry at their absence, and demanded where they were?
Mother and son had retired from the great crowd to a little drift in a
hollow. They were sent for, and obeyed the summons. The dense
semicircular mass opened in the centre, and the lame Chief and Sutu
entered the area. Some Kaffirs were disposed for a moment to press
inward; but a low murmur went round, and those in front seated
themselves the moment the young Gaika and his mother took their places
at the head of the line of Chiefs. There was then a silence among the
multitude, and the Governor addressed them, every word he uttered being
carefully translated by Mr Shepstone.
Previously to his Excellency's address, two large staves were brought
forward, one was surmounted by a brass knob, the other was a Serjeant's
halbert. These Sir Harry Smith planted on each side of him as symbols
of peace and war.
He opened his speech with bitter reproaches against the Kaffirs for
their treachery and violence, upbraiding them for their faithlessness
while he scorned them for their folly.
He told them the Queen of England had sent him to Africa to put a stop
to their violence, and to organise the country over which they had so
ruthlessly stalked as destroyers. Pointing to the staves, he called on
them to advance, and to take their choice of peace or war. It mattered
not to him, they might fight, but he _would_ conquer them: he _would_ be
Chief. They had seen already how the troops of England could harass
them; the grasp and vengeance of England could never be eluded. "You,
Sutu," said his Excellency, "I call upon you to come forward, and make
your choice, by touching one staff or the other."
Sutu advanced, and, placing her hand on the staff of peace, her example
was followed by all the rest in succession. As Stock approached, his
Excellency exclaimed, "Stock, son of Eno! is not your sleep disturbed by
evil spirits, as a punishment for the contempt with which you treated
your father's last words?--And for you, Pato, Colonel Somerset has taken
you out of the bush this time: you may thank him for your life; had I
been there, you should have lost your head." [Note 1.]
Pato's appearance was miserable. He more resembled a Hottentot than a
Kaffir, being of the Gona tribe, which is a mixture of both races. An
old handkerchief was wound round his head, and his shrunken limbs were
enveloped in a dirty blanket. Several times during Sir Harry Smith's
address, those peculiar murmurs of wonder, approbation, and assent,
which I have elsewhere compared to the waves of a great ocean, rising
and falling in the distance, went through the mighty circle. As the
Governor took care to remind them occasionally that Chieftainship, in
their sense of the term, was abolished, and declared, from that moment,
_he_ was the Great _Inkosi Enkulu_, and the representative of the Queen
of England, an irrepressible groan burst forth from the Kaffirs; but
none attempted to reply; all seemed paralysed by fear. Not even an
assegai was to be seen in their hands--a most unusual circumstance among
these savage tribes.
At the close of his stern address to the assembled Kaffirs, his
Excellency read the Proclamation defining the conditions on which
British Kaffraria is to be occupied for the future. Colonel Mackinnon
was appointed to the command of the district. While reading this, he
paused at several passages, giving the Chiefs an opportunity of
ascertaining the exact meaning of what they heard; as he uttered the
word "conquered," in reference to the territory, his manner and tone
were such as could not be misunderstood.
The Chiefs, declaring it was "good," were ordered to advance separately,
and to touch the staff of Peace or War, as pleased them best. There was
no hesitation in deciding: the voice of Young Kaffirland had been
silenced, and the Chiefs stepped forward one by one, kissing Sir Harry
Smith's foot as he sat on horseback, in token of their repentance for
the past, and as a guarantee for future submission.
Not one of them approached the new Inkosi Enkulu, without eliciting some
severe remarks. Threats were not spared, accompanied by significant
gestures. "He would teach them," he said, "who should henceforth be
their masters; and, if they failed to obey _his Word_, he would sweep
the disobedient from the land." In short, he gave them to understand,
in plain English, that they were a set of unworthy miscreants, who had
forfeited all claim to indulgence; but who, upon a promise of future
good behaviour, were to be mercifully tried once more, _but not to be
trusted_. No! Sir Harry Smith knew them too well for that!
Words like these, from his lips, carried with them more weight than all
the written documents the Colonial Office could send forth. As the
Chiefs retired to their position, his Excellency, having possessed
himself of a piece of paper for the purpose, held it up to the multitude
as emblematic of the former Treaties; and, tearing it to pieces,
scattered it to the winds, exclaiming with his accustomed energy, "There
go the Treaties!" He next seized the staff of war, and, poising it for
a few moments, cast it to the ground with great vehemence. "Behold,"
said he, "the end of war! And now, three cheers for Peace!" Lifting
his hat, he bade those beside him follow his example. The loud hurrahs
ascended to the sky, sending their echoes along the banks of the Buffalo
River. All united in the acclamations which the occasion called forth.
From soldiers, spectators, and Kaffirs arose one simultaneous shout, and
from kloof to kloof, from plain to plain, resounded the cheers which
proclaimed "Peace on earth, and good will towards men!" two days before
the great festival of Christmas.
On the evening of the 23rd, some of the chiefs being offered coffee in
an officer's tent, old Botman was heard making sundry remarks on the
occurrences of the day. On being asked what he thought of the
Governor's address, he replied, "The day was stormy--the wind blew very
strong." But there was no gaining from him his real opinion as to past
circumstances, or future arrangements.
It is the custom of the Kaffirs to assemble after any great gathering,
whether of peace or war, a wedding or a witchcraft scene. Those who
have not been present are always desirous of hearing "the news." When
Sir Harry Smith was in Kaffirland in 1836 he had occasion to summon the
Chiefs to a meeting, when he reproached them severely for sundry
aggressions. On their dismissal, they repaired to the Kraal, where
several members of each tribe awaited their return with the eager
question, "What news?" "There was a storm," said one, "Much thunder!"
"But," asked another, "was it followed by refreshing rain?" "Oh! yes,
when the thunder ceased there fell some cooling and pleasant showers;"
alluding to food and gifts.
One secret of Sir Harry Smith's success is, that he does not suffer the
Kaffirs to parley with him. He looks upon them now as unworthy to be
listened to, and they feel this; they make no attempt to reply. As for
reasoning with them, it were but lost time; they are the cleverest
logicians in the world, and have always an answer more suitable to their
own purpose than we could possibly anticipate.
Umhala was once told he could not be permitted to marry a Christian
Kaffir girl, as he had eleven wives already. After repeated messages
and munificent offers of cattle, etc, on his part he pressed his suit by
saying, "his wives knew not the white man's God; he desired to have a
Christian wife, that she might teach him!" He did not succeed, however,
with the lady. "We know," said a Kaffir to a missionary, "that what you
tell us is for our good. We feel it must be so, because you bid us be
kind to one another, and to be neither thieves nor liars. You bid our
children be dutiful, our wives obedient, our neighbours peaceful; but
when you tell us to abide with our old wives, and take no more young
ones, then the teacher's words are no longer good, and our ears are deaf
to them."
A Kaffir prisoner, having been six months in the Graham's Town gaol, was
tried at the assizes in April, 1847, and acquitted of the crime of which
he had been accused. Before leaving the box, he was observed speaking
to one of the officers of the court. "What is he saying?" asked the
Judge. "He wishes to know," replied the functionary, "why he has been
so long in prison, and afterwards brought here, as he has committed no
crime."
The Keiskama River was proclaimed the immediate boundary of the Colony;
and between this and the Kei lies what "shall be called and known as
British Kaffiraria," to be held by the Kaffirs "under such rules and
regulations as Her Majesty's High Commissioner, or other Representative,
who shall be the Great Chief of the whole of the said territory, shall
deem best calculated to promote the civilisation, conversion to
Christianity, and general enlightenment of the benighted beings subject
to her rule."
In order "to define and fix a certain line of boundary, that no dispute
or disaffection might hereafter arise among the people on a question of
right or occupation," the lands appropriated to the different chiefs of
their tribes received English names. The "Great Place" of Sandilla is
now called York; the country allotted to the Amabala people, under
Stock, Lincolnshire. The location of the Amagunuquebes, under Palo, son
of Gasella, is named Bedfordshire; and Umhala's district, with the
I'Slambies, Cambridgeshire; another portion of the I'Slambies, under
Tois, are settled "within the limits of the county of Sussex." Tois's
own place is to be called Goodwood. The Tambookies, under Umtikaka
[Note 2.] and Mapassa, are to be located to the north of Yorkshire and
Sussex; and the various villages which are to be established within the
limits of British Kaffiraria have yet to be defined.
The substitution of English names for the ancient and poetic
denominations by which the Kaffirs have hitherto distinguished their
abodes, is a necessary measure; but who can reconcile himself, at this
juncture, to London at the mouth of the Buffalo River, on the borders of
Kaffirland; York some forty miles distant, lying among the Amatola
Mountains; Cambridge near Fort Waterloo, (late Waterloo Bay,) and so
forth?
The 7th of January brought together another assemblage, from all parts
of the frontier, at King William's Town. The absence of Lady Smith, who
had been present on that spot in 1836, was regretted by all who
remembered her. Old Sutu presented herself at Fort Cox, when _en route_
for the Buffalo, and begged some intelligence of "her mother." His
Excellency's movements had been too rapid and fatiguing to permit of a
lady's accompanying him, and Lady Smith remained at Cape Town during the
absence of her gallant husband.
At half-past nine in the morning the Rifle Brigade were under arms,
awaiting the arrival of His Excellency. The Kaffirs lingered about the
camp, talking in groups, and finally dropping into the semicircle, in
front of which, as before, the Chiefs and great men stood. There were
about two thousand assembled by the time Sir Harry rode up, and Pato,
having desired the tribes to greet the Governor as a great Chief, the
usual cheers arose from the throng as, dressed in the uniform of the
Rifle Brigade, and wearing the star of the Order of the Bath, the hero
of Aliwal made his entrance, surrounded by his staff.
The opening of the Governor's address was well suited to the occasion,
and to the character of his auditors. "My children, God, you see,
blesses this occasion: your gardens were dry, and burnt up, and He, last
night, sent you a copious rain."
A prayer was read, in the Kaffir language, by the Reverend Mr Dugmore,
a missionary, and, at the conclusion of this, Sir Harry Smith continued
his address to the multitude.
Nothing could be clearer than Sir Harry Smith's explanation of affairs
to the wretched people now at his feet. He pointed out the line of
demarcation between the colony and "British Kaffraria," and again
between that and the Amapondas, reminding them that henceforth there
would be no more treaties; the Kaffirs were British subjects, holding
the lands forfeited by their late aggressions only on condition of good
behaviour. That at the great meeting, eleven years ago, he had advised
them to be industrious and honest. "I left you," said he, "learning to
be English. Look upon yourselves now, and then see the miserable
wretches war has made you! Where are the large herds of cattle of which
I left you in possession? _Fools_!" and Sir Harry advancing within a
pace or two of the Kaffirs, struck the ground vehemently with the staff
of peace... "The great Queen of England has sent me back to you to show
you that she has not thrown you away, if you still desire to be her
children. _Did I ever tell you a lie_?" ... "Hear! I am your Inkosi
Enkulu--no Kreli, no Sandilla, no Macomo... But I shall keep every
chief at the head of his own tribe, and I will make English and good men
of you. Now, you great chiefs, come forward, and touch my staff of
office; the staff of war I have thrown away."
The following oath of obedience was then administered, the Kaffirs
holding the staff of peace with one hand, while two fingers of the other
were lifted up, according to the custom of these people.
"Know you _this_, our own Inkosi Enkulu, representative of our great
Queen of England, that I (here each chief repeated his name) will be
faithful and true unto you, or whomsoever Her Majesty pleases to place
over us, and faith to you bear for the lands which I hope to hold of
you--and that I will lawfully do to you the customs and services which I
ought to do in the terms assigned, viz..." The terms pointed out to
them by his Excellency were then agreed to. These were, to obey the
laws established by him; to abolish and "disbelieve" (?) in witchcraft;
to protect their people, and encourage them to honesty; to hold the
lands conditionally; to acknowledge no Chief but the representative of
the Queen of England; to cease from buying wives; to listen to the
missionaries, and send the children of the tribes to their schools; and,
on the anniversary of the 7th of January, to bring each a fat ox to King
William's Town, in testimony of acknowledgment of the footing on which
the land was held.
This ceremony over, Sandilla offered his "great thanks," professing, in
the usual strain, to be "under the Governor's feet," and abjuring all
idea of chieftainship in his own person, except as it was reflected in
him by the "White Inkosi Enkulu." He then added, "Your children now beg
for more land, as they are very much crowded."
His Excellency remarked that there was plenty of land towards the Kei,
but Sandilla answered "He did not know that country; he was not brought
up there." "Nor," said Sir Harry, "were you brought up in the Colony,
into which you so lately found your way." Sandilla "wished to protect
both sides of the drifts!" "The soldiers will do that," was his
Excellency's answer. Umhala spoke his thanks, which had as much meaning
in them as Sandilla's, but Pato's were very characteristic of his
nation. "I thank you as a great chief," said he; "to-day you have taken
me from among the monkeys [Note 3]; to-day I may sit in the sun--I could
live under you before--to-day I can sit outside. There is the Chief;
(Sandilla); where we churn we take our butter; speak to him, that we may
listen to his word."
But the Governor interrupted him by striking the staff of peace
violently on the ground, exclaiming there should be no Chief but
himself, and, flinging the staff forward, made Pato, who trembled
exceedingly, pick it up, and lay it at his feet.
"Take to the bush again," said his Excellency, "and see how I will hunt
you out!"
Konah, Macomo's son, "thanked," and remarked that he "was a little
child, and had no place `to sit in!'" Macomo's absence at Port
Elizabeth [Note 4] prevented any decisive arrangements being made to
settle his people.
After all the chiefs had spoken, his Excellency again addressed them on
the subject of a fair division of the land, on the advantages of
industry, of their young people becoming servants, and of agricultural
pursuits; and, deprecating the love of cattle, he declared that each
disputed bullock should be shot, and threatened to "eat up" the idle and
the vicious. He pointed out to them the Kaffir police, which had been
clothed--"These," said his Excellency, "are not to hunt the good, but to
keep rogues out of the Colony;" and, in allusion to the recent murder of
a settler named Stanley, he offered 50 pounds reward for the
apprehension of the murderers, observing they should be "hunted out."
Colonel Mackinnon was pointed out as "The _mouth_ of the Governor," who
was to be obeyed, and listened to in the absence of his Excellency;
landmarks were promised, and arms demanded.
"Go to Kreli [Note 5] and Boko," said Sir Harry Smith, "and tell them
they are no longer chiefs. The Queen of England has sent me to keep
peace! peace!"
The word was taken up by the Kaffirs, and accompanied by shouts on all
sides. The Governor then bade them good bye, promising to be amongst
them again in thirty days. The National Anthem, from the magnificent
band of the Rifle Brigade, closed the ceremonies of this eventful day,
and "Peace! Peace! Peace!" were the last words echoed by the multitude
before the people separated--some to return to the Colony, and resume
their pursuits--some to wander back to the people of their tribe with
"the news."
Among the arrangements for the protection of the Colony, a force was
organised in 1848 by placing soldiers discharged from the 7th Dragoon
Guards, 27th, 90th, and 91st Regiments, on certain grants of land in
British Kaffraria, and thus forming military villages.
Since then it has been reported that these settlements have not answered
the purpose for which they were established; I grieve to say that from
all I can learn from good authority, the two great sources of mischief
have been idleness and cheap brandy. The plan was excellent; the men so
located were to be rationed at the public expense for the first year of
their location. Seed corn and implements of husbandry were found for
the tillage of their land; each portion consisting of twelve acres, with
the right of common; to every ten men a span or team of oxen was
allotted, and to every twenty, a waggon. While actually serving, they
were to receive 2 shillings 6 pence a day, with other allowances. Each
village to be superintended by a retired military officer, armed with
magisterial authority for settling petty disputes, and this
superintendent would also take command of the party in the event of its
being called out to protect the Colony against Kaffir depredations and
aggressions.
By this arrangement, the land would be cultivated as well as protected,
and would that the men so comfortably provided for, would invite their
friends to join them. Ere many years have elapsed, we may find the
wealth of Africa appreciated, and her mines worked by the scientific men
and intelligent mechanics of England. The societies at home are already
alive to the value of Mr Bain's researches in geology; and the
botanist, the naturalist, the artist, in short, all who are enterprising
and persevering, must reap the reward of their exertions in this vast
field of new, important, and profitable discoveries.
Hands alone are wanting to complete the system of industry: this once
established, would lead to a long and lasting peace; for, by industry,
the interests of the Kaffir and the white man will be united.
The former will learn that his best policy is to work; and, although
little in this way can be expected, at first, from a predatory savage,
the old Kaffir will correct the younger one in the belief that the
Umlunghi may be beaten. As another generation rises, it will learn not
only our customs, but our wants; and, on the latter circumstance we may
rest, politically speaking, with more satisfaction than on all the
teaching young Kaffirland may receive, or on all the promises he may
make.
Peace being fairly proclaimed from Cape Town to the Kei, Sir Harry Smith
started for Natal, accompanied by Mr Southey, Secretary to the High
Commissioner, and Major Garvock, 31st Regiment, A.D.C., and Private
Secretary. The object of his Excellency's visit was to inquire into the
causes of that discontent which has so long existed among the Boers, and
to take decisive measures for the welfare of the various classes of
inhabitants occupying the country to the eastward. Sir Harry Smith's
determination to travel by land was a most fortunate circumstance; for,
had he gone by sea, extraordinary opportunities would have been lost.
The families of many Dutch settlers were thus overtaken, while
_trekking_ from the Colony to settlements where they would be beyond
British rule. Some were on the eve of departure, and a few were
pausing, but prepared for a move. In this state of discontent, misery,
and suspense, the approach of his Excellency was hailed with an
enthusiasm very rare among these phlegmatic and taciturn people.
At Colesberg he was met by a deputation of the inhabitants, principally
Dutch, who presented him with an address of welcome. At Bloem Fontein,
between the Riet and Modda Rivers, he was greeted by numerous Boers, all
anxious to listen to his terms, and send for their friends from various
points that they might do the same. The chief, Moshesh, whose country
lies beyond the Orange River, presented himself to the Governor at
Winberg. The chief was accompanied by his two sons, who had been
educated at Cape Town.
Most satisfactory arrangements were made, tending to promote peace and
content among the Boers, the Griquas, and the tribes under Moshesh,
Moroko, and other chiefs. All expressed themselves satisfied with Sir
Harry Smith's "proposals," for _he pledged himself to nothing_ until he
had removed, or overcome, many difficulties incidental to his high and
responsible position.
One incident, trifling in itself, went further towards conciliating the
Dutch than any well prepared speeches would have done. While about to
reply to the address of the Boers at Bloem Fontein, his Excellency
observed an aged man "whose whitened locks told of some eighty summers."
He immediately called him from the crowd; and, handing him his own
chair, Sir Harry expressed his regrets that the old man should have
stood so long without being observed. How few there are who consider
the advantage we gain by dealing with others according to _their_
dispositions and tempers, rather than _our own_!
Sad scenes of distress among the unsettled farmers excited the sympathy
of the humane Governor on his journey. Rains, in almost unparalleled
floods, having fallen at this period, the plains were inundated: the
waggons, their drivers, and the cattle, were found resting
disconsolately in the midst of a waste of waters. The old, the young,
the sick, and the impoverished, were bewailing their sad condition at
the foot of the Draakenberg Mountains, dreading their journey through
the wilderness, over which they were about to drag their weary way, when
he, who "had come because he knew they wanted a friend," rode into the
encampment of Pretorius. Some idea may be formed of the sufferings of
these people, by the fact that the forelouper of the waggon of Pretorius
having left them, a young girl of twelve years, Pretorius's daughter,
had been compelled to lead the oxen for some days; and in doing so, her
arm had been frightfully gored by the leading bullock. The fatigue of a
forelouper is great for a boy, and to a young girl must be absolutely
injurious.
In sullen disgust at his reception in Graham's Town, or rather his
non-reception by Sir Henry Pottinger, Pretorius had resolved on
abandoning the districts under our Government, and the example of such a
man was not lost on his neighbours. From the difficulty of
communication between the immediate scene of Sir Harry Smith's
proclamations, and the disaffected Boers, no positive assurance of
better prospects had reached them, till he in person offered himself as
their friend. A spot on the banks of the Tugala River was named as a
place of conference, and a great many farmers assembled there,
requesting Pretorius to address his Excellency on the subject of their
grievances, which he did in such a way as to excite the sympathy of all
who heard him.
The result of this conference was a Proclamation announcing "the
Sovereignty of the Queen of England over the territories north of the
Orange River, north to the Vaal River, and east to the Draakenberg, or
Quathlamba, Mountains." The Boers, to a man, declared their readiness
and anxiety to return to the farms they had forsaken; those further off
were invited by proclamation to leave "their miserable locations among
the Draakenberg Mountains;" and the arrangements respecting quit-rents,
judicial authority, grants of land, etc, were met with satisfaction by
the whole population assembled to hear and understand them.
The Tugala stream being impassable, the Governor returned to Pretorius's
camp, and was there detained some days. On his way back, his Excellency
had to ford a passage which, from the rains, had become a deep stream.
The people provided a strong horse for him, and assisted themselves, in
getting the travelling waggon, "Government House" as they called it,
through the waters, which threatened to sweep it away. The
indefatigable Governor at last left Pretorius in the rain: and, after
crossing many drifts, forded a dangerous mountain-stream, called the
Blue Krantz River. At the Great Bushman's River, he found a party under
Captain Campbell, C.M.R., and Lieutenant Gibb, R.E., who had brought a
float from Pietermaritzburg. By these means the Mooi and the Umgeni
Rivers were passed, and his Excellency reached Natal.
Many of the inhabitants had ridden out fifteen miles to meet their
"friend." The proclamations had satisfied every one of Sir Harry
Smith's desire to make all parties justly and permanently happy, and the
town was the scene of general rejoicing.
After remaining a day or two at the Lieutenant-Governor's, his
Excellency left Natal for Cape Town, on the 12th of February; landed at
the Buffalo mouth, from H.M. steamer "Geyser," on the 15th, and on the
19th reached Graham's Town. On the 1st of March he made his _entree_
into Cape Town, amid the acclamations of the people and the rejoicings
of his friends, and the day closed with illuminations throughout the
town. One of these was worthy of remark: it was a small transparency
representing the "Hero of Aliwal" leading the aged Boer to his own seat!
One point has been gained by the miseries of the last two years--the
Colony has attracted the attention of the whole of the civilised world;
its resources have been brought into notice; and, finally, a Governor
has been appointed, whose mind is unprejudiced, whose head is clear,
whose heart is honest, and whose powers are unshackled.
While this work has been preparing for the press, we have been startled
by the melancholy intelligence of another outburst in Kaffirland. The
cause is traced to the deposition of Sandilla from his high estate of
Paramount Chief of the Gaikas.
In perusing the foregoing work, the reader will do me the justice to
acknowledge that although I have been sanguine in my _hopes_ of peace, I
have never for one moment swerved from my opinion of the Kaffir. From
first to last I have denounced him as incapable of honest feelings--as
an irreclaimable savage. No sooner were the Rifle Brigade removed from
the Colony, than the wild beast began to show his claws. We have
already received the grievous news of death and devastation to a painful
extent, and all we have to rest upon at present is the certainty that no
one knows better than Sir Harry Smith how to deal with these misguided
wretches, and to hope that the final result will not be detrimental to
the true interests of either the Kaffir or the emigrant.
The following is a summary of what may be called the first chapter of
the present war in Kaffirland.
Sir Harry Smith having summoned Sandilla to a conference, of the Gaika
tribes with the British Governor, Sandilla chose to absent himself: his
adviser and supporter in this affair was, no doubt, his brother and
chief councillor, Anta, a man already noticed in this work. Upon this
Sir Harry Smith deposed Sandilla, and nominated his mother Sutu; the
"Great Widow" of Gaika, in her son's stead. Sandilla and his friends
resented this, especially as Sir Harry had declared the chief's land
confiscated, and, in spite of all former oaths of allegiance, they
treated the Governor's messages with contempt.
On the 24th of December, 1850, Colonel Mackinnon, at the head of six
hundred men, being detached to capture Sandilla, was led into a defile,
probably by the treachery of the Kaffir police; for although they so
preserved appearances that their conduct is described in Colonel
Mackinnon's despatch as "admirable," they subsequently deserted by
hundreds. Those remaining have, it is said, been very wisely disarmed.
[Note 6.]
In this defile or gorge of the Keiskama, through which the men could
only pass in single file, a fire was opened on the infantry who were in
the rear, and who with difficulty and serious loss forced their way;
dislodging the enemy from the bush _en passant_.
The casualties on this occasion were:--Assistant-Surgeon Stuart, Cape
Mounted Rifles, one corporal and nine privates of the 6th Regiment, and
one corporal of the 73rd Regiment, killed. Brigade-Major Bisset, Cape
Mounted Rifles, and Lieutenant Catty, 6th Regiment, were wounded
severely; and five privates 6th Regiment, and two privates 73rd
Regiment, also wounded. A considerable number of the enemy were killed.
Colonel Mackinnon moved back by a different road, and on reaching the
Debe flats, a horrible sight presented itself: fourteen soldiers of the
45th Regiment lay dead upon the plain. The Kaffirs had stripped them
and cut their throats.
This disastrous affair was a signal for a general rising of the Gaikas.
They stalked, as usual, through the land with brand and assegai, and the
poor settlers in the military villages, who were gathered together to
make merry on Christmas day, were surprised by the treacherous foe; and
many were cut to pieces on their devastated homesteads. Among these
thus murdered are Lieutenant Stacey, late of the 45th Regiment, and Mr
Phelps. So say the accounts, but they must be received with caution,
unless official.
On the 29th of December, 1850, Colonel Somerset attempted to form a
junction with Sir Harry Smith, and for this purpose detached a party of
one hundred and fifty of the 91st Regiment under Lieut.-Colonel
Yarborough, seventy Cape Mounted Rifles under Major Somerset, and a
small 3-pounder gun Royal Artillery, but the enemy burst upon the troops
in such force that it was deemed necessary to retire; a desperate
struggle ensuing between the enemy and the troops, the latter succeeded
at length in regaining Fort Hare, but not without lamentable losses on
our side.
In this melancholy business the casualties were:--Lieut. Melvin and
Adjutant Gordon, 91st Regiment, killed; Ensign Borthwick, 91st, wounded,
and several soldiers of the 91st and Cape Mounted Riflemen. Major
Somerset's charger was also wounded. Colonel Somerset in his despatch
expresses great satisfaction at the conduct of the troops and their
officers, especially naming Colonel Yarborough and Major Somerset. The
loss to the enemy was considerable.
The colonists, who at first deserted their property, have since readily
come forward at the call of the Governor; the troops have enough to do
to defend the line of posts; and the next intelligence is waited for
with an interest and anxiety which none can fully understand but those
who have already experienced the horrors of a Kaffir war.
Meanwhile reinforcements are ordered from England, and the colonists
have armed themselves to assist Sir Harry Smith. May God defend the
right!
I have elsewhere touched on our hurried move from the Frontier of South
Africa, by which I have been prevented from satisfactorily transcribing
my notes on past occurrences. A _trek_ in a bullock-waggon, at the rate
of _two miles and a half an hour_, over rough roads, to which a
tread-mill would be smooth, and an occasional ride "through the bush,"
under a vertical sun, are by no means incentives to employment of any
kind. It was a frightful and toilsome journey, especially to one whose
nerves had been shattered by the events of the last twenty-two months.
The only agreeable chapter in the journey from the Frontier, was the
voyage of forty-nine hours in H.M. steamer "Geyser," from Algoa Bay to
Cape Town; the distance being 600 miles. What a contrast to the five
days' previous _trek_ of 96 miles! Here was rest, indeed! Sailors
certainly have a way of making things pleasant to their guests, and
persuading the latter, at the same time, that it is _they_ who
contribute to the _agremens_ of the passage, whereas it must decidedly
inconvenience, in no trifling degree, the officers and crew of a
man-of-war, to convert it into a travelling barrack.
A deep debt of good-will and thanks do the 91st owe the officers of the
"Geyser," and long, long will the right pleasant welcome they received
upon her decks be remembered by them all, and returned some day--if it
be possible! But, it will _not_ be possible!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note 1. Sir Harry Smith's precise words I believe, on good authority,
were, "As for you, Pato, you are a vagabond; and, instead of being taken
out of the bush, you deserve to be shot."
Note 2. Soon after the meeting at King William's Town Umtikaka died.
There is some reason to believe he was poisoned. It will be remembered
that he wished to assist us against Mapassa in the early part of the
war.
Note 3. "I am no longer a man, but a baboon," said Pato to Colonel
Somerset, when the latter took the hunted chief "out of the rocks."
Note 4. Macomo was then in gaol there for making a disturbance in the
street, when intoxicated.
Note 5. Kreli had sent a messenger to the meeting, excusing himself for
not attending, on the score of "being sick;" but on the 25th of January
he presented himself at King William's Town, attended by forty mounted
followers, to remonstrate on the subject of the new boundary line
between his country and the Tambookies.
Note 6. In my original journal, when speaking of the organisation of
this body by Lieutenant Davis, late of the 90th Regiment, I remarked:
"This experiment of arming so treacherous a race seems fraught with
danger." My misgivings have been amply justified.