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HISTORY  OF 


V 


SOUTH  AFRICA 


W.  C   SCULLY 


I  if:)f^t/invf%A  nj»»w„-ig;ii' 


PRINCE   HENRY    THE    NAVIGATOR,    1 394. 


A    HISTORY    OF 

SOUTH    AFRICA 

FROM   THE   EARLIEST   DAYS 
TO   UNION 

V 

BY 

WILLIAM    CHARLES    SCULLY 

AUTHOR  OF   "rBMINISCENCES  OF   A   SOUTH   AFRICAN   PIONEER,       "LODGES 
IN  THE  WILDERNESS,"    "  BETWEEN   SUN   AND   SAND,"   ETC. 

WITH  45   MAPS  AND   ILLUSTRATIONS 


We  have  our  record, — light  and  shade- 
Mean — noble — terrible, — inlaid  ; 
Of  such  mosaic  is  history  made. 

Should  captious  critics  urge  our  blame, 
Ask  where  that  stainless  land  may  be — 
Beneath  what  sky,  wash'd  by  what  sea, — 

Whose  scroll  shews  not  the  same. 


LONGMANS,    GREEN     AND     CO. 
39   PATERNOSTER    ROW,    LONDON 

FOURTH  AVENUE  &  30TH  STREET,  NEW  YORK 
BOMBAY,   CALCUTTA,  AND  MADRAS 

I915 
Ail  rightt  reset  vfd 


S3 


TO 

SIR    THOMAS    MUIR 

K.C.M.G.,    LL.D.,    F.R.S. 

FORMERLY  SUPERINTENDENT-GENERAL  OF   EDUCATION 

FOR    THE    CAPE    PROVINCE 

THIS  BOOK  IS  INSCRIBED  IN 
APPRECIATION  OF  HIS  VALU- 
ABLE WORK  IN  DEVELOPING 
EDUCATION  IN  SOUTH  AFRICA 


PREFACE 

This  volume  embodies  an  attempt  to  supply  a  want 
felt  as  much  by  the  general  reader  as  the  student. 
Hitherto  there  has  been  available  no  single  work 
setting  forth  South  Africa's  story  in  a  connected  form. 

The  book  does  not  pretend  to  be  the  result  of 
original  research.  It  is  almost  wholly  founded  upon 
the  standard  histories — more  especially  those  of  Dr. 
Theal  and  Professor  Cory — and  Leibbrandt's  precis  of 
the  Archives. 

The  limitations  of  space  have  not  only  made  it 
difficult  to  deal  adequately  with  many  significant 
episodes,  but  have  rendered  necessary  the  exclusion  of 
such  important  subjects  as  the  rise  of  the  great  Zulu 
Power  under  Tsliaka  and  the  dispersal  of  Bantu  Tribes 
which  followed. 

The  Author's  aim  has  been  to  produce  a  concise, 
consecutive  narrative,  suitable  as  an  introduction  to 
those  voluminous  detailed  histories  in  which  so  much 
erudition  has  been  displayed  and  upon  which  so  much 
industry  has  been  expended. 

w.  c.  s. 

Authors'  Club, 
London, 

February,  1916. 


3.16479 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I 

(TO  1510) 

EARLY    EXPLORATION   AND   DISCOVERY 

The  Last  Crusade — Decline  of  the  Moslem — The  Eastern  Trade — 
Prince  Henry  of  Portugal^ — ^An  Ancient  African  Map — Early 
Ventures  down  the  African  Coast — Bartholomew  Diaz — "  The 
Stormy  Cape  " — John  Pedro  of  Cavilhao — ^Vasco  da  Gama — 
Discovery  of  Natal — Attack  on  Mozambique — Expedition  of 
Pedro  Alvarez  Cabral — Da  Gama's  Second  Expedition — 
Antonio  da  Saldanha  lands  at  Table  Bay — Francisco  d'Almeida 
—His  Death         1 

CHAPTER   II 

(TO  1662) 

FIRST    COLONISATION 

Wreck  of  the  Sao  Jodo — Sir  Francis  Drake  doubles  the  Cape — 
The  First  English  Fleet  visits  Table  Bay — The  First  Dutch 
Fleet  for  India — Death  of  King  Sebastian  of  Portugal — Spain 
seizes  Portugal — Origin  of  the  Dutch  East  India  Company — 
Its  Constitution — Table  Bay  becomes  a  *'  place  of  call " — The 
Ocean  Post  Office — An  English  Commodore  annexes  Table  Bay 
— Wreck  of  the  Haarlem — The  Dutch  East  India  Company 
decides  to  occupy  Table  Bay — Jan  van  Riebeek— Arrival  of 
the  Expedition — Building  of  the  Fort — The  Beach  Rangers 
— Wild  Animals —Hardships  of  the  Settlers — The  First 
Farmers — Introduction  of  Slaves — Belief  in  Monomotapa — 
Exploring  Expeditions — Culture  of  the  Vine — Trouble  with 
the  Hottentots — A  Plot  among  the  Garrison — Further  Ex- 
ploration— Van  Riebeek  transferred  to  Batavia — His  Cha- 
racter     13 

CHAPTER  III 

(TO  1679) 

THE    CAPE    COLONY   UNDER   DUTCH   RULE 

Religious  Controversy — The  First  School — War  between  England 
and  Holland — Building  of  the  Castle  commenced — Arrival  of 
a  French  Fleet — Trouble  from  Beasts  of  Prey — Arrival  of 
Emigrants  from  Diisseldorf — Purchase  of  Territory  from  the 
Hottentots — European  Coalition  against  the  Netherlands — 
Renewed  Trouble  with  the  Hottentots — The  First  Farmers 
beyond  the  Isthmus — Completion  of  the  Castle — The  Objects 
of  the  Company — Disabilities  of  the  Colonists — A  Census 
taken 26 


Contents  vii 

CHAPTER  IV 

(TO  1691) 

THE  CAPE  COLONY  UNDER  DUTCH  RULE 

Commander  Simon  van  der  Stel — His  Character — Origin  of 
Stellenbosch — The  Company's  Garden — Namaquas  visit  the 
Cape— Prosperity  of  Stellenbosch — Extended  Stock-farming 
— A  Commission  of  Inquiry — Reforms — Taxes — Expedition 
to  Namaqualand — Discovery  of  Copper  Ore — Wreck  of  the 
Stavenisse  —  Exploration  north-eastward  —  Growth  of  the 
Colony — Oak  planting — Registration  of  Title  Deeds — Sump- 
tuary Laws — An  Epidemic — Occupation  of  the  Drakenstein 
Valley — Arrival  of  the  Huguenots — Their  Distribution — They 
become  merged  in  the  Dutch  Population — Dealings  with 
the  Hottentots — Building  of  a  Hospital — The  Ravages  of 
Scurvy— Piracy — Prosperity  of  the  Settlement — Statistics    .       34 


CHAPTER  V 

(TO  1750) 
THE  CAPE  COLONY  UNDER  DUTCH  RULE 

Wilhem  Adriaan  van  der  Stel — The  Land  of  Wavern — Prohibition 
of  Trade  with  the  Hottentots — European  Population  breaks 
Bounds — The  First  Commando — First  Church — Character  of 
Wilhem  Adriaan  van  der  Stel — His  Acquisitions  of  Land — 
•*  Vergelegen  " — His  Farming  Operations — General  Dissatis- 
faction— Adam  Tas — Departure  of  Wilhem  Adriaan  van  der 
Stel — Regulations  as  to  Emancipation  of  Slaves — Conflagration 
at  Stellenbosch — Expansion — Smallpox — Mortality  among 
Hottentots — Laws  in  force — The  Bushmen — The  Question 
of  Slavery — Disease  among  Stock — Table  Bay  as  a  "port  of 
call " — Life  in  Cape  Town — Condition  of  the  Burghers — The 
Pioneer  Adventurers— Shipping  Disasters — Export  of  Grain 
— Delagoa  Bay— Its  Tragic  History — Failure  of  Silk  Culture — 
Death  of  Governor  Noodt — Decline  of  Prosperity— Corrup- 
tion— More  Shipping  Disasters — Hunting  Expeditions  East- 
ward—Illicit Traders  cause  Trouble — Sedition  of  Estienne 
Barbier  —  The  Bushmen  —  Destruction  of  Game  —  The 
Moravian  Society — George  Schmidt  at  Baviaan's  Kloof  — 
Establishment  of  New  Churches — Simon's  Bay — Swellendam 
established— A  Visitation  of  Locusts 45 


CHAPTER  VI 

(TO   1784) 

THE    CAPE    COLONY    UNDER    DUTCH    RULE 

Governor  Ryk  Tulbagh— His  Character— Visits  of  the  Abb^  de  la 
Gaille — A  Census — Slavery  and  its  Effects — Horrible  Punish- 
ments—Sumptuary   Laws — Smallpox    introduced— Nucleus 


viii  Contents 

of  the  South  African  Library— First  Crossing  of  the  Gariep — 
Smallpox  again— The  Hottentots— Eastern  Boundary  defined 
— Wine-making  Industry— Death  of  Governor  Tulbagh— Cap- 
tain Cook's  Description  of  Cape  Town— Governor  van  Pletten- 
berg  —  Building  of  New  Hospital  —  Wreck  of  De  Jonge 
Thomas — Woltemaade— Extension  of  Eastern  Boundary- 
Increased  Shipping— Governor  van  Plettenberg's  Tour— The 
Northern  Beacon— Meeting  with  Kaffirs— The  Orange  River— 
The  Fish  River  Boundary — A  Lutheran  Minister  appointed — 
Official  Corruption — General  Discontent — A  Deputation  to 
Holland— What  was  called  "  Freedom  "—Recall  of  Governor 
van  Plettenberg — The  First  Kaffir  War— A  Defence  Force 
enrolled — French  and  English  Fleets — Capture  of  Indiamen 
in  Saldanha  Bay — Wreck  of  the  Orosvenor — Unknown  White 
Women  found  among  the  Bantu 64 


CHAPTEE  VII 

(TO   1805) 

THE   FIRST   BRITISH   OCCUPATION 

Governor  van  de  Graaf! — His  Character — Another  Deputation  to 
Holland — Cape  Town  garrison — Graaff  Reinet  founded — The 
Bushmen— Trouble  with  the  Bantu  in  the  Zuurveld — The 
Second  Kaffir  War — A  Futile  Campaign— Loss  of  Confidence  in 
the  Administration — French  Revolutionary  Ideas  gain  Ground 
— Decline  of  the  Dutch  East  India  Company — Expedition  to 
Namaqualand — Copper  Ore — Commissioners  Nederburg  and 
Frickenius — Retrenchment  and  Taxation — Paper  Money — 
Moravians  again  at  Genadendal — Commissioner  Sluysken — 
Jacobinism — Insurrection  at  GraafE  Reinet — Arrival  of  an 
English  Fleet — France  at  War  with  Great  Britain  and  the 
Netherlands — Political  Division  in  Holland — Flight  of  the 
Stadtholder — He  hands  Cape  Colony  over  to  Great  Britain — 
Expedition  under  Elphinstone  and  Craig — Muster  of  the 
Burghers — Arrival  of  British  Reinforcements — Capitulation  of 
Cape  Town — End  of  the  Dutch  East  India  Company's  Rule — 
Administration  of  General  Craig — Submission  of  the  Burghers 
— Attempt  to  retake  the  Cape — Dutch  Fleet  captured  in  Sal- 
danha Bay — Submission  of  Graaff  Reinet — Another  In- 
surrection — Van  Jaarsveld — Lord  Macartney  as  Governor — 
His  Tyrannical  Administration — Extravagance — The  Third 
Kaffir  War — Building  of  Fort  Frederick  at  Algoa  Bay — More 
Turmoil  at  GraafE  Reinet — Attempt  at  Settlement  of  Bushmen 
— The  London  Missionary  Society — ^Dr.  van  der  Kemp — Hos- 
tilities with  Hottentots  and  Bantu — Sir  George  Young  as 
Governor — His  Misdemeanours — Captain  Adam  Kok— Afri- 
kaner's Freebooters — Commissioner  de  Mist — Retrocession  of 
the  Cape — Governor  Janssens — He  visits  the  Eastern  Dis- 
tricts—  Districts  of  Tulbagh  and  Uitenhage  founded — 
Beneficial  Reforms — A  Census 82 


Contents  ix 

CHAPTER  VIII 

(TO  1814) 

THE   SECOND   BRITISH   OCCUPATION 

War  again  between  Great  Britain  and  France— British  Expedition 
to  the  Cape — Battle  of  Blaauwberg — Administration  of 
General  Baird — The  Earl  of  Caledon  appointed  Governor — 
His  Large  Powers — Slavery — Development  of  Uitenhage — 
Bethelsdorp — Mischievous  Influence  of  Exeter  Hall — More 
Trouble  on  the  Frontier — Discovery  of  the  Caledon  and  Kraal 
Rivers — The  Magna  Charta  of  the  Hottentots — District  of 
George  formed — Governor  Sir  John  Cradock — Bantu  Depre- 
dations— Murder  of  Landdrost  Stockenstrom — The  Fourth 
Kafl&r  War — Establishment  of  Military  Posts — Founding  of 
Grahamstown — Levy  of  War  Contributions — Serious  Charges 
against  Colonists — The  Black  Circuit — Establishment  of 
Circuit  Courts — Fixity  of  Land  Tenure— A  Punitive  Expe- 
dition— The  Governor's  Testimony  to  the  Frontier  Farmers  .       99 

CHAPTER   IX 

(TO   1827) 

THE    CAPE    COLONY   UNDER   BRITISH   RULE 

Lord  Charles  Somerset — His  Character — Establishment  of  a  Mail 
Service — Bezuidenhout's  Case — Treasonable  Overtures  to 
Gaika — Flight  and  Death  of  Jan  Bezuidenhout — Slaghter's 
Nek — The  Griquas — Messrs.  Anderson  &  Kramer — Founding 
of  Griquatown — Coenraad  Buys — Bands  of  Freebooters — 
Formation  of  Beaufort  West  and  Worcester  Districts — 
Census  of  1819 — The  Governor  visits  the  Frontier — Meet- 
ing with  Gaika  and  Ndhlambi — The  Spoor  Law — More 
Military  Posts  established — Unbearable  Condition  of  Frontier 
— A  Pimitive  B^id  — Growth  of  Ndhlambi's  Power — Makana 
the  Prophet — Gaika  attacks  Ndhlambi — Battle  of  Amalinda 
— Total  Defeat  of  Gaika — Colonel  Brereton's  Expedition 
against  Ndhlambi — Fifth  Kafl&r  War — Eastern  Districts 
laid  Waste — Battle  of  Grahamstown — Fate  of  Makana — 
The  Keiskamma  River  declared  the  Boundary — Sir  Rufane 
Donkin — The  British  Settlers  of  1820 — Description  by  an 
Eye-witness — The  Settlers  reach  their  Locations — Their 
Ignorance  of  Agriculture — Establishment  of  Periodical  Fairs 
— Port  Elizabeth — Return  of  Lord  Charles  Somerset — 
Arrival  of  Scotch  Presbyterian  Clergymen — The  Governor's 
Tyrannical  Methods— Opening  of  the  South  African  Public 
Library — More  Bantu  Depredations — Maqoma — Founding 
of  Fort  Beaufort— Disastrous  Floods — Arrival  of  the  First 
Steamship — Commissioners  Colebrook  and  Bigge — Appoint- 
ment of  a  Council  of  Advice— The  Currency — Value  of  the 
RyksdoUar  fixed — The  Governor's  Arbitrary  Conduct — 
Struggle  for  the  Freedom  of  the  Press — Messrs.  Pringle 
and  Fairbairn — The  Governor  recalled — His  Resignation — 
The  Amangwane — The  Slaughter  at  Imbolumpini — Death 
of  Matiwane Ill 


X  Contents 

CHAPTEE  X 

(TO   1834) 

THE    CAPE    COLONY   UNDER  J3RITISH   RULE 

General  Bourke  as  Acting-Governor — Supreme  Court  established 
— Resident  Magistrates  and  Civil  Commissioners  appointed — 
Colony  divided  into  two  Provinces — The  50th  Ordinance — 
Dr.  Philip — His  "Researches" — Governor  Sir  Lowry  Cole — 
Formation  of  Kat  River  Settlement — Survey  of  Land  between 
Koonap  and  Fish  Rivers — "No  Dutch  need  apply" — Ordi- 
nance regulating  the  Press — Death  of  Ndhlambi — Character 
of  Gaika — Development  of  Missions — Opening  of  the  South 
African  College — Condition  of  the  Northern  Border — ^Stuur- 
man's  Freebooters  —  Andries  Waterboer  —  Sir  Benjamin 
D' Urban  appointed  Governor — ^  Merino  Sheep — Legislative 
and  Executive  Councils — The  Sixth  Kaffir  War — Frightful 
Devastation  —  "The  Province  of  Queen  Adelaide" — The 
Fingos — A  Satisfactory  Settlement — Lord  Glenelg's  Action — 
Unaccountable  Action  of  Captain  Stockenstrom — The  Treaty 
Policy — Difficulties  of  Captain  Stockenstrom — The  Governor 
says  what  he  thinks — Abolition  of  Slavery — Gross  Official 
Mismanagement — Increase  of  Vagrancy — Dismissal  of  Sir 
Benjamin  D'Urban 139 


CHAPTER  XI 

(TO   1840) 

THE   GREAT    TREK 

The  Great  Trek" — Its  Causes — Lord  Glenelg's  Opinion — Sir 
Benjamin  D'Urban's  Testimony — The  First  of  the  Trekkers — 
Their  Misfortunes — The  Rendezvous  at  Thaba-Ntshu — Lions — 
Potgieter  and  Maritz — "  The  Protectors  of  the  Voice  of  the 
People" — The  Matabele — Massacre  of  the  Liebenbergs — 
The  Laager  at  Vechtkop — Kindness  of  the  Barolong — Dis- 
sensions—  The  "Grondwet"  framed — Great  Victory  over 
the  Matabele — Flight  of  Umziligazi — Retief  goes  to  Natal — • 
He  visits  Dingaan — A  Treaty — The  Emigrant  Farmers  cross 
the  Drakensberg — Massacre  of  Retief  and  his  Party — The 
Laagers  attacked — Expeditions  against  Dingaan — Narrow 
Escape  of  the  Emigrant  Farmers — Death  of  Commandant 
Uys — Disastrous  Expedition  from  Port  Natal — Potgieter 
retires  across  the  Drakensberg — -Arrival  of  Andries  Pretorius 
— Great  Victory  at  Blood  River — Destruction  of  Umkun- 
gunhlovu — Flight  of  Dingaan — -An  Ambush — British  Occupa- 
tion of  the  Bay  of  Natal — Departure  of  the  British — Pieter- 
maritzburg  founded — Panda  makes  Overtures — Dingaan 
deposed — The  Slaying  of  Tambusa — Nongalaza  defeats 
Dingaan's  Army — Panda  installed  as  Chief  of  the  Zulus  .      .     153 


Contents  xi 

CHAPTER  XII 

(TO  I860) 

THE  SOVEREIGNTY  BEYOND  THE  ORANOE  RIVER 

'he  Griquas — Andries  Waterboer — Adam  Kok — Freebooters — 
Philipolis — The  Griquas  Split — Gradual  Migration  of  Euro- 
peans across  the  Orange  River — Return  of  some  of  the 
Emigrant  Farmers — A  Comprehensive  Annexation — Treaties 
of  Alliance  with  Adam  Kok  and  Waterboer — Treaties  with 
Moshesh  and  Faku — Resultant  Irritation — A  Lost  Oppor- 
tunity— Difficulties  between  Farmers  and  Griquas — The 
Fight  at  Touwfontein — A  Settlement  arrived  at — Major 
Warden — The  Ambitions  of  Moshesh — Founding  of  Bloem- 
fontein — Sir  Harry  Smith — Adam  Kok  surprised — Proclama- 
tion of  the  Sovereignty — Sir  Harry  Smith  deceived — Pretorius 
intervenes — The  Commandos  assemble — The  Battle  of  Boom- 
plaats — Establishment  of  Church  Consistories — Trouble  in 
Basutoland — The  Battle  of  Viervoet — Moshesh  plunders  the 
loyal  farmers 1G8 

CHAPTER  XIII 

(TO  1854) 

THE    SOVEREIGNTY   BEYOND   THE   ORANGE   RIVER 

Anarchy — Pretorius  asked  to  restore  Order — The  Sand  River 
Convention — Appointment  of  an  Executive  Council — Sinister 
Attitude  of  Moshesh — Sir  George  Cathcart — His  Ultimatum 
to  Moshesh — Assembly  of  a  Strong  Military  Force — The 
Battle  of  the  Berea — A  Politic  Submission — Abandonment  of 
the  Sovereignty  decided  upon^A  Majority  against  Abandon- 
ment— Unfounded  Accusations — The  Convention  of  Bloem- 
fontein 182 

CHAPTER  XIV 

(TO  1868) 
THE  ORANGE  FREE  STATE 
A  Difficult  Situation — The  Basuto — The  Constitution  framed — 
The  Griquas — Double-dealing  of  Moshesh — President  Hoff- 
man's Gift  of  Gunpowder — Treaty  with  the  Basuto — Its 
Provisions  disregarded — The  Border  violated — Transvaal 
Jealousy — Pretorius  visits  Bloemfontein — Strained  Relations 
— The  Verge  of  War — A  Settlement — Basuto  Depredations — 
War  with  Basuto — An  Abortive  Campaign — Sir  George  Grey 
mediates — Trouble  with  the  Batlapin — Sir  George  Grey  meets 
Moshesh — Pretorius  President  of  the  Orange  Free  State — 
Union  vetoed — More  Trouble  with  Basuto — Migration  of  the 
Griquas  to  No  Man's  Land — Basuto  Outrages — President 
Brand — Dutch  Reformed  Church — Issue  of  Paper  INIoney — 
Sir  Philip  Wodehouse  arbitrates  between  Orange  Free  State 
and  Basutos — War  again  declared  upon  Basuto — Strenuous 
Operations — Moshesh  desires  Peace — ^Transvaal  Commando 
withdrawn — The  High  Commissioner   intervenes — Basutos 


xii  Contents 

raid  Natal — Renewed  Efforts  of  Free  State— Submission  of 
Molapo — The  High  Commissioner  restricts  Supply  of  Ammu- 
nition— Basutoland  becomes  British  Territory- — ^Death  of 
Moshesh — His  Character 190 

CHAPTEE  XV 
(TO  1899) 
THE   ORANGE    FREE    STATE   AND   GRIQUALAND   WEST 
First  Discovery  of  Diamonds — "The  Star  of  South  Africa" — 
Further  Discoveries — The  Dry  Diggings — Influx  of  Diggers- 
Camp  Life — Fever — Claims  of  the  Griquas — Waterboer  cedes 
his  Rights  to  Great  Britain — Action  of  the  High  Commissioner 
— Keate  Award — Government  by  Triumvirate — Local  Dis- 
satisfaction— The    Cape    Parliament    refuses    Annexation — 
Discovery  of  Other  Mines — Seizure  of  Guns — An  Ultimatum 
— President  Brand  proceeds  to  London — Judicial  Decision 
upon  Griqua  Claims — A  Settlement  arrived  at — Griqualand 
West  annexed  to  the  Cape  Colony — Rebellion — Prosperity  of 
the  Free  State — Offensive  and  Defensive  Alliance  with  the 
Transvaal 204 

CHAPTER  XVI 

(TO  1884) 

THE    SOUTH   AFRICAN   REPUBLIC 

Early  Dissensions — Ohrigstad — Malaria — Lydenburg — Pretorius 
and  Potgieter  reconciled — Native  Troubles — The  Bapedi — ■ 
Sekwati — Setyeli — Seizure  of  Dr.  Livingstone's  Goods — 
Death  of  Pretorius  and  of  Potgieter — Confusion  and  Discord 
—  Makapan's  Insurrection  — •  Ecclesiastical  Matters  —  New 
Constitution  drafted  —  The  Potchefstrom  Volksraad  — 
Lydenburg  continues  obstinate — Religious  Controversy — The 
"Dopper"  Church — Civil  War — War  between  Native  Tribes 
— Apprenticeships — Condition  of  the  People — Intermittent 
War — Discovery  of  Diamonds — Extension  of  Boundaries — 
Intervention  of  British  Government — The  Keate  Award — 
Desire  for  Union — President  Brand's  Restraining  Influence — 
President  Burgers — Migration  of  the  Orthodox — Discovery  of 
Alluvial  Gold — Cutting  the  Road  to  Delagoa  Bay — Attack 
on  Sikukuni — Unsatisfactory  Financial  Conditions — Annexa- 
tion of  the  Transvaal  —  Broken/  Promises  —  Sir  Garnet 
Wolseley — British  Conquest  of  the  Bapedi — The  Paarde 
Kraal  Meeting — The  War  of  Independence — Majuba — The 
Transvaal  again  self-governing — The  London  Convention      .     212 

CHAPTER  XVII 

(TO  1902) 

THE    SOUTH   AFRICAN   REPUBLIC 

Further    Gold    Discoveries — Barberton — The    Witwatersrand — 

Johannesburg — Enormous    Gold    Output  —  The    Franchise 

raised  —  President    Kruger's    Determination  —  The     "  Uit- 

landers  " — Their  Grievances — The  Reform  Committee — The 


Contents  xiii 

Jameson  Raid — Its  Results — Sir  Alfred  Milnor  as  High 
Commissioner — The  Great  Petition — The  Ultimatum — The 
Great  Boer  War — The  Treaty  of  Vereeniging 224 

CHAPTEE  XVIII 

(TO  1848) 
NATAL 
The  First  Englishmen  in  Natal — Wreck  of  the  Stavenisse — Early 
Traders  in  the  Bay  of  Natal — Their  Relations  with  the  Zulu 
King — The  Republic  of  Natal — The  Reverend  Daniel  Lindley — 
The  Emigrant  Farmers  attack  the  Amabaca — Action  of 
Faku — Sir  George  Napier  refuses  to  recognise  the  Republic — 
The  Emigrant  Farmers  still  regarded  as  British  Subjects — 
A  British  Force  lands  at  Durban — Attack  by  the  Emi- 
grant Farmers' — Richard  King's  Ride — The  Siege — The 
British  Relieving  Force  —  Retirement  of  the  Emigrant 
Farmers — Commissioner  Cloete  meets  the  Volksraad  at 
Maritzburg — Resolution  of  the  Women  —  The  Volksraad 
accepts  the  British  Conditions — Many  of  the  Emigrants  re- 
cross  the  Drakensberg — Natal  a  Dependency  of  the  Cape 
Colony — Influx  of  Zulus — Their  Lawless  Conduct — Despair 
of  the  Farmers — Visit  of  Sir  Harry  Smith — Appointment  of 
a  Land  Commission — Evil  Results  of  Land  Speculation  .     .     228 

CHAPTER   XIX 

(TO  1899) 
NATAL 
Early  Immigration  to  Natal — Business  Energy — Bishop  Colenso 
— Natal  a  Distinct  Colony — The  Transport  Industry — An 
Unprecedented  Flood — Trouble  in  Zululand — Strife  between 
Cetewayo  and  Umbulazi — Fertility  of  Coast  Lands — Intro- 
duction of  Coolies — The  Franchise — Death  of  Panda — Return 
of  Langalibalele — Sir  Garnet  Wolseley — Railway  Extension 
—  Cetewayo's  Threatening  Attitude  —  Violation  of  Natal 
Border  by  Zulus — The  Zulu  War — Disaster  of  Isandhlwana 
— Defence  of  Rorke's  Drift — Action  of  Hlobane — Defeat  of 
Zulus  at  Kambula — Action  of  Ginginhlovo — Battle  of  Ulimdi 
— Sir  Garnet  Wolseley  supersedes  Lord  Chelmsford — Sub- 
division of  Zululand — Strife  among  the  Chiefs — Return  of 
Cetewayo — Usibepu — Dinizulu  succeeds  Cetewayo — He  calls 
the  Boers  to  his  Aid — "The  New  Republic"  —  Zululand 
annexed  —  Railway  Extension  —  Responsible  Government 
granted — Fertility  of  Natal — Menacing  Problems  ....     238 

CHAPTER  XX 

(TO   1862) 
THE   CAPE    COLONY   UNDER   BRITISH   RULE 
Governor  Napier — General  Depression — Scarcity   of    Labour — 
Decline  of  the  Wine  Industry — Epidemics  of  Measles  and 
Smallpox — ^Taxation — Constitution    of    Municipalities — Im- 
proved   Educational     Methods — Dutch    Reformed    Church 


xiv  Contents 

Ordinance — Life  of  the  Colonists — Genesis  of  Villages — 
Construction  of  Roads — Governor  Sir  Peregrine  Mait- 
land — Satisfactory  Financial  Condition — Separation  Move- 
ment— Economic  Development — Erection  of  Lighthouses — 
More  trouble  with  the  Natives — Treaties  with  Chiefs — The 
Seventh  Kaffir  War,  or  "  The  War  of  the  Axe  " — Military  Mis- 
management— Threatened  Starvation — Submission  of  Kaffir 
Chiefs — Governor  Sir  Henry  Potfcinger — Governor  Sir  Harry 
Smith — Extension  of  Eastern  Boundary — British  Kaffraria — 
A  Histrionic  Function — Imposition  of  Impossible  Conditions 
— Dr.  Philip — East  London  founded — Military  Villages  laid 
out — The  "  Anti-Convict  "  Agitation — A  Serious  Situation — 
Arrival  of  the  Neptune — Departure  of  the  Convict  Ship — A 
Lull  on  the  Frontier — The  Governor  deceived — The  Eighth 
Kaffir  War — Disaster  at  the  Boomah  Pass — Massacre  of  the 
Tyume  Settlers — The  Governor  besieged  at  Fort  Cox — ^Re- 
bellion of  Hottentots — Attack  on  Fort  Beaufort — Storming 
of  Fort  Armstrong — Panda  offers  Assistance — Kreli's  Country 
swept — Recall  of  Sir  Harry  Smith — -Sir  George  Cathcart 
Governor  —  Wreck  of  the  Birkenhead  —  Mounted  Police 
organised — End  of  the  War — Queenstown  District  founded  .     246 

CHAPTEE  XXI 

(TO  1861) 
THE  CAPE  COLONY — CONSTITUTIONAL  GOVERNMENT 
Desire  for  Representative  Institutions — Claims  of  the  Frontier — 
A  Draft  Constitution — Views  of  the  Secretary  of  State — 
Constitution  granted — 'The  First  Parliament— Sir  George 
Grey — Enlargement  of  the  Supreme  Court — Police  aug- 
mented— Establishment  of  Divisional  Councils — Changes  in 
the  Tariff — Movement  towards  Responsible  Government — 
Ravages  of  Lung-Sickness — The  Mail  Service — The  Museum 
—  Copper  in  Namaqualand — British  Kaffraria — Policy 
towards  the  Natives  —  European  Settlers  —  Unrest  upon 
the  Border — Nongqause — Umhlakaza — The  Cattle-kiUing — 
Terrible  Disillusionment — Famine — Results  of  the  Cattle  Kill- 
ing— German  Immigrants — Farms  in  British  Kaffraria  as- 
signed to  Europeans — Administration  of  the  Province — De- 
spatch of  Troops  to  India — Origin  of  the  Cape  University — 
Railway  Construction  —  Harbour  Works  — ■  Lighthouses — 
Arrival  of  Numerous  Immigrants — Depression — Vine-Disease 
— Sir  George  Grey  favours  Federation — His  Recall  causes 
General  Regret — His  Reinstatement — Weights  and  Measures 
— Angora  Hair — The  Secretary  of  State  vetoes  Colonial  Ex- 
pansion— Sir  George  Grey  transferred  to  New  Zealand — 
His  Gift  to  the  South  African  Library  270 

CHAPTER  XXII 
(TO  1876) 
THE    CAPE    COLONY — RESPONSIBLE    GOVERNMENT 
Governor     Wodehouse — His    Character — Immigration — Depres- 
sion— British    Kaffraria  —  Movement    towards    Responsible 
Government —  Ostrich  Farming  —  A   Census  —  Agricultural 
Development — The    Transkei    abandoned — Return    of    the 


Contents  xv 

OoalekM — The  Tembus — The  Fingos  located  in  Transkei — 
"  No  Man's  Land  " — Extension  of  Natal  Boundary — Occupa- 
tion of  •'  No  Man's  Land  "  by  Native  Clans — Strife  amongst 
Natives — The  Griqua  Country  annexed — Annexation  of 
Transkeian  Territories — Annexation  of  British  Kaffraria  to 
Cape  Colony — Destructive  Tempest  at  Table  Bay — A  Period 
of  Droughts  and  Floods — Friction  between  Governor  and 
Parliament — Affairs  on  the  Northern  Border — The  Governor 
proposes  to  amend  Constitution — Departure  of  Sir  Philip 
Wodehouse — Destructive  Forest  Fires — Floods — Sir  Henry 
Barkly  as  Governor — Responsible  Government  once  more — 
Federation — Responsible  Government  introduced — Develop- 
jnent — Lord  Carnarvon  favours  Federation 287 

CHAPTEK  XXIII 

(TO  1899) 
•  THE  CAPE  COLONY — BECHUAN ALAND — RHODESIA 
Native  Unrest — The  Ninth  Kaffir  War — Defeat  of  the  Gcalekas — 
Disbandment  of  Volunteers — War  Renewed — The  Rebellion 
spreads — "  The  Peace  Preservation  Act " — The  Basuto  War — 
War  in  Griqualand  East — Action  of  the  Amabaca  —  Sir 
Bartle  Frere  —  Sir  Hercules  Robinson  —  The  Afrikander 
Bond  —  Disannexation  of  Basutoland  —  Annexation  by 
Germany — Complications  in  Bechuanaland — A  Protectorate 
declared — Expedition  of  Sir  Charles  Warren — Improved 
Conditions  in  Basutoland — Vine  Disease — Amendment 
of  the  Franchise  Law — The  Diamond  Fields  —  Growth 
of  Corporations — Cecil  John  Rhodes — The  Mines  Amal- 
gamated— Customs  Convention — Treaty  with  Lo  Bengula 
— Sir  Henry  Loch — Bank  Failures — The  British  South 
Africa  Company  —  Rhodesia  —  The  Pioneer  Expedition 
— Census — Export  of  Fruit — War  in  Rhodesia — "The  Glen 
Grey  Act" — Ajinexation  of  Pondoland — The  Rinderpest — 
Resignation  of  Mr.  Rhodes — The  Matabele  Rebellion — Sir 
Alfred  Milner 296 

CHAPTER  XXIV 
(TO  1910) 
THE  SOUTH  AFRICAN  COMMONWEALTH 
Lord  Milner  as  High  Commissioner  and  Governor  of  the  Con- 
quered Republics — Sir  Walter  Hely  Hutchinson — Death  of 
Cecil  John  Rhodes — His  Career — Death  of  Paul  Kruger — 
Mr.  Chamberlain  visits  South  Africa  —  The  "Premier" 
Diamond  Mine— The  Customs  Convention — Introduction  of 
Chinese  Labour — Unsatisfactory  Results — A  Census — Re- 
sponsible Government  granted  to  the  Annexed  Republics — 
Native  Rebellion  in  Natal — Commercial  Depression — The 
Asiatic  Registration  Act — Unrest  among  the  Zulus — !Move- 
ment  towards  Closer  Union — Union  of  Dutch  Reformed 
Churches  under  one  Synod — The  National  Convention — The 
"  South  African  Commonwealth "  created — Death  of  Mr. 
J.  H.  Hofmeyr— The  Constitution — The  Racial  Bar    ...     307 

Appendix 320 

Index 321 


LIST  OF  MAPS  AND  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGB 

Princo  Henry  the  Navigator,  1394 Frontispiece 

Africa  from  the  Laurentian  Portulano,  1351 3 

Map  to  illustrate  the  Voyage  of  Vasco  da  Gama 6 

Vaso  da  Gama 8 

The  Dutch  East  India  House  in  Amsterdam 15 

Inscription  on  a  Post  Office  Stone,  now  in  the  Museum,  Cape  Town  16 

The  Blockhouse  on  the  Devil's  Peak 17 

Jan    van    Eiebeek    at    age    about    50.      In  the  Rijksmuseum, 

Amsterdam 19 

The  First  Fort  at  Cape  Town 27 

Gate  of  the  Old  Castle,  Cape  Town 28 

Extent  of  Cape  Colony,  a.d.  1750 46 

Wilhem  Adriaan  van  der  Stel's  House,  Vergelegen 49 

Western  Province  Farm-house  at  Groot  Constantia 70 

The  Wreck  of  the  Young  Thomas 72 

The  Blockhouse  built  in  Algoa  Bay  by  General  Vanderleur  in  1799  92 

Debe  Nek,  where  the  Battle  of  Amalinde  took  place      ....  120 

The  Settlers  going  on  Shore  at  Algoa  Bay,  1820 125 

The  Pyramid,  Port  Elizabeth 129 

Grahamstown  in  1824 132 

Sir  Benjamin  D'Urban 145 

Cape  Town  from  the  Castle,  about  1840 151 

Copy  of  a  Calendar  kept  by  the  Voortrekkers 155 

Odds  Three  to  One 157 

Trekking  over  Difficult  Country 159 

Dingaan's  Kraal 163 

Moshesh 173 

Extent  of  Cape  Colony,  end  of  1847 175 

Big  Game  on  the  Molopo  River 195 

ThabaBosigo 199 

The  Early  Workings,  Kimberley 205 

Sir  John  Brand 207 

Cetewayo 241 

Engagement  at  the  Gwanga 252 

Boomah  Pass 264 

Fort  Armstrong,  Kat  River 266 

Sir  George  Grey 274 

Table  Mountain,  from  Kloof  Neck 294 

Wolf  River,  Amatole  Basin 298 

The  Right  Hon.  Cecil  J.  Rhodes 308 

President  Kruger 309 

The  Right  Hon.  Louis  Botha 312 

General  the  Hon.  J.  C.  Smuts 313 

The  Right  Hon.  John  X,  Merriman 315 

The  Hon.  Jan  Hendrik  Hofmeyr 317 

The  British  Possessions  in  South  Africa 318 


CHAPTER   I 
(To  1510) 

Early  Exploration  and  Discovery 

The  Last  Crusade.  It  has  been  well  said  that  the 
discovery  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  was  an  incident 
in  the  last  Crusade.  In  the  fifteenth  century  the  great 
struggle  for  world-domination  l^etween  Christian  and 
Moslem  was  at  its  height.  The  Saracens  had  crossed 
the  Straits  of  Gibraltar  in  711  a.d.  ;  soon  afterwards 
they  overran  the  greater  part  of  what  is  now  Spain 
and  Portugal.  In  1346  the  Turks  entered  Europe; 
fifteen  years  later  they  captured  Adrianople ;  in  1458. 
Constantinople  fell  before  the  assault  of  Mahomet  II., 
Mud  the  Byzantine  Empire  came  to  an  end. 

Decline  of  the  Moslem. — But  while  the  power  of  the 
Moslem  waxed  in  the  east,  it  waned  in  the  west.  In 
1492  Granada,  his  last  sti'onghold  in  the  Iberian 
Peninsula,  fell. 

The  Eastern  Trade. — The  Mediterranean  was  the 
theatre  of  the  great  struggle.  One  important  ad- 
vantage enjoyed  by  the  Moslems  lay  in  the  riches 
accruing  to  them  through  their  control  of  the  trade 
between  Europe  and  Asia.  All  Asiatic  merchandise 
reaching  Europe  was  carried  from  Moslem  ports,  where 
heavy  tolls  were  levied,  by  ships  belonging  to  either 
Venice  or  Genoa. 

Prince  Henry  of  Portugal. — Prince  Henry  of  Portu- 
gal, known  as  "The  Navigator,"  was  born  in  1394.  His 
father  was  King  John  I.  of  Portugal ;  his  mother  was 
a  daughter  of  John  Plantagenet  of  England,  better 
known  as  John  of  Gaunt.  After  serving  with  grent 
distinction  as  a  soldier  in  North  Africa  against  the 
Saracens,  Prince  Henry  devoted  his  energies  to  building 
ships  and  fitting  out  expeditions  for  the  exploitation  of 
the  west  coast  of  the  African  continent.     It  is  highly 

B 


2  A  History  of  South  Africa 

probable  that  the  main,  object  he  had  in  view  was  the 
discovery  of  a  sea-route  to  the  East.  Could  such  be 
found,  not  alone  might  the  riches  of  Asia  be  wrested 
from  the  enemies  of  the  Cross,  but  those  enemies  could 
be  attacked  in  the  rear. 

Prince  Henry's  enthusiasm  as  a  Crusader  was  sup- 
plemented by  a  personal  desire  for  vengeance.  A 
brother  to  whom  he  was  much  attached  had  been 
captured  by  the  Saracens,  and  was  languishing  in  a 
dungeon.  The  release  of  the  captive  had  been  offered 
on  dishonourable  terms,  but  was  refused  with  the 
captive's  own  concurrence. 

An  Ancient  African  Map. — There  was  reason  to 
believe  that  a  route  such  as  was  sought  really  existed. 
The  Prince  was  deeply  learned  in  the  geographical 
lore  of  the  period,  and  had  probably  heard  of  a  certain 
map  in  a  Medicean  atlas  in  the  Laurentian  Library  at 
Florence.  This  map,  although  quite  wrong  in  detail, 
showed,  more  or  less  correctly,  the  general  shape  and 
extent  of  the  whole  African  continent.  As  to  the 
.source  of  the  information  from  which  it  was  compiled, 
there  exists  but  the  merest  conjecture. 

Early  Ventures  down  the  African  Coast.— Farther 
and  farther  west  and  south  along  the  unknoAvn  African 
coast  the  respective  expeditions  felt  their  way,  but 
instead  of  endeavouring  to  further  their  master's  lofty 
aims,  the  different  commanders  seem  to  have  made  the 
collection  of  slaves  and  gold  their  principal  object. 
It  was  their  habit  to  load  their  ships  with  these  as 
quickly  as  possible,  and  then,  much  to  Prince  Henry's 
dissatisfaction,  to  return.  Thus,  when  he  died  in  1460, 
the  vicinity  of  Sierra  Leone  was  the  farthest  south  his 
vessels  had  reached.  During  the  last  fifteen  years  of 
Prince  Henry's  life,  but  little  exploration  was  under- 
taken, but  soon  after  his  death  expeditions  were  again 
organised.  The  Equator  was  first  crossed  by  the 
Portuguese  in  1471. 

King  John  II.,  who  ascended  the  throne  of  Portugal 
in  1481,  was  a  grand-nephew  of  the  Navigator,  and 
inherited  the  latter' s  zeal  for  geographical  discovery. 
In  1484  he  despatched  a  fleet  under  the  command  of 
Diego  Cam,  which  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Congo. 
During  the  following  year  Cam  reached  a  spot  but  a 
few  miles  north  of  the   site   of   the  present  town  of 


4  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Swakopmiind,  in  German  South- West  Africa.  There 
he  fixed  a  marble  pillar. 

Bartholomew  Diaz. — In  August,  1486,  BartholomeAv 
Diaz,  an  officer  who  held  the  apj^ointment  of  receiver 
of  customs  at  Lisbon,  and  who  had  had  some  previous 
exploring  experience,  started  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Tagus  with  two  ships  and  a  small  vessel  loaded  with 
stores,  and  made  his  way  southward.  The  ships  were 
stated  to  be  of  fifty  tons  each.  Owning,  however,  to  the 
different  methods  of  rating  then  in  force,  it  is  probable 
that  they  were  considerably  larger  than  the  figure 
w^ould  imply.  In  addition  to  the  task  of  endeavouring 
to  find  the  southern  extremity  of  Africa,  Diaz  Avas 
instructed  to  try  to  open  up  communications  Avith 
Prester  John,  a  mythical  monarch  Avho  was  believed 
to  reign  in  the  centre  of  the  continent.  For  this 
purpose  four  negresses,  condemned  criminals,  were 
handed  over  to  him.  These  unhappy  women,  after 
being  charged  with  messages,  had  to  be  landed, 
separately,  at  different  places  on  the  coast. 

Diaz,  after  the  manner  of  the  time,  hugged  the 
coast  on  his  southward  way.  Close  to  the  equator  he 
left  the  store  ship  with  nine  men.  He  next  cast  anchor 
in  a  bay  which  he  called  Angra  Pequena,  close  to  where 
the  town  of  Lllderitzbvicht  stands  to-day.  Thence  he 
again  sailed  south  to  an  inlet  which  he  named  Angra 
des  Voltas,  but  Avhich  cannot  be  recognised.  From 
here  he  sailed  southward  once  more,  in  very  heavy 
weather.  After  thirteen  days,  and  when  the  Avind  had 
moderated,  he  altered  his  course  eastward,  expecting 
to  see  land.  He  held  this  course  for  several  days ; 
then,  as  no  land  Avas  in  sight,  he  correctly  inferred  that 
he  had  passed  the  southern  extremity  of  the  continent, 
so  laid  his  course  northAA  ard.  It  was  not  long  before 
he  sighted  land,  and  found  he  Avas  approaching  a  aa  ide 
inlet  on  a  coast  Avhich  sloped  steeply,  but  to  no  great 
height,  almost  from  the  AA^ater's  edge.  Some  distance 
inland,  and  running  parallel  to  the  coast,  Avas  a  chain 
of  lofty  mountains.  OA^er  the  pasturage  by  which  the 
slopes  near  the  sea  AA^ere  covered,  Avere  grazing 
numerous  herds  of  cattle.  Diaz  named  this  locality 
Angra  dos  Vaquerros,  or  "  The  Bay  of  the  Herdsmen." 
But  the  herdsmen  were  filled  with  alarm  at  sight  of  the 
strangers,  and  fled  inland  with  their  charges.     Thus  it 


Early  Exploration  and  Discovery  5 

was  found  ini[)ossible  to  open  communication  with 
th€»in.  This  bay  was  almost  certainly  the  one  which 
afterwards  came  to  be  known  as  the  watering-plaee  of 
Siu)  Bras.  But  for  more  than  three  hundred  yeai*8  it 
lias  been  called  Mossel  Bay. 

Diaz  sailed  eastward  from  the  Bay  of  the  Herds- 
men until  he  reached  wliat  is  called  Algoa  Bay. 
Here,  on  a  small  rocky  island,  he  caused  to  be  erected 
a  pillar  bearing  the  Cross  and  the  Arms  of  Portugal. 
This  island  is  known  to-day  as  St.  Croix.  A  landing 
was  also  effected  upon  the  mainland  in  the  vicinity. 
Here  the  last  of  the  four  negresses  was  set  ashore  and 
left  to  her  fate.  One  had  died  on  the  voyage  ;  the 
other  two  had  been  put  on  shore  at  separate  plaees  on 
the  barren  south-western  coast,  where  they  no  doubt 
died  of  thirst. 

The  Stormy  Cape. — The  men  of  all  ranks  under 
Diaz'  conmiand  strongly  objected  to  going  any  further. 
They  had  been  battered  by  tempests ;  their  health  had 
suffered  badly  from  close  confinement  and  bad  food. 
The  stores  were  almost  exhausted,  and  the  voyagers 
were  awed  by  terror  of  the  unknown  seas  lying 
eastward.  However,  they  allowed  themselves  to  be 
persuaded  into  continuing  the  voyage  for  a  few  days. 
The  mouth  of  a  large  river  was  thus  reached.  This 
was  probably  the  Great  Fish  River,  but  it  cannot  be 
itlentified  with  certainty.  But  Diaz  had  now  ample 
proof  that  he  had  passed  the  southern  extremity  of 
the  continent,  for  he  found  a  current  of  w^arm  water 
flowing  in  a  south-westerly  direction.  From  here  the 
prows  of  tlie  battered  ships  were  turned  homeward. 
Diaz  arrived  at  Lisbon  in  December,  1487,  after  an 
absence  of  over  sixteen  months.  It  was  only  on  his 
return  journey  that  what  is  now  known  as  the  Cape 
Ten  insula  was  discovered.  To  its  southern  extremity 
lie  gave  the  name  of  "The  Stormy  Cape"— a  name 
changed  by  the  King  of  Portugal  to  "The  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  " — for  the  great  problem  had  now  been 
solved     India  could  be  reached  by  the  Atlantic  route. 

John  Pedro  of  Cavilhao.— Shortly  after  the  dis- 
covery of  the  Cape  of  (iood  Hope,  one  John  Pedro  of 
Cavilliao,  who  liatl  been  secretly  despatched  in  dis- 
guise to  India,  managed  to  reach  Calicut,  and  frtmi 
there  to  cross  the  Indian  Ocean  and  visit  Mozambi(iue 


Early  Exploration  and  Discovery  7 

and  Sofala.  Thus  lit'  was  enabled  to  find  out  a  ^reat 
(leal  as  to  the  flourishing  trade  carried  on  between 
the  ports  of  fCastern  Afriea  and  those  of  Asia.  Pedro 
never  returned  to  EuroiK?.  Seeking  for  Prester  .John, 
he  entered  Abyssinia,  where  he  took  up  his  residence, 
and,  having  been  ennobled  by  the  Negus,  there  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  wrote  a  letter  to  the 
king,  detailing  his  discoveries.  The  letter,  which  was 
in  duplicate,  was  forwarded  to  Portugal  by  the,.hands 
of  two  Jewish  Rabbis.  There  is,  how^ever,  nothing  to 
show  that  it  ever  reached  its  destination. 

Yasco  da  Gama.—  Thus  Diaz  from  the  west  and  Pedro 
from  the  east  had  almost  met,  for  a  stretch  of  only 
about  a  thousand  miles  separates  the  mouth  of  the 
Great  Fish  River  from  Sofala.  But  it  was  over  ten 
years  before  the  gap  was  filled.  In  1497  a  small  fleet 
was  fitted  out  for  the  purpose  of  attempting  definitely 
to  reach  India  by  the  Cape  route.  It  consisted  of  four 
ships,  two  of  Avhicli  w^ere  built  under  the  personal 
supervision  of  Diaz.  These  ships  were,  respectively, 
about  double  the  size  of  the  ones  with  which  Diaz 
himself  had  sailed.  The  command  of  the  expedition 
was  entrusted  to  Vasco  da  Gama,  a  son  of  the  chief 
magistrate  of  the  little  town  of  Sinis.  Da  Gama  was 
an  heroic  figure ;  in  him  were  epitomised  to  a  great 
extent  the  virtues  as  well  as  the  vices  of  his  race  and 
of  the  age  he  lived  in.  Brave,  energetic,  and  filled 
with  a  keen  sense  of  duty  towards  his  king,  he  was 
at  the  same  time  unsciiipulous,  harsh,  stern,  and  easily 
moved  to  anger.  When  enraged  he  was,  as  his  sub- 
sequent career  proved,  capable  of  the  most  fiendish 
cruelty.  When  selected  for  the  command  he  was 
thirty-seven  years  of  age. 

Da  Gama's  fleet  started  from  Lisbon  on  July  8, 
and  reached  a  bay  on  the  coast  of  what  is  now^  the 
district  of  Piquetburg,  Cape  Province,  on  November  4. 
This  bay  he  named  after  St.  Helena,  and  the  name 
has  been  retained.  After  a  delay  of  twelve  days  he 
again  started.  Two  days  later  he  sighted  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  but  made  no  attempt  to  effect  a 
lauding.  On  November  26  the  little  fleet  cast  anchor 
in  what  is  now  Mossel  Bay.  Here  the  Portuguese 
oi3ened  friendly  communication  with  the  Natives,  ob- 
taining frt)m  them,  by  means  of  barter,  sheep  and  ivory 


8  A  History  of  South  Africa 

arm-rings.    This  friendliness  was,  however,  interrupted, 
but  it  does  not  appear  that  any  blood  was  shed. 


■ 

1 

■ 

^^^^^1 

^^k 

^^^1 

^^^H 

H 

^^H 

^^H 

Wmf  f  9      ^^F^l 

H 

^H 

1 

k^ 

1 

Hm^i 

y 

^^JH 

VASCO  DA  GANfA. 

^         •    Porh.tif  lu   thf  Av.c.>f/ 

"/  <'f 

ii'.  i 

Discovery     of     Natal.— The    store-ship,    being    no 
longer    needed,    was    burnt,    and    the    fleet    started 


Early  Exploration  and  Discovery  9 

♦'astwaiH.  After  some  very  lieavy  weather  Da  Gama 
iomid  hiinsi'lf  dose  to  tlie  Bii*cl  Islands,  in  the  vicinity 
of  Al^^oa  liay.  From  there  light  and  variable  winds 
uaftiMl  the  voyagers  past  the  mouth  of  the  river 
which  marked  the  farthest  iK)int  reached  l^y  Diaz; 
tlicnce  a  strong  current  carried  them  back  to  Algoa  Bay. 
I^Yom  here  they  started  with  a  favourable  wind  on 
December  20.  As  the  vessels  passed  eastward  all 
on  Ijoard  were  struck  by  the  attractive  appearance 
of  the  country,  the  fertility  of  which  was  in  strong 
contrast  to  the  barren  western  coast,  with  its  inter- 
minable wastes  of  sand.  On  Christmas  Day  Da  Gama 
gave  the  name  of  Natal  to  the  country  then  in  sight. 

From  here  the  ships  stood  out  to  sea,  and  land  was 
not  again  seen  until  January  0,  1498,  when  the  mouth 
of  a  large  river  was  observed.  This  river  was  the 
one  we  call  the  Limpopo.  Here  the  Portuguese  for 
the  first  time  came  into  contact  with  the  southern 
Bantu  Natives.  These  were  found  to  be  quite  friendly 
and  disposed  to  trade. 

Attack  on  Mozambique. — The  mouth  of  the  Quili- 
niane  River  was  the  next  anchorage.  Here  the  ships 
were  caulked  and  refitted.  While  this  was  in  progress 
scurvy  in  a  severe  form  broke  out  among  the  crew, 
many  of  whom  died.  After  weighing  anchor  once 
more  the  fleet  again  sailed  north.  It  unknowingly 
passed  Sofala  and  reached  the  island  of  Mozambique. 
Here  the  Moliammedans  were  found  established.  The 
Governor  Zakoeja  and  his  people  were  at  first  friendly, 
believing  tlie  strangers  to  be  Turks,  but  when  they 
found  themselves  to  have  been  mistaken  on  this  iK)int 
the  demeanour  of  the  people  changed  and  hostilities 
ensued.  Da  Gama  attacked  the  islanders  Avith  vigour 
and  inflicted  so  much  damage  that  the  Governor  sued 
for  peace,  which  was  gianted.  Mombasa  was  the  next 
j)oit  visited  ;  then  Melinda.  At  each  were  found 
am[)le  evidences  of  a  flourishing  trade  with  Asia.  On 
May  1(J  the  coast  of  India  was  sighted.  Thus  success 
had  crowned  the  long  endeavour. 

On  his  homeward  voyage  Da  Gama  lost  one  of  his 
vessels  through  its  striking  a  shoal,  but  the  officers  and 
crew  were  transferred  to  the  two  i*emaining.  He 
touched  at  various  places  he  had  visited  on  the  out- 
ward voyage  and  passed  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  on 


lo  A  History  of  South  Africa 

March  20.  The  two  vessels  parted  in  a  storm,  and 
one,  the  Berrio,  reached  Lisbon  two  years  and  two  days 
after  she  had  sailed  on  her  outward  voyage.  Da  Gama's 
own  ship,  the  Sao  Gabriel,  was  left  at  the  island  of 
Santiago  for  repairs.  Da  Gama  finishing  his  voyage  in  a 
hired  vessel,  in  which  he  reached  home  on  August  29. 
Of  the  hundred  and  seventy  persons  who  sailed  with 
him  only  fifty-five  returned. 

Expedition  of  Pedro  Alvarez  Cabral.— The  next 
fleet  sent  out  with  the  eastern  coast  of  Africa  as  its 
objective  was  that  of  Pedro  Alvarez  Cabral,  who 
started  in  1500  with  thirteen  ships.  The  main  purpose 
of  the  expedition  was  the  establishment  of  a  factory, 
or  trading  station  at  Sofala.  Cabral  was  instructed  to 
offer  peace  and  friendship  to  all  he  met  on  condition 
that  they  became  Christians  and  consented  to  trade, 
but  in  case  of  a  refusal,  war  was  to  be  at  once  declared. 
In  this  fleet  Bartholomew  Diaz  held  a  minor  command. 
As  something  of  the  nature  of  the  trade-winds  was 
now  beginning  to  be  understood,  Cabral  shaped  his 
course  far  to  the  westward,  and,  in  so  doing,  incidentally 
discovered  South  America.  Three  weeks  after  he  had 
set  sail  from  what  is  now  the  coast  of  Brazil,  a  violent 
tornado  was  encountered.  In  this  four  vessels  foundered 
with  all  hands,  one  being  that  commanded  by  Bartholo- 
mew Diaz. 

Da  Gama's  Second  Expedition. — In  February,  1502, 
Da  Gama,  who  now  bore  the  title  "  Admiral  of  the 
Eastern  Seas,"  started  on  his  second  voyage  for  India. 
From  this  period  onward  many  expeditions  were 
despatched  round  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  for  the  route 
to  India  was  now  open  and  the  resulting  trade  was 
found  to  be  highly  profitable.  Soon  the  Mohammedans 
were  dispossessed  of  all  their  trading  stations  on  the 
East  African  coast.  However,  as  a  rule  the  fleets  kept 
well  to  the  south,  for  the  reason  that  the  vicinity  of 
the  Cape  was  much  dreaded  by  mariners  on  account 
of  the  tempestuous  weather  which  was  believed  to 
lorevail  there  almost  continually. 

Antonio  da  Saldanha  lands  at  Table  Bay.— In  1503 
one  Antonio  da  Saldanha  landed  at  what  is  now  known 
as  Table  Bay  and  called  it  Saldanha  Bay,  after  himself. 
Thus  it  was  known  until  1601,  Avhen  a  Dutch  captain 
substituted  its  present  name.     The  name  Saldanha  was 


CHAPTER   II 
(To  1602) 

First  Colonisation 

Wreck  of  the  '*Sao  Joao." — Tliere  are  but  few  events 
to  record  in  respect  of  the  Cape  of  Goocl  Hope  or  its 
hinterhind  during  the  sixteenth  century.  As  the  fleets 
or  single  vessels  passed  to  and  fro  in  pursuance  of 
trade  or  ^^•arfare  on  the  East  African  or  Asiatic  coasts, 
( )ccasional  wrecks  took  place.  Among  the  more  notable 
of  these  may  be  mentioned  that  of  the  Sao  JoaOy  a 
large  galleon  which  ran  ashore  close  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Umzimvubu  River  in  1552 — an  event  celebrated  by 
Camoens  in  the  "  Lusiad." 

Sir  Francis  Drake  doubles  the  Cape.— In  1580  Sir 
Francis  Drake  doubled  the  Cajje  in  the  Golden  Hhid, 
and  described  it  as  "  the  most  stately  thing  and  fairest 
cape  we  saw  in  the  whole  circumference  of  the  world." 

The  First  English  Fleet  visits  Table  Bay.— In  1591 
the  first  English  fleet  bound  for  the  Indies  visited 
Table  Bay.  It  was  composed  of  three  vessels  under 
Admiral  Raymond.  One  of  the  vessels,  the  Edward 
BonareyiturCy  had  taken  part  in  the  defeat  of  the 
Spanish  Armada  ;  it  was  commanded  by  Captain  James 
Lancaster,  who  afterwards  rose  to  fame  as  an  Arctic 
explorer.  Four  days  after  leaving  the  Cape,  the  Ad- 
miraFs  ship  foundered  with  all  hands.  Captain  Lan- 
ctister  visited  the  Cape  again  in  1601.  He  was  then  in 
charge  of  the  first  fleet  sent  to  the  East  Indies  by  the 
English  Eiast  India  Company,  which  had  been  estab- 
lished a  little  more  than  a  year  previously. 

The  First  Dutch  Fleet  for  India.— It  was  in  1595 
ilia  I  tilt' lirst  Dutch  ships  visited  South  Africa.  Four 
\  t --els  from  the  Texel,  under  the  c-ommand  of  an 
oflicer  named  Cornelius  Houtman,  passed  within  sight 


14  A  History  of  South  Africa 

of  Table  Mountain  and   cast  anchor   in  what  is  now 
Mossel  Bay. 

The  opening  of  a  sea-route  to  India  was  an  event 
of  the  first  importance  in  the  history  of  world-develop- 
ment. One  of  its  principal  results  was  that  Moham- 
medanism, deprived  of  a  monopoly  which  was  its  chief 
source  of  wealth,  receded  before  the  renewed  strength 
of  the  Christian  nations.  Another  result  was  that 
Venice  lost  her  commerce,  and  with  it  her  jjower. 
The  Asiatic  trade  was  transferred  to  Portugal,  which 
became  wealthy  and  strong. 

Death  of  King  Sebastian  of  Portugal.— Portugal 
retained  her  Avealth  and  prosperity  until  1578,  Avhen 
she  met  with  a  great  misfortune.  King  Sebastian  led 
a  large  army  to  North  Africa.  This  army  was  totally 
defeated  in  a  battle  at  Alcazar.     The  king  was  slain. 

Spain  seizes  Portugal,  —  Two  years  later  King 
Philip  II.  of  Spain  took  possession  of  Portugal.  One 
of  his  first  acts  thereafter  was  to  seize  all  the  Dutch 
vessels  in  Lisbon  Harbour. 

Origin  of  the  Dutch  East  India  Company. — An  im- 
portant result  of  this  was  the  formation  in  Holland  of 
the  "  Company  for  Remote  Countries."  This  Company, 
with  several  similar  ones,  eventually  merged  into  the 
Dutch  East  India  Company,  which  harried  the  Por- 
tuguese from  the  southern  and  eastern  seas  and,  as 
an  incident  in  the  pursuance  of  its  policy  of  oversea 
exi^ansion,  established  the  first  settlement  of  Euro- 
peans in  South  Africa.  This  Company  rapidly  grew  in 
wealth,  power,  and  world-importance.  Within  com- 
paratively few  years  a  preponderating  share  of  extra- 
European  trade  was  in  its  hands. 

Its  Constitution. — The  Dutch  East  India  Company 
w^as  a  national  concern ;  at  one  time  it  Avas  probably 
more  powerful  than  the  State  itself.  The  supreme 
governing  authority  lay  in  the  hands  of  a  board  which 
Avas  termed  the  Chamber  of  Seventeen,  to  which  the 
State  nominated  one.  The  foreign  possessions  of  the 
Company,  which  were  vast,  rich,  and  widely  scattered, 
Avere  controlled  by  a  Council  of  which  the  Governor- 
General  of  India  Avas  President,  and  AA'hich  met  at 
Batavia,  in  the  Island  of  Java. 

Table  Bay  becomes  a  Place  of  Call. — Gradually  the 
dread  AA^hich  had  for  so  long  clustered  around  the  Cape 


First  Colonisation 


and  Table  Mountain  was  dissipated.  MariiK*rs  found 
that  except  at  certain  seasons  the  weathei-  prevailing 
there  was  not  worse  than  that  exiKjrienced  on  other 
coasts.  Table  Bay  proved  a  convenient  place  of  call; 
a  short  sojourn  there  made  a  delightful  break  in  the 
long  voyage  to  or  from  the  Indies.  The  Natives  were 
not  unfriendly;  sometimes  they  could  be  induced  to 
barter  cattle  and  fat-tailed  sheep  for  knives,  beads, 
(»!•  other  wares. 

The  Ocean  Post   Office.— TIh'  captMins  of  outward- 


v)osTi>rT)i6     Hv  Y  s 


VST    INDIA    HOUSE    IN    AMSTERDAM. 


bound  vessels  Avould  deix)sit  letters  under  a  stone  and 
carve  on  the  latter  in  rough  script,  "Hereunder  look 
for  lettei-s."  Such  documents  would  be  unearthed  by 
the  captain  of  some  vessel  homeward  bound,  a\  ho,  in 
his  turn,  would  dei3osit  papers  reporting  his  arrival  at 
the  end  of  the  first  stage  of  his  voyage,  for  transmission 
to  Batavia  or  Ceylon.  Several  of  these  stones  have 
been  discovered  in  the  foundations  of  old  buildings, — 
each  bearing  a  date  as  well  as  the  name  of  a  ship  anci 
lier  captain.    One  has    been    built    into   the  wall   at 


i6  A  History  of  South  Africa 

the  main  entrance   of   the   General   Post   Office,  Cape 
Town. 


INSCRIPTION   ON   A   POST   OFFICE   STONE,    NOW    IN   THE   MUSEUM, 
CAPE   TOWN. 


An  English  Commodore  annexes  Table  Bay.— In 
June,  1620,  four  English  ships  bound  for  Surat,  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Andrew  Shillinge,  entered 
Table  Bay.  Soon  afterwards  they  were  joined  by  two 
others,  under  the  command  of  Commodore  Humphrey 
Fitzherbert,  which  Avere  bound  for  Bantam.  At  the 
time  nine  large  Dutch  vessels  were  in  th^  Bay ;  also 
another  English  vessel  called  the  Lion.  The  Dutch 
fleet  departed  for  the  Indies,  but  about  the  same  time 
another  Dutch  vessel,  the  Schiedam^  arrived.  The 
English  Commodore  had  heard  from  some  of  the  Dutch 
officers  that  the  Dutch  East  India  Company  intended 
establishing  a  settlement  on  the  shores  of  Table  Bay 
during  the  following  year,  so  he  called  his  officers 
together  as  a  council.  As  a  result  of  the  deliberations 
of  this  body  it  was  decided  to  annex  Table  Bay  in  the 
name  of  the  King  of  England.  Accordingly,  on  July  3 
the  English  flag  ^vas  hoisted  on  the  Lion's  Rump  in 
the  presence  of  a  number  of  men  who  had  been  landed 
from  the  ships.  The  captain  and  officers  of  the  Schiedam 
were  also  present,  but  made  no  objection.  However, 
the  annexation  Avas  confirmed  neither  by  the  English 


Kast    India    Company    imi 
Janit's. 


First  Colonisation  17 

ili<-   (ioveniment  of  King 


j^^^^R^^     .._ 

fllBHlMHQBiKc 

^■H»^tt 

^^^^H 

n 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  t  i  '  ' 

«H 

Hppppi^np 

'T  - 

J'hoto:   T.  D.  Ravtusrroft.] 

THE    BLOCKHOUSE   ON   THE   DEVIL'S   PEAK. 

Wreck  of  the  *' Haarlem."— In  1648  the  Haarlem, 
a  laiKt'  vessel  lielongiii^'  to  the  Dutch  Company,  was 
driven  ashore  ou  the  Blatuiwberg  side  of  Table  Bay. 


V 


1 8  A  History  of  South  Africa 

No  lives  Avere  lost ;  the  greater  portion  of  the  cargo 
was  saved.  The  officers,  crew,  and  soldiers  removed 
to  Table  Valley,  where  they  encamped  close  to  a  stream 
of  water ;  the  site  of  the  encampment  is  believed  to  be 
near  the  centre  of  the  present  city  of  Cape  Town. 
Some  ground  was  brought  under  cultivation,  and  in 
it  were  sowed  vegetable  seeds  salved  from  the  Avreck. 
The*  result  was  most  satisfactory  ;  the  casta Avays  were 
even  able  to  supply  passing  scurvy-smitten  ships  Avith 
much-needed  vegetables.  When,  after  upAvards  of  five 
months,  the  men  of  the  Haarlem  Avere  released  and 
conveyed  to  Holland,  they  gave  a  most  gloAving  account 
of  the  fertility  of  Table  Valley. 

The  Dutch  East  India  Company  decides  to  occupy 
Table  Bay. — After  some  tAAcnty  months  of  inquiry 
and  consideration,  the  Directory  of  the  Company 
decided  to  establish  a  victualling  station  at  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope.  Accordingly,  instructions  toAvards 
the  fitting  out  of  an  expedition  Avere  issued  on  March 
25,  1651.  The  vessels  commissioned  AA^ere  the  Drorne- 
darisy  a  man-of-war  Avitli  high  poop  and  bows,  the 
Reiger,  and  a  small  yacht  named  the  Goede  Hoop.  The 
command  Avas  offered  to,  but  declined  by,  one  Nicholas 
Proot. 

Jan  van  Biebeek. — Jan  van  Riebeek,  a  ship's  surgeon, 
accepted  the  post.  He  had  traA^elled  considerably,  and 
Avas  a  man  of  great  energy  and  good  ability. 

The  expedition  started  from  Amsterdam  on  Decem- 
ber 24,  1651.  The  Dromedaris  carried  eighteen  heavy 
guns ;  shortly  after  putting  to  sea,  she  Avas  found  to  be 
so  top-heavy  that  nine  of  these  had  to  be  sent  below 
as  ballast.  The  men  composing  the  expedition  num- 
bered about  one  hundred.  There  Avere  five  Avomen, 
one  of  Avhom  AA'as  van  Riebeek' s  Avife.  Two,  Elizabeth 
and  Sebastiana  van  Opdorp,  aa  ere  his  nieces. 

ArriYal  of  the  Expedition. — The  Aveather  experienced 
by  the  Aoyagers  Avas  Aery  favourable.  On  April  5, 
1652,  Table  Mountain  AA^as  sighted  ;  next  evening  the 
little  fleet  reached  the  anchorage  in  Table  Bay.  The 
winter  rains  had  not  yet  fallen,  so  the  country  pre- 
sented a  very  parched  appearance. 

Building  of  the  Fort. — Immediately  after  landing,  a 
site  for  a  fort  aa^s  fixed  upon.  This  AA^as  close  behind 
Avliere   the   General   Post   Office    stands    to-day.     The 


First  Colonisation  19 

(ou.sLiuclioii  work  was  begun  without  ilila>  .      The  fort 
was  square,  each  face  measuring  78  mclics.      It  was 


JAN    VAN     KIEI'.r,!   K     \T     \(,!:     \i;orT    50.       IN    THE    i;!:i   -    ■      -KCM, 
AMBTUHDAM. 

built   of  earth  and  had  sloping  sides;   at  eavXx  of  it« 


20  A  History  of  South  Africa 

angles  was  a  bastion.  In  the  centre  arose  a  stone 
toAver  with  a  fiat  roof,  from  Avhicli  every  portion  of 
the  rampart  was  under  matchlock  fire.  The  whole 
structure  was  surrounded  by  a  moat,  which  was  filled 
with  water  from  the  stream  which  ran  down  Table 
Valley.  The  governing  body  of  the  Settlement  was 
termed  the  Council  of  Policy.  It  consisted  of  the  Com- 
mander and  three  or  four  subordinate  officers  appointed 
by  a  Commissioner  passing  to,  or  returning  from,  India. 

Immediately  after  their  arrival  the  new-comers 
came  in  contact  with  some  of  the  Natives.  Among  the 
latter  was  one  named  Harry,  who  had  voyaged  to 
India  and  back  in  an  English  ship,  and  consequently 
had  some  slight  knoAvledge  of  the  English  tongue. 
Harry  Avas  employed  by  the  Commander  as  an  inter- 
preter. A  relation  of  his,  a  young  girl  named  Eva,  was 
taken  into  the  van  Riebeek  household. 
v./"  The  Beachrangers.  —  The  Hottentot  clan  to  which 
Harry  and  Eva  belonged  numbered  only  about  sixty 
individuals.  These  peoi:>le  owned  no  stock  and  were  in 
a  wretched  condition.  They  became  known  as  the 
"  Strandloopers,"  or  Beachrangers.  However,  further 
inland  were  other  clans — nomads — comparatively  rich 
in  cattle  and  fat-tailed  sheep.  At  certain  seasons, 
when  the  pasturage  was  rich,  these  people  moved  in 
toAvards  Table  Mountain,  and  it  was  fovmd  possible  to 
purchase  cattle  and  sheep  from  them,  the  currency 
used  being  tobacco,  copper  bars,  brass  Avire,  and  beads. 

Wild  Animals.— At  that  time  the  Cape  Peninsula 
sAvarmed  Avith  aa  ild  animals  ;  large  antelopes  of  various 
kinds  grazed  over  Avhat  are  noAv  knoAA  n  as  the  Cape 
Flats.  Official  huntsmen  wei'e  appointed  for  the 
purpose  of  supplying  the  fort  Avith  venison,  but  the 
game  AA^as  too  Avary  to  permit  of  its  being  brought 
down  by  the  awkward,  short-ranged  matchlock  of  the 
period.  Where  Church  Square  is  to-day  lay  a  swamp 
which  Avas  frequented  by  sea-coAA^s.  Lions  often  ap- 
peared in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort.  The  Commander 
came  face  to  face  Avith  one  on  an  occasion  when  he  was 
inspecting  his  garden.  Leopards  and  wild  cats  made 
continual  attacks  upon  poultry  and  domestic  animals. 
Table  Bay  SAvarmed  Avith  fish  of  many  kinds ;  Avhales 
AA'cre  especially  plentiful. 

Hardships  of  the   Settlers. — The   settlers   suffered 


First  Colonisation  21 

many  hardships.  Floods  washed  away  a  lot  of  the 
ground  they  had  prepai*ed  for  cultivation^  The  high 
winds  of  summer  destroyed  the  i)r()mised  harvest  of 
wheat  and  barley  when  it  was  almost  ripe  for  the 
sickle.  The  Hottentots  murdered  herdsmen  and  carried 
off  cattle.  These  outrages  could  not  be  revenged,  as 
the  Commander's  hands  were  tied  by  stringent  orders 
from  Holland  to  the  effect  that  a  strictly  conciliatory 
policy  Avas  to  be  i)ursued  towards  the  Natives. 

One  great  difficulty  arose  from  the  inferiority  of 
many  of  those  composing  the  expedition.  During  the 
first  few  years  of  the  settlement,  a  number  of  men  had 
to  be  discharged  and  sent  home.  Van  Riebeek  kept  a 
journal  in  which  every  event  of  the  slightest  imix)rt- 
ance  was  recorded ;  in  reading  this  one  realises  the 
extraordinary  hardships  suffered  by  all  belonging  to 
this  distant  outpost  of  civilisation. 

The  First  Farmers.— It  was  in  February,  1657,  that 
the  first  step  in  actual  colonisation  took  place.  In 
response  to  a  memorial  nine  men  were  permitted  to 
leave  the  Company's  service  and  take  up  plots  of  land 
along  the  course  of  the  Liesbeek  River,  in  the  vicinity 
«»t'  Rondebosch.  It  had  been  noticed  that  this  locality 
was  largely  protected  from  the  winds  which  scourged 
the  plains  and  mountain  slopes  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
fort.  Soon  afterwards  similar  grants  of  land  were 
made  to  other  applicants. 

Introduction  of  Slaves. — There  were  at  this  time  ^ 
only  eleven  slaves  in  the  settlement,  but  during  the 
following  year  a  large  number  were  introduced  from 
the  west  coast  of  Africa,  and  sold  on  credit  to  the 
burghers  at  prices  ranging  from  £4  to  £8  each.  Soon 
the  tendency  grew  t<:)  leave  the  harder  and  more  un- 
pleasant kinds  of  work  to  slaves. 

Belief  in  Monomotapa. — Van  Riebeek  was  a  finn  '^ 
l)eliever  in  the  fabled  empire  of  Monomotapa,  and 
eagerly  read  Linschoten's  celebrated  book  and  other 
supposed  authorities  on  the  subject.  He  also  closely 
(|uestioned  the  Hottentots  as  to  their  knowledge  of 
t  lie  regions  lying  to  the  north.  After  collating  all  he 
had  learnt,  the  Connnander  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
Davagul,  the  mythical  capital,  lay  s<mie  828  miles  to 
the  north-east,  or  about  where  Pretoria  stands  to- 
day. 


/ 


2  2  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Exploring  Expeditions.— Various  exploring  expedi- 
tions were  undertaken.  On  October  19,  1657,  a  party 
consisting  of  fifteen  Europeans  and  four  Hottentots 
started  under  the  command  of  Abraham  Gabbema,  Fiscal 
and  Secretary  to  the  Council.  Pack  oxen  were  used  to 
carry  provisions  and  merchandise.  This  party  took  a 
route  past  the  well-known  hill  called  Klapmuts,  so 
called  even  then  on  account  of  its  supposed  resemblance 
to  a  flat  nightcap.  They  reached  the  Berg  River, 
which  was  found  to  be  full  of  sea-cows,  and  entered  a 
valley,  on  the  right-hand  side  of  which  stood  a  moun- 
tain crowned  with  two  immense  shining  granite  domes, 
which  they  named  respectively  "  Paarl "  and  "  Dia- 
mant."  Herds  of  zebra  grazed  over  the  valley  pastures 
and  rhinoceroses  hurtled  through  the  thickets.  They 
saw  but  few  Hottentots,  and  these  were  not  inclined 
to  trade. 

In  February  of  the  following  year  Sergeant  Jan 
van  Harwarden  passed  with  an  exploring  party  to 
the  westward  of  the  Paarl  Mountain  and  reached  the 
gorge  where  the  Little  Berg  River  breaks  through  the 
mountain  rampart,  and  through  which  the  railway  to 
the  north  runs  to-day.  They  climbed  a  mountain  from 
the  summit  of  which  they  could  gaze  north  into  the 
Tulbagh  Basin,  and  south-east  doAvn  the  valley  of  the 
Breede  River.  It  being  the  summer  season  the  land 
looked  parched  and  uninviting.  Two  of  the  party 
died  of  dysentery.  A  lion  sprang  upon  another  and 
injured  him  so  badly  that  he  lost  his  right  arm.  But 
the  Sergeant  bravely  placed  the  muzzle  of  his  match- 
lock close  to  the  marauder's  head  and  shot  it  dead. 

Culture  of  the  Vine. — The  culture  of  the  vine  was 
extended,  and  maize  was  introduced  from  the  coast  of 
Guinea.  Van  Riebeek  set  out  1200  vine  cuttings  on  a 
piece  of  land  called  Wynberg,  near  the  source  of  the 
Liesbeek.  The  first  wine  was  made  by  the  Commander 
himself  in  1659. 

Each  burgher  was  required,  under  penalty  of  a  fine, 
to  possess  a  gun.  What  might  be  termed  the  first 
germ  of  representative  government  was  sown  in  1659, 
when  the  burghers  were  permitted  to  nominate  four 
men  as  burgher  councillors.  From  the  four,  the  Council 
of  Policy  selected  one. 
\^  Trouble   with    the  Hottentots.— Trouble  Avith   the 


First  Colonisation  23 

Hottentots  arose  from  time  t<>  time.  Cattle  were 
stolen,  and  when  slaves  ran  away  it  was  suspected 
that  the  Hottentots  harboured  them.  But  the  Hot* 
tentots,  naturally  enraged  at  seeing  their  best  pasture 
lands  appropriated  by  the  Europeans,  became  actively 
liostile  in  1(359.  There  was  no  actual  fighting,  but  the 
natives  drove  off  the  farmers'  cattle  and  destroyed 
crops.  In  a  few  instances  they  killed  herdsmen  who 
endeavoured  to  protect  the  animals  under  their  charge. 
Tint  horses  and  fierce  dogs  were  imported,  soldiers  were 
landed,  and  houses  were  placed  in  such  a  condition  as 
rendered  them  capable  of  being  defended.  Eventually 
watch-houses  were  built  in  a  line  and  connected  by  a 
strong  thorn  fence. 

A  Plot  among  the  Garrison.— While  the  settlement 
was  in  the  throes  of  this  trouble,  a  serious  plot  was 
discovered  among  the  members  of  the  garrison,  four- 
teen of  whom  had  determined  to  seize  a  vessel  in  the 
bay  and  escape.  Fifteen  slaves  had  agreed  to  join  in 
the  enterprise.  The  conspiracy  was  discovered  by  the 
surgeon,  who  was  a  Scotsman.  Five  of  the  conspiratoi-s 
were  Scotch,  and  one  was  an  Englishman.  The  ring- 
leaders were  sent  to  Batavia  for  punishment ;  the  less 
important  culprits  were  tried  on  the  spot  and  punished 
with  what  would  to-day  be  regarded  as  terrible  severity. 
One  result  of  this  affair  was  the  deportation  of  all 
English  and  Scotch  members  of  the  garrison  (with  the 
exception  of  the  doctor)  to  Batavia,  "  so  as  to  rid  the 
place  of  such  rubbish,"  as  the  entry  on  the  subject 
records. 

In  April  a  meeting  of  the  various  Hottentot  captains 
took  x)lace  at  the  fort.  A  peace  was  arranged.  After- 
wards a  dance  and  a  feast  were  held.  A  feature  of  the 
latter  was  a  large  tub  fille<l  with  a  mixture  of  arrack 
and  brandy.  After  partaking  of  this  the  captains  and 
their  followers  got  so  intoxicated  that  they  all  had  to 
be  carried  out  of  the  fort. 

In  May,  1(500,  a  French  ship  called  the  Marichal 
^^as  wrecked  in  Table  Bay.  The  captain  and  forty- 
four  of  the  crew  were  Huguenots.  Of  these,  thirty- 
five  entered  the  service  of  the  Company,  thus 
forming  an  important  reinforcement  to  the  Cape 
settlement. 

Further  Exploration.— In  November,  1(560,  another 


24  A  History  of  South  Africa 

exploring  expedition  was  fitted  out,  this  time  with 
the  express  intention  of  discovering  Monomotapa.  On 
the  way,  but  somewhat  to  the  westward  of  the  direct 
route  to  the  supposed  city  of  Davagul,  was  believed  to 
be  another  city  named  Cortado,  and  this  the  explorers 
intended  to  visit  in  the  first  instance.  The  party, 
fourteen  in  number,  were  volunteers ;  their  leader  was 
one  Jan  Danckert. 

The  explorers  took  a  northward  course,  along  the 
coast  belt.  They  reached  a  river,  on  the  banks  of 
which  a  herd  of  several  hundred  elephants  was  seen. 
This  river  they  named  the  Olifant,  which  name  it  still 
bears.  Here  a  halt  was  made.  The  leader  and  a  few 
of  his  men  pushed  on  for  a  short  distance  farther.  One 
day  they  saw  smoke  arising  far  ahead.  They  were 
informed  by  Bushmen  that  this  was  from  fires  lit  by 
Namaqua  hunters.  The  expedition  returned  without 
having  made  any  discovery  of  importance. 

Almost  immediately  another  exploring  party  started, 
following  the  same  route.  This  party  came  in  contact 
with  a  large  encampment  of  Namaquas  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  Olifant  River,  and  were  by  them  hospitably 
entertained.  The  Namaquas  were  described  as  being 
taller  than  the  other  Hottentots,  and  as  being  well 
clothed  in  karosses  made  from  the  skins  of  various 
wild  animals.  They  Avere  armed  with  bows  and  arrows, 
with  assegais,  and  with  knobbed  clubs.  They  also 
carried  shields  so  large  that  a  man  could  be  completely 
hidden  behind  one. 

Yan  Riebeek  transferred  to  Batavia. — In  1662  van 
Riebeek  was  transferred  at  his  own  request  from  the 
Cape  to  Batavia.  He  had  held  the  reins  of  government 
for  ten  years  and  two  months.  At  Batavia  he  was 
appointed  a  member  of  the  High  Court  of  Justice,  and 
Commander  of  Malacca.  Subsequently  he  became 
secretary  to  the  Council  at  Batavia,  holding  that 
appointment  until  he  died  in  1677,  at  the  age  of 
fifty-eight.  His  tombstone,  or  the  remaining  fragments 
thereof,  have  recently  been  transferred  to  the  Cape. 

His  Character. — Jan  van  Riebeek,  although  some- 
what tyrannical  and  irascible,  Avas  a  man  of  great 
force  of  character.  He  was  a  most  faithful  servant 
of  the  Company,  but  was  somewhat  unscrupulous  in 
his  dealings  with  people  not  connected  therewith.     He 


First  Colonisation  25 

had  little  heHitatioii  in  breaking  his  word  or  making 
pioniises  which  he  ha<i  no  intention  of  keeping.  He 
l)<)re  the  nickname  of  "  Little  Thorn  back." 

He  had  to  contend  with  many  difficulties,  not  the 
N'Mst  of  which  was  the  want  of  faith  in  the  value  of 
the  new  settlement  evinced  by  the  Supreme  Council 
in  Holland.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  Council  was  quite 
averse  to  the  i)olicy  of  expansion  which  the  Com- 
mander's sanguine  temperament  prompted  him  to 
pursue.  As  an  instance  of  Van  Riebeek's  foresight  it 
may  be  mentioned  that  a  memorandum  he  left  for 
guidance  of  his  successor  contains  a  suggestion  to  the 
effect  that  wild  ostriches  should  be  domesticated. 
Ostrich  feathers  were  at  the  time  in  great  demand  in 
the  Indies.  It  was  upwards  of  two  centuries  before 
this  suggestion  was  acted  uix)n. 


CHAPTER   III 
(To  1679) 

The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule 

Mr.  Gerrit  van  Harn  was  nominated  as  successor  to 
van  Riebeek,  but  he  died  on  the  voyage  to  the  Cape, 
so  Mr.  Zacharias  Wagenaar  was  appointed  by  the 
Council  of  India  in  his  stead.  The  new  Commander 
arrived  in  Table  Bay  on  April  2,  1662,  but  did  not 
take  up  his  appointment  for  more  than  a  month  after- 
wards. He  was  an  elderly  man  of  mediocre  ability 
and  impassive  mien.  A  long  sojourn  in  the  Indies  had 
weakened  his  health.  Physically  and  mentally  Mr. 
Wagenaar  was  as  complete  a  contrast  to  his  prede- 
cessor as  it  is  possible  to  imagine.  One  of  the  principal 
features  of  his  term  of  office  was  the  number  of 
exploring  expeditions  which  were  undertaken.  In 
1663  a  large  reservoir  was  built  close  to  the  fort  for 
the  convenience  of  passing  ships. 

In  1665  the  first  resident  clergyman  was  appointed 
to  the  Cape ;  this  was  the  Rev.  Johan  van  Arckel. 
At  the  same  time  an  ecclesiastical  court  was  estab- 
lished. This  consisted  of  the  clergyman,  a  member  of 
the  Council  of  Policy — who  was  styled  "  political  com- 
missioner " — deacons  and  elders.  Mr.  van  Arckel,  Avho 
appears  to  have  been  a  model  of  all  that  a  minister  of 
the  Gospel  should  be,  died  on  January  12,  1666.  His 
body  lies  buried  within  the  walls  of  the  Castle. 

Religious  Controversy.— About  this  time  a  keen 
controversy  was  proceeding  within  the  Dutch  Re- 
formed Church  in  the  Indies  as  to  whether  or  not  the 
children  of  non-Christian  parents  should  be  baptised. 
The  question  arose  at  the  Cape.  The  ecclesiastical 
court  at  Batavia  and  the  judicatory  of  the  Church  at 
Amsterdam    decided    that    such    children    should    be 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  27 

baptised.  This  decision  was  only  given  effect  to  after 
considerable  oi)i)osition. 

The  First  School. — The  school  opened  for  the  use 
of  slaves  in  l(i58  was  closed  after  a  few  weeks.  In  the 
latter  part  of  1003  another  school — the  first  in  South 
Afjica  for  European  children — was  opened.  Ernestus 
Back,  the  sick  comforter,  was  the  master,  but  he  took 
to  drink,  and  as  a  comet  which  appeared  was  regarded 
as  a  sign  of  the  wrath  of  heaven  at  his  misconduct,  he 
was  hurriedly  sent  to  Batavia  in  a  yacht.  A  soldier 
named  Daniel  Eugelgraeff  took  his  place.  The  school 
was  a  mixed  one.  It  began  with  seventeen  pupils, 
twelve  of  whom  were  Europeans. 

War  between  England  and  Holland.— War  had 
again  broken  out  between  England  and  Holland  in 
1004,  so  the  Cape,  which  commanded  the  ocean  high- 
way to  India,  at  once  became  of  importance.  Its 
defenceless  condition  Avas  realised.  The  Fort  was  built 
of  earth,  and  the  guns  thereon  mounted  were  not 
capable  of  hurling  shot  even  as  far  as  the  anchorage. 


r^ 

]  \                             n 

^c 

r^ 

J7     /\    ^^/^- 

K^,j    '      — '■ ^^nnr 

y//)w/^ 

^      tt      1^ 

"'^ 

Building  of  the  Castle  commenced.— It  was  accord- 
ingly decided  to  erect  a  strong  stone  fortress  capable 
of  accommodating  a  garrison,  and  to  arm  it  with  heavy 
artillery.  The  site  was  selected  by  Connnissioner 
Isbrancl  Goske.      Three  hundred   soldiers  were  landed 


28 


A  History  of  South  Africa 


from  passing  ships  and  set  to  work  quarrying  stone. 
Convicts  and  slaves  were  sent  to  Robben  Island  to 
gather  shells  for  lime.  On  January  2,  166tt,  four 
foundation  stones  of  "  one  of  the  western  land  points  " 
were  laid,  respectively,  by  the  Commander  and  three 
of  his  subordinates.  A  great  feast  Avas  held  in  honoiir 
of  ,tlie  occasion,  and  a  poem  composed  by  an  amateur 


riwto:   T.  D.  liarehscrf'ft.] 

GATE   OF  THE   OLD    CASTLE,    CAPE    TOWN. 

was    recited    and    afterwards   inscribed   in   the   Com- 
mander's diary. 

Commander  Wagenaar  tendered  his  resignation,  so 
on  September  27  he  was  relieved  by  Mr.  Cornelius 
van  Qualenberg.  The  latter  had  arrived  by  a  shii3 
which  lost  by  sickness  one  hundred  and  ten  men  on 
the  voyage.  When  this  ship  arrived  in  Table  Bay 
assistance  had  to  be  sent  to  her  from  the  shore,  for 
every  one  on  board  was  ill,  and  the  crew  were  unable 
to  drop  the  anchor  or  furl  the  sails. 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  29 

Arrival  of  a  French  Fleet. — Some  three  montlis 
artiTwai'ds  a  h'rciicli  lle«;t  of  twelve  vessels  arrived  at 
Table  Bay.  The  fitting  out  of  this  fleet  had  caused  the 
greatest  uneasiness  to  the  Company,  for  it  was  known 
that  France  intended  opening  up  trade  with  the  East. 
Owing  to  lack  of  provisions  and  equipment  the  French 
\\  ere  in  great  distress.  The  Commander  ])laced  all  his 
-lores  at  their  disposal,  thus  practically  exhausting  the 
resources  of  the  settlement.  The  French  Admiral  had 
been  instructed  to  take  possession  of  Saldanha  Bay, 
which  he  surveyed.  He  set  up  landmarks  bearing  the 
I'^i'ench  arms,  but  established  no  settlement.  The 
Council  of  Seventeen,  naturally  indignant  at  the  assist- 
ance which  had  been  afforded  to  the  rival  fleet,  passed 
a  resolution  dismissing  Commander  van  Qualenberg. 
He  Avas  regretted  by  none ;  his  selfishness,  arrogance, 
greed,  and  tyranny  had  made  him  generally  disliked. 

Mr.  Jacob  Borghorst,  the  next  Commander,  arrived 
at  the  Cape  on  June  16,  1668.  He  suffered  from  extreme 
ill-health,  so  the  administration  of  the  settlement  was 
mostly  carried  on  by  his  subordinates.  In  the  August 
following  the  new  Commander's  arrival  a  yacht  was 
dispatched  on  an  exploring  voyage  along  the  coast 
eastward.  At  Mossel  Bay  Corjjoral  Cruse  and  a  small 
body  of  men  were  put  ashore.  They  came  in  contact 
with  the  Atttiqua  tribe  of  Hottentots,  who  occupied 
wiiat  is  now  the  district  of  George,  and  with  them 
carried  on  an  extremely  profitable  barter.  CoriK)ral 
Ciuse  arrived  at  the  Fort  with  several  hundred  head 
of  stock.  The  voyage  of  the  yacht  was  barren  of  other 
result. 

In  1670  Commissioner  Mattheus  van  der  Broeck, 
who  was  acting  as  Admiral  in  command  of  the  fleet 
liomeward  bound  from  the  Indies,  visited  Table  Bay 
and  instituted  an  inquiry  into  the  condition  of  the 
settlement.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  even  then 
the  drink  traffic  was  mischievous.  The  Commissioner 
<()nsidered  that  the  number  of  liquor  shops  existing 
(onstituted  a  great  evil,  and  reduced  the  number  to 
nine.  He  also  raised  the  price  of  grain  with  the  view 
of  encouraging  more  freemen  to  undertake  agriculture. 

Connnander  Borghorst  soon  i-esigned  his  office  on 
account  of  ill-health.  His  successor  was  Mr.  Pieter 
Ilackius,  another  invalid.      He  reached  the  Cape  in 


30  A  History  of  South  Africa 

March,   1670,  but  died  in   November  of  the  following 
year. 

Trouble  from  Beasts  of  Prey.— At  this  period, 
owing,  probably,  to  the  grow  ing  scarcity  of  antelopes, 
beasts  of  prey  became  a  serious  trouble  to  the  settlers. 
Lions,  leopards,  and  hyaenas  did  so  much  damage  to 
stock  that  strenuous  efforts  towards  their  extermina- 
tion had  to  be  undertaken.  Hyaenas  became  so  bold 
that  they  even  plundered  the  graveyards.  For  lions 
killed  between  Table  Mountain  and  the  Tygerberg  a 
reward  equal  to  £6  5s.  Avas  offered. 

Arrival  of  Emigrants  from  Dusseldorf.— In  1671 
some  families  of  agriculturists  from  Meurs,  in  the 
Rhine  Valley  below  Dusseldorf,  were  sent  to  the  Cape. 
The  individuals  numbered  sixty-one.  From  these  several 
of  the  foremost  Dutch  South  African  families  are 
descended. 

After  the  death  of  Commander  Hackius  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Settlement  was  carried  on  for  a  time  by 
the  Council  of  Policy.  As  hostilities  between  Holland 
and  France  were  expected  shortly  to  break  out, 
instructions  were  issued  to  the  effect  that  the  con- 
struction of  the  Castle  Avas  to  be  accelerated.  Mr. 
Isbrand  Goske  was  nominated  for  the  command  of  the 
Settlement  and,  on  account  of  his  high  rank,  was 
styled  Governor. 
^  Purchase  of  Territory  from  the  Hottentots. — In 
March,  1672,  arrived  Mr.  Arnout  van  Overbeke,  Admiral 
of  a  homeward-bound  fleet.  After  an  investigation  he 
decided  to  purchase  the  land  surrounding  the  Settle- 
ment from  the  two  Hottentot  chiefs  who  claimed  it. 
Accordingly,  two  treaties  Avere  draw^n  up.  In  terms 
of  one,  the  land  between  Hout  and  Saldanha  Bays  Avas 
purchased  for  merchandise  to  the  value  of  £800 ; 
according  to  the  other,  Hottentot's  Holland  and  the 
land  adjacent  to  False  Bay  w^ere  pvirchased  for  a  like 
price.  But  in  despatches  on  the  subject  sent  to 
Holland,  the  value  of  the  goods  delivered  Avas  given  as 
£9  12s.  %d. 

European  Coalition  against  the  Netherlands. — 
When  Governor  Goske  assumed  the  duties  of  his  office, 
Holland  Avas  in  the  throes  of  a  desperate  struggle 
against  a  coalition  formed  by  England,  France,  and  two 
of  the  minor  German  poAAers.     At  the  commencement 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  31 

M  consideiable  portion  of  the  Xetherlands  was  over- 
run. Hut  the  l*er[)etual  Edict  was  rei)ea1ed,  and 
WilHani  of  Orange,  who  afterwards  l)eeanie  King  of 
EiiKland,  was  appointed  Stadtholder.  Soon  the  tide 
turned,  and  by  the  latter  part  of  K374  peace  had  been 
renewed  with  England  and  the  l)ut<5h  had  recovered 
nearly  all  their  territory.  During  these  troublous 
times  strenuous  efforts  towards  hastening  the  com- 
I  )letion  of  the  Castle  at  the  Cape  Avere  made.  Several 
luuidred  men  were  landed  from  passing  vessels  and  set 
to  work.  But  passing  ships  were  now  few,  for  the 
t lade  with  India  had  fallen  off  considerably,  and  the 
Cape  suffered  in  consequence. 

During  1678  trouble  arose  with  a  Hottentot  chief 
called  Gonnema,  Avho  had  a  considerable  following. 
Hunting  parties  were  robbed ;  in  some  instances  their 
members  being  killed.  Isolated  posts  were  attacked. 
In  this  desultory  warfare  the  Europeans  were  assisted 
by  various  minor  Hottentot  clans. 

The  European  ijopulation  of  the  Settlement  at  this 
time  numbered  about  six  hundred.  The  care  of  orphaned 
children  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  deacons  of  the 
church,  who,  for  the  maintenance  of  such,  had  a  fund 
of  over  £1000  at  their  disposal.  An  orphan  chamber 
for  the  purpose  of  protecting  the  rights  of  childi'en 
who  had  lost  a  parent  and  whose  surviving  parent 
desired  to  re-marry,  was  now  established,  and  it  was 
enacted  that  no  such  parent  could  re-marry  until  the 
lights  of  minor  heirs  had  been  secured.  This  law, 
modified  in  certain  respects,  is  still  in  force.  In  cases 
of  intestacy,  or  where  no  guardians  had  been  nominated 
under  a  will,  the  Orphan  Chamber  was  constituted 
guardian. . 

After  peace  had  been  made  with  England,  the 
Netherlands  no  longer  considered  the  Cape  Settlement 
of  such  paramount  importance,  for  they  ceased  to  fear 
interference  with  the  Indian  trade.  Consequently 
Governor  Goske  was  recalled  and  a  junior  officer, 
Mr.  Johan  Bax  van  Herenthals,  was  appointeti  in  his 
place.  The  new  Governor's  installation  took  place  in 
March,  1076. 

Renewed  Trouble  with  the  Hottentots. — Soon  after-^ 
wards  trouble  with  the  Hottentots  broke  out  once 
more      Some  men  belonging  to  a  hunting  party  were 


32  A  History  of  South  Africa 

slain  by  Buslimen  near  tlie  Breede  River,  and  for  this 
crime  Gonnenia's  clan  was  erroneously  blamed.  In 
those  days  the  difference  between  the  Hottentot  and 
the  Bushman  had  not  yet  been  recognised.  A  punitive 
expedition  failed  to  overtake  Gonnema,  who  fled  in- 
land, but  it  swooped  down  upon  a  petty  chief  who  had, 
three  years  previously,  destroyed  the  Company's  I30st  at 
Saldanha  Bay.  This  chief  was  relieved  of  all  his  cattle 
and  sheep. 

The  First  Farmers  beyond  the  Isthmus.— In  1676  a 
matrimonial  court  consisting  of  tAvo  officials  of  the 
Company  and  two  burghers  was  established.  In  1677 
exploration  of  the  coast  both  east  and  west  was  under- 
taken. In  1678  the  Government  leased  land  at  Hotten- 
tot's Holland  to  stock  farmers.  These  pioneer  graziers 
numbered  five.  They  were  the  first  Europeans  to  settle 
in  South  Africa  beyond  the  limits  of  the  Cape  Peninsula. 

In  June,  1678,  Governor  Bax  died  from  the  effects 
of  a  cold.  On  his  death-bed  he  appointed  the  secunde, 
Hendrick  Crudop,  to  take  his  place  as  head  of  the 
settlement  pending  the  appointment  of  a  sviccessor  by 
the  Company. 

Completion  of  the  Castle.— The  Castle  was  now 
nearing  completion,  the  excavation  of  the  moat  being 
the  only  item  of  importance  which  still  had  to  be 
carried  out.  This  work  Avas  effected  by  the  Company's 
slaves.  On  Ajnil  26, 1679,  the  five  points  of  the  fortress 
Avere  named  as  folloAvs :  Nassau,  Katzenellenhogen, 
Oranie,  Leerdam,  and  Buren.  These  names  denoted 
titles  held  by  the  Stadtholder,  and  were  conferred  in 
his  honour. 

The  Objects  of  the  Company. — In  its  early  stages 
the  Cape  Settlement  was  looked  upon  merely  as  a 
resting-place  upon  the  long  sea  route  between  Europe 
and  India,  a  place  Avhere  scvirvy- smitten  crcAvs  might 
recover  their  health  ui3on  a  diet  of  fresh  meat  and 
vegetables.  As  time  went  on,  its  value  came  to  be 
more  and  more  recognised  ;  in  a  despatch  from  the 
Council  of  Seventeen  it  was  referred  to  as  "  a  frontier 
fortress  of  India."  However,  the  Company  had  no  in- 
tention of  undertaking  colonisation  in  the  ordinary 
sense.  The  granting  of  arable  and  grazing  lands  to 
freemen  and  discharged  soldiers  had  but  one  object — 
the  production  of  food  for  the  passing  fleets. 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  33 

Disabilities  of  the  Colonists.— But  Hh*  rostrictious 
upon  tradt',  due  to  the  monopoly  system  in  foicc,  were 
80  galliuK,  that  discontent  was  rife  among  the  burghers. 
Moreover,  every  burgher  out  of  gunshot  of  the  fort  was 
almost  continually  menaced  by  danger  from  predatory 
savages  or  wild  animals. 

**  The  Dutch  colonists  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hoi)e  bear 
the  name  of  free  men,  but  they  are  so  tramelled  and 
confined  in  all  things  that  the  absence  of  any  freedom 
is  but  too  manifest.  The  orders  and  proclamations 
from  time  to  time  issued  are  so  rigid  that  it  would  be 
impossible  to  carry  out  the  penalties  therein,  except 
with  the  utter  ruin  of  the  burghers."  So  wrote  Com- 
missioner Verburg  in  1(372,  when  reporting  on  the 
condition  of  the  Settlement. 

A  Census  Taken.— According  to  the  census  of  1670 
the  Settlement  contained  87  freemen,  55  women,  and 
117  children,  irrespective  of  30  Euroi)ean  men-servants. 
At  this  time,  in  addition  to  the  few  homesteads 
scattered  around  the  base  of  Table  Mountain  and  the 
seven  burgher-holdings  beyond  the  Isthmus,  the  only 
outposts  of  the  Settlement  were  at  Saldanha  Bay,  at 
Hottentot's  Holland,  and  at  the  Tygerberg.  The  coast 
had  been  explored  eastward  as  far  as  Mossel  Bay,  and 
westward  to  about  the  present  district  of  van  Ryn's 
Dorp. 


CHAPTER   IV 
(To  1691) 

The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule 

Commander  Simon  van  der  Stel.— Simon  van  der 
Stel,  the  successor  of  Governor  Bax,  was  installed  as 
Commander  of  the  Cape  Settlement  on  October  12, 
1679.  Twelve  years  afterwards  his  rank  Avas  raised  to 
that  of  Governor. 

His  Character. — A  man  of  strong  character  and 
marked  individuality,  Simon  van  der  Stel  left  an 
impress  upon  South  Africa  which  can  never  be  effaced. 
He  was  born  at  Mauritius,  where  his  father  Avas  Com- 
mander, in  1639,  and  received  an  excellent  education 
in  Holland.  Although  closely  connected  by  marriage 
with  Burgomaster  Six— the  friend  of  Rembrandt  and 
a  most  influential  man — he  held  but  a  minor  post  in 
the  service  of  the  Company  in  Holland,  when  pro- 
motion to  the  Cape  was  offered  him.  He  was  small  of 
stature  and  of  dark  complexion ;  he  had  a  Avinning 
personality  and  nuich  common  sense.  Among  Simon 
van  der  Stel's  strongest  characteristics  was  an  intense 
love  of  Holland,  conjoined  with  a  conservative  adhe- 
rence to  Dutch  models  in  all  spheres  of  actiAdty. 

Juffrouw  van  der  Stel  remained  Avith  her  friends 
in  Holland  ;  AAhy,  is  not  known.  She  and  her  husband 
never  again  met.  His  four  sons  accompanied  the  Com- 
mander to  the  Cape. 

Origin  of  Stellenbosch. — Within  a  fcAV  days  of  his 
arrival  the  ncAv  Commander  made  a  tour  of  inspection 
to  Hottentot's  Holland  and  its  vicinity.  While  on  his 
homeward  journey,  on  November  6,  he  camped  in  a 
valley  well  AA^ooded  and  Avatered,  the  beauty  and  fer- 
tility of  Avhich  captured  his  imagination.  Here  he 
determined  to  found  a  village,  and  to  name  it  after 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  35 

hiinselt*.  By  the  following  May  nine  families  had 
settled  there.  Tliis  was  the  beginning  of  the  present 
llourisliiiig  town  of  Stellenbosch. 

The  Company's  Garden.— Soon  afterwards  the  Com- 
mander took  in  hand  the  Company's  garden.  This  had 
liitherto  been  cultivated  for  the  production  of  vege- 
tables for  use  of  the  passing  fleets  and  the  garrison. 
However,  vegetables  were  now  being  produced  in  fair 
quantity  by  the  burghers  who  had  taken  up  land  upon 
the  Liesbeek  River,  so  the  garden  was  laid  out  anew, 
and  mainly  filled  with  the  most  beautiful  local  and 
exotic  trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers.  In  this  work  one 
Hendrick  Oldensand,  a  skilled  botanist,  rendered 
valuable  assistance.  The  garden  became  celebrated 
throughout  the  civilised  world.  Its  site  was  that  of 
the  Cape  Town  Botanic  Garden  of  to-day.  / 

Namaquas  visit  the  Cape. — In  1681  the  Commander  \y 
sent  a  message  to  the  Namaquas,  suggesting  that  some 
influential  men  of  the  tribe  might  visit  the  Cape. 
Near  the  end  of  the  year  a  Namaqua  deputation 
arrived  at  the  Fort.  The  men  were  accompanied  by 
their  wives  ;  all  were  mounted  upon  pack  oxen.  They 
brought  with  them  their  huts,  which  consisted  of  long 
wattles  and  rush  mats.  The  thick  ends  of  the  w^attles 
would  be  stuck  in  the  ground  in  a  circle  some  fifteen 
feet  in  diameter ;  then  the  thin  ends  would  be  bent 
inwards  till  they  overlapped,  thus  forming  a  beehive- 
shaijed  cage.  Over  this  the  mats  w^ere  laid.  This 
form  of  architecture  was  afterwards  adopted  by  the 
Europeans,  and  is  in  use  to-day  among  the  Trek  Boers 
of  Bushmanland. 

The  Namaquas  brought  with  them  some  rich 
specimens  of  copper  ore,  of  which  they  said  a  mountain 
existed  in  their  country.  They  w  ere  closely  questioned 
about  Monomotapa,  Vigiti  Magna  and  the  river  Camissa. 
Of  these  fabulous  entities  the  Namaquas,  of  course, 
knew  nothing.  However,  they  gave  a  correct  account 
of  the  Gariep,  that  great  river  which  Avas  afterwards 
named  the  Orange,  and  which  flows  almost  across 
>uth  Africa  from  east  to  west. 

Prosperity  of  Stellenbosch.— In  spite  of  occasional 
failures  of  crops  the  village  of  Stellenbosch  prospei*e<i ; 
more  and  more  people  settled  there.  A  magisterial 
board  to  adjust  trivial  disputes  was  appointed  in  1082. 


36  A  History  of  South  Africa 

111  the  folloAving  year  the  first  school  was  established. 
The  Commander  took  a  strong  personal  interest  in  the 
place,  and  usually  spent  his  birthdays  there.  Each 
birthday  was  kept  as  a  general  holiday,  and  made  the 
occasion  of  a  feast.  Shooting  matches  were  encouraged 
with  the  view  of  making  the  burghers  skilled  in  the 
use  of  firearms.  From  168(5  annual  fairs  were  held 
early  in  the  month  of  October.  A  separate  church 
congregation  was  established  in  1686,  and  a  church  was 
built  the  following  year. 

In  1682  the  work  of  the  High  Court  of  Justice — 
the  president  of  which  was  the  Commander — had  in- 
creased to  such  an  extent  that  an  inferior  court,  styled 
the  Court  of  Commissioners  for  Petty  Cases,  was 
established.  It  was  composed  of  two  of  the  Company's 
officials  and  two  burghers.  In  the  same  year  and  the 
year  following  respective  expeditions  were  despatched 
with  the  view  of  investigating  the  copper  deposits  of 
Namaqualand,  but  neither  succeeded  in  carrying  out 
its  object. 

Extended  Stock-farming.— In  1683-4  stock-farms 
were  established  at  Klapmuts  and  various  other  con- 
venient places,  a  few  soldiers  being  placed  in  charge 
of  each.  The  Company  now  owned  an  abundance  of 
cattle.  This  was  largely  owing  to  its  having  taken 
into  its  employment  a  Hottentot  captain  named  Klaas, 
who  traded  with  certain  of  the  interior  tribes  and 
received  a  percentage  of  the  stock  which  he  acquired. 
In  1684,  twenty -five  sacks  of  rye  were  despatched  to 
India.  This  was  the  first  grain  exported  from  South 
Africa. 

A  Commission  of  Inquiry. — In  the  same  year  tht' 
Chamber  of  Seventeen  decided  to  send  a  commission 
to  investigate  the  condition  of  India  and  Ceylon.  The 
commissioners  were  three  in  number ;  at  their  head, 
as  High  Commissioner  with  extensive  i:)owers,  was 
Hendrick  Adriaan  van  Rheede  tot  Drakenstein,  Lore 
of  Mydrecht.  The  commission  was  instructed  to  visit 
the  Cape  Settlement  and  report  upon  the  state  of 
affairs  there.  It  arrived  at  Table  Bay  on  April  19, 
1685,  and  remained  until  July  16.  A  notice  was  pub- 
lished to  the  effect  that  persons  having  complaints 
might  bring  such  forward. 

Reforms. — Various     reforms    were    enacted.       The 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  39 

Camdeboo  or  the  Sneeuwherg  Mountains  in  the  present 
district  of  Graaff  Ileinet.  Several  Hottentot  tribes 
were  met  with.  On  the  return  journey  a  horde  of 
Bushmen,  which  had  recently  been  i)lundering  the 
Hottentots  of  cattle,  was  encountered.  Thirty  of  the 
Bushmen  were  shot,  and  the  booty  found  in  their 
]>()ssession  was  returned  to  its  owners,  the  Hottentots. 

Growth  of  the  Colony. — In  the  mean  time  the 
Ijopuhition  of  the  settlement  was  increasing.  The 
Commander  continually  endeavoured  to  induce  suitable 
men  found  on  the  ships  of  the- homeward-bound  fleets 
to  settle  at  the  Cape.  New  names  of  burghers  added 
to  the  records  from  time  to  time  show  that  in  this 
endeavour  the  Commander  had  some  success.  When 
men  of  this  class  iMippened  to  be  married,  their  wives 
and  families  were  brought  from  Holland  free  of  charge. 
With  the  view  of  providing  the  unmarried  burghers 
with  wives  it  was  suggested  that  young  women  should 
be  sent  to  the  Cape  from  the  larger  orphanages  of  the 
Netherlands.  Forty.-eight  were  immediately  required. 
The  orphan  guardians  at  Amsterdam  and  Rotterdam 
favoured  the  proposal,  but  very  few  of  the  orphans 
would  consent  to  emigrate.  During  1685  and  several 
succeeding  years,  various  small  parties  of  suitable  girls 
were  sent  out ;  such  parties  were,  however,  never  more 
than  seven  or  eight  in  number.  All  married  within  a 
few  weeks  of  arriving. 

Oak  Planting.— In  the  early  days  of  his  administra- 
tion Commander  van  der  Stel  was  struck  by  the 
ruthless  damage  to  the  natural  forests,  which  had  so 
richly  clothed  the  bases  of  the  mountains  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  Settlement.  Having  noted  that  the  indigenous 
timber  was  of  slow  growth,  he  tested  the  qualities  of  a 
number  of  exotic  species,  and  thus  satisfied  himself 
that  the  oak  was  the  most  suitable  for  reforesting 
purposes.  Accordingly  he  encouraged  the  burghers  by 
every  possible  means  to  grow  oaks,  and  eventually 
enacted  a  law  in  terms  of  which  every  landholder  had 
to  plant  at  least  one  hundred.  In  1687  there  were 
Uitween  four  and  five  hundred  young  oak  trees  bearing 
acorns  on  the  Peninsula  and  at  Stellenlx>sch,  while  in 
the  nurseries  were  some  fifty  thousand  rea<ly  for 
t  ijiiisplantiiiK. 

Registration  of  Title  Deeds.— In  1686  a  registration 


40  A  History  of  South  Africa 

of  title  deeds  to  land  took  jjlace ;  all  such  deeds  had  to 
be  produced  at  the  castle  and  copied.  A  complete 
registry  of  titles  has  ever  since  been  kept,  and  the 
South  African  system  of  land  registry  is  admitted  to 
be  the  best  in  the  world. 

Sumptuary  Laws. — Sumptuary  laws  were  enacted 
with  the  view  of  checking  extravagance  in  dress  and 
a  tendency  towards  display.  Among  other  i)roliibitions 
the  wives  of  mechanics  were  forbidden  to  carry 
sunshades. 

An  Epidemic. — In  1687  a  virulent  fever  broke  out ; 
of  this  many — Europeans,  slaves,  and  Hottentots — 
died.  Among  the  victims  were  the  Rev.  Johannes 
Overney,  the  clergyman  of  the  Settlement,  and  Captain 
Hieronymus  Cruse,  who  was  noted  as  an  explorer.  To 
the  Hottentots  the  disease  was  especially  fatal. 

Occupation  of  the  Drakenstein  Yalley. — In  October 
of  the  same  year  the  Drakenstein  Valley  was  surveyed, 
and  lands  therein  were  granted  to  approved  applicants. 
Some  fifty  men  of  the  homeward-bound  fleet  applied 
for  grants,  but  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  providing 
wives,  only  the  applications  of  those  who  were  married 
(about  one-third)  were  approved.  The  name  of  the 
present  naval  station,  Simon's  Town,  dates  from  this 
year.  The  anchorage  there  was  found  to  be  good,  and 
the  advantages  of  the  spot  as  a  port  of  call  in  the 
event  of  war  were  recognised.  The  Commander's 
Christian  name  was  given  to  the  inlet,  which  had 
previously  been  known  as  Yselstein  Bay. 

Arrival  of  the  Huguenots.— King  Henry  IV.  of 
France  enacted  a  decree  in  1598,  which  permitted 
freedom  of  worship  to  the  Protestants  of  his  kingdom. 
This  decree  was  known  as  the  Edict  of  Nantes.  It  was 
revoked  in  1685  by  King  Louis  XIV.  Then  the 
Huguenots,  as  the  French  members  of  the  Reformed 
Religion  were  called,  were  treated  with  atrocious 
cruelty.  Thousands  of  them  were  slaughtered  in 
endeavouring  to  escape,  for  they  were  forbidden  to 
leave  the  country.  Nevertheless,  many  succeeded  in 
reaching  the  Netherlands,  where  they  were  kindly 
treated.  All  this  had  an  important  bearing  upon 
South  Africa,  for  the  Company  arranged  to  despatch 
a  number  of  the  Huguenots  to  the  Cape.  The  first 
consignment,     numbering     twenty-two,     sailed     from 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  4' 

Delftshaven  in  a  vessel  named  the  VottrHclioten  on 
December  31,  1087.  Four  other  vessels  with  Huguenot 
emigrants  for  the  Cape  left  the  Netherlands  within  the 
few  months  following.  The  total  number  who  at  this 
l)eriod  came  to  South  Africa  was  one  hundred  and 
seventy-six.  They  were  accompanied  by  one  of  their 
pastors,  the  Rev.  Pierre  Simond.  All  were  required  to 
take  the  oath  of  allegiance.  To  prevent  the  possible 
preix)nderance  of  Frenchmen  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Settlement,  an  api>roximately  equal  number  of  Dutch 
emigrants  were  despatched  about  the  same  time. 

These  French  immigrants  were  of  a  superior  class ; 
many  were  skilled  agriculturists.  Some  had  knowledge 
of  wine-making  and  other  industries  which  the  burghers 
had  had  but  scant,  means  of  acquiring.  A  few  of  them 
belonged  to  the  noblest  families  of  France.  Neai'ly  all 
were  penniless ;  only  four  heads  of  families  and  three 
unmarried  men  were  found  to  be  not  in  need  of 
assistance. 

The  distressed  strangers  were  most  generously 
treated.  Out  of  their  own  scanty  resources  the  burghers 
and  other  residents  of  the  Settlement  contributed 
money,  stock,  and  grain  ;  the  Company  sent  out  stores 
of  provisions  as  well  as  planking  for  the  construction 
of  temporary  houses.  Six  wagons  were  supplied  by  the 
authorities  at  Cape  Town,  and  six  more  by  the  heem- 
raaden  at  Stellenbosch  for  the  purpose  of  conveying 
the  families  to  their  respective  destinations. 

Their  Distribution. — A  few  of  the  Huguenots  w  ere 
granted  land  at  Stellenbosch,  but  the  greater  number 
were  located  at  Drakenstein,  and  at  another  spot  in 
its  vicinity  which  came  to  be  called  French  Hoek.  It 
was  the  wise  policy  of  the  Commander  to  separate 
these  i>eople,  to  mix  them  up  with  the  Dutch  [burghers 
and  thus  secure  the  merging  of  the  two  races.  To 
being  so  separated  the  Huguenots — as  was  natural 
under  the  circumstances — strongly  objected.  It  was, 
moreover,  arranged  that  Pastor  Simond  should  preach 
on  alternate  Sundays  at  Stellenbosch  and  Drakenstein, 
and  that  on  the  occasions  when  he  was  absent  from 
one  or  other  of  the  meeting-places,  services  should 
l)e  conducted  for  the  Huguenots  in  Dutch. 

Within  a  few  months  of  their  arrival  the  Huguenots 
it  Drakenstein,  with  the  approval  of  the  Commander, 


42  A  History  of  South  Africa 

established  a  school  under  one  Paul  Roux,  Avho  was 
familiar  with  both  the  French  and  Dutch  languages. 
In  1690  the  Church  Consistory  at  Batavia  sent  a  sum 
equal  to  £1250  for  distribution  among  the  strangers. 
This  was  distributed  after  an  inquiry  had  been  held 
by  commissioners.  The  sums  allotted  varied  between 
£52  and  £3  10s. 

In  1689  a  number  of  Huguenots  presented  to  the 
Council  of  Policy  a  request  for  permission  to  establish 
a  church  of  their  own.  A  similar  request  was  pre- 
ferred to  the  Chamber  of  Seventeen.  The  Commander 
was  much  enraged.  This  episode  was  for  some  time 
the  cause  of  bitter  feeling  between  Dutch  and  French. 
Eventually,  however,  the  Company  sanctioned  the 
establishment  of  a  Huguenot  Consistory,  but  under 
conditions  which  secured  the  Commander's  authority 
therein. 

They  become  merged  in  the  Dutch  Population.— The 
process  of  amalgamation  through  intermarriage  went 
on,  however,  so  rapidly  that  before  two  generations 
had  passed  the  French  language  was  dead  in  South 
Africa. 
\^  Dealings  with  the  Hottentots. — The  Hottentot  clans 
do  not  appear  to  have  resented  to  any  marked  degree 
the  encroachments  of  the  Europeans.  The  hinterland 
of  the  Cape  Settlement  was  so  vast  and  so  little  in- 
habited that  there  was  so  far  plenty  of  room  for  every- 
body. But  the  clans  had  become  much  impoverished 
from  three  causes,  one  being  their  almost  perpetual 
intertribal  feuds,  another  the  depredations  of  the  Bvish- 
men,  and  the  third  their  willingness  to  trade  away 
their  cattle  to  the  Europeans  for  strong  drink,  tobacco, 
and  other  articles  for  which  they  had  acquired  a  taste. 
They  submitted  voluntarily  to  being  controlled  by  the 
Europeans ;  for  instance,  when  a  chief  died  the  Com- 
mander appointed  a  successor,  furnishing  him  Avith  a 
staff  which  had  a  copper  head.  On  one  side  of  this 
was  engraved  the  escutcheon  of  the  Company ;  on  the 
other  the  new  chief's  name.  Staffs  like  these  w^ere 
looked  upon  as  necessary  symbols  of  authority,  and 
were  applied  for  by  chiefs  of  clans  far  beyond  the 
bounds  of  the  Settlement.  But  it  seems  to  be  a  law 
of  human  nature  that  whenever  a  weak  race  comes 
into  contact  with  a  strong  one,  the  former  must  wither. 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  43 

However,  judging  by  comparison,  on  the  whole  the 
d(}iiling8  of  the  Company's  government  with  the  Hot- 
tentots Avas  humane,  lenient,  and  considerate.  It 
cannot  be  called  strictly  fair,  but  so  far  history  records 
very  few  instances  of  strictly  fair  dealing  on  the  part 
of  civilised  men  towards  savages  with  whom  they  have 
come  into  contact. 

Building  of  a  Hospital. — One  urgent  need  at  the 
Cape  was  an  hospital  adequate  to  the  needs  of  the 
]>ort.  In  the  very  early  days  of  the  Settlement  a 
small  hospital  had  been  erected  close  to  the  site  of 
the  present  raihvay  station.  This,  although  faulty 
in  every  respect,  was  the  only  institution  of  its  kind 
existing  until  1699,  when  the  new  hospital,  the  founda- 
tion stone  of  which  had  been  laid  in  1694,  was  com- 
l)leted.  It  was  designed  to  hold  five  hundred  patients, 
but  could  accommodate  seven  hundred  and  fifty  in  an 
emergency.  Its  site  was  close  to  where  St.  George's 
Cathedral  stands  to-day. 

The  Ravages  of  Scurvy. — The  ravages  of  scurvy 
were  tei'rible.  It  was  not  very  unusual  for  more 
than  half  of  a  ship's  company  to  die  in  the  course  of 
one  or  other  of  the  long  ocean  voyages  from  west 
or  east.  In  1693  three  ships,  the  Bantam,  the  Goude 
Buys,  and  the  Schoondyk,  sailed  from  the  Netherlands 
for  India,  rid  the  Ca^K?.  The  first  lost  221  men.  The 
number  of  men  on  board  the  second  was  190 ;  of  these 
all  died  except  seven,  who  went  ashore  with  a  boat 
near  St.  Helena  Bay.  In  the  case  of  the  third,  134 
died  before  reaching  Table  Bay,  and  every  one  of 
those  remaining  was  sick.  In  1695  a  fleet  of  eleven 
ships  arrived  with  678  men  so  ill  that  they  were  unable 
to  walk. 

Piracy. — Between  1692  and  1697  seven  important 
vessels  were  wrecked  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Cape. 
I*irates  were  now  an  additional  danger  to  the  navigator. 
Csing  Madagascar  and  Delagoa  Bay  as  bases,  these 
ruffians  infested  the  Indian  Ocean  towards  the  end 
of  the  seventeenth  century.  Several  pirate  ci*aft 
were  seized  in  Table  Bay. 

Prosperity  of  the  Settlement. — The  Settlement  was 
ill  a  prospiMous  condition.  No  one  was  rich,  but  every 
one  who  cared  to  work  could  live  in  comfort.  The 
burghei's   appear   t<^    have    been   contented   with    the 


44  A  History  of  South  Africa 

government.  Travellers  of  various  nationalities  all 
bear  witness  to  the  generally  satisfactory  condition 
of  the  people ;  that  is,  the  people  who  were  free.  But 
the  slave  provided  a  background  of  misery  to  this 
generally  satisfactory  picture.  The  spirit  of  the  age 
failed  to  recognise  that  he  possessed  any  more  rights 
than  did  the  beasts  of  the  field. 

Nevertheless,  we  can  agree  with  Dr.  Theal  when  he 
says :  "  Assuredly  the  men  who  built  up  the  European 
power  in  South  Africa  were,  in  those  qualities  which 
ought  to  command  esteem,  no  whit  behind  the  pioneers 
of  any  colony  in  the  world.  They  brought  to  this 
country  an  unconquerable  love  of  liberty,  a  spirit  of 
patient  industry,  a  deep-seated  feeling  of  trust  in  the 
Almighty  God;  virtues  which  fitted  them  to  do  the 
work  marked  out  for  them  by  Providence  in  the  land 
that  to  their  children  was  home." 

Statistics. — The  following  statistics  are  taken  from 
Dr.  Theal's  "  History  "  :— 

(a)  In  1691  the  whole  Settlement  contained — 

1000  Europeans  of  all  ages  and  sexes — permanent 

residents. 
300  European  men,  not  permanent  residents. 
50  free  Asiatics  and  negroes,  with  their  wives, 
and  from  60  to  70  children. 
285  male  slaves. 
57  female  slaves. 
44  slave  children. 

(b)  Of  stock  the  burghers  possessed — 
261  horses. 

4198  cattle. 

48,700  sheep. 

220  goats. 

More  than   400   muids   of   wheat   were   raised   the 

previous  season. 

(c)  During  the  period  1672-1700,  inclusive,  1227 
ships  put  into  Table  Bay.  Of  these,  976  were  Dutch 
and  170  English. 

Governor  Simon  van  der  Stel  retired  from  the  Com- 
pany's service,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days 
under  his  own  vine  and  fig  tree  on  the  farm  Constantia, 
overshadowed  by  the  eastern  crags  of  Table  Mountain. 
He  died  on  June  24,  1712. 


CHAPTER  V 

(To  1750) 

The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule 

Wilhem  Adriaan  van  der  Stel. — The  Assembly  of 
Seventeen,  in  recognition  of  Simon  van  der  Stel's 
services,  appointed  his  son,  Wilhem  Adriaan,  as  Gover- 
nor of  the  Cape  Colony  and  its  dependency,  the  Island 
of  Mauritius.  The  appointment  of  Councillor  Extra- 
oi*dinary  of  India  was  conferred  upon  him  concurrently. 
Wilhem  Adriaan  van  der  Stel  had,  during  the  previous 
ten  years,  held  various  public  offices  in  Amsterdam. 
He  was  installed  as  Governor  at  the  Castle,  Cape  Town, 
on  February  11,  1699. 

The  new  Governor  followed  the  good  example  of  his 
father  in  several  respects.  Soon  after  his  arrival  he 
caused  a  number  of  the  deforested  gorges  in  the  vicinity 
of  Stellenbosch  and  Drakenstein  to  be  filled  with  young 
oaks.  He  took  keen  interest  in  the  Company's  garden ; 
in  it  he  established  a  museum,  and  a  small  menagerie. 
He  also  caused  to  be  therein  erected  a  lodge  for  the 
entertainment  of  visitors  of  distinction.  This,  enlarged 
and  altered,  is  the  house  which  the  Governor  of  the 
Cape  Colony  occu])ied  previous  to  the  Union. 

The  Land  of  Wavern. — Within  a  few  months  of  his 
arrival  the  Governor  made  a  tour  of  inspection  through 
the  outlying  parts  of  the  Settlement.  After  visitmg 
Stellenbosch  and  Drakenstein  he  went  northward  along 
the  course  of  the  Berg  River,  and  then  crossed  the 
mountain  range  which,  on  account  of  its  having  been 
the  haunt  of  Bushmen,  had  been  named  the  Obiqua. 
To  the  eastward  of  this  lay  that  valley  now  known  as 
the  Tulbagh  Basin,  a  locality  famed  for  the  grandeur 
of  its  scenery  as  well  as  for  the  beauty  and  variety  of 
its  wild  flowei*8.    The  basin  was  named  the  Land  of 


46 


A  History  of  South  Africa 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  47 

Wavern,  in  honour  of  an  influential  family  of  Anisti'i- 
dam,  and  the  lofty  range  bounding  it  to  eastward  wa.s 
named  the  Witsenberg,  after  Nicolaas  Witsen,  then 
Burgomastc^r  of  the  same  city.  This  range  and  the 
Obi(iua  are  connected  by  the  Great  Winterhoek,  which 
marks  the  northern  limit  of  the  Tulbagh  Basin.  Dur- 
ing the  following  year  the  Wavern  tract  was  occupied 
by  a  numlier  of  graziers  and  their  families. 

Prohibition  of  Trade  with  the  Hottentots.~The  old 
law  of  1(558,  prohibiting  trade  between  the  burghers  and 
the  Hottentots,  fell  gradually  into  disuetude.  In  1697, 
however,  complaints  having  reached  Governor  Simon 
van  der  Stel  to  the  effect  that  some  of  the  trader's  had 
treated  the  Hottentots  harshly  and  with  injustice,  he 
issued  a  placaat  re-enacting  the  prohibition  under 
severe  penalties.  But  the  Company  disapproved  of 
this,  and  the  cattle  trade  was  thrown  open  upon  certain 
conditions. 

European  Population  breaks  Bounds.  —It  is  to  this 
period  that  one  may  trace  the  birtli  of  the  "trek" 
habit— of  that  "  w^anderlust "  which  made  the  South 
African  Boer  the  most  efficient  pioneer  that  civilisation 
has  ever  known.  In  strong,  heavy,  lumbering  wagons, 
constructed  according  to  a  well-known  type  in  use  ,in 
the  Netherlands,  these  people  pressed  farther  and 
farther  inland,  accustoming  themselves  to  rigorous 
conditions  and  developing  great  hardihood. 

Inevitably,  there  were  lawless  and  unscrupulous 
members  of  the  "trekking"  fraternity,  and  at  the 
hands  of  such  the  Hottentots  no  doubt  often  experi- 
enced most  unfair  treatment.  Instances  of  this  having 
been  proved,  the  old  prohibition  was,  in  1703,  once  more 
put  into  force.  But  those  who  had  once  tasted  the 
manna  of  the  wilderness  had  lost  their  taste  for  the 
bread  of  civilisation.  In  spite  of  heavy  threatened 
l^enalties,  the  trekking  and  trading  went  on. 

The  First  Commando.— As  the  Colony  expanded,  as 
settlers  t<xik  up  land  farther  and  farther  from  the 
shores  of  Table  Bay,  trouble  with  the  Bushmen  arose 
more  fretpiently.  Alany  serious  depredations  took  place 
ill  1701.  Small  iK)sts,  each  manned  by  a  fcAV  soldiei*s, 
were  established  at  sevei*al  more  or  less  remote  points, 
but  the  protection  thus  afforded  provetl  (juite  inade- 
quate.   Pursuit  of  the  depredators  by  8oldiei*s  seldom 


48  A  History  of  South  Africa 

resulted  in  the  thieves  being  overtaken.  Tlie  Hottentot 
clans  were  as  badly  plundered  as  were  the  burghers. 
In  the  instances  when  stolen  stock  was  recovered,  such 
of  it  as  belonged  to  the  Hottentots  was  restored  to 
them.  One,  Gerrit  Cloete,  after  having  been  twice 
robbed,  assembled  a  commando  of  Europeans  and  Hot- 
tentots, and  with  it  swept  the  Obiqua  Range.  For 
this  he  was  arrested  and  prosecuted  for  waging  un- 
authorised war,  but  the  prosecution  fell  through. 

First  Church. — In  1678  the  foundation  of  a  church 
had  been  laid,  but  the  construction  was  not  proceeded 
with.  In  1700  the  plan  was  abandoned  and  another 
foundation  stone  was  laid  by  the  Governor.  The  build- 
ing, all  but  the  tower,  stood  finished  by  the  end  of 
1703.  Hitherto  divine  service  had  been  held  in  one  of 
the  halls  of  the  Castle. 

Character  of  Wilhem  Adriaan  van  der  Stel.— Ovei- 
the  character  of  Wilhem  Adriaan  van  der  Stel  contro- 
versy has  been  keen.  The  rights  and  wrongs  in  respect 
of  his  conduct  as  Governor  have  almost  become  a 
political  question.  The  truth  seems  to  be  that  he  was 
an  able  man  with  certain  good  administrative  qualities, 
but  that  he  was  inordinately  fond  of  money,  and  made 
use  of  his  position  to  fill  his  pockets — largely  at  the 
expense  of  others.  With  those  who  opposed  him  he 
dealt  as  a  tyrant.  Some  of  the  charges  made  against 
this  Governor  were  undoubtedly  false ;  many  others 
were  as  vmdoubtedly  true. 

His  Acquisitions  of  Land. — Commissioner  Valckenier, 
who  held  delegated  authority  from  the  Council  of 
India,  sojourned  at  the  Cape,  in  passing,  in  1700.  By 
him  Governor  van  der  Stel  was  granted  400  morgen  of 
land  at  Hottentot's  Holland.  To  this  grant  the  Gover- 
nor added  another  of  land  adjoining,  under  suspicious 
circumstances.  Neither  grant  was  registered  in  the 
ordinary  way,  nor  reported  to  the  Directors. 

"  Yergelegen  "—His  Farming  Operations.— The  two 
tracts  conjoined  formed  a  splendid  estate,  to  which 
was  given  the  name  of  Vergelegen.  Here  the  Governor 
put  up  extensive  buildings  and  laid  out  gardens,  orch- 
ards and  pleasure  grounds.  The  vines  on  the  estate 
numbered  half  a  million.  Most  of  the  work  was  done 
by  the  paid  servants  and  slaves  of  the  Company  ;  a  con- 
siderable quantity  of  the  material  used  came  from  the 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  49 

(  ompaiiy'w  stores.  The  Governor  owned  all  the  woolleil 
lieep  in  the  Colony,  and  had  ten  cattle-ix^sts  among 
t  lie  mountains.  He  regulated  prices  of  produce  to  suit 
lumself,  and  entered  into  competition  in  the  markets 
with  the  farmers,  many  of  whom  were  in  poor 
circumstances. 

General  Dissatisfaction. — The  result  was  much  dis- 
satisfaction, mainly  among  the  burghers  of  Stellen- 
bosch.  This  was  expressed  in  a  memorial  with  a 
schedule  of  complaints,  one  copy  of  which  was  sent  to 


...vcro/t.] 
WULUKM   ADBIAAN    VAN    DEB   STEL'S   HOUSE,    VEBGELEGEN. 

the  Council  of  India,  another  to  Amsterdam.  When 
the  Governor  heard  of  this  he  caused  a  number  of 
persons  concerned  in  the  preparation  of  the  document 
to  be  arrested. 

Adam  Tas. — One,  Adam  Tas,  was  in  prison  for  four- 
teen mouths.  The  Governor  then  prepared  a  testimonial 
in  his  own  favour,  and  sent  it  by  a  party  of  armed  men 
liom  house  to  house  for  signature.  Some  of  his  oppo- 
nents he  deiK)rted  to  Batavia  ;  others  to  Mauritius ;  four 
lie  (U'spatchcd  to  Amsterdam. 

Departure  of  Wilhem  Adriaan  van  der  Stel.— 
Eventually,  in  1707,  on  the  i*eport  of  a  commission  of 

K 


50  A  History  of  South  Africa 

inquiry,  Governor  Wilhem  Adriaan  van  der  Stel  Avas 
relieved  of  his  office  and  ordered  to  leave  the  Settle- 
ment. The  secunde,  Samuel  Elsevier,  the  Rev.  Petrus 
Kalden  and  Landdrost  Starrenburg  of  Stellenbosch, 
shared  the  Governor's  fate.  Vergelegen  was  confiscated, 
and  a  grant  of  the  farm  Zandvliet,  which  had  been 
made  in  favour  of  Mr.  Kalden,  was  cancelled. 

The  newly  appointed  secunde,  Johan  Cornells 
D'Ableing,  assumed  duty  as  Acting  Governor  pending 
the  arrival  of  Louis  van  Assenburgh,  who  had  been 
appointed  to  succeed  Wilhem  Adriaan  van  der  Stel. 
The  new  Governor  arrived  early  in  1708.  He  had 
served  in  the  army  of  the  German  Emperor,  and  was 
a  soldier  with  a  good  reputation.  It  was  said  that 
at  the  Cape  he  developed  an  undue  taste  for  wine. 
Nevertheless,  he  gave  satisfaction  to  the  colonists  as 
well  as  to  the  Company — a  task  no  doubt  somewhat 
difficult  of  achievement.  On  one  occasion  he  created 
some  scandal  by  entertaining  the  principal  residents 
of  the  town  Avith  a  fight  between  bulls  and  dogs  on 
Sunday  afternoon. 

Regulation  as  to  Emancipation  of  Slaves. — In  1708 
Commissioner  Simon,  who  held  large  powers  delegated 
by  the  Council  of  India,  sojourned  at  the  Cape  during 
the  passing  of  the  homeward-bound  fleet.  He  enacted 
an  amendment  to  the  law  regulating  the  emancipation 
of  slaves.  It  had  been  found  that  old  and  w^orn-out 
slaves  were  occasionally  emancipated  so  as  to  free  their 
respective  owners  from  the  burthen  of  their  mainten- 
ance. Moreover,  slaves  emancipated  in  the  ordinary 
manner  were  usually  unthrifty  in  their  habits  and  were 
apt  in  their  old  age  to  become  a  burthen  on  the  com- 
munity. The  new  enactment  was  to  the  effect  that  no 
slave  might  be  freed  without  security  being  given  that 
for  a  period  of  ten  years  he  would  not  have  to  be 
supported  out  of  the  public  funds. 

In  the  same  year  the  Council  of  Policy  issued  a 
notification  that  in  future  nominations  of  Church 
officers,  as  well  as  other  official  communications  from 
the  Drakenstein  Consistory,  should  be  in  the  Dutch 
language  instead  of  in  French. 

The  Island  of  Mauritius  was  now  abandoned  by  the 
Company.  For  some  years  it  had  been  a  source  of  great 
trouble  owing  to  its  having  become  a  haunt  of  pirates. 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  51 

Such  would  land  in  unexpected  places,  and  a  heavy 
garrison  luul  to  Ije  kept  on  the  island  for  the  purpose 
of  protecting  the  colonists.  The  latter  were  given  the 
choice  of  being  conveyed  to  Batavia  or  to  the  Cape. 
Nine  families  chose  the  latter  alternative. 

Conflagration  at  Stellenbosch. — In  December,  1710, 
I  disastrous  fire  occurred  at  Stellenbosch.  Through  it 
were  destroyed  the  church,  the  landdrost's  office,  all 
the  other  buildings  belonging  to  the  Company,  and 
twelve  dwelling-houses.  The  fire  originated  from  a 
faggot  carried  by  a  slave,  in  a  high  wind.  Fortunately 
the  public  records  were  saved. 

Governor  van  Assenburgh  died  on  December  27, 
1711,  after  a  long  illness;  he  had  been  confined  to  his 
room  for  eight  months.  The  secunde,  Willem  Helot  (he 
had  succeeded  Johan  D'Ableing  when  the  latter  was 
transferred  to  India,  in  1710),  was  chosen  by  the  Council 
of  Policy  to  act  as  head  of  the  Settlement. 

Expansion. — "The  town  at  the  Cape,"  as  Cape 
Town  was  then  termed,  had  grown — chiefly  to  west- 
ward of  the  Company's  garden.  It  contained,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  Company's  buildings,  about  one  hundred 
and  seventy  private  houses.  The  colonists  had  also 
forced  their  way  further  inland.  From  Wavem  graziers 
had  followed  the  course  of  the  Breede  River,  taking  up 
land  and  building  homesteads  as  they  went.  From 
Hottentot's  Holland  the  mountain  had  been  crossed 
by  what  to-day  is  known  as  Sir  LoAvry's  Pass,  and 
pioneers  were  in  occupation  of  the  wide  valley  of 
the  Zonder  Ende  River. 

Small-pox. — In  1713  the  scourge  of  small-pox  fell  on 
the  Settlement.  Some  people  on  board  a  ship  from 
India  had  been  smitten  by  the  disease,  but  had  recovered. 
After  the  ship  arrived  at  Table  Bay  the  clothing  of  these 
people  was  sent  to  the  slave  lodge  to  be  washed ;  those 
who  handled  it  took  the  infection.  This  happened  in 
the  month  of  March.  The  disease  spread  to  all  classes  ; 
in  June  hardly  a  household  had  escaped.  So  many  died 
that  no  more  planks  were  available,  and  bodies  had  to 
be  interred  without  coffins.  Public  business  ceased  ;  the 
courts  of  justice  suspended  their  sittings.  It  is  esti- 
mated that  one-fourth  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town 
l)erished.  It  was  only  when  the  hot  weather  returned 
that  the  scourge  ceased  to  smite.     The  disease  spi^ead 


52  A  History  of  South  Africa 

to   the   country,  but  the  mortality  there  was  not  so 
great. 

Mortality  among  Hottentots. — Among  the  Hotten- 
tots the  effect  of  the  disease  was  frightful ;  whole 
villages  died  out;  tribes  disappeared,  either  through 
death  or  disruption.  The  remnants  of  some  clans  fled 
inland,  only  to  be  slavightered  by  others  of  their  own 
race.  But  the  slayers  took  the  infection,  and  passed  it  on. 
As  a  people,  the  Hottentots  practically  ceased  to  exist. 

Mauritz  Pasques  de  Chavonnes,  who  held  the  rank 
of  Councillor  Extraordinary  of  the  Indies,  was  appointed 
Governor  of  the  Cape  Settlement  in  the  place  of  Governor 
van  Assenburgh.  He  had  held  a  commission  as  lieu- 
tenant-colonel in  the  army  of  the  Netherlands.  His 
installation  at  the  Castle  took  place  on  March  28,  1714. 

The  revenue  of  the  colony  was  then  about  £8000 
per  annum ;  the  expenditure,  irrespective  of  the  expenses 
connected  with  passing  fleets,  about  £14,500.  With  the 
view  of  bringing  about  an  equalisation,  an  impost  of 
£2  10s.  Od.  per  annum  Avas  laid  upon  cattle-runs,  and 
stamp  duty  was  charged  upon  transfers  of  land  and 
slaves  ;  also  upon  wills,  contracts  of  marriage,  trading 
licences,  and  legal  documents.  Moreover,  an  excise  of 
four  shillings  and  twopence  was  imposed  upon  every 
leaguer  of  wine  produced. 

Laws  in  Force.— In  1715  the  Council  of  Policy 
applied  the  Statutes  of  India  to  the  Cape,  but  placaats 
locally  issued  were  still  held  to  be  in  force.  The  legal 
situation  might  thus  be  described  :  Local  placaats  took 
precedence ;  where  such  did  not  apply,  the  laws  of 
India  prevailed.  But  in  cases  in  which  neither  of  the 
foregoing  applied,  the  ordinary  laws  of  the  Netherlands 
were  recognised. 

The  Bushmen. — In  1715-16  the  Bushmen  committed 
many  depredations.  It  was  at  this  period  that  the  com- 
mando system  had  birth.  Formal  permission  having  been 
obtained,  thirty  mounted  burghers  assembled  under  one 
Hermanns  Potgieter  and  pursued  a  gang  of  Bushman 
marauders.  Fugitive  slaves  were  also  a  source  of  annoy- 
ance. Members  of  the  unhappy  servile  class,  undeterred 
by  the  ferocious  punishments  inflicted  upon  those  who 
were  recaptured,  deserted  and  formed  themselves  into 
predatory  bands. 

The  Question  of  Slavery. — In  1716  the  question  was 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  53 

laiscMl  by  the  Directors  as  to  whether  free  labourers 
\N  ould  not  be  preferable  to  slaves  at  the  Cape.  The 
(  ouncil  of  Policy,  with  one  exception,  declared  in  favour 
of  slave  labour.  The  exception  was  Captain  Dominique 
I  'asques  de  Chavonnes,  Commander  of  the  garrison,  and 
a  brother  of  the  Governor.  This  man — enlightened  far 
in  advance  of  his  time — argued  eloquently  in  favour  of 
f'lee  labour,  and  described  the  slave  element  in  the  local 
populaticm  as  being  "  like  a  malignant  sore  in  the  human 
frame." 

At  the  same  time  the  Directors  invited  opinions  as 
to  the  feasibility  of  establishing  local  industries — wool, 
silk,  tobacco,  indigo,  and  olives  being  suggested  as 
products  likely  to  repay  cultivation.  The  olive  had 
already  been  experimented  with  on  various  occasions, 
but  always  unsuccessfully.  Tobacco,  grown  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Cape,  produced  but  an  ill-flavoured  leaf. 
Farming  with  woolled  sheep  was  not  successful — prob- 
ably because  no  adequate  means  of  dealing  with  scab 
hacl  been  discovered. 

Disease  among  Stock.— In  1714  a  malignant  disease, 
fatal  to  both  cattle  and  sheep,  broke  out.  During  the 
following  ten  years  stock  for  slaughter  purposes  was 
scarce  and  dear,  and  the  supply  of  oxen  and  sheep  to 
strangers  was  prohibited.  In  the  early  part  of  1719 
horse-sickness  made  its  apjiearance  for  the  first  time. 
It  took  a  severe  form.  Before  the  frosts  of  July  stopped 
the  epidemic,  between  16,000  and  17,000  horses  had 
l^erished. 

Table  Bay  as  a  Port  of  Call.— After  the  twelve 
years'  war  between  Holland  and  France  had  been 
concluded  by  the  Peace  of  Utrecht  in  1713,  the  Com- 
pany decided  to  build  a  large  number  of  ships  and 
enlarge  its  commerce  with  the  East.  During  the  first 
fifteen  years  of  the  century,  the  average  number  of 
ships  which  visited  Table  Bay  was  sixty-seven.  Of 
these,  about  forty-two  were  Dutch,  and  nineteen 
Knglish.  During  the  following  ten  years,  the  average 
lunnber  was  eighty-seven.  Of  these  the  Dutch  average 
liad  increased  to  sixty-four,  while  that  of  the  English 
remained  stationary.  It  was  at  this  i>eriod  customary 
for  all  the  ships  of  the  homeward-bound  fleets,  starting 
from  (lifFei*ent  iK)rts  in  the  Indies,  to  assemble  at  Table 
Hay  and  then  set  sail  together. 


54  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Life  in  Cape  Town. — In  the  early  days  of  the  eigli- 
teeiith  century  the  life  of  the  European  in  South  Africa 
must  have  been  an  enviable  one.  On  the  southern 
shore  of  Table  Bay  stood  the  growing  town,  the  "  tavern 
of  the  eastern  seas,"  as  it  came  to  be  called.  Labour 
was  cheap ;  bodily  or  mental  exertion  on  the  part  of 
members  of  the  dominant  race  was  unnecessary.  The 
spacious,  white-walled  houses — roofed  now  wdth  tiles 
instead  of  with  reeds  as  in  earlier  days — sheltered 
many  sea-Avearied  guests,  men  grateful  for  a  respite 
from  the  cramped  discomforts  of  the  long  ocean  voyage. 
Some  of  the  old,  blackened  wainscotes  still  standing 
must  have  echoed  to  many-tongued  gossip  of  doings  on 
the  shores  of  the  seven  seas.  Shelf  and  cupboard  often 
held  store  of  curious  things, — porcelain  from  Cathay, 
grim  fantastic  weapons  from  Malaya,  grotesque  idols 
from  looted  Indian  temples.  Along  the  clean  streets, 
almost  void  of  wheeled  traffic,  strolled  bearded  seamen, 
around  whose  eyes  the  ice-blink  and  the  flaming  sun  of 
the  tropic  had  graved  wrinkles. 

Condition  of  the  Burghers.— At  Stellenbosch,  Hot- 
tentot's Holland,  and  along  the  western  base  of  the 
Drakenstein,  and  the  ranges  forming  its  continuation, 
the  solid  burghers  prospered.  In  their  large  home- 
steads, with  well-filled  byres,  barns  and  cellars  attached, 
they  dwelt  in  patriarchal  fashion.  The  wedding,  the 
christening,  and  the  funeral, — the  occasional  visit  to 
the  town  for  the  purpose  of  selling  produce  or  buying 
supplies, — these  summed  up  the  tale  of  their  experi- 
ences, their  activities.  All,  dw  ellers  in  town  as  Avell  as 
farmers,  married  young,  and  usually  had  large  families. 
Their  religion — an  unemotional  Calvinism — although 
formal,  was  sincere. 

Pioneer  Adventurers. — But  there  was  a  third  class 
— one  formed  of  the  percentage  in  whom  the  leaven  of 
desire  for  adventure  worked — the  restless  spirits  who 
gazed  longingly  at  the  mountain  rampart  beyond 
Avhich  lay  the  wonderland  of  the  unknown.  To  such 
the  voice  of  the  veld,  the  call  of  the  wide,  unmapped, 
untrodden  waste,  was  an  imperative  command.  In 
heavy,  strong,  lumbering  wagons,  accompanied  by  mate 
and  brood,  these  people  w^ent  forth  and  subdued  the 
wilderness.  Only  two  things  linked  them  to  the  con- 
ventional    world :     their    weapons    and     their    Bible. 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  55 

Xatmally,  the  ideals  of  these  wanderers  diverged  from 
I  lie  ideals  of  those  who  remained  behind.  Unfortu- 
nately, on  the  track  of  those  who  afi ventured  for 
adventure's  sake,  went  others — men  who  acknowledged 
no  law  and  practised  no  restraint.  By  such,  robbery 
and  nuirder  were  occasionally  committed,  the  unhappy 
I cniiiants  of  the  Hottentot  clans  being  the  victims. 

Shipping  Disasters. — The  year  1722  proved  a  dis- 
astrous one  to  the  Company's  shipping.  In  January 
two  large  vessels,  full  of  merchandise,  foundered  in 
a  gale  off  the  South  African  coast.  On  June  14 
there  were  seven  Dutch  and  five  English  vessels  at 
anchor  in  Table  Bay.  A  north-east  gale  set  in ;  next 
<lay  this  had  somewhat  lessened,  but  on  the  day  follow- 
ing the  wind  blew  with  increased  violence.  When 
night  fell  the  vessels  were  still  riding  at  anchor. 
When  morhing  broke  there  was  not  a  single  vessel 
afloat,  all  were  lying  heaped  upon  the  shore.  Six 
hundred  and  sixty  lives  were  lost,  and  an  enormous 
amount  of  property  destroyed  in  this  catastrophe. 

Export  of  Grain.  — In  1705  it  had  been  found 
possible  to  export  grain  ;  in  that  season,  and  in  those 
succeeding,  several  thousand  muids  were  sent  annually 
to  fiatavia.  But  the  Company  found  that  grain  could 
be  produced  in  several  parts  of  India  at  a  cheaper  rate 
than  that  fixed  at  the  Cape,  so  the  price  was  reduced 
to  10s.  Sd.  per  muid.  As  the  Company  was  expected  to 
purchase  all  produce,  the  directors  issued  instructions 
to  the  effect  that  no  more  ground  was  to  be  put  under 
cultivation  for  cereals  without  permission.  As  there 
was  also  a  superfluity  of  wine,  a  similar  prohibition 
was  enacted  in  respect  of  vineyards.  How^ever,  before 
long  it  was  found  that  owing  to  variable  seasons,  the 
amount  of  foodstuffs  produced  at  the  Cape  was  a  very 
uncertain  quantity. 

Governor  de  Chavonnes  died  in  his  seventieth 
year,  on  September  7,  1724.  Jan  de  la  Fontaine,  the 
acting  secunde,  assiuned  temixjrary  command  of  the 
Settlement. 

Delagoa  Bay.— Its  Tragic  History.— The  history  of 
the  ten  ywirs'  (wcupation  of  Delagoa  Bay  by  the  Dutch 
East  India  C(mii)any  (1721-80)  is  an  exceedingly  ti*agic 
one.  It  ha<l  been  long  believed  that  gold  was  to  be 
obtained  from  the  hinterland.     In  February,  1721,  an 


56  A  History  of  South  Africa 

expedition,  the  members  of  which  mimbered  113,  was 
sent  from  the  Netherlands.  It  left  Table  Bay  in  three 
small  vessels.  Delagoa  Bay  was  reached  at  the  end  of 
March.  The  Bantu  inhabiting  its  shores  were  found 
to  be  friendly ;  by  permission  of  the  Chief,  Maphumbo, 
a  pentagonal  earthen  fort  was  erected.  It  was  named 
Fort  Lagoa.  Within  six  weeks  more  than  tAvo-thirds 
of  the  Europeans,  including  the  commander  and  the 
engineer,  were  dead  of  fever.  Soon,  however,  the 
garrison  was  strengthened  by  eighty  soldiers. 

In  April  of  the  following  year  three  pirate  ships, 
flying  the  English  flag,  entered  the  bay.  They  attacked 
the  fort ;  effective  resistance  was  out  of  the  question. 
An  officer,  Jan  van  de  Capelle,  escaped  with  eighteen 
men,  and  sought  a  temporary  asylum  with  a  Native 
clan.  The  fort  was  plundered.  Eighteen  of  the  soldiers 
joined  the  pirates.  The  garrison  was  again  reinforced. 
Expeditions  to  the  interior  Avere  organised.  A  certain 
amount  of  ivory,  some  copper,  a  few  slaves,  and  a  little 
gold  and  ambergris  were  obtained.  The  Comijany  still 
believed  in  the  existence  of  Monomotapa,  and  issued 
instructions  once  more  to  institute  a  search  for  that 
shadoAvy  kingdom. 

Fort  Lagoa  being  too  small  for  the  increased  garri- 
son, a  larger  one,  appropriately  called  Fort  Lydzaam- 
heid,  Avas  constructed.  The  foreshore  of  the  Bay  Avas 
acquired  by  purchase  from  the  various  petty  Native 
chiefs  interested.  In  the  summer  of  1726  the  annual 
outbreak  of  fever  was  more  than  ordinarily  malignant ; 
the  commandant  and  thirty-seven  of  his  men  died.  The 
directors  in  Holland  ordered  that  search  should  be 
made  for  a  healthier  site  farther  north,  so  an  expedition 
was  despatched  accordingly.  When  this  returned  it . 
brought  intelligence  that  a  Portuguese  vessel  AA-as  at 
Inhambane.  A  number  of  the  garrison,  which  Avas 
composed  of  Germans  of  an  unruly  class,  plotted  to 
desert  and  march  overland  so  as  to  endeavour  to  escape 
in  this  vessel.  Sixteen  started,  of  Avhom  thirteen 
reached  Inhambane,  but  the  Portuguese  captain, 
although  he  assisted  the  fugitives  by  supplying  them 
with  trade  goods,  refused  to  receive  them  on  board  his 
ship.  They  marched  on  Avith  the  intention  of  reaching 
Sofala,  but  perished  on  the  way. 

In  1728  a  number  of  the  garrison,  rendered  desperate 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  57 

hy  the  misery  of  their  lot,  formed  a  eonsi)iracy  to  seize 
tlie  fort,  kill  those  who  refused  to  join  them,  and  pro- 
ceed northward  to  the  nearest  Portuguese  settlement. 
The  plot  was  betrayed ;  within  a  few  hours  one-third 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  fort  were  in  prison. 

The  prisonei*s  were  arraigned  before  a  special 
tribunal  which  had  been  hastily  assembled.  More  than 
half  were  sentenced  to  death.  Some  were  permitted  to 
indulge  in  a  ghastly  gamble;  lots  were  drawn,  the 
alternatives  being  death  in  a  cruel  form,  or  long  terms 
of  servitude  in  chains.  Twenty-two  were  executed. 
Some  were  bound  to  crosses,  and  had  their  limbs  broken 
previous  to  being  beheaded.  Others  were  half -suffo- 
cated and  then  hanged.  This  terrific  exhibition  of 
brutality  was  probably  due  to  what  ha/1  been  described 
as  "tropical  frenzy,"  and  was,  no  doubt,  the  result  of 
in'olonged  suffering  and  nervous  strain. 

During  the  following  year  an  officer  and  twenty- 
nine  men  forming  an  expedition  to  the  hinterland  were 
slain  by  Natives.  In  1730  the  disastrous  venture  came 
to  a  close.  Delagoa  Bay  w  as  abandoned,  the  fort  was 
destroyed,  and  the  garrison  and  stores  removed  to  the 
Cape.  In  1787  the  Portuguese  resumed  possession 
and  erected  another  fort.  This  was  destroyed  by  the 
Matshangana  in  1833,  the  entire  garrison  being  mas- 
sacred. A  few  years  later  the  Portuguese  reoccupied 
Delagoa  Bay,  and  they  have  held  it  ever  since. 

Failure  of  Silk  Culture. — In  the  second  quarter  of 
the  eighteenth  century  strenuous  efforts  were  made  by 
the  Company  towards  establishing  silk  culture  as  an 
industry  at  the  Cape.  It  had  been  found  that  the 
mulberry  flourished  well ;  in  other  respect  conditions 
appeared  to  be  favourable.  Nevertheless  complete 
failure  resulted.  The  worms,  just  before  the  stage  at 
which  the  cocoon  is  formed,  died  of  some  mysterious 
disease.  After  an  eight  years'  trial  the  project  was 
abandoned. 

Death  of  Governor  Noodt. — The  successor  to  Gover- 
nor de  Cliavonues  was  Pieter  Gysbert  Noodt,  a  director 
of  fortifications,  who  had  eight  yeai's  previously  visited 
Table  Bay  in  connection  with  a  scheme  for  improving 
its  defensive  works.  He  had  then  been  the  occasion  of 
a  gi*eat  deal  of  unpleasantness  through  (iuari*elling  with 
the  secunde  over  the  riuestion  of  precedence.    Governor 


58  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Noodt  seems  to  have  fallen  out  with  every  one  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact.  A  little  over  two  years 
after  his  installation  he  died  suddenly  in  the  Pleasure 
House  in  the  Company's  garden.  The  accounts  once 
current  which  described  this  Governor  as  a  ferocious 
tyrant  have  no  foundation  in  fact.  He  was  most  prob- 
ably nothing  worse  than  merely  disagreeable. 

The  secunde,  Jan  de  la  Fontaine,  was  ai)X)ointed 
Governor  in  Noodt' s  place.  This  was  in  response  to  a 
recommendation  made  by  the  Council  of  Policy. 

Decline  of  Prosperity. — The  Cape  Settlement  was 
no  longer  in  a  flourishing  condition.  Owing  to  foreign 
ships  not  being  permitted  to  obtain  supplies,  very  few 
vessels  except  those  belonging  to  the  Company  visited 
Table  Bay.  This,  naturally,  caused  a  serious  shortage 
of  ready  money.  Moreover,  the  prosperity  of  the  Com- 
pany began  to  decline.  The  English  and  French  were 
capturing  the  Eastern  trade  by  wholesale.  Many  of 
the  trading  stations  which  had  previously  contributed 
handsome  profits  were  now  run  at  a  loss.  The  Direc- 
torate fell  into  the  hands  of  a  few  powerful  families. 
The  Government  of  Holland  had  the  right  to  inspect 
the  Company's  affairs,  and  to  correct  abuses.  But  the 
influence  exercised  by  the  Directorate  in  the  States 
General  prevented  this  being  adequately  done. 

Corruption. — Corruption,  which  had  always  existed, 
increased  rapidly.  The  most  profitable  possessions  of 
the  Company  were  too  remote  to  admit  of  adequate 
supervision  being  exercised.  Shameless  oppression 
was  common.  It  seemed,  indeed,  as  though  every 
official  endeavoured  to  fill  his  own  pockets  and  dis- 
regarded the  interests  of  the  corporation  that  em- 
ployed him.  The  corruption  did  not  extend  in  any 
great  degree  to  the  Cape.  This  may  have  been  due  to 
the  comparative  poverty  of  the  Settlement  as  well  as 
to  the  growing  independence  of  the  colonists. 

In  June,  1734,  Governor  de  la  Fontaine  visited 
Mossel  Bay.  One  of  the  Company's  ships  homeward 
bound  from  India  had  put  in  there  in  distress.  The 
ship  was  relieved,  a  number  of  farmers  having  brouglit 
wagons  to  remove  a  portion  of  the  cargo.  The 
Governor's  party  proceeded  farther  eastward,  and 
visited  the  Outeniqua  forests.  Thence  they  were 
obliged  to  turn  back,  owing  to  heavy  rain.     One  result 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  59 

<»F  thi.s  trip  was  the  establishment  of  a  small  military 
post  at  Rietvlei,  to  the  eastward  of  the  present  site  of 
Swellendam.  Shortly  afterwards  a  temporary  post 
was  established  at  St.  Helena  Bay. 

More  Shipping  Disasters. — In  July,  1728,  six  ships 
were  at  anchor  in  Table  Bay.  Of  these  three  were 
driven  ashore  in  a  gale.  One,  the  Haarlem^  was  after- 
wards refloated  and  sent  to  Saldanha  Bay  for  repairs. 
She  returned  early  in  December,  when  an  unseasonable 
north-west  gale  sent  her  ashore  once  more;  she  then 
became  a  total  wreck.  In  May,  1737,  out  of  nine  ships 
in  the  Bay,  seven  were  driven  ashore.  Of  their  crews 
208  were  drowned.  The  beach  was  strewn  with  wreck- 
age and  cargo.  Pour  unfortunate  men  caught  pilfering 
this  were  hanged  and  tlieir  bodies  exposed  on  the 
sands. 

Hunting  Expeditions  Eastward. — Parties  of  elephant 
hunters  had  now  for  some  time  been  in  the  habit  of 
l)enetrating  the  coiuitry,  which  must  have  been  ex- 
l)lored  far  to  the  eastward.  But  such  explorers  were 
averse  to  giving  information  as  to  the  regions  they  had 
traversed,  so  general  geographical  knowledge  was  not 
increased  through  their  discoveries. 

In  1736  two  parties  of  huntei's  united  and  proceede<^l 
towards  Natal.  In  Pondoland  they  found  three 
Englishmen  who  had  been  wrecked  many  years  pre- 
viously, and  were  then  living  among  the  Natives.  They 
had  wives  and  large  families.  At  the  kraal  of  Palo, 
then  j)aramount  chief  of  the  Amaxosa,  the  party 
divided  ;  one  division  went  on  while  the  other  remained 
l^ehind.  The  members  of  the  latter  were  treacherously 
murdered  by  the  Natives.  The  goods  were  scattered 
and  the  wagons  burnt.  During  the  burning  three  kegs 
of  gunpowder  blew  up,  killing  and  wounding  a  large 
number  of  the  savages.  The  Europeans  of  the  other 
division  ese^i)ed,  but  only  with  great  difficulty,  and 
aftt^r  abandoning  their  wagons  and  stores. 

Governor  de  la  Fontaine  retired  in  1737,  and  was 
succeeded  by  the  secunde,  Mr.  Adriaan  van  Kervel. 
The  latter  died  on  September  19,  three  weeks  after 
his  installation.  The  next  secunde,  Mr.  Hendrick 
Swellengreliel,  and  the  Independent  Fiscal,  Mr.  Daniel 
van  den  Henghel,  were  Ijoth  candidates  for  the  Acting- 
<  Governorship.      A   somewhat  awkwaiil   situation    was 


6o  A  History  of  South  Africa 

created,  for  neither  would  give  way,  and  the  votes  of 
the  Council  of  Policy  were  evenly  divided.  However, 
it  was  decided  to  settle  the  question  by  the  expedient 
of  drawing  lots,  and  chance  declared  in  favour  of 
Mr.  van  den  Henghel.  This  proceeding  was  subse- 
quently annulled  by  the  directors  ;  Mr.  Swellengrebel 
was  appointed  Governor,  and  Mr.  Ryk  Tulbagh, 
Secunde.  The  new  Governor  was  a  South  African  by 
birth. 

Illicit  Traders  cause  Trouble. — In  1739  it  was  re- 
ported by  the  Nam  aquas  that  the  servants  of  a  party 
of  Europeans  who  had  been  trading  with  them  for 
cattle,  had  returned  and  looted  the  kraals  of  the  tribe 
of  all  cattle  remaining.  The  traders,  ten  in  number, 
Avere  summoned  before  the  landdrost  of  Stellenbosch 
to  answer  for  their  infraction  of  the  often  enacted  law 
against  private  trading  with  Hottentots.  At  the  same 
time  all  their  cattle  w  ere  seized.  The  traders  refused 
to  appear.  They  were  then  cited  before  the  High 
Court  of  Justice.  This  summons  they  also  disre- 
garded. 

Sedition  of  Estienne  Barbier. — Considerable  excite- 
ment among  the  burghers  ensued.  It  was  the  general 
opinion  that  the  Government  had  acted  harshly.  One 
Estienne  Barbier,  an  ex-sergeant,  who  had  deserted  from 
the  army,  appeared  before  the  church  at  the  Paarl 
with  eight  mounted  followers.  He  read  a  document, 
which  he  termed  a  placaat,  to  the  congregation  ;  the 
latter  happened  to  be  emerging  from  the  church  after 
Sunday  service.  This  document  accused  the  Acting- 
Governor  and  the  Landdrost  of  tyranny  and  corrup- 
tion ;  after  being  read  it  was  affixed  to  the  wall  of  the 
building. 

Those  concerned  with  Barbier  in  his  sedition  were 
subsequently  pardoned  on  condition  that  they  joined  a 
commando  against  the  Bushmen,  who  were  then  com- 
mitting serious  depredations.  Barbier  was  captured 
and  sentenced  to  suffer  a  cruel  death.  His  right  hand 
was  cut  off,  and  then  he  was  beheaded. 

The  Bushmen. — In  1740  various  commandos  operated 
against  the  Bushmen,  Avith  the  result  that  about  a 
hundred  of  the  latter  were  killed.  Afterwards  several 
leaders  of  these  savages,  with  a  few  of  their  folloAvers, 
visited  the  Castle,  where  they  were  entertained  and 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  6i 

presented  with  gifts.  For  some  time  thereafter  dein-e- 
dations  were  not  so  frequent. 

Destruction  of  Game. — Between  1742  and  1753  some 
efforts  were  made  towards  limiting  the  destioietion  of 
\N  ild  animals,  which  were  being  rajjidly  exterminated. 
Hut,  except  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  Settlement, 
tliere  existed  no  machinery  for  enforcing  the  laws 
enacted  on  the  subject,  so  the  destruction  of  game  went 
on  [)ractically  unchecked. 

The  Moravian  Society.— In  1736  the  Moravian 
Society  sent  a  missionary  named  George  Schmidt  to 
South  Africa  for  the  purpose  of  endeavouring  to  con- 
vert the  Hottentots  to  Christianity.  Schmidt  came 
with  the  sanction  •  and  approval  of  the  Chamber  of 
Seventeen. 

George  Schmidt  at  Baviaan's  Kloof.— He  established 
himself  at  Baviaan's  Kloof  (now  Genadendal)  in  the 
present  district  of  Caledon.  One  of  the  conditions 
imposed  in  respect  of  this  missionary's  work  was  to 
the  effect  that  converts  had  to  be  presented  to  the 
clergyman  at  Stellenbosch  for  baptism. 

After  labouring  for  five  years,  Schmidt  ventured  to 
baptise  five  converts.  For  so  doing  he  was  called  strictly 
to  account.  It  was  held  that  his  orders  were  invalid, 
and  that  consequently  he  could  not  administer  sacra- 
ments. Moreover,  the  farmers  in  the  vicinity  of  Bavi- 
aan's Kloof  disapproved  of  his  evangelising  work  and 
enticed  a  number  of  his  people  away.  Feeling  that 
under  the  circumstances  he  could  do  no  good,  this  first 
missionary  to  South  Africa  requested  the  Council  of 
Policy  to  provide  him  with  a  passage  to  Europe.  The 
request  was  granted. 

Establishment  of  New  Churches. — In  1744  the  only 
churches  existing  in  the  Settlement  and  its  vicinity 
wei*e  those  at  Cape  To\vn,  Stellenbosch,  and  the  Paarl. 
New  churches  were  now  established  at  Wavern  (now 
Tulbagh)  and  Zwartland  (now  Malmesbury).  In  1745  a 
connnission  fixed  the  boundaries  of  the  five  parishes— a 
l)r(K*eeding  looked  uix)n  with  grave  suspicion  by  the 
I)irectoi*s.  A  i)etition  from  the  Lutherans,  asking  for 
permission  t-o  establish  a  church,  was  refused. 

Simon's  Bay. — In  view  of  the  serious  losses  occasion- 
ally sustained  by  the  Company's  shipping  during  the 
winter  season,  it  was  resolved  by  the  Directors  that 


62  A  History  of  South  Africa 

between  the  15th  May  and  the  15th  August  fleets 
should  cast  anchor  in  Simon's  Bay  instead  of  in  Table 
Bay.  In  1743  Governor-General  van  ImhofF,  passing 
with  one  of  the  homeward-bound  fleets,  selected  a  site 
for  a  magazine,  hospital,  and  barrack.  In  the  same 
year  the  construction  of  a  mole  or  breakwater  in  Table 
Bay  was  begun.  It  was  hoped  thus  to  protect  the 
shipping  from  the .  terrible  north-west  gales.  After 
nearly  three  years'  work,  however,  the  construction 
was  abandoned. 

Swellendam  established. — In  1746  the  magistracy 
of  Swellendam  was  established,  the  name  being  given 
in  honour  of  the  Governor  and  his  wife,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Ten  Damme.  A  boundary  was  defined 
between  the  new  district  and  that  of  Stellenbosch, 
bvit,  as  usual,  no  limits  were  stated  in  respect  of  the 
northern  and  eastern  sides.  At  this  time  the  graziers 
had  taken  up  land  as  far  east  as  the  Gamtoos  River. 
Efforts  were  made  to  induce  them  to  withdraw  to  the 
western  bank  of  the  Great  Brak  River,  but  without 
success. 

A  Yisitation  of  Locusts. — In  1746  a  severe  visitation 
of  locusts  occurred.  The  wheat  crop  had  fortunately 
been  harvested,  but  every  other  crop — in  fact,  every 
blade  and  leaf  in  the  Settlement  and  its  vicinity — were 
destroyed.  Owing  to  lack  of  pasturage,  enormous  losses 
of  stock  were  sustained.  The  seasons  following  were, 
however,  favourable,  and  the  average  export  of  wheat 
to  India  was  over  7500  muids.  Of  wine,  384  leaguers 
were  sent  to  Batavia.  This  was  irrespective  of  what 
was  supplied  to  passing  ships.  For  their  ordinary  wdne, 
the  farmers  received  about  £5  5s.  Od.  per  leaguer,  net. 
In  the  case  of  Constantia  wine  the  demand  was  far  in 
excess  of  the  supply. 

In  1747  the  Prince  of  Orange — once  more  Stadt- 
holder  of  the  Netherlands — was  made  Chief  Director 
and  Governor-General  of  the  East  India  Company.  The 
fortunes  of  the  State  were  largely  bound  up  w  ith  those 
of  this  vast  concern,  and  it  was  considered  that  placing 
the  Stadtholder  at  the  head  of  the  latter  would  give  it 
stability.  This  expectation  was  not,  however,  realised. 
The  general  sentiment  at  the  Cape  was  monarchical 
rather  than  republican,  so  the  appointment  was  made 
the  occasion  of  great  rejoicing. 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  63 

Governor  Swellengrel)el  retired  from  the  Coraimny's 
-.'ivice  in  1751,  and  t<M)k  up  hi.s  renidence  at  Utrecht, 
\\  iiere  lie  died  in  1708. 

During  the  period  1726-50,  1883  vessels  cast  anchor 
m  Table  Bay.  Of  these  1508  belonged  to  the  Comiwiny, 
whilst  284  were  under  the  English  flag. 


CHAPTER  VI 

(To  1784) 

The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule 

GoYernor  Ryk  Tulbagh.— The  secunde,  Mr.  Ryk  Tul- 
bagli,  was  appointed  to  succeed  Governor  Swellengrebel. 
He  had  come  to  the  colony  as  a  clerk  at  the  age  of 
seventeen,  about  thirty-five  years  previously.  He  had 
a  distinguished  career. 

His  Character. — Not  alone  were  his  honesty,  in- 
dustry, and  thoroughness  in  his  capacity  as  a  public 
servant  proverbial,  but  he  possessed  a  high  character 
and  a  cultivated  mind.  In  an  age  when  peculation  on 
the  part  of  men  in  his  position  was  taken  as  a  matter 
of  course,  Ryk  Tulbagh  was  strictly  honest.  As  he  had 
no  personal  business  interests,  he  was  able  to  prevent 
the  officials  vmder  his  control  from  trading — a  practice 
then  productive  of  much  evil.  Bribery  and  corruption, 
which  were  rife  when  he  assumed  office,  within  a  short 
period  were  completely  put  down.  His  wife  was  a  sister 
of  his  predecessor. 

Visits  of  the  Abb6  de  la  Caille.— In  1751  the  Abbe 
de  la  Caille,  a  distinguished  French  astronomer,  visited 
the  Cape,  where  he  remained  for  two  years.  During 
this  time  he  was  engaged  in  measuring  an  arc  of  the 
meridian  and  making  a  sidereal  chart  of  the  southern 
skies. 

A  Census. — According  to  the  census  taken  in  1754, 
the  number  of  Europeans  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Company  is  given  as  5510.  This  number  presumably 
does  not  include  those  who  had  wandered  far  inland, 
and  who  must  have  been  fairly  numerous.  The  number 
of  slaves  was  6279.  For  many  years  the  horrible  traffic 
in  human  beings  had  been  growing.  The  ships  engaged 
in   it  were   principally  English.     Madagascar  and  the 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  65 

East  Coast  of  the  African  Contiueut  were  the  principal 
Hoiirctes  of  supply.  To  judge  by  entries  in  the 
•Journal"  kej)t  at  the  castle,  large  numbers  of  slaves 
were  l)i-ought  from  Delagoa  Bay,  and  the  mortality 
.iniong  these  must  have  been  frightful. 

Slavery  and  its  Effects. — As  the  number  of  slaves 
increased,  the  Europeans  became  more  and  more  averse 
to  performing  hard  or  disagreeable  work.  As  Dr.  Theal 
says :  "  The  introduction  of  slaves  had  caused  every 
white  man,  no  matter  how  humble  his  birth,  to  regard 
himself  as  a  master,  and  unless  paid  at  an  extravagant 
rate,  he  expected  to  be  served  instead  of  serving 
others." 

Horrible  Punishments. —In  1754  a  Slave  Code  was 
enacted  by  Governor  Tulbagh,  and  its  cruel  provisions, 
although  no  doubt  lenient  by  comparison  \#th  con- 
temporary meth(xls,  bring  the  harshness  of  the  time 
into  vivid  contrast  with  the  humanitarian  ideas  of 
to-day.  Any  slave,  male  or  female,  raising  a  hand 
against  master  or  mistress  had  to  be  put  to  death 
without  mercy.  Any  slave, — man,  woman,  or  child, — 
was  liable  to  be  severely  flogged  for  loitering  near  the 
entrance  of  a  church  when  the  congregation  was  leav- 
ing, or  for  being  found  within  the  churchyard  at  the 
time  of  a  funeral.  For  many  offences  slaves  could  be 
flogged  summarily  by  the  officers  of  justice  ivifhout 
trial.  And  this  in  terms  of  a  cofle  compiled  and  enacted 
by  a  man  who  was  distinguished  in  his  generation  for 
charity  and  kindliness. 

The  punishments  inflicted  upon  these  unhappy 
captives  were  almost  incredibly  horrible.  Here  is  a 
list  of  sentences  passed  on  one  day,  Nov.  11,  1730 — 

Three  slaves  to  be  broken. 

Three  to  be  hanged. 

One  female  slave  to  be  scourged  and  branded,  and 
fixed  to  a  block  all  her  life. 

One  slave  to  be  scourged,  branded,  and  placed  in 
irons  for  ten  years. 

One  male  and  one  female  slave  to  be  scourged  and 
branded. 

One  male  slave  to  be  scourged  and  so  sent  home. 

One  male  slave  to  be  scourged,  branded,  and  placed 
in  irons  for  his  whole  life. 

This  brutality  was  not  peculiar  to  the  Cape.     The 

P 


66  A  History  of  South  Africa 

foregoing  list  could  easily  be  paralleled  from  contem- 
porary records  of  St.  Helena,  then  governed  by  the 
English  East  India  Company. 

Sumptuary  Laws. — In  1755  the  sumptuary  laws  of 
India,  modified  to  suit  local  conditions,  were  enacted 
at  the  Cape.  Ladies  whose  husbands  were  below  the 
rank  of  junior  merchants  were  forbidden  to  wear  silk 
dresses  or  embroidery  or  diamonds.  All  women,  with- 
out distinction,  were  forbidden  to  wear  trains.  The 
dresses  of  brides  and  bridesmaids  were  dealt  with. 
Other  regulations  related  to  servants,  carriage-horses, 
etc.  Heavy  penalties  were  enacted  should  more  than 
one  undertaker  be  employed  at  a  funeral,  or  should 
dust  be  strown  before  the  house  door  as  a  sign  of  grief, 
unless  the  deceased  were  a  governor  or  a  member  of 
the  Council  of  Policy. 

"  Father  "  Tulbagh  (as  he  was,  no  doubt,  deservedly 
called)  could  treat  his  children  with  severity  on  occa- 
sion. A  certain  widow  refused  to  send  her  progeny 
to  school.  The  Governor  summoned  the  lady  before 
the  Council  of  Policy,  and  ordered  her,  should  she 
remain  obstinate,  to  be  flogged. 

Small-pox  introduced. — In  1755  small-pox  was  again 
introduced  into  the  Settlement,  this  time  by  some 
vessels  from  Ceylon.  So  malignant  was  the  form  taken 
by  the  disease  that  in  Cape  Town  practically  every 
adult  who  was  attacked  succumbed.  During  the 
month  of  July  489  Europeans,  33  free  blacks,  and  580 
slaves  died.  The  epidemic  lasted  six  months.  Alto- 
gether 963  Europeans  and  1109  black  and  coloured 
persons  died.  Property  of  all  kinds  became  unsaleable  ; 
business  came  to  a  standstill.  In  the  country  the 
mortality  was  not  so  heavy  among  Europeans,  but  the 
wretched  Hottentots  suffered  severely.  The  pest 
spread  northward  into  Great  Namaqualand,  and  east- 
ward into  Kaffirland,  as  far  as  the  Bashee  River. 
During  the  following  year  it  was  discovered  that 
leprosy  existed  in  the  Settlement.  A  European  and 
his  daughter,  who  were  found  to  be  affected  with  the 
disease,  were  isolated.  Leprosy  existed  among  the 
Hottentots,  but  not  to  any  great  extent. 

Nucleus  of  the  South  African  Library. — In  1761  a 
gentleman  named  Joachim  Nicolaas  van  Dessin,  a 
native  of  Rostock,  in  Germany,  died  in  Cape  ToAvn,     He 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  67 

bequeathi'd  t<>  the  Colony  his  library,  which  consisted 
of  .3800  volumes  and  a  number  of  manuscriptH.  He 
also  befiueathed  the  sum  of  £208  as  an  endowment. 
This  colleen tio  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  present  South 
African  library. 

First  Crossing  of  the  Oariep. — The  first  European 
to  cross  the  Gariep,  since  named  the  Orange  River,  was 
an  elephant  hunter,  named  Jacobus  Coetsee,  who  went 
northward  from  his  farm  near  Piquetberg,  in  1760.  In 
Great  Namaqualand  he  heard  of  the  Damara  Tribe  as 
occupying  country  ten  days'  journey  beyond  the  farthest 
IKjint  he  had  reached.  These  people  were  said  to  have 
long  hair,  and  to  dress  in  white  linen  garments. 
Captain  Hendrik  Hop,  of  the  Burgher  Militia,  offered 
to  lead  an  exploring  party  northward.  The  Governor 
approving,  volunteers  were  called  for.  The  expedition, 
the  members  of  Avhich  numbered  seventeen  Euro- 
peans and  fifty-eight  coloured  drivers  and  servants, 
started  in  August,  1701.  It  included  Jan  Andries 
Auge,  a  distinguished  botanist.  The  train  consisted  of 
sixteen  wagons.  The  Orange  River  was  crossed,  prob- 
ably at  the  ford  now  known  as  Ramon's  Drift.  The 
farthest  point  reaehed  Avas  in  latitude  26°  18'  S.  The 
season  was  now  summer,  and  the  heat  was  intense. 
On  December  7  the  return  journey  was  begun,  in  the 
course  of  which  many  hardships  were  endured.  On 
one  occasion  thirty  oxen  were  looted  by  Bushmen.  The 
Xamaquas  were  found  to  be  suffering  severely  from  the 
depredations  of  these  marauders.  A  halt  for  the  pur- 
pose of  resting  the  worn-out  cattle  was  made  at  the 
Orange  River.  The  water  rose  suddenly  one  night, 
and  it  was  only  with  difficulty  that  the  wagons  were 
saved  from  being  swept  away.  It  was  not  until  April 
27,  1762,  that  Captain  Hop  and  his  followers  i"eached 
Cape  Town.  The  results  of  the  enterprise  were  unim- 
portant. Some  giraffes  had  been  shot,  and  the  skin  of 
one  of  these,  the  first  ever  sent  from  South  Africa,  was 
presented  by  the  Governor  to  the  University  Museum 
at  Ley  den.  The  first  information  as  to  the  Bechuana 
Tribe  was  obtained.  Some  Namaquas  had  been 
observed  smelting  copper  oi*e  and  working  the  metal 
into  ornaments. 

Small-pox  again. — In  1767  there  occurrerl  another 
epidemic  of  smalI-i)OX.     The  infection  was  brought  fi*om 


68  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Europe  in  a  Danish  shii).  Although  in  not  nearly  so 
virulent  a  form  as  in  the  case  of  the  previous  epidemics, 
— each  of  which  ended  with  the  advent  of  summer, — 
the  infection  on  this  occasion  persisted  for  two  years. 
Altogether  179  Europeans  and  396  black  and  coloured 
persons  succumbed.  There  were  Very  few  cases  out- 
side the  limits  of  the  town. 

The  Hottentots. — The  surviving  Hottentots,  pathetic 
waifs  from  a  once-numerous  people,  hovered  on  the 
fringes  of  the  tracts  occupied  by  Europeans,  or 
wandered  aimlessly  over  the  great  inland  plains.  They 
had  hardly  any  property,  for  the  Bushmen  depredators 
were  never  far  off.  Except  in  the  matter  of  endoising 
the  appointment  of  "  captains  "  of  the  depleted  clans, 
they  were  not  interfered  with  by  the  Government  in 
their  I'elations  with  each  other.  In  their  relations 
with  the  Europeans  the  laws  of  the  latter  were  applied. 
These  people  gave  little  or  no  trouble.  They  were  often 
harshly  and  even  cruelly  treated  by  those  Europeans 
who  had  penetrated  beyond  the  settled  areas,  but 
there  is  evidence  that  when  wrongfully  used  within  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  courts,  the  Hottentots  received  full 
protection.  However,  owing  to  their  nature  and  to  the 
circumstances  obtaining,  the  "  unfit "  Hottentots  were 
bound  to  sviccumb.  Even  had  the  White  Man  never 
landed  in  South  Africa,  the  Hottentot  would  inevitably 
have  been  crushed  between  the  Bantu,  Avho  was 
rapidly  advancing  from  the  north-east,  and  the  Bush- 
man. There  is,  in  fact,  evidence  to  the  effect  that  some 
Hottentot  clans  had  already  been  overwhelmed  by  the 
Bantu  wave,  and  their  remnants  absorbed. 

Eastern  Boundary  defined. — In  1770  the  first  defini- 
tion of  an  eastern  boundary  of  the  Colony  Avas  made. 
Bruintjes  Hoogte,  in  the  present  Somerset  East  District 
of  the  Cape  Province,  and  the  Gamtoos  River  were 
proclaimed  as  the  colonial  limit.  The  commission  which 
fixed  this  boundary  foiuid  that  for  many  years  past 
Europeans  had  been  trading  with  the  Bantu  for  cattle 
to  a  considerable  extent. 

Wine-making  Industry.— Soon  after  the  middle  of 
the  eighteenth  century  Avine-making  had  grown  to  be 
the  most  important  colonial  industry.  Occasionally 
the  supply  was  in  excess  of  the  demand ;  then  distress 
ensued.     But  as  the  rivalry  of  the  English  and  French 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  69 

«leveloi)ed  in  the  EaHt,  more  and  mure  ships  visited 
Table  Bay,  and  consequently  wine  came  into  increasing 
i  leniand.  The  French,  who  occupied  Mauritius  aft<;r  the 
Com i)any  abandoned  it,  were  esj^ecially  good  customers. 
But  tliere  were  continual  complaints  as  to  the  inferior 
<iuality  of  the  wine  made.  In  1762  the  demand  was  so 
Kreat  that  the  producers  declined  to  sell  to  the  Com- 
pany, owing  to  their  being  able  to  obtain  higher  prices 
t  roni  strangers.  But  a  placaat  prohibiting  the  sale  of 
wine  to  any  customer  but  the  Company  was  issued, 
and  this  left  the  farmers  helpless.  However,  this 
|)lacaat,  having  had  the  desired  effect,  was  withdrawn 
within  four  weeks  of  its  issue.  In  1769  a  shipment  of 
liorses,  i)urchased  by  English  officers  for  remount  pur- 
poses, was  sent  to  Madras. 

Death  of  Governor  Tulbagh. — Goveinor  Tulbagh 
(lied  on  August  11,  1771,  after  having  held  his  office  for 
upwards  of  twenty  years — longer,  in  fact,  than  any 
Governor  before  or  since.  For  some  years  he  had 
suffered  much  from  illness.  His  deathbed  was  a  deso- 
late one,  for  he  was  childless,  and  he  had  survived  his 
wife  and  all  his  near  connections.  The  mourning  for 
this  admirable  man  was  sincere  and  general. 

Captain  Cook's  Description  of  Cape  Town.— During 
Governor  Tulbagh's  term  of  office  Cape  Town  was  much 
enlarged  and  imjiroved.  Captain  Cook,  after  his  visit, 
during  the  year  in  which  the  Governor  died,  wrote  of 
it  as  follows  : — 

"  The  only  town  which  the  Dutch  have  built  here  is, 
from  its  situation,  called  Cape  Town,  and  consists  of 
about  a  thousand  houses,  neatly  built  of  brick,  and  in 
general  whited  on  the  outside ;  they  are,  however,  only 
covered  with  thatch.  ...  In  the  principal  street  there 
is  a  canal  [the  Heerengracht,  where  Adderley  Sti*eet 
now  is]  on  each  side  of  which  is  planted  a  i^ow  of  oaks, 
that  have  flourished  tolerably  well,  and  yield  an  agrt»e- 
able  shade. 

"  A  much  gi*eater  proportion  of  the  inhabitants  are 
Dutch  in  this  place  than  in  Batavia ;  and  as  the  town 
is  supi3orted  principally  by  entertaining  strangei-s, 
and  supplying  them  with  necessaries,  every  man,  to  a 
certain  degree,  imitates  the  mannei*s  and  customs  of 
the  nation  with  which  he  is  chiefly  concerned.  The 
ladies,  however,  are  so  faithful  to  the   mo<le  of  their 


70 


A  History  of  South  Africa 


country,  that  not  one  of  them  will  stir  without  a 
chaudjned  or  chauffet,  which  is  carried  by  a  servant 
that  it  may  be  ready  to  put  under  her  feet  whenever 
she  shall  sit  down.  This  practice  is  the  more  remark- 
able, as  very  few  of  these  chauffets  have  fire  in  them, 
which,  indeed,  the  climate  renders  unnecessary. 

"  The  women  in  general  are  very  handsome ;   they 
have  fine  clear  skins,  and  a  bloom  of  colour  that  in- 


Photo  :  T.  D.  Eavenscroft.l 

WESTEEN   PEOVINCE   FARM-HOUSE   AT   GEOOT   CONSTANTIA. 


dicates  a  purity  of  constitution  and  high  health.  They 
make  the  best  wives  in  the  world,  both  as  mistresses  of 
a  family  and  mothers,  and  there  is  scarcely  a  house 
that  does  not  swarm  with  children." 

GoYernor  van  Plettenberg.— Baron  van  Ovidtshoorn, 
the  secunde  at  the  Cape,  who  happened  to  be  in  Europe 
at  the  time,  was  chosen  by  the  Directors  as  successor  to 
Governor  Tulbagh.  Mr.  Joachim  van  Plettenberg,  the 
fiscal,   was    appointed    secunde.      But    the    Governor- 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  71 

designate  died  on  the  voyage  to  the  Cai>e,  and  then 
Mr.  van  Piettenberg  was  appointed  Governor,  and  Mr. 
Willeiu  Cornelis  Boers,  fiscal.  Baron  von  Oudtshoorn 
probably  had  some  premonition  of  his  near-approaching 
death,  for  he  brought  a  leaden  coffin  with  him.  In  this 
his  btxly  was  i)laced.  It  was  conveyed  to  Cape  Town, 
and  buried  with  due  ceremony  under  the  floor  of  the 
church. 

Building  of  New  Hospital.— In  1772  the  foundation 
-tone  of  the  new  hospital,  which  was  designed  to 
accommodate  1450  iiatients,  was  laid.  The  Directors 
issued  orders  to  the  effect  that  the  vessels  bringing  the 
construction  material  from  Holland  should  be  loaded 
with  return  cargoes  of  Cape  produce.  Wheat,  barley, 
rye,  wine,  and  tallow  were  the  articles  thus  exported. 
For  some  years  an  average  of  over  one  hundred  leaguers 
of  ordinary  wine  was  sent  to  Europe.  The  profits,  at 
the  prices  fixed  by  the  Company,  were  found  to  be 
satisfactory.  At  the  same  time  the  exjxjrt  of  produce 
to  India,  in  fairly  considerable  quantities,  was  con- 
tinued. However,  owing  to  the  irregularity  of  the 
South  African  rainfall,  supplies  occasionally  failed. 

Wreck  of  *'De  Jonge  Thomas."— In  June,  1773,  an 
Indiaman,  named  De  Jonge  ThoinaSy  was  torn  from  her 
anchorage  in  Table  Bay  during  a  gale  from  the  north- 
west. She  ran  ashore  near  the  mouth  of  the  Salt 
River  and  began  to  break  up. 

Woltemaade. — Although  those  on  board  were  in 
imminent  danger,  no  efforts  towards  rendering  them 
assistance  appear  to  have  been  made  until  one  Wol- 
raad  Woltemaade,  a  dairyman,  arrived  on  the  scene. 
Mounted  on  a  powerful  horse,  he  dashed  into  the 
waves,  and  after  two  of  the  shipwrecked  men  had 
caught  hold  of  the  horse's  tail,  returned  to  the  shore. 
Seven  times  he  performed  this  feat  successfully ;  in  the 
eighth  attempt  his  horse  became  exhausted,  and  the 
brave  rescuer  was  overwhelmed  and  was  drowned.  The 
Governor  refused  assistance  to  Woltemaade's  children, 
but  such  was  subsequently  given  by  the  Company. 
The  heroic  Woltemaade  has  ever  since  occupied  a  niche 
in  the  South  African  temple  of  fame.  Within  a  few 
years  after  his  death  the  Company  name<l  an  Indiaman 
aftei'  him,  but  it  had  the  misfortune  to  be  captured  by 
the  English  in  the  war  which  bi*oke  out  in  1780. 


72 


A  History  of  South  Africa 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  73 

Extension  of  Eastern  Boundary.— In  1775  the  boun- 
dary of  tlie  Colony  was  vxU^iuimi  eastward  to  the 
upper  reaclien  of  the  Fish  River.  In  the  vicinity  of 
the  coast,  however,  the  Colonial  limits  were  as  yet  un- 
defined. At  this  time  Euroixjans  had  taken  up  land  in 
the  Kamiesbergen,  the  Uanttim,  the  Nieuwveld  Moun- 
tains, and  the  Sneeuwlx^rgen. 

Increased  Shipping.— As  the  general  trade  of  Europe 
with  tlic  East  developed,  more  and  more  ships  called  at 
the  Cape.  During  the  nine  years  which  ended  in  1780, 
the  annual  average  of  vessels  which  touched  at  either 
Table  Bay  or  Simon's  Bay  was  117.  Of  these  52  were 
Dutch,  21  French,  and  18  English.  There  was  accoitl- 
ingly  an  increasing  demand  for  foodstuffs  at  more  than 
double  the  i-ates  paid  by  the  Company.  Conseciuently, 
discontent  prevailed. 

Governor  van  Plettenberg's  Tour.— The  Governor 
decided  to  visit  the  outlying  parts  of  the  Colony  to 
eastward  and  north-eastward.  Some  burghers  dwelling 
in  those  regions  had  petitioned  for  the  extension  of 
the  only  two  civilising  agencies  possible  under  the 
circumstances — tlie  church  and  the  landdrost's  court. 
The  petition  was  signed  by  thirty -four  heads  of  families. 
It  is  incidents  sucli  as  this  which  tend  to  disprove  the 
idea  that  the  original  pioneers  were  men  whose  only 
desire  was  to  place  themselves  beyond  the  sphere  of 
law  and  order — who  sought  licence  m  the  name  of 
liberty.  That  these  remote  dwellers  were  under  some 
control  is  evinced  by  the  circumstance  that  their 
attendance  at  the  yearly  drill  at  the  nearest  drostdy 
was  enforced  under  penalty  of  a  substantial  fine.  The 
attendance  of  men  dwelling  in  the  Hantam  and  north 
of  the  Sneeuwberg,  at  Swellendam  or  Stellenbosch, 
must  have  involved  well-nigh  intolei-able  inconvenience. 

On  September  3,  1778,  the  Governor's  expedition 
started.  The  course  taken  was  through  the  Hex  River 
Pass,  and  thence  across  the  Great  Karoo  to  the  foot  of 
the  Sneeuwberg  Range.  At  a  si)ot  near  the  pi*esent 
site  of  Graaff  Reinet  a  camp  was  fonued ;  here  most  of 
the  wagons  were  left. 

The  Northern  Beacon.— Then  the  expedition  pro- 
ceeded to  the  vicinity  of  where  Colesberg  stands  to-day, 
and  cm  a  ridge  close  to  a  point  on  the  Zeekoe  River, 
a  beacon   bearing  the   Comimny's  monogram  and  the 


74  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Governor's  name,  was  set  up.  This  was  to  indicate  the 
north-eastern  limit  of  the  Colony.  The  Zeekoe  River 
must  have  then  contained  much  more  water  than  it 
now  does,  for  in  one  day  the  party  killed  twenty  hippo- 
potami in  it.  From  there  the  party  returned  to  the 
Sneeuwberg,  Avhence  they  travelled  to  the  farm  of  one 
Prinsloo,  Avhere  the  town  of  Somerset  East  stands 
to-day. 

Meeting  with  KaflBrs. — Within  a  few  miles  was  a 
Xosa  kraal,  the  inhabitants  of  which  belonged  to  the 
Amagwali  clan.  A  number  of  these  people  came  to  the 
Governor's  encampment,  and  were  there  entertained. 
Through  some  of  them  presents  were  sent  to  Rarabe, 
an  important  chief  of  the  Xosa  tribe.  This  was  the 
first  occasion  upon  which  any  of  the  Dutch  officials  of 
South  Africa  came  into  contact  with  the  Bantu.  The 
Governor  then  took  a  course  towards  the  sea.  West  of 
the  Bushman's  River  Bantus  were  found ;  these  formed 
the  first  ripple  of  that  wave  of  migration  which  had  been 
sweeping  sovith- westward  so  strongly.  Algoa  Bay  was 
reached  and  an  inspection  made  of  its  shores.  Then 
the  expedition  crossed  the  Gamtoos  River  and  travelled 
up  the  Long  Kloof  in  the  direction  of  Knysna.  The 
inlet,  since  known  as  Plettenberg's  Bay,  was  visited, 
and  a  pillar  bearing  an  inscription  set  up  there.  This 
pillar  is  still  standing. 

The  Orange  River. --Captain  Gordon,  a  Scotsman  in 
the  employ  of  the  Company,  was  a  member  of  the 
expedition.  He  had,  during  the  course  of  a  trip  under- 
taken the  previovis  year,  reached  the  Gariep,  close  to 
its  conflvience  with  the  Caledon.  In  1779  he  travelled 
through  Little  Namaqualand  to  where  the  Gariep 
flowed  into  the  Atlantic.  He  then  named  it  the  Orange 
River,  in  honour  of  the  Stadtholder. 

The  Fish  River  Boundary.— In  1780  the  Council  of 
Policy  resolved  that  the  lower  course  of  the  Fish  River 
should  be  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  Colony.  This 
was  in  terms  of  an  arrangement  the  Governor  had 
entered  into  with  the  Xosa  Chiefs  he  had  met  with  in 
the  course  of  his  tour,  two  years  previously. 

A  Lutheran  Minister  appointed. — In  the  same  year 
the  Directors  consented  to  the  appointment  of  a 
minister  to  the  Lutheran  congregation  at  Cape  Town. 
It  was  made  a  condition  that  such  minister  should  be 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  75 

by  Ijirtli  a  nativt;  of  tht*  Xothcrlands.  Six  years  pre- 
\  iously  one  Martin  Melk  had  built  a  (fhurch  and 
presenUnl  it  to  the  Lutherans.  This  ehurch  is  the 
one  in  Strand  Street  which  is  still  used  by  Dutch 
Lutherans.  A  notable  event  of  1780  was  the  discovery 
of  the  celebrated  Cango  Caves,  in  the  distnct  of 
Oudtshoorn. 

Official  Corruption. — It  was  not  long  before  Governor 
\  an  Plcttenberg  lost  the  confidence  of  the  people  whom 
he  ruled.  His  neglect  to  exercise  sup>ervision  over  the 
officials  opened  the  door  to  almost  intolerable  abuses. 
Governor  Tulbagh  had  controlled  his  subordinates 
with  a  firm  hand,  and  he  had  an  eye  so  searching  that 
such  things  as  private  trading  or  bribery  were  quite 
imix>ssible.  But  under  his  successor  the  officials  ti*aded 
oi^enly,  and  it  was  soon  found  that  no  business  in  which 
the  Government  was  in  any  way  concerned,  could  be 
transacted  without  bribes  being  given. 

The  Fiscal,  Willem  Cornelis  Boers,  whose  ostensible 
function  it  was  to  keep  all  Company's  servants,  from  the 
Governor  downward,  in  the  strait  and  narrow  path  of 
official  rectitude,  was  one  of  the  most  corrupt  of  men. 
His  position  as  controller  of  trade  gave  him  oppor- 
tunities of  fraudulently  manipulating  the  prices  i)aid 
for  produce.  A  given  product,  such  as  corn  or  wine, 
was  i3aid  for  at  a  certain  rate  if  sent  to  Holland,  at 
another  if  sent  to  India,  at  a  third  if  sold  to  a  passing 
ship.  It  lay  with  the  Fiscal  to  decide  in  each  case  as 
to  the  destination  of  a  given  item.  Herein  lay  plentiful 
opportunities  for  corrupt  dealing,  which  were  cynically 
and  shamelessly  used.  And  there  were  numerous  other 
modes  by  which  the  corrupt  officials  were  enabled  to 
prey  uix)n  the  public. 

General  Discontent.  —The  general  discontent  reached 
a  pitch  of  considerable  intensity  when  a  certain  burgher 
named  Buitendag  was  arrested  in  his  house,  dragged 
through  the  streets  by  black  scavengers  and  placed  on 
board  a  ship  bound  for  Batavia.  The  deportation  was 
l)ei-fectly  legal,  but  the  circumstances  under  which  it 
was  carried  out  rendered  it  odious.  The  authorities  at 
Batavia  gave  Buitendag  permission  to  return  to  the 
Cai^  at  once,  but  he  died  on  the  voyage.  At  a  meeting 
of  the  Council  of  Policy  held  on  March  30,  1779,  a 
written  request  was  presented.     This  was  signed  by 


76  A  History  of  South  Africa 

three  Burgher  Councilloi's  and  four  of  the  Heemraden 
of  Stellenbosch,  and  was  to  the  effect  that  the  signators 
had  been  asked  by  four  hundred  burghers  to  apply  for 
leave  to  elect  four  delegates  for  the  purpose  of  proceed- 
ing to  Holland  and  voicing  the  general  discontent  to 
the  Directors.  The  Council  refused  the  request,  but 
stated  its  willingness  to  redress  any  grievances  that 
might  be  substantiated. 

A  Deputation  to  Holland. — Undeterred  by  this 
refusal,  the  discontented  burghers  elected  the  four 
representatives  ;  these  took  to  Holland  a  long  memorial 
in  which  the  grievances  were  detailed.  Such  mainly 
related  to  trading  and  corruption  on  the  part  of  the 
officials— more  especially  on  that  of  the  Fiscal.  The 
deputation  pleaded  their  cause  in  person  before  the 
Assembly  of  Seventeen,  which  appointed  a  commission 
to  collect  evidence  and  frame  a  report.  A  copy  of  the 
memorial  and  its  annexures  was  sent  to  the  Cape. 

What  was  called  "  Freedom." — The  Governor  and 
the  Fiscal  replied  at  length.  The  memorialists  had,  in 
certain  instances  weakened  their  case  by  complaining 
of  the  exaction  of  certain  fees  which  not  alone  were 
really  legal,  but  had  all  along  been  charged.  The 
Governor  was  enabled  to  frame  a  more  or  less  effective 
reply  by  virtue  of  the  circumstance  that  there  stood 
unrepealed  in  the  placaat  book  many  laws  of  oppressive 
stringency  which  had  (even  if  ever  enforced)  fallen  into 
complete  disuse.  Thus  he  endeavoured  to  show  that 
he  had  in  certain  instances  foregone  the  right  to  play 
the  tyrant.  He  practically  denied  that  the  burghers 
had  any  rights  whatever  except  what  had  been  granted 
to  them  by  the  Company's  grace.  This  peculiar  vicAV 
he  based  upon  the  terms  of  the  discharge  certificate 
granted  to  soldiers  and  sailors  who  were  permitted  to 
leave  the  Company's  service  and  become  burghers, 
completely  ignoring  the  circumstance  that  many  of  the 
burghers  were  immigrants  who  had  never  been  in  such 
service.  The  following  is  a  specimen  of  the  charters 
of  burghership  issued  to  men  leaving  the  Company's 
employ : — 

"  Joachim  van  Plettenberg,  Governor  of  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope  and  its  dependencies,  greeting  :  Whereas 
Johan  Hendrick  Gans,  of  Lippolsberg,  who  arrived  here 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  77 

in  tlie  year  1770,  with  the  sliip  Veldhocn,  as  soldier  at 
the  |)ay  of  nine  guildeis  ju'r  month,  hath  by  |3etition 
particularly  requested  of  us  to  be  discharged  from  the 
service  of  the  Honourable  Company  and  to  be  ap- 
pointed as  burgher,  having  duly  served  the  Honourable 
Company. 

"  Wherefore,  Ave  graciously  grant  his  request  to 
earn  his  livelihood  here,  or  elsewhere  within  the 
colony,  wuth  his  handicraft  as  a  tailor;  but  that  he 
shall  not  be  allowed  to  abandon  the  same,  or  to  adopt 
any  other  mode  of  living,  unless  he  shall  first  have 
obtained  special  permission  thereto  from  this  Council, 
and  that  he  shall  not  petition  for  any  grant  of  land 
from  the  Honourable  Company,  which  specially  resei^ves 
the  right  and  power,  at  any  time  when  it  may  be 
deemed  necessary,  or  whenever  his  conduct  shall  not 
be  proper,  to  take  him  back  into  service  in  his  old 
capacity  and  pay,  and  to  transport  him  hence,  if 
thought  fit,  further  submitting  him  to  all  such  pla- 
caats  as  have  already,  or  may  in  future  be  enacted 
regarding  freemen. 

"  Done  at  the  Castle  of  Good  Hope, 
"September  5,  1780. 

"  J.  VAN   PLETTENBERG. 
"O.  M.  Bergh,  Secretary." 

The  contention  that  burghers  who  had  previously 
been  in  the  service  of  the  Company  could  be  forced 
back  into  such  service,  or  deported,  was  thus  in  ac- 
cordance with  law,  but  Fiscal  Boers  contended  that 
the  condition  imposed  upon  the  father  could  be  ex- 
tended to  the  son,  and  as  the  Fiscal  was  the  highest 
local  legal  autliority,  this  contention  was  acted  upon 
in  the  case  of  men  who  made  themselves  inconvenient 
to  the  Administration.  In  his  reply  to  the  memorial, 
in  dealing  with  this  particular  ix>int,  Mr.  Boers  wrote — 

"  I  sacredly  confess,  that  I  cannot  discern  wherein 
the  fine  distinction  and  high  preference  of  the  rights 
of  children  above  those  of  parents  can  reside." 

War  having  broken  out  between  England  and  the 
Netherlands,  the  replies  of  the  accused  officials  could 
not  be  transmitted  for  upwaixis  of  a  year.  Both  tlie 
Governor  and  the  Fiscal  had  retiuesteil  jK»rmission  to 
iHJsign  their  respective  posts.    The  resiguatiou  of  Mr. 


78  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Boers  was  accepted  at  once,  but  he  was  required  to 
furnish  bail  to  the  amount  of  £100  should  he  leave  the 
colony  before  the  charges  made  against  him  had  been 
adjudicated  upon. 

Recall  of  Governor  van  Plettenberg. — Towards  the 
end  of  1783  the  committee  which  had  been  appointed 
by  the  Chamber  of  Seventeen  furnished  its  report.  Its 
terms  were  to  the  effect  that  the  complaints  had  been 
made  by  only  a  section  of  the  burghers,  that  the 
charges  against  the  officials  had  not  been  proved,  and 
that  no  changes  either  in  the  laws  or  in  the  methods 
of  administering  the  affairs  of  the  Colony  should 
be  made.  Naturally,  this  caused  great  indignation. 
Other  memorials  embodying  complaints  were  sent  in. 
Eventually,  in  1785,  Governor  van  Plettenberg  was 
recalled,  on  the  pretext  that  an  officer  of  military 
experience  was  required  to  fill  the  post  of  Governor  of 
the  Cape  Colony. 

The  First  KaflBr  War. — In  1779  there  arose  strife 
among  the  Bantu  clans  beyond  the  colonial  boundary. 
A  result  of  this  was  that  several  of  these  clans  crossed 
the  Fish  River  and  took  possession  of  large  tracts  in 
what  is  now  the  district  of  Somerset  East,  and  in 
Lower  Albany,  Several  commandos  took  the  field 
against  the  intruders,  defeated  them,  and  captured 
large  numbers  of  their  cattle.  However,  the  expulsion 
was  not  complete  ;  moreover,  additional  numbers  of 
Natives  poured  in.  In  October,  1780,  the  Council  of 
Policy  appointed  an  experienced  frontiersman,  named 
Adriaan  van  Jaarsveld,  as  Commandant  of  the  Eastern 
Frontier.  In  May  of  the  following  year  van  J  aarsveld 
collected  a  commando  and  took  the  field.  He  formed 
two  laagers,  and  then  with  a  force  of  ninety-two 
burghers  and  forty  Hottentots  attacked  the  Bantu, 
utterly  defeated  and  drove  them  across  the  boundary. 
This  engagement  took  place  on  July  19.  Over  five 
thousand  head  of  cattle  were  captured ;  these  were 
divided  among  the  burghers.  After  some  hesitation 
the  Council  of  Policy  endorsed  this  proceeding,  but 
notified  at  the  same  time  that  their  having  done  so 
was  not  to  be  taken  as  forming  a  precedent.  Thus 
the  first  Kaffir  War  came  to  a  close.  Van  Jaarsveld' s 
expedition  marked  the  inception  of  the  commando 
system  as  employed  against  the  Bantu. 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  79 

A  Defence  Force  enrolled. — In  the  mean  time  im- 
portant events,  the  effect  of  which  was  to  be  felt  in 
South  Africa,  had  been  takinj<  place  in  Euroiw.  In 
December,  1780,  England  declared  war  against  Holland 
and  Prance.  This  only  became  known  at  the  Cai)e  on 
March  31  of  the  following  year.  The  defences  of  the 
colony  were  in  but  a  poor  condition.  The  garrison 
nominally  consisted  of  530  soldiers,  but  upwards  of 
one-fourth  of  these  had  been  permitted  to  take  service 
with  farmers,  and  many  were  so  far  off  that  they  could 
not  be  recalled  to  the  colours  without  considerable 
delay.  At  Cape  Town  there  were  a  number  of  civil 
servants,  tradesmen,  and  free  blacks  who,  though 
almost  undrilled,  were  at  least  capable  of  bearing 
arms.  The  burghers  at  a  distance  were  too  constantly 
engaged  in  protecting  their  families  and  their  property 
from  Bushman  marauders  to  admit  of  their  reinforcing 
the  Cape  garrison.  Moreover,  the  Bantu  clans  never 
for  long  respected  the  arrangement  in  terms  of  which 
they  had  to  remain  to  the  eastward  of  the  Pisli  River. 
Force,  or  persuasion  backed  by  force,  had  continually 
to  be  exercised  towards  expelling  them.  But  the 
burghers  of  Stellenbosch — a  district  very  much  more 
extensive  then  than  it  is  now — responded  to  the 
Governor's  call  to  arms,  in  spite  of  their  hostility  to 
him  and  to  the  local  officials.  Half  of  the  Stellenbosch 
contingent  joined  the  garrison  for  a  month,  and  was 
then  relieved  by  the  other  half. 

In  the  mean  time — in  anticipation  of  an  attempt 
being  made  by  England  to  seize  the  Cape — six  India- 
men  were  sent  for  supposed  safety  to  Saldanha  Bay. 
Several  other  vessels  were  removed  to  Hout  Bay,  at 
the  mouth  of  which  a  battery  of  twenty  guns  was 
mounted  for  their  protection. 

French  and  English  Fleets. — In  May  came  definite 
intelligence  that  a  French  fleet  and  a  strong  force  of 
ti*oops  were  to  be  sent  to  protect  Cape  Town  from  the 
common  enemy.  It  had  been  made  known  in  France  by 
a  spy  that  an  expedition  to  the  Cape  on  the  part  of  the 
English  was  in  course  of  preparation.  In  March,  1781, 
this  expedition,  under  the  command  of  Commodore 
Johnstone,  set  forth.  It  consisted  of  forty-six  sail — men- 
of-war,  transports,  storeships,  etc.  It  put  into  Porto 
Prayo,  in  the  Cape  Verde  Islands,  for  the  purpose  of 


8o  A  History  of  South  Africa 

getting  a  supply  of  water.  While  so  engaged  it  was 
surprised  by  a  French  fleet  under  Commodore  de 
SuiTren.  The  English  were  taken  by  surprise,  but 
made  a  gallant  fight.  The  result  was  practically  a 
drawn  battle.  The  French  got  away  on  their  course 
to  the  Cape,  and  the  English  were  unable  to  overtake 
them. 

Capture  of  Indiamen  in  Saldanha  Bay. — When  near 
the  Cape  the  English  Commodore  captured  a  Dutch 
Indiaman,  which,  in  addition  to  a  valuable  cargo, 
contained  £40,000.  He  then  SAvooped  down  upon 
Saldanha  Bay,  and  captured  the  Indiamen  which  had 
there  taken  refuge.  These  had  been  fired  and  aban- 
doned by  their  crews.  In  the  case  of  five,  the  fires 
were  put  out  without  any  difficulty.  The  sixth  was 
destroyed.  These  vessels  were  richly  laden,  and  their 
loss  was  a  severe  blow  to  the  Dutch  East  India  Com- 
pany. Commodore  Johnstone,  feeling  unable  to  attack 
the  Cape  with  any  chance  of  success,  returned  to 
England  with  his  prizes.  The  troops  belonging  to  the 
expedition  were  sent  to  India  under  strong  convoy. 
The  French  garrison  occupied  the  Cape  until  1784, 
when  it  was  transferred  to  Mauritius.  In  the  same 
year  a  treaty  of  peace  was  concluded  between  England 
and  Holland.  The  ocean  route  to  India  was  now 
formally  thrown  open  to  the  English. 

Wreck  of  the  "  Grosvenor." — Among  the  many 
wrecks  with  Avhich  the  coast  of  South  Africa  has  been 
strown,  none  have  appealed  more  pitifully  to  the 
general  imagination  than  that  of  the  Grosvenor.  This 
vessel  belonged  to  the  English  East  India  Company. 
She  sailed  from  Trincomalee  on  June  13,  1782,  with  150 
people  on  board,  inclusive  of  the  crew  and  passengers. 
Among  the  latter  were  several  ladies  and  children. 
On  August  4  the  vessel  struck  a  rock  on  the  coast  of 
Pondoland  and  became  a  wreck.  All  on  board,  with 
the  exception  of  fourteen,  managed  to  reach  the  shore. 
The  men  h^d  no  Aveapons,  except  a  few  cutlasses,  so 
were  unable  to  resist  the  attempts  made  by  the  natives 
to  rob  them.  Breaking  up  into  small  parties,  the 
unhappy  waifs  endeavoured  to  walk  to  the  Cape. 
Nearly  four  months  later,  six  of  the  sailors  reached 
Algoa  Bay.  Upon  intelligence  of  the  disaster  arriving 
at    Cape    Town,    the   Council    at    once   organised    an 


The  Cape  Colony  under  Dutch  Rule  8i 

♦  'Xpeclition  to  search  for  survivors.  Near  the  Fish  River 
three  more  sailors  and  a  lascar  were  met  with.  Beyond 
the  Kei  River  the  exi>edition  had  to  turn  back  on 
account  of  hostility  on  the  part  of  the  Tembus.  Before 
doing  so,  however,  six  lascars  and  two  black  female 
servants  of  the  lady  passengers  were  found.  From  the 
accounts  gathered,  there  can  hardly  be  any  doubt  that 
all  the  others  had  either  been  slain  by  the  natives  or 
else  had  died  of  hunger  and  exix)sure. 

Unknown  White  Women  found  among  the  Bantu. — 
Eight  years  afterwards  a  report  reached  Cape  Town 
to  the  effect  that  some  white  women  were  living  among 
the  natives  near  the  Umzimvubu  River.  It  was  assumed 
that  these  were  survivors  from  the  Grosvenor,  so  an 
expedition  was  sent  to  rescue  them.  At  a  large  village 
occupied  by  people  of  mixed  blood,  three  ancient 
European  women  were  found.  But  they  could  speak 
no  intelligible  language  except  the  Kaffir,  and  had  no 
idea  as  to  their  history.  One  was  named  Bessie,  so  the 
inference  is  that  they  were  English.  But  the  mysteiy 
as  to  what  wrecked  vessel  had  cast  them  ashore  could 
not  be  solved.  As  they  expressed  no  desire  to  return 
with  the  expedition,  they  were  left  at  the  kraal  where 
t  hey  were  found. 


CHAPTER  VII 
(To  1805) 

The  First  British  Occupation 

GoYernor  van  de  Graaff. — A  military  officer,  Colonel 
Cornelis  Jacob  van  de  Graaff,  was  appointed  to  succeed 
Governor  van  Plettenberg.  He  assumed  duty  in  1785 
and  held  office  for  six  and  a  half  years. 

His  Character. — This  Governor  appears  to  have 
been  unfitted  in  almost  every  respect  for  his  post. 
He  was  of  a  grasping  nature,  but  most  extravagant 
where  the  resources  of  the  colony  were  concerned. 
He  was  violent,  arbitrary,  and  headstrong,  and  possessed 
little  or  no  business  capacity.  The  growing  needs  of 
the  Colony  were  ignored ;  the  inevitable  expansion 
north-eastward  called  imperatively  for  administrative 
changes — for  measures  to  meet  the  new  conditions — 
but  the  call  was  unheeded. 

Another  Deputation  to  Holland. — In  1785  another 
deputation  was  sent  to  Holland  for  the  purpose  of 
explaining  the  situation  to  the  Supreme  Executive  and 
obtaining  redress,  but  the  members  of  the  deputation 
quarrelled  among  themselves  and  thus  weakened 
their  influence. 

Cape  Town  Garrison. — In  1787  the  Amsterdam 
Battery  in  Table  Bay  was  completed  and  received  its 
armaments  ;  on  the  first  trial  of  the  latter  a  gun  burst, 
killing  two  men  and  wountiing  several  others.  Towards 
the  end  of  the  year  a  regiment  of  mercenaries,  two 
thousand  strong,  Avhich  had  been  recruited  in  Wltrtem- 
berg,  arrived  at  the  Cape  and  relieved  a  Swiss  regiment, 
which  was  transferred  to  Ceylon.  The  strength  of  the 
garrison  at  the  castle  was  then  about  three  thousand  ; 
the  artillery  was  believed  to  be  more  than  ordinarily 
proficient,  more  especially  in  the  use  of  red-hot  shot. 


The  First  British  Occupation  83 

Graaif  Reinet  founded.  In  178(5  the  new  district 
of  Graaff  Keiiiet,  named  in  honour  of  the  Governor 
and  his  wife,  was  formed.  It  was  of  immense  extent, 
comprising  some  twenty  present  existing  districts.  It 
inchided  all  the  country  on  the  coast  between  the 
Gamtoos  to  the  Pish  Rivers,  and  extended  westward 
to  the  Zwartbergen  and  the  Nieuwveld  Ranges.  Its 
only  definite  northward  boundary  was  the  beacon 
which  had  been  planted  near  the  present  site  of  Coles- 
berg  by  Governor  van  Plettenberg ;  the  drostdy,  form- 
ing the  nucleus  of  the  new  village,  was  erected  on  an 
irrigable  plain  a  little  over  two  square  miles  in  extent, 
which  lay  in  a  loop  of  the  Sundays  River,  almost  sur- 
rounded by  high,  abrupt  mountains.  The  soil  here 
l^roved  exceedingly  productive  and  soon  supported  a 
thriving  vineyard  industry.  It  was  not  until  1792 
that  a  minister  of  religion  was  appointed  to  the 
settlement. 

The  Bushmen. — The  conditions  under  which  the 
European  inhabitants  in  the  district  of  Graaff  Reinet 
existed  were  difficult  in  the  extreme.  The  wide  bounds 
contained  many  lofty  and  rugged  mountain  ranges, 
in  the  fastnesses  of  which  lawless  bands  of  Bushmen 
lurked.  These  p)eople  were  true  Ishmaelites  ;  they 
preyed  indifferently  upon  European,  Bantu,  and  Hot- 
tentot. Having  no  tribal  organisation,  and  conse- 
quently no  central  authority,  they  could  only  be  dealt 
with  through  the  process  of  extermination.  No  farmer 
ever  dared  to  leave  his  homestead  unprotected ;  people 
never  ventured  abroad  unarmed. 

Trouble  with  the  Bantu  in  the  Zuurveld. — Fi-esh 
troubles  soon  arose  with  the  Bantu,  whose  almost 
continuous  series  of  south-westward  migrations  co- 
incided with  the  European  expansion  towards  the 
north-east.  In  March,  1789,  a  horde  of  Kaffirs  of  the 
Xosa  tribe,  under  their  chiefs,  Langa  and  Cungwa, 
violated  the  agreement  which  had  been  entered  into 
in  1778  by  crossing  the  Fish  River  and  seizing  the 
Zuurveld.  The  European  farmers  occupying  that 
region  fell  back,  but  were  unable  to  avoid  losing  a 
considerable  number  of  their  cattle.  The  landdrost  of 
Graaff  Reinet  instnicted  the  burgher  captain,  Daniel 
Kuhne,  to  assemble  a  commando  for  the  defence  of 
the  district,  and  reported  the  circumstances  by  express 


84  A  History  of  South  Africa 

to  Cape  To^^n,  re(j[uestiiig  at  the  same  time  that  one 
hundred  soldiers  might  be  dispatched  to  his  assistance. 
But  the  Council  decided  against  hostilities  and  censured 
the  landdrost  for  the  most  justifiable  measures  he  had 
taken.  Captain  Kuhne  had  actually  driven  the  in- 
vaders back  to  the  Fish  River,  when  imperative  in- 
structions to  abandon  the  campaign  reached  him.  He 
accordingly  retreated  with  his  followers,  who  were 
indignant  and  almost  mutinous.  None  of  the  cattle 
which  had  been  looted  were  recovered.  For  some  time 
the  Kaffirs  refused  to  retire ;  then  a  rumour  gained 
ground  to  the  effect  that  the  Swellendam  burghers 
were  going  into  laager,  so  the  Kaffirs  suddenly  fled — 
not  alone  across  the  boundary,  but  into  the  fastnesses 
of  the  Amatole  Mountains.  However,  a  few  months 
later  they  returned  to  the  Zuurveld,  where  they  re- 
mained under  tacit  permission. 

The  Second  Kaffir  War. — In  1793  the  farmers  re- 
maining in  the  Zuurveld  adopted  the  desperate  ex- 
pedient of  asking  aid  from  Ndhlambi,  the  Bantu  chief 
located  east  of  the  Fish  River,  against  the  clan 
of  Langa.  In  the  operations  which  followed,  eight 
hundred  head  of  cattle  were  captured  and  divided 
between  Ndhlambi' s  people  and  the  farmers ;  but 
reinforcements  for  Langa  poured  in  from  eastw  ard,  and 
eventually  Ndhlambi  changed  sides.  The  result  was 
the  abandonment  of  over  one  hundred  farms  east  of  the 
Kowie  River,  and  the  loss  to  the  farmers  of  immense 
numbers  of  stock. 

A  Futile  Campaign. — Commandos  were  again  called 
out  both  from  Swellendam  and  Graaff  Reinet,  and  a 
fresh  campaign  was  undertaken.  This,  however,  ended 
in  almost  complete  failure ;  but  little  of  the  looted 
stock  was  recovered,  and  the  commando  eventually 
dispersed,  leaving  the  greater  part  of  the  Zuurveld  in 
l)OSsession  of  the  enemy. 

Loss  of  Confidence  in  the  Administration. — Under 
such  circumstances  it  was  inevitable  that  the  adminis- 
tration at  Cape  Town  should  rapidly  lose  its  hold  on 
the  country  districts.  Crushing  monopolies,  paper 
money  Avhich  was  practically  non-negotiable,  neglect  and 
general  misgovernment  had  their  inevitable  results. 
Taxes  remained  largely  unpaid  and  general  lawlessness 
became  rife.    A  spirit  of  mistrust  of  all  central  authority 


The  First  British  Occupation  85 

bt'came  deeply  inKt'«i»t^<l  in  the  people;  traces  of  this 
spirit  are  still  to  be  seen  to-day. 

French  ReYolutionary  Ideas  gain  Ground. — The 
inhabitants  of  all  the  outlying  districts  became  imbued 
with  revolutionary  sentiments,  which  they  imbibed  from 
French  and  Netherland  emigrants.  One  noted  exixnient 
of  the  philosophy  of  Voltaire  and  Rousseau  w'as  Mr. 
Honoratius  Maynier,  secretary  for  the  district,  who 
subsecpiently  held  the  apiK>intment  of  landdrost.  Mr. 
Maynier  held  the  erroneous  view  that  all  the  depreda- 
tions of  the  Bantu  were  due  to  aggression  on  the  part 
of  the  farmers.  This  opinion  later  became  a  lasting 
obsession  with  an  influential  party  and  was  productive 
of  nuich  mischief  for  more  than  half  a  century. 

Decline  of  the  Dutch  East  India  Company. — In 
the  mean  time  the  Dutch  East  India  Company  was 
sinking  more  and  more  hopelessly  towards  insolvency. 
The  Cape  had  never  paid  its  way  ;  now  it  was  costing 
the  depleted  Central  Exchequer  over  £90,000  per 
annum.  The  Revenue  had  risen  from  about  £17,000 
in  1788  to  nearly  £29,000  in  1791,  but  at  this  rate  of 
increase  there  was  no  prospect  of  overtaking  the  deficit, 
for  the  expenditure  was  also  growing.  Work  on  the 
fortifications  was  stopped  ;  the  Wiirtemberg  Regiment 
was  removed.  Other  drastic  measures  of  retrenchment 
followed.  On  June  24,  1791,  Governor  van  de  Graaff, 
who  had  been  i-ecalled,  after  long  hesitation  obeyed  the 
orders  of  the  Company  and  left  Cape  Town  for  the 
Xetherlands.  During  the  ensuing  year  the  government 
of  the  colony  was  carried  on  by  the  secunde,  Johan 
Isaac  Rhenius.  According  to  a  census  taken  in  1781, 
the  European  population  of  the  Colony,  exclusive  of 
soldiers  and  their  families,  amounted  to  13,523.  The 
slaves  of  all  ages  and  sexes  numbere<:l  17,392;  of  the 
latter  upwards  of  11,000  were  adult  males.  At  this 
period  the  average  annual  number  of  ships  which  called 
at  the  Cai)e  was  about  104. 

Expedition  to  Namaqualand.— In  September,  1791, 
an  exploring  expedition,  under  (me  Willem  van  Reenen, 
traversed  Great  Namaqualand  and  reached  a  ix)int 
considerably  farther  north  than  had  been  previously 
attained  by  any  Euro])ean.  It  was  this  exiKnlition 
which  fii-st  came  in  contact  with  the  Damaras  and  the 
Berg  DamaravS,  the   latter   being  Bantu  waifs,   whuse 


86  A  History  of  South  Africa 

habits  were  those  of  Bushmen  and  who  spoke  a  Hotten- 
tot dialect. 

Copper  Ore. — The  ostensible  object  of  the  expedition 
was  a  search  for  gold.  No  gold  was  found,  but  deposits 
of  copper  ore,  specimens  of  which  were  taken  to  Cape 
Town,  were  discovered.  In  1793  another  exjoedition 
Avas  sent  by  sea  northward  along  the  Namaqualand 
coast,  and  a  beacon,  bearing  the  arms  of  the  Company, 
was  set  up  on  Possession  Island. 

Commissioners  Nederburg  and  Frickenius.— In  June, 
1792,  two  Commissioners,  Advocate  Sebastiaan  Cornells 
Nederburg,  and  Captain  Simon  Hendrick  Frickenius,  of 
the  Netherlands  Navy,  were  sent  to  the  Cape  under  a 
commission  empowering  them  to  correct  abuses,  institute 
reforms,  and  organise  a  scheme  of  retrenchment. 
Further,  they  were  instructed  to  assume  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  colony.  The  Commissioners  found  affairs 
in  a  very  critical  condition.  Upon  arrival  they  were 
met  by  the  Burgher  Councillors,  w  ho  voiced  the  general 
discontent,  and  demanded  that  certain  taxes  should  be 
repealed.  Memorials  to  the  same  effect  poured  in. 
Drastic  retrenchments  and  a  readjustment  of  taxation 
followed.  Certain  items  in  the  schedule  were  very 
unpopular,  more  especially  a  tax  on  the  proceeds  of 
auction  sales.  For  a  month  after  the  imposition  of  this 
import  all  such  sales  were  suspended,  but  eventually 
they  were  resumed. 

Retrenchment  and  Taxation. — The  result  of  the 
readjustment  of  revenue  and  expenditure  was  to  reduce 
the  annual  deficit  from  .£92,000  to  £27,000,  but  the 
wholesale  retrenchment  reacted  severely  on  the  general 
prosperity.  Property  became  practically  valueless  and 
people  were  unable  to  meet  their  liabilities. 

Paper  Money.— To  relieve  the  distress,  a  Loan  Bank 
was  established  ;  paper  money,  to  the  face  value  of  over 
£135,000,  was  issued  and  declared  a  legal  tender,  but 
such  being  inconvertible,  although  it  eased  the  pressure 
upon  individuals  in  some  instances,  did  not  bring  about 
any  general  improvement. 

One  flagrant  instance  of  the  purblind  policy  of  the 
Company  towards  those  under  its  sway,  was  in  con- 
nection with  the  whaling  industry.  In  this  many 
English  and  American  vessels  were  employed,  while 
the  colonists  were  precluded  from  engaging  in  it.     In 


The  First  British  Occupation  87 

1792  colonists  were  i>erinitted,  under  variuiiH  niouo)>(>- 
list  restrictions,  to  capture  whales  and  exixjrt  the 
resultant  oil. 

Moravians  again  at  Genadendal. — In  December,  1792, 
a  tract  of  land  at  Baviaan's  Kloof  was  granted  to  the 
Moravian  Society.  Three  missionaries  established  them- 
selves at  a  spot  which  they  named  Genadendal,  on  the 
site  where  George  Schmidt  had  laboured  sixty  years 
Ijefoi-e.  A  very  old  Hottentot  woman,  who  came  tot- 
tering to  the  first  service,  turned  out  to  be  one  whom 
Schmidt  had  baptised  as  a  young  girl ;  she  was  still  in 
lx)ssession  of  the  Bible  that  he  had  given  to  her.  This 
relic  is  still  reverently  preserved  by  the  Society.  The 
Consistory  at  Stellenbosch  was  strongly  opposed  to 
Genadendal  and  approached  the  Council  of  Policy  with 
complaints  as  to  its  alleged  misdeeds.  One  grievance 
was  that  the  ringing  of  the  church  bell  at  Genadendal 
disturbed  the  devotions  of  the  Stellenbosch  congrega- 
tion. This  complaint  resulted  in  an  order  prohibiting 
the  use  of  the  Genadendal  bell  on  Sundays.  The  two 
places  are,  as  the  crow  flies,  upwards  of  thirty  miles 
apart. 

CommissioneF  Sluysken.— In  September,  1793,  the 
Commissioners- Geneial  departed  for- Java.  Before  leav- 
ing they  handed  over  the  charge  of  the  colony  to  Mr. 
Abraham  Josias  Sluysken,  an  official  of  the  Company, 
who  had  been  stationed  at  Surat,  but  who  was  now 
proceeding  to  Europe  for  the  benefit  of  his  health.  He 
was  given  the  title  of  Commissioner-General.  Mr. 
Sluysken  was  a  sound  business  man  of  grave  demeanour 
and  considerable  taciturnity  ;  he  had  had  no  military 
exiJerience. 

Jacobinism. — It  was  a  difficult  environment  in  which 
the  Commissioner  found  himself.  Jacobinism  and  the 
gospel  of  "  The  Rights  of  Man  "  had  penetrated  to  South 
Africa  and  largely  leavened  the  mass  of  the  Euroix?an 
inhabitants.  The  misgovernment  under  which  the 
l>eople  laboured,  the  absence  of  any  protection  for  the 
ti-ontier,  and  the  general  financial  depression,  brought 
public  feeling  to  a  pitch  at  which  an  explosion  was 
inevitable. 

Insurrection  at  Graaff  Reinet. — An  insuri*ection 
broke  out  at  Graall  Keinet  in  1795.  The  district  con- 
ttuned  some  three  thousand  inhabittints — men,  women, 


88  A  History  of  South  Africa 

and  children — urban  and  rural.  The  great  majority 
were  opposed  to  the  Government  and  dubbed  them- 
selves the  "Nationalists."  A  "National  Assembly" 
was  founded  with  one  Adriaan  van  Jaarsveld  at  its 
head ;  tricolour  badges  were  assumed.  The  district  of 
Swellendam  also  declared  its  independence.  There  a 
body  termed  "  The  National  Convention  of  the  Colony 
of  Swellendam"  came  into  being.  From  both  Graaff 
Reinet  and  Swellendam  the  Comi^any's  officials  were 
expelled  and  local  men  appointed  in  their  places.  Stel- 
lenbosch  seethed  Avith  revolutionary  feeling,  but  did 
not  follow  the  lead  of  the  outlying  districts. 

ArriYal  of  an  English  Fleet. — When  excitement  Avas 
at  its  greatest  height,  the  English  Fleet  arrived  and 
cast  anchor  in  Simon's  Bay. 

France  at  War  with  Great  Britain  and  the  Nether- 
lands.— The  French  Republic,  Avhich  succeeded  the 
monarchy  destroyed  by  the  Great  Revolution,  had 
declared  Avar  upon  Great  Britain  and  the  Netherlands 
in  1793.  This  declaration,  it  was  explained,  Avas 
against  the  kings,  but  not  the  peoples,  of  the  respective 
countries. 

Political  Division  in  Holland. — In  Holland  a  great 
political  change  had  taken  place ;  the  people  became 
divided  into  two  parties.  One  adhered  to  the  House  of 
Orange ;  the  other  became  Repviblican.  The  members 
of  the  latter  dubbed  themselves  "  The  Patriots."  This 
party,  Avith  the  assistance  of  the  French,  gaining  the 
upper  hand,  the  Republic  of  the  United  Netherlands 
Avas  abolished,  and  the  Batavian  Republic  established 
in  its  stead. 

Flight  of  the  Stadtholder.— The  Stadtholder  fled  to 
England. 

He  hands  Cape  Colony  over  to  Great  Britain. — 
The  British  Government  determined  that  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope— the  gate  to  the  East — should  not  fall  into 
the  hands  of  the  French.  The  Stadtholder,  by  his 
mandate,  handed  the  Cape  Colony  over  to  British 
keeping. 

Expedition  under  Elphinstone  and  Craig. — In  pur- 
suance of  this  mandate  the  British  Fleet,  under  Admiral 
Elphinstone,  AA^as  despatched  to  Table  Bay.  It  carried 
a  military  force  of  some  1600  men,  under  General  Craig. 

Muster   of    the    Burghers. — Commissioner  Sluysken 


The  First  British  Occupation  89 

refused  to  <)lK>y  the  Stadtliolder's  maiulaU;.  The  forces 
available  for  defence  amounted  to  alK>ut  1250  men, 
commanded  by  Colonel  Gordcm.  Thej^e  included  mercen- 
ary European  troops  as  well  as  a  corps  of  "Pennists" 
(clerks  and  Company's  officials),  and  "  Pandours  ** 
(coloured  men  enrolled  and  drilled).  The  burghers  were 
called  up  and  responded  to  the  call.  Swellendam  sent 
its  contingent,  but  Graaff  Reinet  was  too  remote  and 
too  much  exposed  to  attacks  from  Bantu  and  Bushmen 
to  admit  of  men  being  despatched  from  there. 

Arrival  of  British  Reinforcements. — Some  desul- 
tory fighting,  of  no  particular  significance,  ensued.  In 
August  British  reinforcements  of  infantry  and  artillery 
came  from  St.  Helena.  On  September  3  a  fleet  of 
transiKjrts  with  3000  troops,  under  General  Alured 
Clarke,  arrived. 

Capitulation  of  Cape  Town.— End  of  the  Dutch  East 
India  Company's  Rule. — Resistance  was  noAv  hopeless. 
On  September  15,  1795,  the  Dutch  authorities  capitu- 
lated. The  rule  of  the  Dutch  East  India  Company  of 
South  Africa  was  at  an  end. 

Administration  of  General  Craig. — Admiral  Elphin- 
stone  and  Generals  Clarke  and  Craig  conjointly  assumed 
the  reins  of  Government  on  September  16,  and  held 
them  for  a  month.  Then  Major-General  James  Henry 
Craig  assumed  sole  command.  One  of  his  first  adniinis- 
trative  acts  was  to  guai'antee  the  paper  currency,  of 
which  a  little  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  million  was  in 
circidation.  A  rate  of  exchange  was  also  fixed.  A 
Board,  termed  the  Burgher's  Senate,  was  established 
in  place  of  the  Committee  of  the  High  Court  of  Justice, 
which  was  abolished.  This  Board  consisted  of  six 
members,  and  exercised  generally  the  functions  of 
an  executive  council.  A  proclamation  was  issued 
enacting  a  modification  of  the  tariff  of  dues  payable 
upon  auction  sales. 

Submission  of  the  Burghers. — These  measures  were 
l)oi)ular  and  tended  to  reconcile  the  colonists  towards 
the  change.  The  burghers  of  the  Cape  and  Stellen- 
lx)sch  soon  accepted  the  new  regime.  Upon  an  amnesty 
being  offered,  Swellendam  submitted.  Graaff  Reinet, 
however,  still  insisted  uiK>n  maintaining  its  inde- 
p<»ndence. 

An  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  King  of  England — "  for 


90  A  History  of  South  Africa 

so  long  a  time  as  His  Majesty  shall  reinaiii  in  possession 
of  the  colony" — was  imposed  upon  officials.  Those 
unwilling  to  take  the  oath  left  the  country. 

Attempt  to  retake  the  Cape.— In  February,  1796, 
a  fleet  of  nine  ships  of  war,  under  Admiral  Lucas,  was 
despatched  from  Texel  for  the  purpose  of  retaking  the 
Cape  from  the  British.  A  fortnight  later  a  French 
squadron  set  sail  from  Rochefort.  It  was  intended 
that  these  forces  should  act  in  concert.  But  the  French 
vessels  completely  outsailed  the  Dutch,  and  after  pick- 
ing up  a  few  minor  prizes  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Cape, 
proceeded  to  Mauritius. 

Dutch  Fleet  captured  at  Saldanha  Bay. — The  Dutch 
Fleet  put  into  Saldanha  Bay  for  water.  Intelligence  of 
its  arrival  was  conveyed  overland  to  the  Cape,  where 
the  British  naval  force  had  been  considerably  aug- 
mented. A  strong  military  contingent  was  sent  to 
Saldanha  Bay  overland  and  a  fleet  of  fourteen  warships 
despatched  at  the  same  time.  The  Dutch  Fleet  was 
now  hopelessly  outnumbered ;  moreover,  the  crews  of 
several  of  the  ships  were  in  a  state  of  mutiny.  So 
Admiral  Lucas  surrendered.  The  effect  of  this  failure 
was  to  dishearten  thoroughly  those  of  the  colonists 
who  desired  the  Netherlands  connection. 

Submission  of  Graaff  Reinet. — Graaff  Reinet,  cut  off 
from  its  stores  of  ammunition  supplies,  and  after  a 
military  expedition  had  been  sent  to  coerce  it,  aban- 
doned the  idea  of  independence  and  submitted  to 
British  rule — but  further  trouble  arose  there  from  time 
to  time. 

Another  Insurrection. — Yan  Jaarsveld. — Two  years 
later  Adriaan  van  Jaarsveld,  who  had  been  prominent 
in  the  previous  insurrection,  having  been  arrested  for 
defying  a  summons  to  appear  before  a  court  of  law 
on  a  criminal  charge,  was  rescued  by  a  commando  of 
his  friends.  Again  a  number  of  people  took  up  arms 
and  defied  the  Government,  but  the  rebels  were  com- 
pelled to  surrender  to  a  military  force.  The  prisoners 
taken  on  this  occasion  were  kept  for  fifteen  months  in 
the  Castle  before  being  brought  to  trial,  and  Avere 
treated  Avith  great  severity.  Eventually  some  wei*e 
sentenced  to  death  and  others  to  banishment.  The 
death  sentences  were  remitted ;  the  other  sentences 
were  kept  in  suspension  until  after  the  retrocession  of 


The  First  British  Occupation  91 

the  colony  to  the  Bataviaii  authorities  in  1803.  Van 
Jaarsveld  died  in  prison. 

Lord  Macartney  as  GoYernor. — Lord  Macartney 
was  appointed  Governor  of  the  Cai)e  Colony  shortly 
att«  r  intelligence  of  its  capitulation  had  been  received, 
lie  assumed  duty  on  May  5,  1797,  and  held  office  until 
near  the  end  of  the  following  year.  In  this  appoint- 
ment the  British  Administration  made  an  unfortunate 
choice. 

His  Tyrannical  Administration. — The  new  Governor 
was  an  old  man  and  suffered  from  bad  health.  He  was 
one  who  shared  to  the  full  the  convictions  of  those  who 
were  most  passionately  opposed  to  all — good  as  well  as 
evil — that  the  Fi*ench  Revolution  stood  for.  Liberalism 
in  any  form  he  regarded  as  rank  Jacobinism,  a  thing  to 
be  mercilessly  crushed.  Persons  suspected  of  Republi- 
can tendencies  were  punished  by  having  soldiers  billeted 
upon  them.  Speech  was  less  free  during  the  adminis- 
tration of  this  Governor  than  under  the  most  arbitraiy 
of  his  predecessors.  A  new  and  unqualified  oath  of 
allegiance  was  substituted  for  the  qualified  one  imposed 
at  the  time  of  the  capitulation.  Those  who  objected  to 
taking  it  were,  when  not  banished  from  the  country, 
subjected  to  the  dragonnade. 

Extravagance. — The  promises  made  by  General  Craig 
to  the  effect  that  free  trade  would  be  established  and 
that  monopolies  should  cease,  were  not  fulfilled.  The 
administration  was  most  costly  and  extravagant.  The 
Governor's  emoluments  amounted  to  £12,000  per  annum. 
Seven  of  his  immediate  subordinates  drew  stipends 
aggregating  to  a  similar  amount.  However,  one  most 
salutary  change  was  made:  minor  Government  officials 
were  given  regular  salaries  instead  of  being  constrained 
to  renumerate  themselves  by  means  of  fees. 

The  Third  Kaffir  War.— On  the  eastern  frontier 
matters  remained  in  a  most  unsatisfactory  condition. 
The  Bantu  Natives  continued  their  encroachments. 
The  mistaken  policy  of  conciliation  was  followed.  This 
was  correctly  regarded  by  the  Bantu  as  evidence  of 
weakness.  The  third  Kaffir  War  broke  out  in  1799. 
It  arose  out  of  a  quarrel  between  the  Xosa  chief, 
Graika,  and  his  inicle,  Ndhlambi.  The  latter  ci*os8ed  the 
Colonial  boundary  and,  joined  by  a  number  of  Hotten- 
tots, ravaged  the  eastern  jx^rtion  of  the  Colony  as  far 


92 


A  History  of  South  Africa 


as  the  Long  Kloof  in  the  present  district  of  Humans- 
dorp.  Once  more  the  unfortunate  frontier  farmers 
were  murdered,  i^illaged  and  plundered.  Once  more  a 
force  was  despatched  against  the  invading  Bantu ; 
again  a  settlement  was  arrived  at  without  any  satis- 
faction being  obtained  from  the  enemy. 

Building   of   Fort  Frederick    at  Algoa    Bay. — One 
result  of   this  outbreak   Avas  the  erection  of   a  stone 


From  Cory's  "  The  Rise  of  South  Africa."    By  permission.'] 

THE  BLOCKHOUSE  BUILT  IN  ALGOA  BAY  BY  GENERAL  VANDERLEUR 
IN  1799. 


fortress  which  was  named  Fort  Frederick,  on  a  high 
bluff  overlooking  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  the 
landing-place  at  Algoa  Bay.  Here  150  soldiers  were 
stationed.  Fort  Frederick  still  stands,  its  outer  walls 
intact.  This  building  is  of  considerable  interest,  as 
being  the  first  permanent  stone  structure  erected  in 
the  Eastern  Province  of  the  Cape  Colony. 

More   Turmoil    at   Graaff   Reinet. — Mr.  Honoratius 
Maynier  arranged  the  terms  of  peace.     He  it  was  who 


The  First  British  Occupation  93 

had  licld  the  post  of  hiiidch'ost  at  Grnatt'  Reinet  with 
sucli  unrortuiiate  consiKnuMices.  In  the  ternis  of  the 
settlement,  the  Bantu  were  allowed  to  oceui)y  the  lands 
they  had  invaded.  As  a  reward  for  his  supposed  services 
Mr.  Maynier  was  app<jinted  Comniissioner  for  the 
districts  of  Swellendani  and  Graaff  Reinet — a  most 
imi>(>rtant  post,  but  one  for  which  he  was  totally 
unfitted.  The  result  of  this  step  was  renewed  turmoil 
at  Grmiff  Reinet,  which  culminated  in  the  usual 
insurrection.  This  only  subsided  upon  the  Com- 
missioner being  removed. 

Attempt  at  Settlement  of  Bushmen. — In  1798 
an  attemjit  was  made  to  effect  a  settlement  between 
the  Europeans  and  the  Bushmen.  A  number  of  the 
latter  agreed  to  occupy  the  land  Avhich  was  beyond  the 
north-eastern  boundary  of  the  Colony  and  devote 
themselves  to  stock-breeding.  Towards  this  end  a 
number  of  sheep  and  cattle  were  contributed  by 
farmers  and  handed  over  to  the  wild  men.  But  the 
experiment  failed ;  the  Bushmen,  having  no  tribal 
organisation,  could  not  be  controlled.  Only  those 
individuals  who  actually  owned  stock  would  abide  by 
the  agreement.  The  experiment  came  finally  to  an  end 
when  the  Bushmen  stockowners  were  plundered  by  the 
wilder  Bushmen  from  the  north. 

The  London  Missionary  Society. — In  1799  the 
London  Missionary  Society  began  its  operations  in 
South  Africa.  The  celebrated  (or  notorious)  Dr.  van 
der  Kemp  was  one  of  the  first  missionaries.  He 
endeavoured  to  establish  himself  in  Gaika's  country* 
but,  finding  the  difficulties  there  insurmountable, 
proceeded  to  Graaff  Reinet  and  laboured  at  christianis- 
ing the  Hottentots.  Dr.  van  der  Kemp  some  few  years 
afterwaix^ls  purchased  a  black  slave  girl  and  married 
her. 

Dr.  Yan  der  Kemp.— Graaff  Reinet  at  this  time 
liad  become  an  asylum  for  Hottentot  waifs.  These  un- 
happy ptiople,  between  the  upi)er  and  the  nether  mill- 
stones of  the  Euroi)ean  and  the  Bantu,  were  in  a  sorry 
case.  Dispossessed  of  their  land,  unfitted  by  their 
exclusively  nomadic  life  for  a  settled  existence,  it  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at  that  they  took  to  marauding.  Later, 
in  1802,  the  Government  granted  a  site  in  the  vicinity 
of  Algoa  Bay  to  the  Loudon  Missionary  Society,  and 


94  A  History  of  South  Africa 

thither  Dr.  van  der  Kemp,  accompanied  by  two  other 
missionaries,  named  Read  and  van  der  Lingen,  pro- 
ceeded with  several  hundred  Hottentots.  Thus  the 
mission  station  at  Bethelsdorp  came  to  be  established. 
It  was  a  spot  destined  in  after  years  to  become  a  storm 
centre  of  conflicting  ideals.  Whatever  mistakes  Dr. 
van  der  Kemp  and  his  colleagues  may  have  made,  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  their  unsuccessful  attempts  to 
conserve  the  remnants  of  the  Hottentot  race  w^ere 
dictated  by  the  purest  philanthropy.  However,  the 
adoption  of  settled  industrial  pursuits  was  quite 
foreign  to  the  nature  and  proclivities  of  the  Hottentot. 
Even  while  on  the  road  to  the  new  settlements  most 
of  the  men  of  the  party  deserted  and  recommenced 
marauding. 

Hostilities  with  Hottentots  and  Bantu.  —  In 
February,  1802,  an  attack  was  made  by  a  Swellendam 
commando  upon  some  Hottentot  marauders  kraalled 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Sundays  River.  The  Bantu  of 
the  Zuurveld  joined  the  Hottentots.  Once  more  the 
Border  blazed,  and  the  country  was  soon  laid  waste  as 
far  Avestward  as  the  site  of  the  present  village  of 
George. 

Sir  George  Young  as  Governor. — In  November, 
1798,  Lord  Macartney  left  the  Colony  and  handed  over 
the  reins  of  government  to  Major  Dundas,  who  held 
office  as  Acting-Governor  until  December,  1799,  when 
Sir  George  Young  arrived  and  took  the  oaths  of 
office. 

His  Misdemeanours. — No  one  less  suited  to  the  post 
ever  held  the  position  of  Governor  of  South  Africa  ;  in 
April,  1801,  he  was  dismissed  ;  subsequent  investigations 
convicted  him  of  corruption  and  many  other  mis- 
demeanours. One  of  the  most  serious  of  the  latter  was 
connected  with  the  issue  of  letters  of  marque  to  a 
privateer  vessel.  The  inquiry  into  this  matter  w^as 
advisedly  abandoned  before  the  bottom  had  been 
reached,  but  enough  was  revealed  to  show  that  some- 
thing not  very  different  from  piracy  had  been  practised 
under  the  Governor's  authority. 

Lord  Glenbervie  was  appointed  to  succeed  Sir 
George  Young,  but  as  he  never  assumed  the  duties  of 
his  office.  Major -General  Dundas  held  the  appointment 
of  Acting-Governor  until  the  retrocession  of  the  Colony 


The  First  British  Occupation  95 

to  the  Batavian  authorities  in  IHO'S.  During  this 
period  conditions  on  the  frontier  did  not  materially 
improve,  and  it  is  a  matter  for  marvel  that  the 
Europeans,  neglected,  hampered,  misunderstood  and 
misgovcriied  as  they  were,  managed  to  hold  their  own. 

Captain  Adam  Kok. — One  result  of  the  Bantu  and 
Hottentot  depredations  on  the  eastern  frontier  was  a 
scarcity  of  meat  in  Cape  Town;  With  the  object  of 
tapping  a  fresh  source  of  supply,  an  expedition,  under 
the  joint  conmiand  of  Mr.  Pieter  Truter,  a  member  of 
the  High  Court  of  Justice,  and  Dr.  Somerville,  started 
from  Cape  Town  in  October,  1801,  and  penetrated  the 
Bechuana  country  as  far  as  Lithako.  The  party 
returned  to  Cape  Town  in  April,  1802,  with  212  head  of 
cattle.  On  their  course  the  travellers  had  come  into 
contact  with  various  wandering  hordes  of  Hottentots 
and  half-breeds.  One  of  these  was  led  by  a  man  called 
Adam  Kok,  who  subsequently  rose  into  prominence  as 
a  Captain  of  the  Griqua  Clan. 

Afrikaner's  Freebooters. — Under  his  command  an 
expedition  was  organised  against  a  band  of  robbers  led 
by  one  Afrikaner,  who  for  some  years  had  been  carry- 
ing on  serious  depredations  from  his  lair  among  the 
islands  of  the  Orange  River.  The  robbers  escaped,  but 
over  three  hundred  head  of  cattle,  as  well  as  other 
spoil,  was  i-ecovered  from  them. 

Early  in  1802  the  Treaty  of  Amiens  was  signed,  and 
in  accordance  with  its  terms  a  proclamation  was  issued 
at  Cape  Town  on  February  20,  1803,  releasing  the 
inhabitants  from  their  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  British 
King.  At  this  time  the  inhabitants  of  the  Cape  and 
Stellenbosch  districts  and  of  the  western  portion  of  the 
district  of  Swellendam  enjoyed  a  sufficient  degree  of 
prosi^erity.  The  breeds  of  horses  and  cattle  had  been 
much  imi)roved.  Young  farmers  took  great  pride  in 
their  riding  horses  and  their  long  teams  of  draught 
oxen,  each  team  composed  of  animals  of  the  same 
colour.  Most  of  the  Europeans  lived  in  sober  comfort. 
Luxury  was  hardly  known  ;  simplicity  was  the  rule  of 
life.  Hospitality,  sincere  and  luiostentatious,  was 
almost  universally  practised. 

Commissioner  de  Mist. — In  anticipation  of  the  formal 
act  of  retrocession,  Mr.  Jacob  Abraham  Uitenhage 
de  Mist,  a  distinguished  advocate  at  the  Netherlands 


96  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Bar,  was  sent  to  the  Cajje  in  a  warship  named  the 
Bato.  Mr.  de  Mist  had  been  entrusted  with  the  work 
of  drawing  up  a  phm  of  government  for  the  Cape 
Colony.  He  was  thereupon  appointed  Commissioner- 
General  to  take  the  Colony  over  and  to  instal  as  the 
Governor  Lieutenant  -  General  Jan  Willem  Janssens, 
who,  with  a  staff  of  officials,  accompanied  him.  Trans- 
ports carrying  troops  w  ith  store-ships  and  escort  w  ere 
despatched  at  the  same  time  ;  other  transports  followed 
later. 

Retrocession  of  the  Cape. — The  Bato  arrived  at 
Table  Bay  on  December  23,  1802,  and  arrangements 
were  made  for  the  handing  over  of  the  Castle  to  the 
Batavian  authorities  on  the  evening  of  the  31st.  But 
at  noon  on  that  day  a  British  sloop  of  war  arrived 
with  a  despatch,  instructing  General  Dundas  to  delay 
the  transfer.  A  very  awkward  situation  was  thus 
created,  and  matters  remained  in  a  condition  of  painful 
suspense  until  February  19,  when  a  further  despatch 
arrived,  with  instructions  that  the  transfer  was  to  be 
proceeded  with.  Accordingly  the  Batavian  soldiers 
relieved  the  British  guards  on  the  evening  of  the 
following  day,  and  on  the  21st  the  Batavian  flag  flew 
over  the  Castle. 

Governor  Janssens. — On  the  morning  of  March  1 
a  service  of  thanksgiving  for  the  restoration  of  the 
Colony  was  held  in  all  the  churches.  At  noon  the  new 
Governor  was  installed  in  the  hall  of  the  Castle.  An 
amnesty  in  respect  of  political  offences  w  as  proclaimed  ; 
this  did  not  include  the  Graaff*  Reinet  rebels,  who,  how- 
ever, were  released  on  the  last  day  of  the  month,  after 
spending  nearly  four  years  in  prison.  Officers  of  the 
public  service  retained  their  posts. 

He  visits  the  Eastern  Districts. — On  April  3  the 
new  Governor  left  for  the  eastern  districts.  He  pro- 
ceeded to  Algoa  Bay,  where  Major  von  Gilten  and 
150  men  had  arrived  by  sea  and  were  occupying  Fort 
Frederick.  Here  the  Governor  endeavoured  to  effect  a 
settlement  in  connection  with  the  Hottentots.  To- 
wards this  end  he  made  a  formal  grant  of  the  site  of 
Bethelsdorp,  which  is  about  four  miles  from  Algoa  Bay, 
to  the  London  Missionary  Society.  A  meeting  with 
Ndhlambi  and  the  other  Xosa  chiefs  occupying  the 
Zuurveld  was  held  at  the  Sundays  River.     Thence  the 


The  First  British  Occupation  97 

Gowi-nor  ]iroeeeded  to  the  Kat  River  and  had  a  confer- 
ence with  (Tjiika.  Efforts  were  nimle  towards  adjust- 
ing the  differences  between  the  latter  and  his  uncle, 
Xdhlambi.  These  two  were  at  deadly  enmity,  and  this 
was  one  of  the  causes  of  the  constantly  recurring 
trouble  on  the  frontier.  After  this  meeting  the 
(lovernor  proceeded  northward.  When  close  to  the 
present  site  of  Colesberg,  he  was  overtaken  by  a 
despatch  with  news  of  the  fresh  rupture  between  Great 
Britain  and  Prance.  So  he  hastened  back  to  Cai>eTown 
for  the  purpose  of  organising  the  defences  of  the 
colony  in  view  of  probable  contingencies. 

Districts  of  Tulbagh  and  Uitenhage  founded. — 
In  October  Commissioner-General  de  Mist  started  on  a 
-tate  tour,  in  the  course  of  which  he  visited  the  Tulbagh 
Hasin,  Genadendal,  Algoa  Bay,  and  Graaff  Reinet.  It 
was  decided  to  form  two  new  districts,  one  the  district 
of  Tulbagh,  embracing  the  immense  tract  lying  north 
of  the  district  of  Swellendam ;  this  extended  to  the 
northern  boundary  of  the  Colony  and  included  the  area 
lying  between  the  Atlantic  coast  and  the  course  of  the 
Gamka  River  from  the  Nieuwveld  Mountains  to  the 
Zwartbergen.  The  other  new  district  was  formed  out 
of  an  extensive  tract  which  included  nine  field  cornet- 
cies,  five  taken  from  the  southern  portion  of  Graaff 
Reinet  and  four  from  the  eastern  portion  of  Swellen- 
dam. This  district  was  named  Uitenhage,  in  honour  of 
the  Commissioner.  A  farm  about  twenty  miles  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Zwaartkops  was  purchased  as  a  site 
for  the  new  drostdy. 

Beneficial  Reforms. — The  administrative  measures 
under  the  new  regime  called  for  nothing  but  praise. 
Agriculture  was  encouraged,  and  the  breed  of  sheep  was 
improved  by  the  introduction  of  Spanish  rams;  an 
expert  in  wine-making  was  brought  from  Eui-ope. 
Libei-ty  of  conscience  in  religious  matters  was  secui-ed 
by  an  ordinance,  and  the  preix)sterous  law,  in  terms  of 
wliich  ijersons  desirous  of  marrying  had  to  attend  at 
Cai)e  Town — even  from  the  most  remote  parts — was 
modified.  Thenceforth  any  landdrost  with  two  heem- 
raden  forme<l  a  Matrimonial  Court.  An  attempt  was 
made  to  establish  a  system  of  secular  education,  but 
this  had  to  be  abandoned  owing  to  opi)osition  on  the 
part    of    the     farmers  —  who    absolutely    refused    to 

H 


98  A  History  of  South  Africa 

countenance  any  system  of  instruction  not  based  on 
religion — to  lack  of  funds,  and  to  the  difficulty  of 
obtaining  teachers. 

Reforms  in  the  administration  of  justice  were  also 
introduced,  through  enactments  defining,  amplifying, 
and  regulating  the  powers  and  functions  of  landdrosts, 
their  honorary  assistants,  the  heemraden,  and  the  field 
cornets.  The  latter  were  officers  placed  respectively  in 
charge  of  the  Avards  into  which  the  various  districts 
were  divided,  and  who,  in  addition  to  the  duty  of 
mustering  the  burghers  when  required  for  military 
duty,  acted  as  intermediary  between  the  landdrost  and 
the  people  and  assisted  generally  in  the  administration 
of  the  laws.  A  weekly  post  was  established  between 
Cape  ToAvn  and  the  drostdies  of  Stellenbosch  and 
Tulbagh.  Post-bags  were  also  sent  to  the  other  drost- 
dies when  the  occasion  demanded.  The  northern 
boundary  of  the  Colony  was  now  more  or  less  accurately 
defined. 

A  Census. — According  to  the  census  of  1805,  the 
European  population  of  the  Colony,  exclusive  of  soldiers, 
was  25,757  ;  the  number  of  slaves  was  29,545  ;  Cape  Town 
contained  1258  houses  and  stores  and  had  a  population 
of  6273  Europeans,  1130  Asiatics  and  free  blacks,  9129 
slaves,  and  452  Hottentots. 


CHAPTER   VIII 
(To  1814) 

The  Second  British  Occupation 

War  again  between  Great  Britain  and  France.— Within 
three  months  of  the  retrocession  of  the  Cape  Colony, 
hostilities  between  Great  Britain  and  France  broke  out 
anew.  The  Batavian  Republic  and  France  were  now  so 
closely  connected  that  war  against  one  inevitably  meant 
war  against  the  other. 

British  Expedition  to  the  Cape.— Accordingly,  in 
July,  1805,  Lord  Castlereagh,  who  was  Secretary  of 
Sttite  for  War  and  the  Colonies,  despatched  a  force, 
luider  Major-General  Sir  David  Baird,  to  take  posses- 
sion of  the  Cape.  The  number  of  troops  of  all  arms 
was  6654.  This  force  was  conveyed  and  convoyed  by 
sixty-one  vessels  in  all,  under  the  command  of  Com- 
modore Sir  Home  Popham. 

General  Janssens,  anticipating  Great  Britain's  action, 
had  done  his  utmost  towards  placing  the  defences  of 
the  Colony  upon  an  effective  footing.  But  the  means 
at  his  command  were  very  meagre.  The  garrison  was 
quite  inadequate — a  circumstance  which  he  had  forcibly 
lK)inted  out  to  his  Government;  money  was  scarcer 
than  ever.  However,  the  burghers  were  assiduously 
drilled.  Hottentots  were  enrolled  in  an  infantry  regi- 
ment six  hundred  strong.  A  number  of  Malays  and  other 
Asiatics  in  Cape  Town  were  formed  into  an  artillery 
corps.  At  the  end  of  1805  there  were  over  fifteen 
hundi»ed  European  troops  available. 

During  the  later  days  of  December,  intelligence 
received  from  various  sources  made  it  clear  that  the 
arrival  of  the  British  expedition  might  be  looked  for 
any  day.  On  January  4,  1806,  the  hostile  fleet  arrived. 
It  anchored  between  Robben  Island  and  the  eastern 


loo  A  History  of  South  Africa 

shore  of  Table  Bay.  Next  day  the  surf  ran  so  high  that 
it  was  ahuost  decided  to  land  the  force  at  Saldanha 
Bay  ;  in  fact,  two  regiments,  one  of  infantry  and  the 
other  of  dragoons,  were  despatched  there.  But  in  the 
afternoon  the  sea  became  less  rough,  so  the  main  force, 
instead  of  following,  landed  at  Melkbosch  Point,  near 
the  foot  of  the  small  range  of  hills  known  as  the 
Blaauwberg.  There  was  only  one  serious  mishap :  a 
boat  capsized,  and  the  thirty-six  men  of  the  93rd  Regi- 
ment which  it  contained  were  drowned.  One  man  was 
killed  and  four  wounded  by  a  small  detachment  of 
burghers  firing  from  the  sandhills. 

Battle  of  Blaauwberg. — Next  morning  the  British, 
some  four  thousand  strong,  started  on  their  march  round 
the  curve  of  the  Bay  towards  Cape  Town.  As  it  de- 
scended the  southern  slope  of  the  Blaauwberg,  the 
Dutch  force  could  be  seen  extended  inland  from  the  shore 
across  the  whole  front,  awaiting  the  British  attack. 
The  action  began  with  a  discharge  of  artillery  from 
both  sides.  The  regiment  of  Waldeck,  which  had  been  re- 
cruited mainly  from  Austrian  and  Hungarian  prisoners, 
gave  ground  before  it  had  suifered  a  single  casualty ; 
some  other  infantry  followed  this  cowardly  example. 
The  remainder  of  the  Dutch  force  fought  well,  but 
when  the  Highland  Brigade  charged  with  the  bayonet. 
General  Janssens,  seeing  the  futility  of  further  resistance 
in  the  face  of  overwhelming  odds,  ordered  a  retreat. 
The  British  loss  was  fifteen  killed  and  one  hundred  and 
eighty -nine  wounded ;  that  of  the  Dutch  was  probably 
more,  but  it  has  not  been  accurately  ascertained.  General 
Janssens  retired  to  Hottentot's  Holland  and  instructed 
Colonel  von  Prophalow,  the  Commandant  of  the  Castle, 
to  capitulate  on  the  best  obtainable  terms.  In  the 
mean  time  British  detachments  had  taken  possession  of 
Stellenbosch  and  the  Roodezand  Kloof.  On  January 
18  the  Dutch  General  surrendered  upon  honourable 
conditions,  in  which  the  interests  of  the  troops  under 
his  command  were,  so  far  as  possible,  safeguarded. 

General  Janssens  took  his  departure  from  Cape  Town 
in  the  Bellona  transport.  In  his  farewell  letter  to 
General  Baird  occurs  a  certain  passage  which  is  worth 
transcribing — 

"Allow  me,  sir,  to  recommend  to  your  protection 
the  inhabitants  of  this  Colony,  whose  happiness  and 


The  Second  British  Occupation  loi 

welfare  ever  since  I  have  been  heie-  were  the  chief 
objects  of  my  care,  and  wlio  conducted  themselves 
during  that  period  to  my  highest  satisfaction.  Give 
no  credit  in  this  i^espect  to  Mr.  Barrow  nor  to  the 
enemies  of  the  inhabitants.  They  have  their  faults, 
but  these  are  more  than  compensated  by  good  qualities. 
Through  lenity,  through  marks  of  affection  and  bene- 
volence, they  may  be  conducted  to  any  good." 

Had  the  spirit  of  the  foregoing  animated  all  sub- 
sequent rulere  of  South  Africa,  much  blood  and  many 
tears  might  have  been  saved.  Thus  finally  passed  South 
Africa  from  the  dominion  of  Holland  to  that  of  Great 
Britain.i 

Administration  of  General  Baird. — General  Baird 
assumed  office  as  Acting-Governor  of  the  Colony  and 
held  the  iK)sition  for  a  year.  He  permitted  most  of  the 
officials  to  retain  their  posts.  With  the  exception  of 
two,  all  the  judges  of  the  High  Court  resigned,  and  the 
vacancies  had  to  be  filled  by  men  who  were  not  trained 
lawyers  and  who  could  be  removed  at  pleasure.  How- 
ever, pending  the  issue  of  instructions  by  the  Secretary 
of  State,  but  few  changes  were  made.  The  administra- 
tion of  this  Governor  was  characterised  by  tact, 
sympathy,  and  good  sense.  The  colonists  with  whom 
he  came  into  contact  held  him  in  strong  regard. 
Although  the  great  majority  of  the  people  regretted 
the  transfer  of  the  Cape  to  Great  Britain,  there  was  no 
manifestation  of  discontent — all  quietly  accepted  the 
new  situation. 

The  Earl  of  Caledon  appointed  Governor.— In  1807 
Du  Pre  Alexander,  Earl  of  Caledon,  was  appointed 
Governor.  He  arrived  in  May,  accompanied  by  his 
Colonial  Secretary,  Mr.  Andrew  Barnard,  who  had 
previously  served  at  the  Cape  as  Secretary  to  Lord 
Macartney.  General  the  Hon.  Henry  George  Grey  was 
appointed  Lieutenant-trovernor.  He  had  already  arrived 
at  the  Cape  and  temporarily  taken  over  the  reins  of 
government  from  General  Baird. 

His  Large  Powers. — Power  was  now  more  centred 
in  the  hands  of  the  Governor  than  had  ever  previously 

'  It  has  been  calculated  by  Dr.  Oodee-Molsbergen  that  in  1806,  the 
blood  in  the  veins  of  the  colonists  was  composed  approximately  as 
follows :  Dutch,  60  per  cent. ;  German,  27  per  cent. ;  French,  17  per 
cent. ;  other,  5  per  cent. 


I02  A  History  of  South  Africa 

been  the  ease  at  the  Cape.  Under  the  Dutch  rule, 
appeals  in  criminal  cases  were  heard  before  the  High 
Court  of  Justice  at  Bata\  ia ;  now,  however,  the  Governor, 
with  two  assessors,  appointed  by  himself,  formed  the 
final  Court  of  Appeal.  He  had  also  in  his  administrative 
capacity  the  power  to  mitigate  or  suspend  sentences 
passed  by  any  of  the  courts.  Conjointly  with  the  Lieut.- 
Governor,  he  was  the  Judge  of  Appeal  in  civil  cases, 
when  the  amount  in  dispute  exceeded  <£200.  He  could 
suspend  or  dismiss  any  government  official  except  those 
appointed  by  the  Secretary  of  State,  without  any  reason 
assigned ;  he  could  fix  the  prices  of  produce  required  by 
the  army  and  determine  the  quantity  to  be  supplied 
by  any  individual.  In  these  and  all  other  matters  the 
Governor  acted  entirely  according  to  his  own  will  and 
judgment.  He  was  not  restricted  by  any  Council,  and 
was  responsible  only  to  the  distant  Secretary  of  State. 

Slavery. — In  1807  the  British  Parliament  enacted 
that,  from  May  1  of  that  year,  no  more  slaves  should 
be  conveyed  to  or  from  any  part  of  Africa  in  British 
ships.  Between  1807  and  1811  the  slaves  owned  by 
the  Government  at  the  Cape  were  gradually  got  rid  of, 
and  the  Slave  Lodge  at  the  upper  end  of  the  present 
Adderley  Street,  after  alteration,  was  put  into  use  as 
public  offices — a  use  which  it  still  subserves.  In  1808 
a  slight  rising  among  the  slaves  in  the  Malmesbury  dis- 
trict took  place ;  no  bloodshed  occurred  and  the  trouble 
soon  came  to  an  end.  Four  of  the  ringleaders,  including 
an  Irishman  named  Hooper,  who  was  probably  actuated 
by  motives  similar  to  those  of  John  Brown  of  Harper's 
Ferry,  w  ere  hanged ;  seventeen  others  were  flogged  or 
imprisoned  for  life  in  chains. 

Deyelopment  of  Uitenhage. — During  the  period  of 
Batavian  rule,  the  condition  of  affairs  on  the  eastern 
frontier  somewhat  improved.  This  was  probably  in  a 
measure  due  to  the  judicious  methods  employed  by 
Captain  Alberti,  the  Commandant  of  Fort  Frederick, 
who  also  acted  as  Landdrost  of  Uitenhage.  This 
officer  exercised  considerable  vigilance,  and  several 
times  each  year  visited  the  clans  of  Bantu,  in  the 
Zviurveld.  He  also  visited  Gaika  from  time  to  time. 
To  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  'removal  of  Captain 
Alberti,  Sir  David  Baird  appointed  Captain  Jacob  Glen 
Cuyler.    The  first  endeavovirs  of  this  officer  were  directed 


The  Second  British  Occupation  103 

towards  develoi)ing  a  township  around  tho  iinfinishefl 
ITitonhaj^e  drostdy.  Plots  of  ground  were  offered  to 
l^eople  free,  on  condition  that  suitable  buildings  were 
erected  thereon  within  a  given  time.  As  a  result,  in 
1810,  there  were  461  male  inhabitants  between  the  ages 
of  fifteen  and  forty-five  reported  as  being  able  to  bear 
arms  in  defence  of  the  place. 

Bethelsdorp.  —  Friction  had  arisen  between  the 
Bethelsdoi'p  missionaries  and  Captain  Alberti;  this 
became  intensified  after  Captain  Cuyler  arrived.  Dr. 
van  der  Kemp  objected  to  being  subject  to  the  land- 
drost.  He  took  up  the  ix)sition  that  the  Bethelsdorp 
Institution  was  under  the  Governor,  and  no  one  else. 
To  this  missionary  the  supposed  interests  of  the  Hotten- 
tots were  paramount.  It  is  hardly  too  much  to  say 
that  in  his  opinion  the  Hottentots  could  do  no  wrong, 
and  the  European  could  do  no  right. 

Mischievous  Influence  of  Exeter  Hall.  —  English 
sentiment,  exalted  under  the  generous  impulses  which 
led  to  the  abolition  of  the  slave  traffic,  was  prone  to 
give  credence  to  specious  tales  of  oppression  inflicted 
upon  weaker  races.  Exeter  Hall  exercised  a  strong 
and  growing  influence  upon  Downing  Street ;  reiterated 
assertions  to  the  effect  that  the  Black  was  pei'sistently 
ill-treated  by  the  White  were  taken  as  proof.  Thus  the 
generous  but  mistaken  indignation  of  a  group  of  ill- 
balanced  enthusiasts  weakened  a  righteous  cause,  and 
sowed  tares  in  the  field  of  the  future. 

More  Trouble  on  the  Frontier. — Troubles  thickened 
on  the  frontier  soon  after  Captain  Cuyler  began  his 
duties.  Bushmen  depredations  became  more  frequent ; 
plunder  on  the  part  of  the  Bantu  recommenced.  Regu- 
lations were  enacted  forbidding  the  farmers  to  follow- 
up  stolen  stock.  So  long  as  Ndhlambi  remained  in  the 
Zuurveld  no  security  was  to  be  hoped  for.  That  crafty 
chief  was  visited  by  Captain  Cuyler,  but  without  satis- 
faction being  obtained.  Gaika  was  also  visited  ;  he 
was  then  a  fugitive  after  a  devastating  raid  by  his 
uncle,  and  begged  for  Government  protection. 

Discovery  of  the]  Caledon  and  Kraai  Rivers.  — 
Shortly  after  his  assumption  of  duty  as  Governor,  the 
Earl  of  Caledon  despatched  a  Colonel  Collins  with  an 
ex|)edition  on  a  tour  through  and  beyond  the  frontier 
districts.      In    the    coui-se    of    this    two   considei*»ble 


104  A  History  of  South  Africa 

streams,  tributary  to  the  Orange  River,  were  dis- 
covered. Tlie  one  flowing  from  the  north  Avas  named 
the  "  Caledon  ;  "  that  from  the  south  the  "  Gray," 
which  name  was  subsequently  corrupted  to  "  Kraai." 
Colonel  Collins  paid  a  visit  to  Hintza,  the  paramount 
chief  of  the  Amaxosa,  and  on  the  return  journey  calls 
were  made  upon  Gaika  and  Ndhlambi.  The  latter  and 
his  son  Umhala  declared  that  they  had  no  intention  of 
leaving  the  Zuurveld.  Afterwards  Colonel  Collins  pro- 
ceeded to  Algoa  Bay,  and  held  an  investigation  into 
the  conditions  at  Bethelsdorp.  His  subsequent  report 
upon  that  settlement  was  most  unfavourable. 

The  Magna  Charta  of  the  Hottentots.— In  1809  a 
proclamation  was  issued  enacting  certain  regulations 
with  regard  to  the  Hottentots.  Every  one  of  that  race 
was  now  required  to  have  a  fixed  place  of  abode,  which 
had  to  be  registered  in  the  Office  of  the  Landdrost  of 
the  district.  The  conditions  under  Avhich  the  Hottentots 
could  take  service  with  farmers  were  defined.  In  terms 
of  these,  the  Hottentots  were  satisfactorily  insured 
against  unfair  or  oppressive  treatment.  This  procla- 
mation came  to  be  known  as  the  "  Magna  Charta  of 
the  Hottentots." 

District  of  George  formed. — In  1811  as  much  of  the 
district  of  Swellendam  as  lay  east  of  the  Gouritz  River 
was  formed  into  a  new  district,  which  Avas  named 
George,  in  honour  of  the  reigning  king.  At  the  same 
time  a  tract  of  land  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  district 
of  Stellenbosch  was  added  to  Swellendam.  In  respect 
of  this  period,  several  signs  of  development  may  be 
noted.  In  1808  the  Loan  Bank  at  Cape  Town  was  em- 
powered to  receive  deposits  and  discount  bills.  Water- 
works were  constructed.  These  were  completed  in 
1812,  and  water  in  iron  pipes  with  taps  was  laid  along 
the  principal  streets.  Several  of  the  latter  were  lit 
with  oil  lamps  in  1809. 

Governor  Sir  John  Gradock. — In  1811  the  Earl  of 
Caledon  resigned  his  Governorship  and  proceeded  to 
England.  He  had  used  his  almost  despotic  power  so 
fairly  and  judiciously  that  his  reputation  among  the 
colonists  stood  high.  He  was  succeeded  by  Sir  John 
Cradock,  a  distinguished  military  officer,  who  had  held 
a  high  command  in  Portugal  during  the  Peninsula 
War,  and  had  later  been  Governor  and  Commander-in- 


The  Second  British  Occupation  105 

Chief  at  (iibraltar.  I^idy  Cradock  was  a  (hiughter  of 
the  Karl  of  Chiiiwilliain. 

Bantu  Depredations. — At  the  time  when  the  new 
Governor  tocjk  the  oaths  of  office  the  relations  between 
tlie  Europeans  and  the  Bantu  in  the  district  of  Uiten- 
liage  had  reached  such  a  critical  stage  that  serious 
hostilities  were  inevitable.  Cungwa,  chief  of  the  Gunuk- 
webe  Clan — next  to  Ndhlambi's  following  the  most 
important  clan  west  of  the  Fish  River — forced  his  way 
across  the  Gamtoos  River  in  1808.  He  promised  to 
return,  but  instead  of  doing  so  established  himself 
among  the  mountains  east  of  the  Sundays  River,  and 
began  plundering  far  and  wide.  Ndhlambi  also  moved 
westward ;  when  ordered  by  Major  Cuyler  to  retire, 
he  flatly  refused  compliance.  Herdsmen  were  mur- 
dered and  cattle  lifted.  These  events  hapi>ened  before 
the  departure  of  the  Earl  of  Caledon,  but  he,  in  view  of 
the  Secretaiy  of  State's  strongly  emphasised  desire  to 
refrain  from  war,  was  unwilling  to  sanction  formal 
hostilities.  During  1811  the  number  of  outrages  in- 
creased. Several  farmers  and  a  number  of  Hottentot 
farm  servants  were  murdered  ;  many  herds  of  cattle 
were  driven  off. 

Murder  of  Landdrost  Stockenstrom.— Towards  the 
end  of  the  year  a  military  force  was  assembled  under 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Graham.  It  consisted  of  over  one 
thousand  regulars  of  all  ranks  and  a  number  of  burghei-s. 
Landdrost  Stockenstrom,  of  Graaff  Reinet,  whose  high 
character  w^as  proverbial,  and  whose  consistent  fairness 
and  good  feeling  towards  the  natives  was  w^ell  known, 
when  marching  with  a  small  contingent  of  burghers 
near  Bruintjes  Hoogte,  met  a  party  of  Xosas  and 
engaged  in  conversation  with  them.  The  Natives,  who 
had  surrounded  the  Europeans,  made  a  sudden  attack, 
and  the  landdrost  and  eight  of  his  companions  were 
killed. 

The  Fourth  Kaffir  War. — The  campaign  which  en- 
sued was  quite  successful ;  Cungwa  was  killed ;  a 
number  of  cattle  were  captured,  and  the  Zuurveld  was 
cleared  of  the  enemy.  By  the  end  of  March  every 
Xosa  had  been  driven  to  the  eastward  of  the  Pish 
River,  and  the  fourth  Kaffir  War  was  at  an  end. 

Establishment  of  Military  Posts. — For  the  purpose 
of  pie  venting   the  Xosas   from    returning,  a   chain  of 


io6  A  History  of  South  Africa 

military  i)osts,  reaching  from  the  sea  north-westward 
to  the  second  monntain  range,  was  constructed.  Sir 
John  Cradock  decided  to  station  a  permanent  military 
force — the  Cape  Hottentot  Regiment — in  the  Zuurveld, 
so  he  instructed  Colonel  Graham  to  select  some  locality 
suitable  for  its  headquarters,  and  at  the  same  time  to 
offer  facilities  for  settlers. 

Founding  of  Grahamstown. — Thus  the  present  city 
of  Grahamstown  came  to  be  founded.  On  August  14, 
1812,  the  Governor,  by  notice  in  the  Gazette,  appointed 
a  landdrost  to  the  new  station,  which  still  formed  a 
portion  of  the  district  of  Uitenhage.  In  1813  a  deputy 
landdrost  was  appointed  to  a  locality  on  the  Achter 
Sneuwberg,  called  Buffels  Kloof.  An  existing  farm- 
house was  made  the  drostdy.  This  was  the  nucleus  of 
the  present  town  of  Cradock. 

Levy  of  War  Contributions. — In  December  of  the 
same  year  a  proclamation  was  issued  assessing  a  war 
contribution  upon  those  districts  w  hich  had  not  suffered 
from  the  hostilities.     The  assessment  was  as  follows  : — 

RyksdoUars. 

Cape  Town 15,000 

Cape  district 10,000 

Stellenbosch 12,000 

Swellendam 10,000 

Tulbagh 10,000 

George 4,000 

Serious  Charges    against    Colonists. — In    1808   the 

Reverend  James  Read,  of  Bethelsdorp,  a  colleague  of  Dr. 
van  der  Kemp,  and  who  had  himself  married  a  woman 
of  Hottentot  race — wrote  a  letter  which  was  published 
in  the  "  Transactions  "  of  the  London  Missionary  Society, 
in  which  he  charged  a  number  of  Dutch  farmers  with 
most  appalling  crimes  committed  upon  Hottentots. 
Specific  cases  of  murder  and  the  application  of  most 
fiendish  torture  were  alleged.  The  Secretary  of  State 
at  once  communicated  with  the  Governor  on  the  sub- 
ject ;  and  Major  Cuyler  was  instructed  to  summon  Mr. 
Read  before  him  and  take  his  sworn  statement.  This 
Avas  done  ;  the  evidence  of  certain  Hottentot  witnesses 
was  also  taken,  but  the  statements  proved  to  be  vague 
and   based   upon   hearsay.     However,   in  view  of  the 


The  Second  British  Occupation  107 

Kravity  of  the  cliarges,  the  Governor  instructed  the 
l^Mseal  to  take  the  matter  up. 

A  delay  of  several  months  apjiareutly  caused  the 
liethelsdorp  missionaries  to  believe  that  the  matter 
lia<l  been  allowed  to  drop,  for  both  Mr.  van  der  Kemp 
and  Mr.  Read  again  wrote  making  further  charges  and 
accusing  Major  Cuyler  of  gross  partiality  in  the  matter 
of  the  investigation.  One  of  Mr.  Read's  statements 
was  as  follows  : — 

"  Upwards  of  one  hundred  murders  have  been 
brought  to  our  knowledge  in  this  small  part  of  the 
colony." 

Lord  Liverpool,  who  was  now  Secretary  of  State  for 
the  Colonies,  at  once  instructed  the  Governor  to  hold 
an  inquiry,  and  if  the  charges  made  were  proved  to  be 
true,  to  take  drastic  action. 

The  Black  Circuit. — In  the  mean  time  the  Fiscal  had 
been  at  work  in  connection  with  the  former  charges. 
Lord  LiveriKX)rs  letter  arrived  when  Messrs.  Read  and 
van  der  Kemp  were  in  Cape  Town,  Avhere  a  special 
commission  of  the  judges  was  engaged  in  taking  their 
deix)sitions.  Shortly  afterwards  Dr.  van  der  Kemp 
died.  It  was  now  decided  that  a  commission  of  four 
judges  should  hold  a  special  Circuit  Court  to  deal  with 
cases  arising  out  of  the  charges,  and  that  the  trials 
should  take  place  at  Uitenhage,  Graaff  Reinet  and 
George.  This  came  to  be  known  as  "The  Black 
Circuit."  Mr.  Read,  now  on  his  mettle,  was  extremely 
active  in  raking  up  evidence.  As  a  result,  sixteen 
charges  of  recent  murders  and  fourteen  charges  in 
respect  of  matters  which  took  place  either  before  the 
last  surrender  of  the  Colony  or  upon  unknown  dates, 
were  formulated.  Over  one  thousand  witnesses  were 
summoned  ;  the  result  was  that  one  individual  was 
foiuid  guilty  of  assault  and  six  of  violence.  In  several 
of  the  cases,  although  guilt  was  not  actually  prove<l  in 
a  legal  sense,  it  was  made  clear  that  cruelty  and 
oppression  had  been  practised. 

Without  attempting  to  excuse  such  things,  it  may 
be  pointed  out  that  brutality  was  much  more  (iommon 
one  hundred  years  ago  than  it  is  now,  and  that  the  lot 
of  those  in  subjection  was  everywhere  haixl.  From  the 
re|K)rt  upon  the  circuits  made  by  the  judges  to  the 
CJoveriuuent,  the  following  may  be  quoted  : — 


io8  A  History  of  South  Africa 

"  If  the  reformers,  Messrs.  van  der  Kemp  and  Read, 
had  taken  the  trouble  to  have  gone  into  a  summary 
and  impartial  investigation  of  the  different  stories 
related  to  them,  many  of  those  complaints  which  had 
made  such  a  noise  as  well  within  as  without  the  Colony, 
must  have  been  considered  by  themselves  as  existing  in 
imagination  only." 

In  reporting  on  Bethelsdorp,  the  six  judges  said : — 

"  The  late  Dr.  van  der  Kemp  established  such  an 
overstrained  principle  of  liberty,  as  the  groundwork, 
that  the  natural  state  of  the  barbarians  appears  there 
to  supersede  civilisation  and  social  order. 

"Laziness  and  idleness  and  consequent  dirt  and 
filth  grow  there  to  perfection. 

"  It  is  certainly  not  to  be  denied  but  that  some  of 
the  Bethelsdorp  Hottentots  in  former  times  suffered 
injuries  from  some  of  the  farmers. 

"  It  is  not  the  less  true  that  there  are  many 
Hottentots  at  Bethelsdorp  who  have  had  a  considerable 
part  in  plundering,  robbing,  setting  fire  to  places,  and 
even  murdering  the  inhabitants." 

The  "  Black  Circuit,"  coming  as  it  did  after  a  long 
period  of  ruinous  struggle,  strongly  embittered  the 
Dutch  farmers  against  British  rule.  Many  of  the  most 
respectable  residents  on  the  frontier  had  been  charged 
with  serious  crimes  upon  utterly  flimsy  evidence,  and 
subjected,  not  only  to  great  anxiety  and  inconvenience, 
but  to  heavy  expenditure  which  they  could  ill  afford. 
It  was  also  noted  that  whereas  complaints  of  Hottentot 
and  Bantvi  depredations,  extending  over  a  long  series 
of  years,  had  been  taken  but  little  notice  of,  the 
charges  made  by  the  missionaries — charges  in  the  large 
number  of  instances  patently  preposterous — were  the 
occasion  of  immediate  and  vigorous  action  on  the  part 
of  the  British  Government.  This  episode  was  one  of 
the  causes  of  the  "  Great  Trek"  which  took  place  some 
twenty  years  later. 

Establishment  of  Circuit  Courts. — In  1811  a  most 
salutary  change  in  the  manner  of  administering  justice 
was  introduced.  Hitherto  all  important  eases  had  to 
be  tried  in  Cape  Town,  to  the  great  inconvenience  of 
every  one  concerned ;  now,  however,  circuit  courts  were 
established.  Twice  each  year  one  of  the  Judges  of 
the  High  Court  of  Justice  held  a  court  at  the  drostdy 


The  Second  British  Occupation  109 

of  t'ach  district  and  dealt  with  all  eases  beyond  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  landdrost.  Such  judges  also  in- 
spected the  district  accounts  and  reported  generally 
upon  local  affairs. 

Fixity  of  Land  Tenure.— In  1813  fixity  of  tenure  in 
i'csi)ect  of  land  was  introduced.  Hitherto  any  vacant 
land  could  be  taken  up,  its  size  being  a  circle,  the 
periphery  of  which  was  not  more  than  half  an  hour's 
Avalk  in  every  direction  from  the  central  beacon. 
These  holdings  were  called  "  loan  places,"  for  such  an 
annual  rent  of  twenty-four  ryksdoUars  was  paid.  The 
leases  were  for  one  year;  however,  according  to 
established  usage,  they  could  be  indefinitely  extended 
by  mere  payment  of  the  rent.  Now,  however,  these 
"  loan  places  "  were  surveyed,  their  size  being  limited 
to  3000  morgen.  A  moderate  annual  quit-rent,  varying 
according  to  the  quality  and  situation  of  the  land,  was 
imposed,  and  a  definite  title-deed  issued  in  each  case. 
In  the  same  year  the  tract  of  country,  hitherto  known 
as  the  Zuurveld,  was  named  "  Albany,"  and  deputy 
landdrosts  were  appointed  to  what  are  now  the 
districts  of  Caledon  and  ClanwiUiam. 

A  Punitive  Expedition.— In  October,  1813,  Sir  John 
Cradock  undertook  a  tour  through  the  Colony.  He 
took  the  opportunity  of  holding  an  inquiry  into  the 
relations  between  the  frontier  farmers  and  the  Xosas. 
In  the  course  of  this  trip,  having  ascertained  that 
further  depredations  had  been  committed  by  the 
Xosas,  the  Government  called  out  a  commando  of 
Graaff  Reinet  and  Uitenhage  burghers  and  swept  the 
forest  country  near  the  source  of  the  Kat  river. 
Between  2000  and  3000  cattle  were  captured ;  the 
expedition  had  no  other  results. 

The  Governop's  Testimony  to  the  Frontier  Farmers. 
— Upon  returning  to  Cape  Town  the  Governor  published 
a  statement  in  the  Gazette  from  which  the  following 
is  an  extract : — 

"  His  Excellency  has  had  the  further  satisfaction 
and  proof  of  the  good  and  unoffending  conduct  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  frontier  towards  the  Kaffir  tribes, 
tlui  faithless  and  imrelenting  disturbei-s  of  the  peace 
and  prosperity  of  this  colony." 

Sir  John  Cradock  resigned  the  governorship  and 
deimrted  for  England  on  May  1,  1814.     He  was  a  fair, 


no  A  History  of  South  Africa 

just  and  oi)en-minded  man,  and  proved  one  of  the  best 
Governors  who  ever  ruled  the  Cape  Colony.  One  of 
his  most  useful  measures  was  the  establishment  of  free 
schools  in  the  princiiml  centres  for  poor  Euroj^ean  and 
coloured  children. 


CHAPTER    IX 
(To  1827) 

The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule 

Lord  Charles  Somerset. — Lord  Charles  Henry  Somerset 
was  installed  as  Governor  on  April  6,  1814,  and  with 
an  interval  of  ten  months,  during  which  he  was  absent 
on  leave,  retained  his  post  for  about  twelve  years.  He 
was  the  second  son  of  the  Duke  of  Beaufort,  and  was 
i-elated  to,  or  connected  with,  a  number  of  the  most 
influential  families  in  England.  He  was  appointed  by  a 
Tory  ministry  which  drew  its  support  largely  from  his 
relatives  and  friends. 

His  Character. — It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  Lord 
Charles  Somerset  was  eminently  unfitted  for  his  post. 
Proud,  arrogant,  and  conceited,  he  regarded  opposition 
to  his  will  as  the  unpardonable  sin,  and  acted  as  a 
tyrant  towards  all  who  dared  to  think  independently. 
Nevertheless,  he  occasionally  showed  correct  insight 
in  gauging  the  needs  of  the  Colony — more  especially 
in  matters  affecting  the  border  districts. 

In  October,  1814,  after  the  Prince  of  Orange  had 
landed  at  Scheveningen  and  once  more  taken  his  place 
as  Sovereign,  a  Convention  was  signed  between  Great 
Britain  and  the  Netherlands,  in  terms  of  which  the 
latter  received  back  all  its  dependencies  except  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  Essequibo,  Demerara,  and  Ber- 
bice.  One  of  the  provisos  of  this  Convention  was 
to  the  effect  that  Great  Britain  had  to  pay  a  sum 
of  six  millions  sterling  towaixis  certain  appi*opriations 
consequent  uiK)n  the  international  settlement  after  the 
first  downfall  of  Napoleon.  The  transaction  has  been 
somewhat  erroneously  described  as  a  sale  of  the  Cape 
Colony  for  the  sum  8i)ecified. 


112  A  History  of  South  Africa 

One  of  the  first  administrative  acts  of  the  new 
Governor  was  the  establishment  of  an  exxierimental 
farm  at  the  foot  of  the  Boschberg,  on  the  site  of  the 
present  town  of  Somerset  East.  The  farm  was  sup- 
posed to  be  managed  by  a  board  consisting  of  farmers 
and  officials,  but  Lord  Charles  Somerset  soon  dismissed 
the  board  and  assumed  the  management  himself.  The 
finance  connected  with  this  institution  was  the  occasion 
of  much  scandal.  The  farm  was  suddenly  closed  down 
in  1824,  just  before  the  arrival  of  the  Commission  which 
was  sent  out  to  investigate  certain  charges  against  the 
Governor.  One  useful  thing  which  Lord  Charles  did 
was  to  import  at  his  own  expense  some  very  superior 
horses.  These  undoubtedly  improved  the  South  African 
breed,  and  made  possible  in  after  years  the  export  to 
India  of  excellent  remounts. 

Establishment  of  a  Mail  Service. — In  1815  the  first 
regular  mail  service  Avas  established  between  England 
and  the  Cape.  Sailing  vessels  were  despatched  monthly 
to  India  via  the  Cape  and  Mauritius.  These  carried — as 
well  as  mails — passengers  and  cargo.  The  rate  of  post- 
age was  3s.  Qd.  per  half -ounce.  The  voyage  to  the  Cape 
took  several  months.  To  catch  the  trade  wind  outwards 
the  vessels  had  to  approach  the  coast  of  Brazil. 

Bezuidenhout's  Case. — In  1813  a  charge  of  ill-treating 
a  Hottentot  servant  was  laid  before  the  landdrost  of 
Cradock,  against  a  farmer  named  Bezuidenhout,  who 
dwelt  in  the  valley  of  the  Baviaan's  River  in  the  pre- 
sent district  of  Bedford.  Bezuidenhout  and  those  of 
the  same  vicinity  were  hardy,  turbulent  men,  who  had 
spent  most  of  their  lives  in  defending  their  property 
against  Native  marauders.  They  were,  like  many  of 
those  living  near  the  frontier,  imbued  with  a  contempt 
for  the  Government  and  with  a  hatred  of  Natives. 
Although  repeatedly  summoned,  Bezuidenhout,  while 
excusing  himself  civilly  in  writing,  i-efused  to  appear 
before  the  landdrost.  Eventually  in  October,  181.5,  the 
matter  was  reported  to  the  judges  on  circuit  at  GraafP 
Reinet,  who  ordered  Bezuidenhout's  arrest.  A  curious 
feature  of  the  case  at  this  stage  is,  that  the  Hottentot 
who  laid  the  series  of  complaints  against  his  master, 
several  times  returned  voluntarily  to  the  latter' s 
service. 

At  this  time  the  farmers  were  still  much  embittered 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        113 

over  the  "  Black  Circuit.'  Moreover,  there  was  con- 
siderable irritation  over  the  retention  of  the  Hottentot 
Cori)s  on  the  frontier.  As  Bezuidenhoiit  was  known  to 
be  a  dangerous  character,  the  civil  authorities  requested 
military  assistance  towards  affecting  his  arrest,  and  the 
only  force  available  was  a  detachment  of  the  Hottentot 
Corps.  Accordingly  a  party,  consisting  of  a  corpi)ral 
and  fourteen  troojKjrs,  under  two  European  com- 
missioned officers  and  a  sergeant,  were  sent  with  the 
Under  Bailiff  to  affect  the  arrest.  On  the  approach  of 
the  party,  Bezuidenhout,  with  two  of  his  friends,  seized 
their  guns  and  took  refuge  in  a  cave.  Here  they  were 
attacked  ;  they  fired  on  the  attacking  party,  but  did  no 
damage.  Bezuidenhout  was  shot  dead  ;  his  companions 
were  made  prisoners.     This  happened  on  October  16. 

Treasonable  Overtures  to  Gaika. — At  the  funeral  of 
Frederick  Bezuidenhout  next  day,  his  brother  Jan  vowed 
vengeance.  The  friends  and  relatives  who  were  in 
attendance  met  afterwards  and  planned  an  insurrection. 
( )ne  Cornelis  Faber  and  four  others  were  sent  to  inter- 
\  iew  Gaika,  and  to  offer  that  chief  liberal  reward  in  the 
shape  of  territory,  cattle,  and  goods  if  he  would  consent 
to  help  the  insurgents  against  the  Government.  But 
Gaika,  after  hearing  what  Faber  had  to  say,  refused  to 
assist  the  conspirators.  The  disaffection  spread  ;  the 
authorities  were  duly  informed  of  what  was  happening 
and  took  steps  accordingly.  A  spot  near  Slaghter's 
Nek,  close  to  the  junction  of  the  Baviaans  and  Fish 
Rivers,  was  the  rendezvous  of  the  insurgents.  Here 
some  sixty  of  them  gathered  together  on  November  17. " 
Next  day  Colonel  Cuyler  arrived  with  a  force  of 
thirty  burghers  and  forty  dragoons.  All  but  a  few 
of  the  rebels  surrenderee!.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
a  certain  number  had  joined  the  revolutionary  move- 
ment imder  a  misapprehension.  When  ordered  to 
turn  out  they  believed  that  the  order  had  emanated 
from  the  lawful  authorities. 

Flight  and  Death  of  Jan  Bezuidenhout.— Jan  Bezui- 
denhout and  two  of  the  more  despeiate  of  the  rebels 
tied  to  the  Winterberg.  Travelling  in  wagons  and 
accompanied  by  their  families,  the  course  they  decided 
to  take  was  located.  On  November  29,  after  the 
\\  agons  had  halted  and  the  oxen  been  released  from  the 
yokes,  a  baud  of  Hottentot  soldiers,  under  a  Europeiin 

I 


114  A  History  of  South  Africa 

officer,  arose  from  an  ambush  a  few  yards  aAvay. 
There  was  also  a  party  of  burghers  close  at  hand.  One 
of  Bezviidenhout's  companions  was  shot  down ;  the 
other  fled,  but  was  overtaken  and  captured.  Bezuiden- 
liout,  with  higli  courage,  faced  his  foes  and  refused  all 
demands  that  he  should  surrender.  With  his  wife  and 
fourteen-year-old  son  at  his  side,  this  intrepid  man 
determined  to  sell  his  life  as  dearly  as  possible.  Mrs. 
Bezuidenhout  loaded  guns  and  passed  them  to  her 
husband  to  fire.  After  he  had  fallen,  mortally  wounded, 
she  hastily  bound  up  his  hurts  and  continued  the  fight. 
Eventually  she  and  her  son  were  shot  doAvn.  One 
Hottentot  soldier  was  killed.  The  women  in  the  other 
wagons  surrendered. 

Slaghter's  Nek. — Thirty-nine  of  the  rebels  Avere 
brought  to  trial  before  a  Special  Commission  of  the 
High  Court  of  Justice  ;  six  were  condemned  to  die. 
Of  those  one  was  afterwards  reprieved.  The  others 
were  sentenced  to  various  minor  punishments.  The 
sentence  on  the  doomed  five  w  as  ordered  to  be  carried 
out  at  Slaghter's  Nek,  where  the  rebels'  muster  had 
taken  place.  The  circumstances  of  the  execution  were 
gruesome  in  the  extreme  ;  the  ropes  by  which  four  of 
the  men  were  suspended  broke  ;  the  unhappy  creatures 
pleaded  for  their  lives,  and  the  plea  was  seconded  by 
the  spectators  in  pitiful  terms.  It  is  perhaps  as  well 
that  the  details  of  the  dreadful  tragedy  which  followed 
are  not  fully  known. 

Technically  these  men  deserved  death  ;  possibly  the 
carrying  out  of  the  sentence  was  in  accordance  with 
the  spirit  of  the  age.  It  is,  however,  much  to  be  re- 
gretted that  the  Governor  did  not  remit  the  death 
penalty.  None  of  those  executed  had  shed  any  blood  ; 
the  two  Bezuidenhouts,  who  were  the  original  causes 
of  the  disturbance,  were  dead.  Had  mercy  been  shown 
it  would  have  averted  much  subsequent  bitterness. 

The  Griquas.  Messrs.  Anderson  and  Kramer.— In  the 
barren  country  lying  between  the  somewhat  indefinite 
boundary  of  the  Colony  and  the  Orange  River,  a 
number  of  people  of  mixed  race  had  wandered  for 
many  years.  In  them  the  Hottentot  and  European 
strains  predominated,  but  in  their  veins  ran  Asiatic 
and  Negroid  blood  which  originated  from  escaped 
slaves.    These  people  came  to  be  known  as  the  Griquas  ; 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        115 

why,  it  i8  not  quite  clear.  Two  luisHionaries,  the 
lleverend  Mr.  Andei*son,  who  was  sent  out  by  the 
London  Missionary  Society,  and  a  Mr.  Kramer,  joined 
these  nomads  in  1801.  Three  years  later  the  mission- 
aries induced  tlie  Griquas  to  settle  down  at  a  place 
called  Klatirwater,  north  of  the  Orange  River  and 
west  of  where  it  is  joined  by  the  Vaal.  Here  a  strong 
stream  gushed  forth  suddenly  from  underground ;  this 
was  used  for  irrigation. 

Founding  of  Griquatown. — The  settlement  flourished ; 
it  eventually  came  to  be  called  Griquatown.  In  1819 
the  Griquas  used  to  bring  down  their  ramshackle 
wagons  loaded  with  wheat  to  Beaufort  West.  Later 
the  settlenu'iit  became  a  source  of  trouble. 

Coenraad  Buys. — Other  communities  of  nondescripts 
migrated  and  settled  in  the  more  or  less  adjoining 
vacant  lands;  some  of  these  were  mere  freebooters. 
One  mischievous  gang  was  under  the  leadership  of  a 
European  ruffian,  named  Coenraad  Buys,  who  had 
formerly  lived  among  the  Xosas,  where  he  had  taken 
the  mother  of  Gaika  as  wife. 

Bands  of  Freebooters. — Although  Griquatown  Avas 
beyond  the  colonial  boundary.  Sir  John  Cradock,  when 
forming  the  Hottentot  Regiment,  called  upon  the 
Griquas  to  provide  a  contingent.  Mr.  Andei*son 
endeavoured  to  induce  compliance ;  this  the  Griquas 
refused.  Mr.  Anderson  journeyed  to  Cape  Town  to 
explain  matters.  Buys  used  the  opportunity  for  com- 
pletely destroying  the  missionary's  influence.  Mr. 
Anderson  was  obliged  to  leave  his  post.  Large  numbei*s 
of  the  Griquas  joined  Buys,  who  raided  extensively 
among  the  Bechuana  tribes  to  the  northwai-d.  The 
tracts  beyond  the  Orange  River  became  more  and  moi-e 
lawless  and  disturbed,  and  a  flourishing  contraband 
trade  in  guns  and  ammunition  sprang  up. 

Formation  of  Beaufort  West  and  Worcester  Dis- 
tricts. -With  the  view  of  improving  matters  a  northern 
district  was  formed  in  1818  with  its  di*ostdy  near 
the  Nieuwveld  Moiuitains  It  was  named  Beaufort 
West.  In  1819  the  village  of  Worcester  was  founded, 
and  a  deputy  to  the  landdrost  of  Tulbagh  stationed 
there. 

Census  of  1819.— According  to  the  census  of  1819 
tlu*  population  of  the  Colony  was  as  follows  : — 


ii6  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Europeans 42,217 

Slaves 31,696 

Hottentots 24,433 

Free  Blacks 1,883 

Negro  apprentices  taken  from  captured 

slaveships 1,428 

The  GoYernor  visits  the  Frontier. — In  1816  the 
London  Missionary  Society  was  permitted  to  establish  a 
station  on  the  Kat  River  close  to  the  present  site  of  Fort 
Beaufort,  within  about  fifteen  miles  of  Gaika's  kraal. 
Here  was  stationed  an  excellent  missionary  named 
Williams.  Depredations  on  the  part  of  the  Xosas  had 
recommenced.  Kraals  were  built  close  to  the  eastern 
bank  of  the  Fish  River,  and  from  there  the  Xosas 
raided  anew  into  Albany.  Again  the  shadow  of 
impending  war  fell  upon  the  border  districts.  The 
Governor  decided  to  visit  the  frontier.  He  left  Cape 
Town  on  January  27,  1817,  and  proceeded  to  Lower 
Albany.  He  found  that  out  of  145  Albany  families  90 
had  fled  westward,  and  that  the  remainder  were  pre- 
paring to  follow.  He  decided  to  enter  Kafifirland  and 
visit  Gaika.  A  force  was  assembled  to  escort  him. 
This  included  100  dragoons,  350  burghers,  and  detach- 
ments of  infantry,  of  artillery,  and  of  the  Cape  Regi- 
ment. An  officer  was  sent  forward  to  prepare  Gaika 
for  the  visit. 

Meeting  with  Gaika  and  Ndhlambi. — The  meeting 
took  place  at  a  spot  on  the  western  bank  of  the  Kat 
River.  Gaika  was  accompanied  by  Ndhlambi  and  a 
large  following ;  he  paused  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the 
river  and  hesitated  before  trusting  himself  among  the 
white  men.  A  number  of  his  followers  were  so  alarmed 
that,  when  they  caught  sight  of  the  Governor's  camp, 
they  fled.  However,  eventually  the  two  chiefs,  accom- 
panied by  several  of  their  subordinates  and  with  a  body- 
guard of  three  hundred  men,  armed  with  assegais,  crossed 
the  river  and  entered  the  camp.  A  long  conference 
followed.  Gaika  declared  that  the  stealing  and  other 
outrages  complained  of  took  place  without  his  know- 
ledge ;  this  may  have  been  true,  for  the  control  exercised 
by  a  Kaffir  chief  was  always  uncertain  and  inadequate. 
A  proposal  embodying  an  important  new  administra- 
tive departure  was  made  by  the  Governor  and  agreed 
to  by  the  chiefs. 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        117 

The  Spoor  Law. — This  was  the  famous  "Spoor 
TiHW,"  which  threw  collective  responsibility  on  the 
inhabitants  of  any  village  to  which  the  tracks  of  stolen 
cattle  hapi^ened  to  be  traced.  In  such  a  case  the 
inhabitants  had  either  to  trace  the  spoor  farther  or  else 
make  good  the  loss.  This  system  obviously  was  capable 
of  abuse,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  in  certain 
instances  it  came  to  be  abused.  However,  it  was  in 
accordance  with  a  well-known  principle  of  native  law. 
(laika  was  presented  with  a  fine  grey  horse  and  a 
number  of  other  gifts,  with  which  he  was  childishly 
delighted. 

More  Military  Posts  established.— One  result  of  this 
tour  was  the  establishment  of  a  double  line  of  posts 
along  the  Pish  and  Sundays  Rivers,  but  within  a  week 
of  the  Governor's  return  to  Cape  Town  the  Xosas  had 
imssed  through  this  line,  and  were  once  more  raiding 
the  Zuurveld.  In  May,  Gaika  sent  to  Grahamstown  a 
number  of  stolen  horses  which  he  had  recovered,  but 
the  messenger  who  brought  them  was  afterwards 
ascertained  to  be  a  spy  in  the  service  of  Ndhlambi. 
Just  about  this  time  the  British  Government,  uix)n 
grounds  of  economy,  made  the  mistake  of  transferring  a 
number  of  troops  from  the  Cape  Station  to  India,  and 
thus  reducing  the  garrison. 

Unbearable  Condition  of  Frontier. — In  1818  the 
outrages  perpetrated  by  the  Xosas  became  almost 
unbearable.  Gaika  protested  innocence,  clamoured  for 
more  presents,  and  gave  permission  to  have  his  country 
searched  for  stolen  stock.  Ndhlambi,  whose  following 
had  increased  by  the  defection  of  a  number  of  his 
uncle's  people,  would  give  no  such  permission. 

A  Punitive  Raid. — A  party  of  burghers  entei-ed 
Kaffirland.  They  returned  with  eighty-three  head  of 
cattle  and  a  horse,  which  had  been  stolen.  A  number 
of  other  stolen  animals  had  been  seen  at  Ndhlambi's 
village,  but  delivery  of  these  was  refused.  A  small 
force  traversed  the  country  between  the  Pish  and 
Keiskamma  Rivers ;  then  it  visited  the  area  between 
the  latter  river  and  the  Kat.  At  many  of  the  kraals 
of  petty  chiefs  stolen  stock  was  found.  A  collection 
(^f  over  two  thousand  cattle  was  made ;  of  these 
upwai-ds  of  six  hundred  were  recognised  by  their 
owuei*8;    the    balance   was   distributed    among    those 


ii8  A  History  of  South  Africa 

who  had  lost  stock,  as  j^art  compensation.  Gaika 
made  indignant  remonstrance ;  he  held  that  only 
Ndhlambi's  snb-chiefs  should  have  been  dealt  with. 
Taking  all  the  circumstances  into  consideration,  the 
seizure  of  these  1400  unclaimed  cattle  was  certainly 
justifiable.  War,  hunting,  and  cattle-lifting  were 
looked  upon  by  the  Bantu  of  the  period  as  the  only 
pursuits  worth  following,  and  there  was  probably 
hardly  a  Xosa  within  fifty  miles  of  the  border  who  had 
not  participated  in  the  plunder  to  which  the  farmers 
had  for  so  long  been  subjected.  It  was  well  known 
that  in  killing  cattle  for  feasting  purposes,  the  Natives 
as  a  rule  slaughtered  the  animals  they  had  stolen  and 
spared  their  own.  Anarchy  now  supervened  ;  murder 
and  pillage  once  more  became  the  ordinary  incidents  of 
frontier  existence. 

Growth  of  Ndhlambi's  Power. — In  the  meantime  the 
power  of  Ndhlambi  had  been  steadily  increasing.  The 
support  and  recognition  which  Gaika  had  received 
from  the  Europeans  tended  to  weaken  his  influence 
over  his  own  people.  Legitimacy  counts  for  a  great 
deal  with  the  Natives,  and  Gaika  was  undoubtedly 
Ndhlambi's  superior  in  rank,  but  Ndhlambi  was  by  far 
the  stronger  man,  and  he  received  considerable  support 
from  two  sources.  Dushani,  one  of  his  younger  sons, 
had  been  adopted  into  another  "  house,"  and  had 
hitherto  stood  aloof  in  the  disputes  between  his  father 
and  Gaika.  Dushani  had  quarrelled  with  his  father ; 
now,  however,  a  reconciliation  was  eifected.  He  was 
a  man  of  considerable  ability  and  strong  character,  and 
his  clan  had  become  powerful  under  that  process  of 
accretion  which  was  so  often  evident  when  a  minor 
Native  chief  showed  signs  of  conspicuous  ability. 

Makana,  the  Prophet.— But  even  a  greater  source  of 
strength  to  Ndhlambi  was  a  man  named  Makana,  a 
prophet  or  visionary  who,  in  spite  of  his  not  belonging 
to  any  of  the  great  "houses,"  exercised  a  powerful 
influence  upon  all  with  whom  he  came  into  contact. 
Makana  must  have  been  a  man  of  genius  ;  he  was, 
moreover,  a  firm  believer  in  his  own  mission.  He 
strove  hard  to  heal  the  differences  between  Gaika  and 
Ndhlambi,  and  when  this  was  found  to  be  impossible  he 
gave  his  full  support  to  the  latter.  His  grand  idea  was 
to  drive  the  white  men  into  the  sea.     Although  not  a 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        119 

( 'hristian,  he  had  listened  carefully  to  the  missionaries' 
teaching,  and  was  strongly  impressed  by  certain  of  ita 
aspects.  It  was  Makana  who  induced  the  Xosas  to 
substitute  burial  of  the  dead  for  exposure,  which  had 
l)een  the  immemorial  tribal  practice. 

Gaika  attacks  Ndhlambi.— Gaika,  fearing  an  on- 
slaught, sent  an  appeal  to  Government  for  help,  but 
befoi'e  a  reply  was  received,  Ndhlambi  declared  war  by 
seizing  the  cattle  of  one  of  his  uncle's  sub-chiefs.  This 
stung  the  pride  of  Gaika's  followers.  They  assembled 
in  council  and  decided  upon  retaliation.  Gaika  also 
had  a  prophet,  one  Ntsikana,  the  composer  of  that 
well-known  rhapsody  known  as  "  Ntsikana' s  Hymn." 
He  strongly  opposed  the  attack  on  Ndhlambi,  and  fore- 
told disaster,  but  hostilities  had  been  irrevocably  de- 
cided upon,  so  the  army  of  Gaika  marched  forth  from 
the  chief's  "  Great  Place,"  in  the  Tyume  Valley,  crossed 
the  Keiskamma  River  and  marched  to  Debe  Nek,  near 
the  south-western  limit  of  the  Amatole  Range.  Here 
it  met  the  foe. 

Battle  of  Amalinda.— Total  Defeat  of  Gaika.— The 
main  body  of  Ndlilambi's  army,  wliich  had  been  rein- 
forced by  a  strong  contingent  of  Gcalekas  sent  by 
Hintza  from  beyond  the  Kei  River,  lay  for  the  time 
being  in  concealment.  Gaika's  army  was  in  the  first 
instance  attacked  by  the  young  men  of  the  hostile 
force— the  "Roundheads,"  as  they  were  termed. 
These  were  easily  overborne.  Then  Ndlilambi's 
veterans,  their  heads  adorned  with  the  sign  of  their 
rank,  the  feathers  of  the  blue  crane,  swept  up  from 
where  they  were  hidden,  and  a  fiercely  contested  battle 
ensued.  The  combat  began  shortly  after  midday  ;  at 
sundown  the  Gaikas  were  driven  headlong  from  the 
field.  The  slaughter  lasted  until  darkness  made  further 
pursuit  impossible.  Then  the  victors  returned  to  the 
scene  of  the  great  struggle,  kindled  large  fires  at 
different  parts  of  the  field,  and  by  the  light  of  these 
sought  out  and  slaughtered  their  wounded  foes. 
Thus  was  fought  what  is  known  as  the  Battle  of 
Amalinda — the  latter  word  being  the  Kaffir  term  for 
some  unusual  depressions  occurring  in  the  groiuid  in 
tlie  vicinity. 

Colonel  Brereton*8  Expedition  against  Ndhlambi.— 
Fifth  Kaffir  War.     Gaika  took  refuge  in  the  Wintorberg, 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        121 

whence  he  sent  an  account  of  his  misfortunes  to  one 
of  the  military  posts.  His  country  was  harried,  larj^e 
numbers  of  his  cattle  were  taken,  his  kraals  were 
burnt,  and  the  corn  looted  from  his  pits.  Lord  Charles 
Somerset  decided  that  it  was  necessary  to  break 
Ndhlambi's  iK)wer.  Accordingly,  in  December,  1818, 
he  assembled  at  Grahamstown  a  force  which  took  the 
field  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Brereton.  From  Graaflf 
Reinet  and  Uitenhage  six  hundred  burghers  were  called 
up.  Commandos  of  burghers  from  other  districts  also 
assembled.  The  force  included  regular  infantry  and  a 
contingent  of  the  Hottentot  Corps.  Gaika's  warriors, 
thirsting  for  revenge  after  their  terrible  defeat,  acted 
as  an  auxiliary  force.  Ndhlambi  and  his  allies  retired 
and  took  refuge  in  the  jungles  of  the  Keiskamma. 
Their  cattle,  some  23,000  head,  were  captured.  But  the 
savage  cruelty  of  Gaika's  people  towards  those  of  the 
enemy  who  fell  into  their  hands  caused  Colonel  Brereton 
to  withdraw  from  the  pursuit  before  Ndhlambi's  power 
was  broken,  so  the  force  returned  to  Grahamstown. 
The  captured  cattle  were  distributed  and  the  burghei-s 
dismissed  to  their  homes. 

Eastern  Districts  laid  waste.— Ndhlambi  now  recog- 
nised that  his  opportunity  had  come,  and  he  used  it. 
He  rallied  his  forces,  fell  upon  Gaika's  people,  and 
scattered  them  like  chafF.  Then  he  carried  fire  and 
spear  through  Albany  and  the  eastern  part  of  the 
Uitenhage  district.  Again  the  long-suffering  burghers 
were  called  out,  but  a  severe  epidemic  of  horse -sickness 
for  a  time  prevented  mobilisation.  In  the  meantime 
Ndhlambi  decided  to  attack  Grahamstown. 

Battle  of  Grahamstown.— Tlie  garrison  there  con- 
sisted of  8.'i3  men,  including  121  Hottentots  of  the 
newly  enrolled  Cape  Corps.  Makana  commanded  during 
the  attack ;  he  had  become  acquainted  with  the  exact 
strength  of  the  defending  force  through  a  spy.  The 
attacking  Xosas  numbered  from  9000  to  10,000;  they 
assembled  on  the  hills  surixjimding  Grahamstown  on 
the  afternoon  of  April  21,  1819.  Makana  sent  notice 
of  his  intention  of  attacking,  or,  as  he  expressed  it,  "  of 
breakfasting  "  with  Colonel  Willshire,  the  Commandant, 
next  morning.  Prei)a rations  for  resistance  were  made ; 
sixty  men  defended  the  East  Barracks,  afterwai-ds 
known  as  Fort  England.     The  i*omainder  of  the  force 


122  A  History  of  South  Africa 

was  extended  eastward  in  a  line  through  the  valley  to 
where  the  railway  station  stands  to-day.  The  attack 
was  made  at  sunrise.  The  enemy,  uttering  fierce  yells, 
swept  down  from  the  hills  and  rushed  ag-ainst  the 
attenuated  line  of  defenders.  They  were  allowed  to 
come  within  thirty-five  paces.  Then  a  volley  rang  out 
and  brought  them  to  a  standstill.  Being  unable  to 
sustain  the  murderous  fire  at  point-blank  range,  they 
broke  and  retired  when  the  defenders  arose  and 
advanced  towards  them. 

Makana  personally  led  the  attack  on  the  barracks, 
which  was  pressed  home  to  the  very  muzzles  of  the 
guns.  The  Xosas  had  broken  the  handles  of  their 
assegais  off  short  so  as  to  use  them  as  stabbing-spears 
instead  of  as  javelins.  But  all  their  fierce  bravery  was 
useless  against  the  white  men's  weapons.  When  the 
attackers  drew  off  they  left  about  one  thousand  dead 
behind  them.  The  European  loss  was  three  killed  and 
five  wounded. 

Fate  of  Makana. — In  May  an  infantry  regiment 
arrived  at  the  Cape,  and  by  the  third  week  in  July  a 
force  of  regulars,  burghers,  and  Hottentots,  nearly  three 
thousand  strong,  was  ready  to  take  the  field.  This  force 
was  divided  into  three  separate  columns.  Soon  the 
enemy  was  driven  with  heavy  losses  eastward  from  the 
jungles  of  the  Fish  River,  and  ultimately  across  the  Kei. 
Thirty-two  thousand  head  of  cattle  were  captured. 
The  power  of  Ndhlambi  was  completely  broken ;  he 
lost  his  influence  and  became  a  fugitive.  Makana 
surrendered,  as  he  said,  "to  restore  peace  to  his 
starving  people."  He  was  sent  as  a  political  prisoner 
to  Robben  Island.  A  year  afterwards  he  escaped,  with 
thirty  companions,  in  a  whaling  boat.  All  the  others 
succeeded  in  landing  on  the  shore  at  Table  Bay,  but 
Makana  was  drowned  in  the  surf.  His  people,  who 
loved  him,  could  not  believe  him  to  be  dead,  and  it  was 
upwards  of  half  a  century  before  they  abandoned  hope 
of  his  return. 

The  Keiskamma  River  declared  the  Boundary. — 
Thus  ended  the  Fifth  Kaffir  War.  The  Keiskamma 
River  was  now  declared  to  be  the  boundary  of  the 
colony.  To  this  Gaika  consented ;  but  it  was  agreed 
that  the  tract  between  the  Keiskamma  and  the  Fish 
Rivers   had   to   remain    uninhabited,   and   was    to   be 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        123 

constantly  patrolled  by  troopH.  For  the  furtlieraiice 
of  this  duty  the  Hottentot  CorpH  was  augmented 
considerably. 

Sir  Rufane  Donkin. — In  January,  1820,  Lord  Charle« 
Somerset  left  for  England  on  leave.  His  place  as 
(Jovernor  was  taken  by  Sir  Rufane  Shaw  Donkin,  a 
military  officer,  who  happened  to  be  i^roceeding  home- 
w  aid  from  India  rid  the  Cape. 

The  British  Settlers  of  1820.— In  1820  occurred  an 
immigration  from  Great  Britain,  which  had  an  im- 
portant influence  on  South  Africa,  and  which  stamj^ed 
t  lie  eastern  portion  of  the  Cape  Colony  as  permanently 
and  essentially  British.  Hitherto,  except  in  one  instance, 
there  had  been  no  organised  immigration  of  Euroj^eans 
worth  mentioning  since  the  period  when  the  Huguenots 
made  South  Africa  their  home.  The  exception  was 
when  a  Mr.  Moody,  in  1817,  introduced  some  two 
hundred  indentured  mechanics  and  labourers  from  the 
south  of  Scotland.  From  time  to  time  soldiers  who 
took  their  discharge  settled  in  the  country.  In  1817 
and  1818  between  six  hundred  and  seven  hundred 
of  this  class  were  released  from  military  service  in 
Cape  Town,  but  most  of  these  were  foreigners  of  more 
or  less  debased  character.  The  greater  number  of  them 
sank  to  the  level  of,  and  mingled  with,  the  coloured 
population.  Several  proposals  for  the  introduction  of 
Europeans  had  been  mooted.  During  Sir  John  Cradock's 
governorship  it  was  proposed  to  introduce  immigrants 
from  Holland,  and  Colonel  Graham  suggested  the  intro- 
duction of  evicted  peasants  from  the  highlands  of 
Scotland.     Neither  proposal  had  any  result. 

After  the  close  of  the  Napoleonic  Wars  the  economic 
conditions  in  England  were  very  unfavourable  for  the 
working  classes.  The  Corn  Laws  were  still  unrepealed, 
so  bread  was  dear.  The  large  reduction  of  the  Army 
and  Navy  had  filled  the  land  with  unemployed.  More- 
over, improvements  in  machinery  had,  to  a  great  extent, 
destroyed  the  cottage  industries  of  spinning  and 
weaving.  In  the  United  Kingdom  the  problems  arising 
<»ut  of  unemployment  had  become  very  pressing  indeed. 

In  a  despatch,  dated  July  28,  1817,  Loi'd  Bathurst 
called  upon  Lord  Charles  Somerset  for  an  expression  of 
opinion  as  to  the  suitability  of  the  Cape  Colony  as  a 
field   for  emigration.     The  Governor   replied  in  most 


124  A  History  of  South  Africa 

favourable  terms  as  regards  the  district  of  Albany. 
This  was  described  as  a  land  extremely  fertile,  and  as 
having  a  splendid  climate.  Cereals,  wool,  cotton,  and 
tobacco  could,  he  said,  be  produced  in  quantities 
sufficient  for  exportation.  The  only  disadvantage  in- 
dicated was  the  danger  from  the  Natives,  but  this  the 
Governor  considered  would  be  neutralised  by  the  settle- 
ment on  the  land  of  a  sufficient  number  of  Europeans. 

In  1819  a  pamphlet  recommending  emigration  to 
South  Africa  was  issued  from  a  private  source  in  Eng- 
land. The  Press  took  the  matter  up  ;  the  London  Times 
wrote  strongly  on  the  subject.  Popular  enthusiasm 
grew,  and  much  exaggerated  views  as  to  the  agricultural 
and  other  capabilities  of  the  Cape  Colony  became 
current.  The  British  Parliament  voted  £50,000  for  the 
purpose  of  assisting  suitable  persons  to  emigrate  to 
South  Africa. 

It  was  arranged  that  individuals  with  sufficient 
capital  and  influence  were  to  organise  parties  under 
terms  to  be  mutually  agreed  upon,  each  party  being 
unconnected  with  any  other.  "At  least  ten  suitable 
individuals  above  eighteen  years  of  age,  with  or  with- 
out families,"  was  to  be  the  minimum  of  each  party. 
A  sum  of  £10  had  to  be  deposited  in  respect  of  each 
family  or  individual.  This  sum  was  to  be  refunded 
subsequently  in  three  instalments.  To  each  party 
would  be  allotted  land  to  the  extent  of  100  acres  per 
family  or  individual  at  an  annvial  quit-rent  of  £2. 
This  was  to  become  payable  after  ten  years  should 
have  elapsed.  The  subsequent  allotment  of  land  was, 
in  terms  of  the  agreement,  to  be  arranged  between  the 
members  of  each  party  and  the  leader  thereof.  The 
idea  underlying  the  scheme  was  that  the  respective 
parties  should  reside  close  enough  to  each  other  to  be 
able  to  combine  for  defence  in  the  event  of  a  Native 
raid.  The  employment  of  slaves  by  the  settlers  w  as 
prohibited.  The  number  of  parties  thus  formed  was 
fifty-seven.  Of  these  fifty-two  mustered  in  England, 
four  in  Ireland,  and  one,  under  the  poet  Thomas 
Pr ingle,  in  Scotland.  The  total  number  of  individuals 
was  3487,  of  whom  1194  were  men,  735  women,  and 
1558  children. 

The  emigrants  started  on  their  voyage  from  various 
ports  in  December,  1819,  and  January,  1820.     Most  of 


£     o 

00 


o 


i- 


126  A  History  of  South  Africa 

the  vessels  conveying  them  arrived  at  Algoa  Bay  in 
April  or  May  following.  They  camped  on  the  shore 
where  the  city  of  Port  Elizabeth  now  stands.  Mr. 
Pringle  thns  described  the  camp  and  its  dwellers : — 

Description  by  an  Eye-witness. — "  I  entered  the 
settlers'  camp.  It  consisted  of  several  hundred  tents 
pitched  in  parallel  rows  or  streets  and  occupied  by 
the  middling  and  lower  classes  of  emigrants.  These 
consisted  of  various  descriptions  of  people,  and  the 
air,  aspect,  and  array  of  their  persons  and  temporary 
residences  were  equally  various.  There  were  respectable 
tradesmen  and  jolly  farmers  wdth  every  appearance 
of  substance  and  snug  England  comfort  about  them. 
There  were  watermen,  fishermen,  and  sailors  from  the 
Thames  and  English  seaports,  with  the  reckless  and 
weatherbeaten  look  usual  in  persons  of  their  perilous 
and  precarious  professions.  There  were  numerous 
groups  of  pale-visaged  artisans  and  operative  manu- 
facturers from  London  and  other  large  towns,  of  whom, 
doubtless,  a  certain  proportion  w^ere  persons  of  highly 
reputable  character  and  steady  habits  ;  but  a  far  larger 
proportion  were  squalid  in  their  aspect,  slovenly  in 
their  attire  and  domestic  arrangements,  and  dis- 
contented and  discourteous  in  their  demeanour.  Lastly, 
there  w^ere  parties  of  pauper  agricultural  labourers, 
sent  out  by  the  aid  of  their  respective  parishes, 
healthier,  perhaps,  than  the  class  just  mentioned,  but 
not  apparently  happier  in  mind,  nor  less  generally 
demoralised  by  the  outw  ard  influence  of  their  former 
social  condition.  On  the  whole,  they  formed  a  motley 
and  unprepossessing  collection  of  people.  Guessing 
vaguely  from  my  observations  on  this  occasion  and  on 
subsequent  rambles  through  their  locations,  I  should 
say  that  probably  about  one-third  were  persons  of 
real  respectability  of  character  and  possessed  of  some 
worldly  substance,  but  that  the  remaining  two-thirds 
were  for  the  most  part  composed  of  individuals  of  a 
very  unpromising  description — persons  who  had  hung 
loose  upon  society,  low  in  morals,  and  desperate  in 
circumstances." 

The  four.  Irish  parties  had  been  sent  to  the  Clan- 
william  district  to  be  located  there,  but  as  the  land  w^as 
found  to  be  unsuitable  they  were  subsequently  removed 
to  Albany.    Several  additional  parties  were  despatched 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        127 

lining  Uu!  next  and  the  following  yeai'S.  One  of  the 
liips  conveying  these,  the  Abeona,  was  burnt  at  sea, 
with  a  loss  of  1 11  lives. 

The  Settlers  reach  their  Locations. — Some  two 
liun<lred  ox-wagons  had  Ix'en  re((uisitioned  by  Govern- 
ment for  the  pnrjKjse  of  conveying  the  settlers  to  their 
icspec'tive  locations,  which  it  took  from  ten  to  twelve 
•  lays  to  reach.  These  wagons  had  to  make  several 
trips  before  the  distribution  had  been  completed.  As 
each  party  arrived  at  its  destination  the  families  were 
off-loaded  with  their  belongings  in  the  oijen  veld.  Tents 
were  lent  by  Government,  and  depdts  formed  here  and 
there  from  which,  for  a  limited  period,  rations  could 
))c  drawn. 

Their  Ignorance  of  Agriculture. — The  country  was 
beautiful  to  the  eye :  grass-covered  and  sprinkled  with 
mimosa  trees  ;  most  of  the  valleys  were  filled  with 
forest.  But  many  of  the  locations  were  quite  unsuited 
to  the  purpose  for  which  they  had  been  selected ; 
consequently  bitter  dissatisfaction  and  many  disputes 
filled  the  early  days.  Comparatively  few  of  the  settlers 
were  agriculturists,  and  those  few  knew  nothing  of 
South  African  agriculture,  the  successful  pursuit  of 
which  required  a  special  training.  The  efforts  towards 
cultivation  were  in  some  instances  grotesque ;  we  read 
of  one  man  who  attempted  to  grow  carrots  by  burying 
the  seed  in  a  trench  two  feet  deep;  of  another  who 
sowed  maize  without  removing  the  grains  fi-om  the 
cob.  Before  long  it  became  evident  that  the  great 
majority  of  the  immigrants  would  have  either  to  leave 
the  locations  or  starve. 

Sir  Rufane  Donkin  did  all  in  his  power  to  assist  the 
strangers.  He  came  to  Algoa  Bay  while  they  were 
being  disembarked,  and  when  the  parties  movetl  inland 
he  followed  and  personally  inspected  many  of  the 
locations,  greeting  the  people  with  friendliness  and 
doing  his  best  to  cheer  the  discouraged.  Seeing  the 
need  of  some  administrative  centre  more  conveniently 
situated  than  Grahamstown,  he  fixed  upon  a  fertile 
undulating  tract  on  the  edge  of  the  forest  which 
boixiers  the  Kouie  River  on  the  eastward,  and  was 
situatecl  about  eight  miles  from  the  sea.  Here  a 
village  was  laid  out  and  given  the  name  of  Bathui*st 
in    honour    of    the    Secretary   of    State.     It    was    by 


128  A  History  of  South  Africa 

proclamation  declared  the  seat  of  magistracy  for  Albany 
and  thus  given  precedence  over  Grahamstown.  In 
terms  of  the  same  proclamation  the  limits  of  the 
"province"  of  Albany  were  defined  as  including  the 
neutral  territory  between  the  Fish  and  Keiskamma 
Rivers,  which  had  been  ceded  by  Gaika  on  condition 
that  it  should  remain  uninhabited.  However,  with 
the  consent  of  Gaika  the  Acting-Governor  established 
a  settlement  on  the  Beka  stream,  which  he  named 
Fredericksburg,  and  this  Avas  peopled  by  a  few  officers 
and  a  number  of  discharged  soldiers.  Owing  largely 
to  the  blundering  mismanagement  of  those  responsible 
for  the  carrying  out  of  the  scheme,  the  enterprise  ended 
in  failure. 

Establishment  of  Periodical  Fairs.— In  July,  1821, 
periodical  fairs,  annual  at  first,  quarterly  later,  Avere 
established  at  Fort  Willshire.  To  these  licensed 
traders  brought  wagons  loaded  with  goods,  and  the 
Kaffirs — their  women  loaded  with  ivory,  skins,  gum 
and  other  products — attended  in  large  crowds.  Trade 
was  carried  on  by  means  of  barter,  and  the  chiefs 
seized  for  their  own  benefit  about  half  the  goods  their 
followers  obtained.  Neither  strong  drink  nor  ammuni- 
tion was  allowed  to  be  supplied.  The  entrance  of 
traders  into  Kaffirland  was  prohibited  by  stringent 
proclamations,  but  the  profits  to  be  won  by  trading 
with  the  Natives  for  cattle  were  so  large  that  the  law 
was  disregarded  and  many  Europeans  crossed  the 
boundary.  For  some  time  an  exceedingly  lucrative 
trade  in  both  ivory  and  cattle  was  carried  on. 

Port  Elizabeth. — Sir  Rufane  Donkin  gave  the  name 
of  Port  Elizabeth  to  the  new  but  rapidly  growing 
township  at  Algoa  Bay.  This  he  did  in  memory  of  his 
wife,  who  had  died  in  India  two  years  previously.  A 
stone  pyramid  with  an  inscription  in  her  honour  was 
erected  on  the  hill  overlooking  the  landing-place,  where 
it  still  stands. 

Within  two  years  of  the  arrival  of  the  British 
settlers,  only  438  men,  298  Avomen  and  843  children 
remained  on  the  land  which  had  been  allotted  to  them. 
When  one  learns  that  the  first  two  crops  of  wheat 
failed  utterly,  one  wonders  at  the  determination  of 
those  who  remained.  The  greater  number  of  those 
settlers  Avho  belonged  to  the  Avorking-classes  had  made 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        129 

tlieir  way  tu  the  various  towns  where  employment  was 
easily  obtained.  But  although  the  enterprise  failed  of 
its  intende<l  object  it  succeeded  in  unexpected  ways. 
From  the  immigrant  stock  have  been  derived  many 
men  whose  names  are  held  in  great  and  deserved 
honour,  and  the  impress  which  the  settlers  of  1820  left. 


THE   PYRAMID,   POBT  ELIZABETH. 


not  alone  upon  the  Eastern  Province,  but  upon  the 
whole  of  South  Afiica,  can  never  be  effaced. 

In  1823,  336  men,  women  and  children  of  the  labour- 
ing class  were  brought  to  Cape  Town  fi*om  England, 
the  Government  contributing  towards  the  cost  of  their 
conveyance.  All  capable  of  work  obtained  remunera- 
tive employment  without  delay. 

Return  of  Lord  Charles  Somerset. — Lord  Charlee 

K 


I30  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Somerset  returned  to  the  Cape  with  a  newly  married 
wife  at  the  end  of  November,  1821.  Sir  Rufane  Donkin 
had  gained  the  good-will  of  all  with  Avhom  he  came 
into  contact.  But  Lord  Charles  Somerset  was  filled 
with  anger  against  him,  principally  because  of  altera- 
tions in  some  arrangements  Lord  Charles  had  made 
before  his  departure.  The  Acting-Governor  had 
established  a  settlement  in  the  neutral  territory,  had 
stopped  the  building  of  a  fort  on  the  bank  of  the 
Keiskamma — substituting  for  it  a  barrack  on  another 
site — and  had  removed  Captain  Henry  Somerset,  the 
Governor's  son,  from  Grahamstown  where  he  was  acting 
as  landdrost,  to  Simonstown. 

Arrival  of  Scotch  Presbyterian  Clergymen.— When 
in  England  Lord  Charles  Somerset  had  arranged  for 
some  Scottish  Presbyterian  clergymen  to  come  to  the 
Cape.  At  the  time  no  Dutch  Reformed  Ministers 
were  available  in  Holland,  and  the  tenets  of  the 
Presbyterian  and  Dutch  Reformed  Churches  are 
practically  identical.  Three  divinity  students  were 
sent  to  Holland  to  learn  Dutch.  These  afterwards 
became  pastors,  respectively  of  Worcester,  Beaufort 
West  and  Somerset  East.  Schoolmasters  were  also 
introduced  and  appointed  to  Uitenhage,  Graaff  Reinet, 
Stellenbosch,  George,  Tulbagh  and  Caledon,  and  good 
free  schools  were  established  at  these  villages.  The 
Colony  was  in  a  state  of  great  depression.  This  became 
intensified  during  the  following  tAVO  years,  largely 
owing  to  failure  of  crops.  Moreover,  the  death  of  the 
captive  Emperor  Napoleon  and  the  consequent  reduction 
of  the  garrison  at  St. » Helena  was  a  heavy  blow  to  the 
prosperity  of  the  western  districts.  Hitherto  St. 
Helena  had  provided  the  only  considerable  market  for 
wine,  brandy,  dried  fruit  and  other  produce.  Now, 
however,  such  staples  were  largely  unsaleable. 

The  Governor's  Tyrannical  Methods. — The  Governor 
reversed  in  several  instances  the  measures  enacted  by 
Sir  Rufane  Donkin.  He  removed  the  seat  of  magistracy 
from  Bathurst  to  Grahamstown  and  withdrew  the 
garrison  from  the  former  place.  These  and  other 
administrative  measures  caused  great  dissatisfaction 
among  the  settlers.  With  the  idea  of  ventilating  their 
grievances,  a  public  meeting  was  called,  but  the 
Governor     issued    a    proclamation    declaring    such    a 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        131 

nit^eti ng  illegal  under  heavy  painn  and  i)enalties. 
Other  proclamations  issued  in  1822  and  1825  were 
greatly  resented  by  the  Dutch  colonists.  In  terms  of 
these  the  use  of  the  Dutch  language  in  courts  of  law 
and  in  official  documents  was  restricted.  In  182ft  an 
amended  proclamation  was  issued,  making  optional  the 
use  of  either  language  in  courts  of  law.  This  remained 
ill  force  until  1828,  when  English  became  the  official 
language. 

Opening  of  the  South  African  Public  Library. — In 
1822  the  South  African  Public  Library  was  ojjened  in 
a  portion  of  the  old  Slave  Lodge  at  the  top  of  the 
Heerengracht,  now  Adderley  Street,  Cape  Town.  Four 
years  previously  the  Governor  had  imposed  a  gauging 
fee  of  one  ryksdollar  upon  each  cask  of  wine,  the  pro- 
ceeds to  be  devoted  to  the  Library  fund ;  later  such 
fees  were  paid  into  the  public  revenue  and  an  annual 
grant  of  £300  substituted,  but  owing  to  financial  stress 
the  grant  was  withdrawn  in  1827,  and  for  many  years 
the  Library  had  to  subsist  upon  subscriptions. 

More  Bantu  Depredations— Maqoma.— In  1822 
trouble  with  the  Bantu  recommenced.  Gaika  still  steered 
his  difficult  course,  endeavouring  to  comply  with  the 
requirements  of  the  Government  in  the  matter  of  stolen 
stock,  and  at  the  same  time  to  retain  influence  over  his 
l>eople.  His  son,  Maqoma,  who  had  been  permitted  to 
establish  himself  in  the  wild  and  broken  country  near 
the  source  of  the  Kat  River,  looted  a  herd  of  cattle 
from  the  mission  station  in  the  Tyume  Valley,  where 
the  missionaries,  Messrs.  Brownlee  and  Thomson,  had 
l^een  appointed  agents  of  the  Government.  Gaika 
caused  some  of  these  cattle  to  be  returned,  promising 
to  recover  the  balance.  This,  however,  he  failed  to  do. 
A  military  party  was  despatched  to  arrest  the  chief, 
but  he  escaped.  Within  a  few  weeks,  however,  such 
of  the  stolen  stock  as  still  existed  was  returned,  to- 
gether with  the  equivalent  of  the  animals  that  had 
been  slaughtered.  Ndhlambi  returned  to  his  former 
location ;  he  and  Gaika  now  became  suspiciously 
friendly.  Maqoma's  following  increased  through  small 
clans  stealing  in  and  placing  themselves  under  his 
leadership.  The  depredations  increased  to  such  an 
extent  that  in  Octoljer,  1823,  a  force  of  two  huudi*ed 
burghei*s   and   a    detiichment    of   the   Caix?  Regiment 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        133 

were  deHpatelied  to  Macioina's  kraals,  where  they  seized 
some  seven  thousand  head  of  cattle.  From  these  the 
farmers  who  had  lost  stock  were  comix? iisate<l.  Over 
five  thousand 'head  were  returned  to  the  Natives,  who 
now  humbly  sued  for  forgiveness,  and  promised  to 
refrain  from  further  looting.  Major  Henry  Somerset, 
who  was  now  in  command  of  the  CsLpe  Regiment,  did 
excellent  service  in  preventing  cattle-stealing  on  the 
border. 

Founding  of  Fort  Beaufort.— In  1822  a  block-house 
was  erected  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Kat  River  below 
the  Kroomie  Range ;  it  was  named  Fort  Beaufort,  and 
was  the  nucleus  around  which  the  present  town  of  the 
same  name  developed. 

Disastrous  Floods. — In  the  spring  of  1823  a  heavy 
misfortune  fell  upon  the  Eastern  Province  ;  this  was  a 
flood  of  unprecedented  severity.  Being  inexi>erienced, 
many  of  the  settlers  had  built  their  cottages  on  sites 
which  lay  too  low.  For  several  days  in  succession 
heavy  thunderstorms  were  continuous ;  all  the  rivers 
overflowed  their  banks  ;  in  every  valley  was  a  roaring 
torrent.  Dwellings,  gardens,  and  orchards  were  swept 
away ;  ground  loosened  by  the  plough  was  skinned 
from  the  sub-soil.  The  distress  which  resulted  w^as 
pitiful,  but  subscriptions  poured  in  from  England  and 
India,  until  the  amount  of  about  £10,000  was  available 
for  relief. 

Early  in  1825  Lord  Charles  Somerset  made  a  journey 
to  the  frontier,  in  the  course  of  which  he  visited  the 
moutli  of  the  Kowie  River,  which  he  named  Port 
Francis.  Here  he  stationed  a  magistrate.  Sir  Rufane 
Donkin  had  already  considered  the  question  of  the 
opening  of  the  Kowie  as  a  port  for  the  eastern  districts, 
and  in  1821  a  small  schooner  had  crossed  the  bar.  A 
customs  house  was  also  established.  Between  1828 
and  1833,  however,  the  whole  Government  establish- 
ment of  Port  Francis  was  gradually  abolished.  While 
at  Grahamstown  the  Governor  removed  the  landdrost, 
Mr.  Rivei^s,  who  had  become  very  unix)pular  with  the 
settlers,  and  appointed  in  his  stead  Captain  Dundas  of 
the  Royal  Artillery. 

At  this  time,  although  no  formal  official  notification 
had  been  given,  the  Colony  to  the  north-east  was  held 
to  have  extended  to  the  Oi*ange  River  from  about  the 


134  A  History  of  South  Africa 

present  site  of  HoijetoAvn  to  the  Stormberg  Si)ruit.  In 
1825  the  subdrostdy  of  Cradoek  was  abolished  and  a 
new  district  named  Somerset  Avas  created.  This  in- 
cluded territory  as  far  eastward  as  thfe  Koonap,  the 
Zwaart  Kei  and  the  Stormberg  Spruit. 

Arrival  of  the  First  Steamship. — On  October  13, 1825, 
the  first  steamship  arrived  at  Table  Bay.  This  w  as  the 
Enterprise  of  five  hundred  tons  burden  Avith  two  sixty- 
horse-power  engines.  She  took  fifty-eight  days  to  reach 
the  Cape  from  Falmouth.  There  was  much  excitement, 
and  the  occasion  was  made  a  public  holiday.  The  vessel 
steamed  round  the  Bay  to  exhibit  her  power  of  moving 
against  the  wind  in  any  direction,  much  to  the  interest 
and  delight  of  the  inhabitants,  who  crowded  to  the 
shore. 

Commissioners  Colebrook  and  Bigge.— In  1822  the 
King  appointed  Commissioners  to  inquire  into  the 
state  of  the  colonies  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
Mauritius,  and  Ceylon.  The  Commissioners,  Major 
William  Colebrook  and  Mr.  John  Bigge,  arrived  at  the 
Cape  in  July,  1823.  For  upwards  of  three  years  they 
were  engaged  in  investigating  the  condition  of  the 
Colony  generally.  They  paid  special  attention  to  the 
form  of  government,  the  finances,  the  administration 
of  justice,  and  the  condition  of  the  Natives  and  coloured 
people.  They  also  dealt  with  complaints  made  by 
individuals.  It  Avas  not  until  1830  that  their  reports 
on  these  matters  were  completed. 

Appointment  of  a  Council  of  Advice. — Among  the 
principal  recommendations  which  they  made  and  Avhich 
Avere  adopted  AAas  the  appointment  of  a  council  to 
assist  and  advise  the  Governor.  This  Avas  to  consist 
of  six  members,  of  AA'hom  three,  namely,  the  Chief 
Justice,  the  Secretary  to  the  Government,  and  the 
Senior  Military  Officer  next  to  the  Governor,  aa  ere  to  be 
members  ex  officio.  Three  other  members  Avere  to  be 
nominated  by  the  Secretary  of  State.  The  Governor 
had  to  submit  all  legislative  measures  to  this  council,  but 
AA^as  empowered  to  act  in  opposition  to  its  opinion. 
Nothing  could  be  discussed  by  such  council  unless  it 
Avas  proposed  by  the  Governor,  who  could,  if  he  thought 
fit,  dismiss  any  member.  The  meetings  Avere  to  be  held 
with  closed  doors,  and  each  member  had  to  take  oath 
not   to  divulge   any   of   the   proceedings.     The    other 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        135 

iniI>oi'tiint  recoiiiniendation  wa.s  to  the  effect  that  the 
Colony  should  bo  divided  into  two  provinces  of  approxi- 
mately ecpial  extent,  and  that  each  province  should 
have  a  sei)arate  Government. 

The  Currency. — At  this  j^eriod  there  was  no  coin  in 
circulation  in  South  Africa,  the  only  currency  being  imi3er 
money,  of  which  a  total  of  upwards  of  Rds.  3,000,000 
was  known  to  have  been  issued.  But  it  Avas  afterwards 
found  that  forged  notes,  to  the  value  of  about  half  a 
million,  were  also  in  existence,  and  this  amount  had 
eventually  to  be  added  to  the  sum  to  be  redeemed.  The 
only  securities  for  the  paper  money  were  the  public  build- 
ings, and  certain  lands  reserved  by  Government.  But  it 
was  obvious  that  many  of  the  principal  buildings,  such 
as  the  Castle  and  the  forts,  had  no  market  value,  and 
from  time  to  time  lands  Avere  permanently  alienated  or 
leased  for  long  periods  without  any  reduction  in  the 
paper  money  being  made.  Under  such  circumstances, 
the  value  of  the  notes  being  an  unknown  but  rapidly  fall- 
ing quantity,  it  was  impossible  for  the  Colony  to  prosper. 
Between  1810  and  1825  the  value  of  the  ryksdollar  fell 
from  38.  (Ul.  to  Is.  Od. 

Value  of  the  Ryksdollar  fixed. — In  June,  1825,  an 
ordinance  was  promulgated  in  pursuance  of  an  Order 
in  Council  dealing  Avith  the  introduction  of  British 
coinage  throughout  the  British  possessions,  which  prac- 
tically fixed  the  value  of  the  ryksdollar  at  l8.  6d.  This 
was  according  to  the  current  rate  of  exchange  for  coin 
or  treasury  bills.  At  the  same  time  the  British 
Government  advanced  money  towards  redeeming  the 
imper.  This  step  bore  very  heavily  upon  those  to 
whom  money  was  owed,  while  it  was  a  corresponding 
advantage  to  the  debtor. 

The  Governor's  Arbitrary  Conduct. — Lord  Charles 
Somerset's  arbitiary  and  violent  exercise  of  his  power 
disturbed  a  veritable  hornets'  nest.  He  had  failed  to 
realise  that  with  the  introduction  of  the  British  settlei*s 
a  new  element  had  been  imported  into  South  Africa — 
that  men  imbued  with  a  love  of  free  institutions  and 
civil  rights,  however  unskilled  in  their  exercise,  ha<l 
fallen  like  a  vigorous  ferment  into  what  had  hitherto 
been,  in  a  political  sense,  an  inert  mass.  Such  included 
individuals  of  considerable  ability — men  such  as  Thomas 
Priugle  and  John  Fairbiiirn,  for  instance.     These  were 


136  A  History  of  South  Africa 

fully  competent  to  fight  effectively  and  to  the  last 
breath  for  their  rights.  The  precept  and  example  they 
originated  raised  many  disciples  whose  teaching  stung 
the  Batavian  to  an  energy  which  has  since  surprised 
his  instructors. 

The  Governor,  by  using  his  almost  unconditioned 
power  injudiciously,  placed  himself  in  the  power  of 
those  who  opposed  him.  He  wasted  public  money  most 
flagrantly,  he  filled  important  offices  with  unworthy 
and  incompetent  men.  The  slightest  hint  of  opposition 
to  his  despotic  will,  on  the  part  of  any  one,  was  sufficient 
to  call  forth  his  vengeance.  Hating  and  distrusting 
men  of  independent  mind,  his  ear  was  ever  open  to  the 
sycophant  and  the  tale-bearer.  Lord  Charles  Somerset 
thus  became  completely  estranged  from  the  real  life  of 
the  community  over  which  he  held  sway. 

Struggle  for  the  Freedom  of  the  Press. — Messrs. 
Pringle  and  Fairbairn. — The  struggle  for  the  freedom 
of  the  press  in  South  Africa  began  in  1823,  when  the 
Reverend  Abraham  Faure,  of  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church  in  Cape  Town,  and  Mr.  Thomas  Pringle,  who 
was  the  Assistant  Public  Librarian,  proposed  to  establish 
a  monthly  magazine.  To  this  the  Governor  consented. 
The  second  number,  however,  contained  an  article  upon 
the  British  Settlers,  which  included  criticism  of  the 
administration  of  Albany.  The  Fiscal  sent  for  Mr. 
Pringle  and  demanded  security  that  in  future  no 
political  or  personal  matter  should  appear  in  the  columns 
of  the  magazine.  This  Mr.  Pringle  refused  to  give. 
He  was  then  sent  for  by  the  Governor  and  accused  of 
ingratitude.  This  accusation,  which  had  no  basis  of 
fact,  referred  to  the  enlargement  of  the  grant  of  land 
made  to  his  party  of  settlers  and  his  appointment  as 
sub-librarian.  Mr.  Pringle  resigned  the  appointment 
and  discontinued  the  magazine. 

About  this  time  a  Mr.  George  Greig  arrived  at  the 
Cape  and  started  a  paper  called  the  South  African 
Commercial  Advertiser.  Shortly  afterwards  two  men 
named  Cook  and  Edwards  were,  at  the  Governor's 
instigation,  prosecuted  for  libel.  A  report  of  the  trial 
appeared  in  the  Comm^ercial  A  dvertiser.  Later  Edwards 
was  again  prosecuted,  and  in  his  defence  he  cast  slurs 
upon  Lord  Charles  Somerset's  character.  The  Governor 
thereupon  called  upon  Mr.  Greig  to  furnish  security  to 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        137 

the  amount  of  £750,  that  the  terms  uiM)n  which  the 
establishment  of  his  i)ai)er  had  been  granted  would  Ije 
adhered  to.  These  terms  were  to  the  effect  that  all 
matters  of  i)olitical  or  i>ersonal  controversy  were  to  be 
excluded.  The  Fiscal  was  ordered  to  censor  the  paper 
and  to  suppress  anything  in  it  regarded  as  offensive. 
Thereupon  the  issue  was  discontinued  i>ending  an 
application  for  redress  from  the  British  Government. 
Mr.  Greig  let  it  be  known  that  he  intended  issuing  an 
advertising  sheet,  giving  an  account  of  what  had 
occurred.  Immediately  the  Governor  ordered  the  press 
to  be  sealed  up,  and  issued  a  warrant  requiring  Mr. 
Greig  to  leave  the  Colony  within  a  month.  Mr.  Greig 
was  still  in  possession  of  his  type,  and  he  managed  to 
print  and  circulate  slips  giving  an  account  of  what 
ha^l  occurred  and  offering  the  former  for  sale.  The 
Governor  then  had  the  type  sealed  up  and  offered  to 
purchase  it  at  a  valuation.  This  Mr.  Greig  was  con- 
strained to  agree  to,  as  he  required  the  money  to  pay 
for  his  passage.  The  type  was  handed  over  by  the 
Governor  to  another  ijrinter,  who  thereupon  started 
a  paper  which  praised  highly  the  Governor  and  his 
policy.  Mr.  Greig  proceeded  to  England,  where  he  was 
received  by  the  Secretary  of  State.  The  latter  revei*sed 
Lord  Charles  Somerset's  action,  authorised  Mr.  Greig  to 
return  to  Cape  Town,  issued  instructions  that  his  type 
was  to  be  restored  to  him,  and  gave  him  permission  to 
proceed  with  the  publication  of  his  newspaper. 

The  GoYernor  recalled.— His  Resignation.— By  these 
and  similar  proceedings,  the  Governor  kept  adding  to 
the  ranks  of  his  enemies,  w^ho  were  now  both  numerous 
and  influential.  The  English  Press  took  the  matter  up, 
and  Parliament  brought  pressure  to  bear  upon  the 
Government.  An  opinion  gained  ground  that  the 
tulministration  at  the  Cape  was  despotic  and  cor- 
rupt. The  TinieSy  on  January  19,  1826,  demanded  that 
the  Governor  should  be  impeached.  Four  days  pre- 
viously the  Secretary  of  State  had  written  to  him  to 
say  that  it  had  now  "  become  expedient  that  he  should 
repair  home  immediately  to  furnish  the  necessary 
explanations."  Major-General  Richard  Bourke  was 
sent  to  assume  the  administi'ation  of  the  Colony.  He 
arrived  on  February  8,  1820.  Lord  Charles  Somerset 
left  for  England  on  March  5.     Shortly  after  his  arrival 


138  A  History  of  South  Africa 

in  London,  Parliament  was  dissolved.  There  had  been 
a  short  discussion  of  his  case  just  before  the  dissolution, 
but  the  matter  was  allowed  to  drop.  Early  in  1827 
Lord  Goderich  replaced  Earl  Bathurst  at  the  Colonial 
Office,  whereui3on  Lord  Charles  Somerset  resigned  his 
Governorship. 

In  June  the  matter  came  once  more  before  the 
House  of  Commons.  By  this  time,  however,  general 
interest  in  it  had  flagged.  After  a  more  or  less  in- 
determinate discussion  the  matter  was  allowed  to  drop. 

The  Amangwane. — In  August,  1827,  information 
reached  Cape  Town  to  the  effect  that  several  thousand 
Tembus  had  been  driven  across  the  Zwaart  Kei  River 
by  an  enemy  from  the  north.  This  enemy  turned  out 
to  be  a  horde  of  Amangwane,  under  Matiwane,  which 
had  ^been  driven  over  the  Drakensberg  by  Tshaka,  the 
Zulu  King,  some  years  previously,  and  had  since  been 
wandering  over  the  plains  north  of  the  Orange  River. 
Having  crossed  the  Orange  near  the  present  site  of 
Aliwal  North,  the  Amangwane  fell  upon  the  Tembus  of 
Bawana's  clan,  and  then  took  a  north-easterly  course 
until  they  settled  down  at  Imbulumpini,  in  the  valley 
of  the  Umtata. 

The  Slaughter  at  Imbulumpini. — Death  of  Matiwane. 
— In  1828  Tshaka  led  a  powerful  army  south-westward, 
and  harried  the  country  as  far  as  the  Bashee.  A  force 
was  assembled  to  drive  the  Zulus  back ;  it  numbered 
about  one  thousand,  and  was  composed  of  both  regular 
troops  and  burghers.  Colonel  Somerset  was  in  command. 
In  the  mean  time  Tshaka  and  his  army  had  retired  with 
their  spoil,  but  when  Colonel  Somerset's  force  reached 
Imbulumpini  this  was  not  known,  and  when  the 
Amangwane  were  encountered  they  were  taken  to  be 
Zvilus.  At  this  time  the  Europeans  had  been  joined  by 
large  auxiliary  forces  of  Tembus  and  Gcalekas.  The 
Amangwane  army  was  estimated  to  number  20,000.  It 
was  attacked  and  destroyed — only  a  few  fugitives 
escaping.  Matiwane  was  among  the  latter.  After 
wide  wanderings  the  unhappy  chief  took  refuge  in 
Zululand.  At  this  time  Tshaka  was  dead  and  Dingaan 
ruled  in  his  stead.  By  the  latter' s  orders  Matiwane 
was  blinded  and  tied  to  a  tree  until  he  starved  to 
death. 


CHAPTER   X 
(To  1834) 

The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule 

General  Bourke  as  Acting-Governor. — During  the  period 
of  General  Bourke's  administration  various  reforms 
were  introduced.  On  August  24,  1827,  the  Charter  of 
Justice  received  the  King's  signature. 

Supreme  Court  established. — Under  it  the  Supreme 
Court  was  established.  The  latter  was  to  consist  of  a 
Chief  Justice  and  three  puisne  judges  to  be  appointed 
by  the  Crown,  all  of  whom  had  to  be  trained  lawyers. 
Formerly  judges  had  been  appointed  by  the  Governor 
and  were  removable  at  his  pleasure.  The  first  Chief 
Justice  was  Sir  John  Wilde.  The  office  of  Fiscal  was 
abolished,  and  that  of  Attorney-General  substituted. 
Circuit  Courts  were  to  be  held  twice  a  year  in  the 
principal  towns  and  villages. 

Resident  Magistrates  and  Civil  Commissioners 
appointed. — An  iniijortant  change  was  also  made  in 
res])ect  of  the  lower  courts.  Landdrosts  and  Heem- 
raaden  were  abolished.  In  place  of  the  former,  Resident 
Magistrates  were  apix)inted.  These  also  were  made 
Civil  Commissioners,  and  as  such  entrusted  with  tlie 
collection  of  revenue  and  with  general  local  adminis- 
tration. 

Colony  divided  into  two  Provinces. — The  Colony  was 
divided  into  two  provinces :  the  western  included  the 
districts  of  the  Cape,  Simonstown,  Stellenbosch, 
Swellendam,  and  Worcester;  and  the  eastern  the 
districts  of  Beaufort,  Graaff  Reinet,  Somerset,  George, 
l^itenhage  and  Albany.  For  the  Eastern  Province 
Captain  Andries  Stockenstix^m  was  appointetl  Com- 
missioner to  contixjl  administration  subject  to  the 
(Joverner. 


I40  A  History  of  South  Africa 

The  50th  Ordinance.— On  July  17,  1828,  was  issued 
the  50th  Ordinance,  which  relieved  Hottentots  and  other 
free  persons  of  colour  from  the  operations  of  the  pass 
laws  and  those  laws  respecting  the  apprenticeship  of 
children.  For  some  considerable  time  the  Bushmen 
had  ceased  to  give  trouble.  It  had  not  been  generally 
recognised  that  the  most  implacable  enemy  of  the 
Bushman  was  the  Hottentot.  The  Griquas  and  other 
half-breed  Hottentot  clans,  who  had  established  them- 
selves north  of  the  Orange  River,  had  shown  no 
quarter  to  the  Bushmen,  immense  numbers  of  whom 
perished.  Those  who  survived,  as  a  rule,  put  themselves 
under  the  control  of  some  European,  to  whom  they 
gave  service  in  exchange  for  protection.  But  regular 
control  or  settled  employment  were  things  the  Bush- 
men could  not  endure.  Many  efforts  were  made  by 
missionaries  to  induce  them  to  settle  on  mission 
stations,  but  such  always  failed.  In  the  various  laws 
promulgated  the  Bushmen  and  the  Hottentot  were 
invariably  bracketed  together,  although  they  were 
radically  and  completely  different  from  each  other, — 
a  circumstance  their  missionary  advocates  were  un- 
aware of. 

Dr.  Philip. — The  50th  Ordinance  theoretically  placed 
the  Hottentot  and  the  Bushmen  politically  on  a  level 
with  the  European.  The  Secretary  of  State  was  moved 
to  take  the  step  of  enacting  this  measure  by  the 
Reverend  Dr.  John  Philip,  who  for  upwards  of  thirty 
years  took  a  prominent  part  in  advocating  the  interests 
of  the  South  African  Natives.  Dr.  Philip  was  a  man  of 
great  energy  and  fiery  zeal.  His  cardinal  tenet  was 
that,  except  in  the  matter  of  education,  the  Native  of 
any  race  was  mentally  equal  to  the  European. 

His  *'  Researches." — His  "  Researches  in  South 
Africa,"  published  in  1828,  with  the  object  of  showing 
that  the  Hottentots  were  treated  with  habitual  in- 
justice, confounds  theories  with  facts,  and  has  been 
proved  to  be  unreliable  in  many  important  respects. 
On  account  of  certain  statements  this  book  contained, 
Mr.  William  Mackey,  an  official,  sued  Dr.  Philip  for 
libel,  and  was  awarded  £200  damages  and  costs.  The 
case  was  tried  before  a  full  bench ;  the  Chief  Justice 
and  the  other  two  judges  spoke  in  strong  condemnation 
of  the  statements  complained  of. 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        141 

The  publication  of  the  "  Researches  "  caused  bitter 
indignation  in  South  Africa,  and  aroused  violent  feeling 
on  both  sides,  which  has  had  a  permanently  bad  effect. 
While  giving  Dr.  Philip  full  credit  for  V^eing  passion- 
ately persuaded  of  the  justice  of  his  contentions,  one 
cannot  avoid  admitting  that  his  influence  upon  South 
Africa,  and  upon  the  cause  which  he  had  most  at  heart, 
has  not  been  beneficial.  The  50th  Ordinance,  which  he 
regarded  as  one  of  his  great  achievements,  utterly 
failed  of  its  object;  to-day  the  Bushmen  and  the 
Hottentots  are  practically  extinct. 

GoYernor  Sir  Lowry  Cole  — General  Bourke  held 
tlie  position  of  Acting-Governor  until  September  9, 
1828,  when  Lord  Charles  Somerset's  successor  arrived. 
This  was  Lieuteuant-General  Sir  Galbraith  Lowry  Cole, 
who  was  promoted  from  the  Governorship  of  Mauri- 
tius. The  Xosas  on  the  eastern  border  were  now  again 
giving  considerable  trouble.  Several  clans  had  taken 
possession  of  tracts  in  the  neutral  territory  which  had 
been  ceded  by  Gaika. 

Formation  of  Kat  River  Settlement — In  1829  it  was 
found  necessary  to  expel  Maqoma  from  the  Kat  River 
valleys,  and  in  the  vacated  land  a  number  of  locations 
populated  by  Hottentots  were  established.  The  land 
here  w  as  very  fertile  ;  all  that  which  was  suitable  for 
cultivation  was  divided  into  plots  of  from  four  to  six 
acres.  To  each  location  was  attached  a  large  com- 
monage. Grants  were  made  to  some  two  thousand 
persons.  It  was  found  necessary  to  arm  the  people  so 
that  they  could  prevent  their  cattle  being  driven 
off.  This  settlement  was  not  successful.  The  Hot- 
tentot proved  incapable  of  acquiring  habits  of  settled 
industry. 

Survey  of  Land  between  Koonap  and  Fish  Rivers. 
— "  No  Dutch  need  apply." — In  1830  it  was  decided  to 
grant  a  portion  of  the  ceded  territory  to  Europeans, 
under  military  tenure.  The  farms  were  to  be  approxi- 
mately three  thousand  morgen  in  extent;  pei*sonal 
occupation  was  required,  and  on  each  such  farm  ha<l 
to  be  at  least  four  able-bodied  Euroi)e<ins  fit  to  bear 
arms.  The  use  of  slave  labour  was  prohibited.  On 
these  conditions  about  one  hundred  title  deeds  wei-e 
issued  in  respect  of  land  between  the  Koonap  and 
Fish  Rivera  to  selected  applicants,  some  of  whom  were 


142  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Dutch  colonists  and  others  British  settlers.  However, 
Lord  Goderich  disapproved  of  the  scheme.  He  con- 
sented to  the  land  being  sold,  bnt  not  granted  free. 
It  could,  however,  be  sold  only  to  English  settlers  or 
to  Hottentots  ;  Dutch  farmers  were  excluded.  This 
preposterous  action  was  one  of  the  fruits  of  the  calum- 
nies against  the  Dutch  colonists  of  South  Africa, 
which,  begun  by  Barrow,  had  been  so  assiduously 
circulated  in  England. 

Ordinance  regulating  the  Press.  —  In  1826  there 
occurred  further  difficulties  between  the  Governor  and 
the  Commercial  Advertiser.  By  direction  of  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  the  licence  for  that  newspaper  was 
cancelled.  Mr.  Fairbairn,  the  editor,  proceeded  to 
England,  but  was  at  first  unable  to  obtain  redress. 
However,  after  Sir  George  Murray  had  succeeded  Earl 
Bathnrst  at  the  Colonial  Office,  the  licence  of  the  paper 
was  renewed,  under  certain  conditions,  and  in  1829  an 
Ordinance  was  issued  regulating  the  Press.  This 
Ordinance  was  both  stringent  and  illiberal,  but  it 
contained  one  most  beneficial  proviso.  It  removed  the 
power  of  interference  from  the  Executive  to  the 
Supreme  Court.  Soon  several  newspapers  and  other 
periodicals  axjpeared.  Two  of  the  former  still  survive 
— one  being  the  Zuid  Afrikaan,  which  became  incor- 
porated with  the  present  0ns  Land,  the  other  the 
Grahamstown  Journal.  The  Commercial  Advertiser 
became  the  organ  of  Dr.  Philip  and  his  school.  Its 
unfair  and  prejudiced  attitude  for  many  years  towards 
the  people  on  the  frontier,  and  their  almost  heart- 
breaking difficulties,  caused  bitter  indignation. 

Death  of  Ndhlambi. — Ndhlambi,  who  had  for  so 
long  been  the  terror  of  the  Border  Districts,  died  like 
an  old  lion  in  his  lair  near  Mount  Coke,  on  the  Buffalo 
River,  in  1828.  He  must  have  been  nearly  ninety  years 
old.  His  "  great  son  "  was  of  feeble  intellect,  and  never 
exercised  any  influence.  Gaika,  who  had  been  for 
years  a  debauched  drunkard,  died  some  two  years 
later.  His  heir,  Sandile,  was  a  lad,  so  Maqoma  was 
appointed  to  hold  the  tribe  during  the  period  of 
minority.  Sandile  was  as  weak  and  unstable  as  his 
father  had  been,  and  was,  moreover,  deformed,  one  of 
his  legs  being  shrunken.  That  Gaika  was  liis  actual 
father  Avas  held  to   be  very  doubtful.     However,  the 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule         143 

(iivmnstiince  that  the  two  men  were  so  Hiniilar  in 
cliaracter  suggests  that  certain  suspicions  current  at 
the  time  may  liavc  been  unfounded. 

Character  of  Gaika. — Gaika's  position  as  grandson 
of  Raralx;  in  the  "Great  Line,"  and  therefore  legiti- 
mate chief  of  the  great  western  division  of  the  Xosa 
tribe,  ^vas  one  of  immense  leverage ;  but  he  had  always 
been  weak,  vacillating,  and  self-indulgent.  After 
1  Hiving  overthrown  Ndhlambi,  who  had  as  regent  tried 
to  usurp  the  head-chieftainship,  he  might,  had  he 
ruled  judiciously,  have  consolidated  all  the  clans  west 
of  the  Kei,  and  restrained  them  from  that  raiding 
which  had  such  ruinous  consequences  both  to  them 
and  to  the  colonists.  But  almost  at  the  outset  of  his 
cai'eer  he  committed  an  act  which  shocked  his  people 
and  went  far  towards  disintegrating  his  power.  One 
of  Ndhlambi's  minor  wives,  a  girl  named  Tutula,  was 
famed  for  her  beauty.  Gaika  took  her  into  his  harem 
after  Ndhlambi's  defeat.  The  morals  of  the  Natives 
are  lax  in  many  aspects,  but  certain  conventions  are 
very  strictly  observed.  This  «ict  of  Gaika  shocked  the 
Xosa  tribesmen  very  deeply,  and  was  probably  the 
principal  cause  of  so  many  of  his  adherents  abandon- 
ing him  and  joining  Ndhlambj. 

Development  of  Missions. — In  1830  there  had  been  a 
marked  development  of  missions  among  the  Bantu. 
On  the  Buffalo  River,  where  King  William's  Town  now 
stands,  the  London  Society  had  established  a  station. 
The  Wesleyans  had  six  stations,  one  being  close  to  the 
present  site  of  Butterworth,  and  another  at  Bunting- 
ville,  in  remote  Pondoland.  The  Glasgow  Society  had 
four  stations,  one  being  on  the  Tyume,  where  Lovedale 
stands  to-day.  The  Moravians  had  opened  their  estab- 
lishment at  Shiloh.  Traders  had  now  penetrated  deep 
into  Kaffirland,  where  they  carried  on  a  profitable 
])arter.  But  the  shadow  of  impending  war  always 
liung  over  them,  for  depredations  on  the  border  were 
almost  continuous,  and  the  reprisals  system,  rendered 
necessary  by  circumstance,  was  not  very  different  fiY>m 
localised  warfare,  that  might  at  any  moment  flame  out 
into  a  general  conflagration. 

Opening  of  the  South  African  College. — An  im- 
portant event  t<M)k  place  on  October  1,  1829  ;  this  was 
the  opening  of  the  South  African  College.     Eight  years 


144  A  History  of  South  Africa 

later  an  Ordinance  for  the  regulation  of  this  institution 
Avas  promulgated. 

Condition  of  the  Northern  Border.— Stuurman's  Free- 
booters.— The  northern  border  of  the  Colony  was  in  a 
very  unsatisfactory  condition.  Those  islands  in  the 
Orange  River  which,  at  the  beginning  of  the  century, 
had  been  used  by  the  freebooter  Afrikaner  as  a  base, 
were  now  used  for  the  same  purpose  by  a  Hottentot 
bandit  named  Stuurman,  who  had  a  large  following. 
This  included  ruffians  of  every  breed  and  colour. 
Stuurman  raided  in  every  direction,  and  pillaged  indis- 
criminately Avhite  and  black.  Some  of  his  raids  ex- 
tended as  far  as  the  Nieuwveld  and  the  Hantam. 
Farmers  and  their  wives  were  murdered,  children 
carried  into  captivity,  flocks  and  herds  were  swept 
away.  An  Ordinance  was  promulgated  by  the 
Governor,  giving  officials  on  the  border  the  power  to 
call  out  commandos  should  necessity  arise.  This  most 
salutary  measure  was,  however,  disallowed  by  the 
Secretary  of  State  through  the  influence  of  Dr.  Philiij 
and  the  Commercial  Advertiser.  In  1833  Stuurman's 
gang  was  defeated  and  dispersed  by  a  commando  of 
Europeans,  assisted  by  a  contingent  of  Griqvias  under 
their  recently  elected  chief. 

Andries  Waterboer. — This  man,  Andries  Waterboer, 
had  been  an  assistant  schoolmaster ;  his  election  as 
Captain  of  Griquatown  was  fortunate  in  its  immediate 
effects.  He  introduced  discipline  and  settled  govern- 
ment among  the  Griquas.  The  Cape  Government 
supplied  him  with  arms  and  ammunition  to  be  used 
in  restoring  and  maintaining  order  in  his  vicinity.  In 
1834  a  formal  treaty  was  signed  at  Cape  Town  between 
the  Governor  and  Waterboer— the  first  instance  of  a 
treaty  being  entered  into  between  the  European 
Government  and  a  native  chief  in  South  Africa. 

Sir  Benjamin  D'Urban  appointed  Governor.  —  In 
August,  1833,  Sir  Lowry  Cole  resigned  his  post  as 
Governor  and  proceeded  to  England.  His  successor  was 
Major-General  Sir  Benjamin  D'Urban,  who  had  been 
Governor  of  Demerara. 

Merino  Sheep. — It  had  now  been  proved  that  wool 
could  be  profitably  produced  in  both  the  eastern  and 
western  districts.  In  1829  six  tons  had  been  clipped 
on  the  farm  "  Zoetendals  Vlei  "  in  the  present  district 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        145 

of  Breclasdorp,  and  in  Albany  many  farmers  were 
successfully  breeding  merino  sheep.  In  1834  a  Joint 
Stock  Company  imi)orted  well-bred   stud   stock   with 


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BIB  BENJAMIN  D'UBBilN. 


the  best  results.  The  introduction  of  Angora  goats 
was  more  difficult,  but  the  efforts,  at  first  baffled,  were 
eventually  successful.      In   jnirsuance   of  oi*ders  fi*om 


146  A  History  of  South  Africa 

the  Secretary  of  State,  drastic  retrenchment  in  the 
public  service  was  carried  out. 

Legislative  and  Executive  Councils. — Acting  under 
instructions  embodied  in  his  commission,  Sir  Benjamin 
D'Urban  created  a  Legislative  and  an  Executive  Council. 
The  former  consisted  of  the  five  senior  officials,  and  an 
equal  number  of  colonists  nominated  by  the  Governor, 
who  was  President  of  the  body.  The  Executive 
Council  consisted  of  the  senior  military  officer  under 
the  Governor,  the  Secretary  to  the  Government,  the 
Treasurer-General  and  the  Attorney-General.  This  was 
a  "council  of  advice,"  which,  however,  the  Governor 
was  not  bound  to  follow.  It  is  evident  that  Sir 
Benjamin  D'Urban  was  in  the  first  instance  strongly 
under  the  influence  of  the  school  represented  by  Dr. 
Philip  and  Mr.  Fairbairn,  and  that,  for  a  time,  he 
believed  in  the  hopeless  policy  of  conciliating  the 
Natives  on  the  eastern  frontier.  In  the  latter  part  of 
1833  Dr.  Philip  visited  the  various  Xosa  chiefs,  it  is 
believed  as  the  emissary  of  the  Governor.  After  a 
short  interval  of  comparative  quiet,  depredations  re- 
commenced. Before  the  end  of  December  a  horde  of 
Xosas  swept  over  the  border,  and  another  terrible  war 
broke  out. 

The  Sixth  Kaffir  War.— Frightful  Devastation.— The 
country  was  laid  waste  as  far  west  as  Uitenhage  and 
Somerset  East.  Twenty-two  farmers  were  killed,  but 
their  wives  and  children  were  permitted  to  escape. 
Had  intelligence  of  the  invasion  not  spread  with  great 
rapidity,  the  loss  of  life  would  have  been  much  heavier. 
But  the  devastation  was  frightful ;  456  homesteads 
were  burnt;  120,645  cattle  and  horses  and  162,000 
sheep  and  goats  were  swept  away.  In  Kaffirland  ten 
traders  were  murdered. 

The  Province  of  Queen  Adelaide.— The  country  had 
been  much  denuded  of  troops.  However,  all  those 
available  were  hurried  to  the  frontier.  The  burghers 
were  again  called  out.  Hintza,  the  Gcaleka  chief,  after 
professing  neutrality,  joined  the  western  clans.  After 
much  heavy  fighting  the  enemy  were  driven  back  and 
pursued  across  the  Kei.  Hintza  submitted,  and  gave 
himself  up  as  a  hostage,  but  was  shot  in  attempting  to 
escape.  Peace  was  restored  in  May,  1835.  The  Great 
Kei  River,  from  its  source  in  the  Stormberg  to  the  sea, 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        147 

wa.s  now  proclaiined  at?  the  boundary  of  the  Colony. 
The  tract  lying  l>etween  the  Kei  and  the  former 
boundary,  the  Keiskanima,  was  annexed  and  named 
the  "  Province  of  Queen  Adelaide."  Small  forts  were 
constructed  at  various  strategic  points.  One  on  the 
Buffalo  River,  which  was  the  headquarters  of  the  com- 
mandant of  the  province,  was  named  King  William's 
Town.  An  indemnity  to  be  paid,  in  the  native  currency 
of  cattle,  was  also  imposed  upon  the  defeated  clans. 

The  Fingos,  a  Satisfactory  Settlement.— At  this  time 
there  were,  living  in  a  state  of  subjection  to  the 
Gcalekas,  a  number  of  Natives  who  had  fled  from  the 
vicinity  of  what  is  now  Natal,  in  consequence  of 
the  wars  waged  by  Tshaka,  the  Zulu  king.  These 
people  were  known  as  the  Fingos.  This  word  is  a 
corruption  of  the  term  "  Amamfengu,"  which  means 
"people  who  beg  their  bread."  A  number  of  Fingo 
chiefs  sought  an  interview  with  the  Governor,  and 
asked  to  be  taken  under  Government  protection.  This 
request  was  acceded  to.  The  Fingos  were  located  in 
the  country  between  the  Keiskamma  and  Fish  Rivers 
in  the  present  district  of  Peddie.  They  numbered 
roughly  about  18,000,  of  whom  only  about  2000  were 
men. 

Lord  Glenelg's  Action. — To  the  horror  and  despair 
of  the  colonists.  Lord  Glenelg,  the  Secretary  of  State, 
reversed  the  settlement.  Accordingly,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  small  portion  of  the  present  district  of 
Peddie,  all  the  country  east  of  the  Fish  River  was 
handed  back  to  the  Kaffirs.  In  a  despatch,  which  is 
perhaps  the  most  extraordinary  document  of  its  kind 
ever  penned,  he  threw  all  the  blame  for  the  war  upon 
the  European  colonists.     Here  is  a  quotation — 

"Urged  to  revenge  and  desperation  by  the  syste- 
matic injustice  of  which  they,  the  Kaffirs,  had  been 
the  victims,  I  am  compelled  to  embrace,  however  re- 
luctantly, the  conclusion  that  they  had  a  perfect  right 
to  hazard  the  experiment,  however  hopeless,  of  extort- 
ing by  force  that  redress  which  they  could  not  expect 
otherwise  to  obtain." 

Unaccountable  Action  of  Captain  Stockenstrom.— 
Lord  Glenelg's  action  becomes  intelligible  when  one 
examines  the  influences  just  then  brought  to  bear 
utK)n  him,  and  remembers  that  his  sympathies  were 


148  A  History  of  South  Africa 

always  with  aboriginal  peoples  as  against  the  dominant 
race.  A  committee  of  the  House  of  Commons  was 
taking  evidence  as  to  the  conditions  of  the  aborigines 
in  the  various  British  colonies — the  chairman  was  a 
pronounced  negrophilist.  Dr.  Philip  appeared  before 
this  committee  with  two  natives.  One,  Jan  Tshatshu, 
was  a  petty  chief ;  the  other  a  man  of  mixed  race. 
These  individuals,  as  Dr.  Tlieal  says,  "  spoke  in  accord- 
ance with  their  training."  They  were  lionised  through- 
out England;  They  were  entertained  by  the  highest 
in  the  land,  and  at  banquets  led  titled  ladies  to  the 
table.  Tshatshu,  it  may  be  mentioned,  became  a  sorry 
backslider.  He  took  to  drink,  and  was  expelled  from 
membership  of  his  church.  But  the  most  astonishing 
evidence  given  before  the  committee  was  that  of 
Captain  Andries  Stockenstrom,  the  late  Commissioner 
for  the  Eastern  Province.  This  gentleman's  reputation 
was  deservedly  high ;  naturally  what  he  said  carried 
great  weight.  The  cumulative  effect  of  his  evidence 
was  to  show  that  in  the  border  troubles  the  Europeans 
had  been  the  aggressors,  that  the  whole  policy  pursued 
on  the  frontier  was  wrong,  and  that  the  Natives  were 
not  specially  addicted  to  dishonesty.  It  is  quite  true 
that  if  one  eliminated  thefts  of  cattle, — which,  according 
to  the  native  code,  were  rather  virtuous  than  vicious, — 
the  Native  as  a  rule  was  not  a  thief.  However,  fine 
ethical  distinctions  could  under  the  circumstances 
hardly  be  expected  to  appeal  to  the  harassed  frontier 
farmer. 

The  evidence  was  capable  of  being  refuted,  but 
before  the  refutation  could  eventuate  irreparable  mis- 
chief had  been  done.  Such  evidence  was  in  contradic- 
tion to  Captain  Stockenstrom' s  own  acts  and  written 
statements.  The  episode  has  been  much  debated,  but 
no  convincing  explanation  of  the  extraordinary  line 
which  Captain  Stockenstrom  took  has  ever  been  given. 

The  Treaty  Policy.— It  has  been  suggested  that 
possibly  the  key  to  the  mystery  is  to  be  found  in  the 
mutual  dislike  and  rivalry  which  had  long  existed 
between  the  Commissioner  and  Colonel  Somerset,  Avho 
held  military  command  on  the  eastern  frontier.  Captain 
Stockenstrom  strongly  advocated  the  policy  of  entering 
into  treaties  Avitli  the  Native  chiefs.  He  returned  to 
South  Africa  as  Lieutenant-Governor  of  the   eastern 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        149 

districts,  and  witli  instructions  to  put  this  policy  into 
effect.  He  proceeded  to  the  frontier  and  handed  back 
to  the  various  chiefs  the  several  territories  which  had 
been  annexed.  The  treaties  were  prepared  and  exe- 
cuted ;  to  the  principal  chiefs  consular  agents  were 
assigned.  In  each  treaty  the  Native  chief  concerned 
was  placed  on  an  etiuality  with  the  British  Crown. 

The  settlement  brought  no  satisfaction,  yet  it  laste<l 
in  a  way  for  ten  years.  During  this  period  many 
murders  were  committed,  many  cattle  were  looted, 
many  raids  and  reprisals  took  place.  The  Pingos 
were  attacked,  and  the  Tembus  looted  the  farmers  of 
the  Somerset  district.  After  four  years'  exi)erience  of 
the  new  system,  the  Governor  reported  to  the  Secretary 
of  State  that  it  was  a  complete  failure. 

Difficulties  of  Captain  Stockenstrom. — The  Lieu- 
tenant-Governor's position  in  the  Eastern  Province 
was  a  most  unpleasant  one.  The  colonists  were 
smarting  over  the  unfounded  accusations  he  had 
brought  against  them  ;  he  was  distrusted  and  dis- 
liked by  all  except  the  Philip-Pairbairn  combination. 
He  brought  an  action  for  libel  against  the  Civil  Com- 
missioner of  Albany  and  lost  the  case.  A  charge  was 
laid  against  him  to  the  effect  that  in  some  previous 
military  operations  he  had  shot  a  Kaffir  boy  under 
discreditable  circumstances.  He  was  tried  on  this 
charge  in  1838  before  a  court  consisting  of  the 
Governor  and  two  military  officers ;  the  verdict  was 
to  the  effect  that  a  Kaffir  had  been  shot,  but  that 
the  shooting  was  justifiable  as  an  ordinary  act 
of  war.  Thereupon  Captain  Stockenstrom  proceeded 
to  England  and  placed  his  resignation  in  the  hands 
of  the  Secretary  of  State.  Lord  Glenelg  offered  to 
reinstate  him  at  an  increased  salary,  but  just  then 
Lord  Glenelg  himself  was  called  upon  to  resign. 
Eventually  Captain  Stockenstrom  retired  with  a 
baronetcy  and  a  pension  of  £700  per  annum.  Even 
his  worst  enemies  had  to  admit  that  he  had  done 
excellent  work  on  the  frontier,  both  in  developing  the 
resources  of  the  country  and  in  reorganising  the  Civil 
Service.  Colonel  Hare  succeeded  to  the  Lieutenant- 
Governorship,  but  Avith  restricted  powei*s. 

The  Governor  says  what  he  thinks.— Sir  Benjamin 
D*Urban  had  Ijeen  in  the  early  days  of  his  period  of 


150  A  History  of  South  Africa 

rule  largely  dominated  by  the  ideas  of  those  who  had 
influenced  Lord  Glenelg.  But  a  few  months  spent  on 
the  frontier  had  opened  his  eyes  and  altered  his  views. 
Now,  however,  he  had  no  choice  but  to  carry  out  the 
preposterous  orders  of  his  chief.  His  personal  views 
on  the  matter  may  be  inferred  from  the  following 
extract  from  his  acknowledgment  of  the  despatch : — 

"  It  is  my  duty  to  obey  the  commands  which  your 
Lordship  has  conveyed  to  me,  and  I  shall  endeavour  to 
do  so  with  as  little  mischief  to  the  Colony  and  to  all 
concerned  as  may  be  compatible  with  that  obedience." 

Abolition  of  Slavery. — In  1834  slavery  was  abolished 
in  South  Africa.  The  slaves  had  to  remain  with  their 
masters  as  apprentices  for  four  years.  It  had  been 
known  for  some  time  that  this  step  was  to  be  taken. 
Even  in  the  days  of  the  Batavian  Government  plans 
were  being  matured  for  bringing  about  gradual  eman- 
cipation, on  the  principles  of  declaring  children  born 
after  a  certain  date  to  be  free.  Suggestions  to  the 
same  effect  had  subsequently  emanated  from  the  slave- 
holders themselves.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  in 
the  long  run  a  gradual  emancipation  in  some  form  or 
another  would  have  been  far  better  for  all  concerned 
than  a  sudden  one, — more  especially  when  the  latter 
was  unaccompanied  by  the  enactment  of  an  adequate 
vagrancy  law.  Slavery,  inherently  vile  and  inde- 
fensible as  it  is  in  any  form  or  under  any  circum- 
stances, was,  in  the  opinion  of  impartial  observers, 
less  irksome  in  the  Cape  Colony  than  elsewhere. 

Gross  0£9cial  Mismanagement. — At  the  date  of 
emancipation  there  were  39,021  slaves  in  the  Cape 
Colony.  These  had  been  appraised  by  Commissioners 
appointed  by  the  Government  at  a  sum  of  £3,041,290. 
The  owners  naturally  expected  to  be  paid  according  to 
this  appraisement.  However,  in  the  year  following  the 
emancipation  it  was  announced  that  of  the  twenty 
millions  sterling  voted  to  compensate  owners  in  the 
nineteen  British  Colonies  where  slavery  had  been 
permitted,  only  £1,247,401  was  assigned  to  the  Cape. 
From  this  sum  had  to  be  deducted  the  cost  of  carrying 
out  the  Emancipation  Act.  A  further  announcement 
fell  like  a  thunderbolt  :  each  claim  had  to  be  proved 
before  Commissioners  sitting  in  London,  and  the 
amounts   found   to   be  due  were  to  be  paid  in  three 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        151 

?iii(]  a  Iialf  \}er  cent,  stock.  Moreover,  each  application 
liad  to  bear  stamps  to  the  value  of  thirty  shillings. 
Tlic  offer  of  payment  at  Tahiti  in  a  currency  of  edible 
bii'ds'  nests  would  have  Ijeen  as  intelligible  to  the 
Boers.  Widespread  I'uin  was  the  result.  Most  of  the 
slaves  were  mortgaged,  and  the  mortgage  bonds  con- 
tained general  clauses.  S[)eculators  went  round  among 
the  i)eople  and  i>urchased  the  claims  for  a  fraction  of 
their  value.  Thus,  the  good  effect  of  an  act  of  great 
nobility  on  the  i)art  of  the  British  nation  was  utterly 
destroyed  by  official  muddling. 

Increase  of  Vagrancy. — An  attempt  was  made  in 
1884  to  iMiss  an  adetpiate  Vagrancy  Law  through  the 


yy- 


CAPE   TOWN   FROM   THE   CASTLE,   ABOUT   1840. 


Legislative  Council.  Again  Dr.  Philip  and  the  Com- 
mercial  Advertiser  raised  their  voices  in  strenuous 
opposition.  So  the  measure  had  to  be  dropi3ed.  Cer- 
tain old  laws  against  vagrants  had  been  hitherto 
enforced  ;  on  an  examination  of  the  basis  of  these, 
however,  the  judges  found  that  although  such  could  be 
.•il)l)lied  in  the  case  of  European  vagrants— wlio  wei*e 
non-existent— they  were  inoperative  against  Hottentots 
or  other  i>ersons  of  colour.  The  result  was  that  the 
country  became  filled  with  wandering  Hottentots  and 
others  of   nondescript   breed,  who   lived   by   thieving. 


152  A  History  of  South  Africa 

killing  game,  and  robbing  bees'  nests  ;  doing,  in  fact, 
anything  but  working. 

Dismissal  of  Sir  Benjamin  D'Urban.— Sir  Benjamin 
D' Urban  was  dismissed  from  his  post  of  Governor  at 
the  end  of  1837.  Time  has  shown  that  those  views 
which  he  expressed  with  such  firmness  and  which  led 
to  his  dismissal  were  just  and  right.  The  military 
authorities  did  not  concur  with  Lord  Glenelg's  opinion 
of  his  incapacity,  for  he  was  immediately  offered  an 
important  military  post  in  India. 


CHAPTER   XI 
(To  1840) 

The  Great  Trek 

The  "Great  Trek."— One  of  the  hinges,  to  use  Proude*8 
phrase,  in  the  histoiy  of  South  Africa,  lis  what  is 
known  as  the  "Great  Trek,"  that  migration  of  some 
10,000  Europeans  from  the  sparsely-peopled  Cape  Colony 
to  the  unknown  north — to  regions  occupied  only  by 
wandering  hordes  of  savages  and  wild  animals.  The 
migration  began  on  a  small  scale  in  1833  ;  it  was  inter- 
rupted owing  to  the  outbreak  of  war  on  the  eastern 
frontier  for  some  two  years.  It  recommenced  and 
reached  its  culmination  in  1836,  but  went  on  inter- 
mittently until  1840. 

Its  Causes. — The  causes  of  the  movement  are  easily 
found  ;  some  dated  from  immediately  after  the  annex- 
ation in  1806.  Various  more  or  less  misleading  reasons 
have  been  assigned,  among  others  the  abolition  of 
slavery.  It  is  true  that  the  emancipation  grievance 
was  given  a  prominent  place  in  the  manifesto  drawn 
up  by  Retief,  one  of  the  leaders,  but  this  is  to  be 
accounted  for  by  the  circumstance  that  the  methods 
under  which  emancipation  was  carried  out  embodied 
one  of  the  most  recent  of  the  grievances.  One  cannot, 
however,  ignore  the  fact  that  with  very  few  excep- 
tions the  "  Voor-Trekkers "  were  not  slave  ownere. 
Another  grievance  was  the  depreciation  of  the  ryks- 
dolhir.  By  a  stroke  of  the  pen  many  men  to  whom 
money  was  legitimately  owed  found  the  amounts  due 
to  them  reduced  by  five-eights,  but  the  main  cause  of 
the  trek  is  to  be  found  in  the  blundering  and  vacillat- 
ing ix)liey  pursue<l  towards  the  warlike  and  aggi-essive 
hordes  of  Bantu  uiK)n  the  eastern  frontier. 

Lord  Glenelg's  Opinion. — A  gi*eat  deal  moi*e  might 


154  A  History  of  South  Africa 

be  said  of  the  grievous  injustice  with  which  the  in- 
habitants of  the  frontier  were  treated.  The  foregoing 
should,  however,  sufficiently  explain  the  exodus.  It 
has  repeatedly  been  stated  that  these  people  who 
decided  to  brave  the  dangers  of  the  unknown  did  so 
because  they  were  restless  spirits,  impatient  of  control 
in  any  form,  and  unwilling  to  submit  to  the  restraints 
of  civilisation.  This  view  Avas  expressed  by  Lord  Glenelg 
as  follows : — 

"The  motives  of  the  migration  were  the  same  as 
had  in  all  ages  impelled  the  strong  to  encroach  upon 
the  weak,  and  the  powerful  and  unprincipled  to  wrest 
by  force  or  fraud,  from  the  comparatively  feeble  and 
defenceless,  w^ealth,  or  property,  or  dominion." 

Sir  Benjamin  D'Urban's  Testimony.— Sir  Benjamin 
D' Urban,  the  man  on  the  spot,  took  another  view.  He 
attributed  the  trek  to  "  insecurity  of  life  and  property 
^  occasioned  by  the  recent  measures  ;  inadequate  com- 
pensation for  loss  of  the  slaves,  and  despair  of  obtain- 
ing recompense  for  the  ruinous  losses  of  the  Kaffir 
Invasion."  He  described  the  emigrants  as  "  a  brave, 
patient,  industrious,  orderly,  and  religious  people,  the 
cultivators  and  defenders  and  the  taxpayers  of  the 
country." 

The  exodus  was  almost  wholly  from  the  midland 
and  eastern  districts  of  the  Colony.  The  people  sold 
their  farms  for  whatever  they  might  fetch  and  formed 
camps  under  different  leaders.  The  strong,  heavy, 
springless  wagons  were  loaded  with  the  most  indis- 
pensable household  goods,  with  a  liberal  store  of  gun- 
powder and  lead.  Then  with  their  wives,  their  children, 
and  their  stock  the  Voor-Trekkers  crossed  the  colonial 
boundary,  emphatically  declaring  that  in  doing  so  they 
finally  threw  off  all  allegiance  to  Great  Britain. 

At  the  time  of  the  trek  the  north-eastern  boundary 
of  the  Colony  Avas  the  course  of  the  Orange  River  from 
the  western  limit  of  Colesberg  to  the  junction  of  the 
Orange  River  and  the  Kraai.  On  the  northern  bank 
of  the  former  were  located  the  Griquas.  Contrary  to 
what  had  been  anticipated,  the  relations  between  the 
Voor-Trekkers  and  these  people  appear  to  have  been 
quite  friendly.  Pasturage  was  hired  from  them  and 
paid  for  in  cattle.  In  other  parts  where  Bushmen 
were  located   the   same    rule   was   followed.      This   is 


The  Great  Trek 


155 


('ori-()lx)rate(I  by  the  traveller  Bain,  who  visited  these 
regions  in  1834. 

The  First  of  the  Trekkers.— Their  Misfortunes.— The 
first  of  the  N'oortrekkers — tliose  who  were  really  the 
])ioiieeis  of  the  movement — were  the  parties  under  the 
leadersliip  of  Triechard  and  Van  Rensberg.  They 
reached  the  Vaal  River  in  February,  1834.  They  pressed 
northward,  unmolested  —  unaccountably  enough  —  by 
the  Matabele.      In  December,   1835,  they  reached  the 

J 


L  *^  L 

/    ^  IS  ^  19 

^  '-1b  ^30 

4  ^t8 

5  ^19 

6  i.ZO 

9  ^23 

10  ^Z4 
fl  ^25 

/3.  27 
/4^  2B 


^  JroV-trrv^-e^' 


COPY   OP   A   CALENDAR   KEPT   BY  THE   VOORTBEKKERS. 


region  now  known  as  Zoutpansberg.  Here  it  was 
arranged  that  Van  Rensberg  should  explore  to  the 
eastward,  so  he  and  his  followers — forty-eight  in  number 
— descended  from  the  great  inland  plateau  into  the  low 
country.  They  were  never  heard  of  again.  From 
rumours  subsequently  gathered  among  the  natives, 
there  is  reason  to  believe  that  they  were  massacred  by 
the  Makwamba  tribe.  Triechard  and  his  party,  after 
a  delay  of  four  months,  also  started  eastward,  their 
object  being  to  oi>en  up  communication  with  Delagoa 


156  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Bay.  Ill  the  low  country  their  oxen  and  horses  were 
destroyed  by  the  tsetse  fly,  the  existence  of  which  they 
had  been  unaware  of.  After  terrible  hardships  the 
party  reached  Lourengo  Marques,  where  all  bvit  a  few 
died  of  fever. 

The  Rendezvous  at  Thaba-Ntshu. — Lions. — The  sub- 
sequent parties  of  Voortrekkers  made  Thaba-Ntshu, 
some  forty  miles  to  the  eastward  of  what  is  now  Bloem- 
fontein,  their  first  rallying  point.  Here  the  Barolong 
Chief,  Moroko,  held  sway.  The  relations  between  the 
Voor-Trekkers  and  the  Barolong  appear  to  have  been 
excellent.  The  regions  traversed  were  full  of  danger  ; 
each  man  literally  carried,  not  alone  his  own  life,  but 
the  lives  of  his  wife  and  children,  in  his  hand.  Lions 
abounded  to  an  almost  inconceivable  extent.  In  the 
vicinity  of  Thaba-Ntshu  249  of  these  animals  were  shot 
before  September,  1837,  and  it  was  said  that  they  were 
more  numerous  in  other  parts.  Over  the  wide  plains 
the  game  depastured  in  endless  variety. 

Potgieter  and  Maritz. — Among  the  more  prominent 
of  the  leaders  of  the  trek  may  be  mentioned  Andries 
Hendrick  Potgieter.  His  following  was  composed  of 
farmers  from  the  Tarka  and  Colesberg  districts.  Among 
them  was  Casper  Kruger, — who  subsequently  held  a 
command  at  the  battle  of  Boomplaats, — and  his  son 
Paul,  then  about  ten  years  old,  who  afterwards  became 
President  of  the  South  African  Republic.  Another 
prominent  leader  was  Gerrit  Marthinus  Maritz,  whose 
following  was  composed  of  farmers  from  the  midland 
district  of  Graaff'  Reinet.  The  clergy  of  the  Dutch 
Reformed  Church  strenuously  opposed  the  trek  ;  they 
feared,  no  doubt,  the  uncivilising  effect  of  the  wilder- 
ness life  upon  the  people.  It  is  nevertheless  a  some- 
what remarkable  circumstance  that  not  a  single  clergy- 
man joined  in  the  exodus. 

The  "  Protectors  of  the  Voice  of  the  People."— On 
December  2,  1836,  an  assembly  of  the  Emigrants  was 
held  at  Thaba-Ntshu,  and  a  governing  body  was 
elected.  This  consisted  of  seven  members,  who  were 
termed  "  Protectors  of  the  Voice  of  the  People."  They 
exercised  both  legislative  and  judicial  functions. 

The  Matabele. — When  Maritz  and  his  party  arrived, 
Potgieter  and  his  followers  had  just  returned  from  the 
north,  where  they  had  suffered  grievously  at  the  hands 


The  Great  Trek 


'57 


158  A  History  of  South  Africa 

of  the  Matabele.  Umziligazi,  the  Matabele  chief,  exer- 
cised a  reign  of  terror  over  the  greater  part  of  that 
vast  tract  now  known  as  the  Transvaal  and  the  Free 
State.  His  "  Great  Place  "  was  in  the  vicinity  of  ^vhere 
Potchefstroom  stands  to-day.  From  here  he  sent  out 
raiding  parties  in  every  direction,  slaughtering  all 
whom  his  spears  might  reach. 

Massacre  of  the  Liebenbergs. — The  Laager  at  Yecht- 
kop. — One  party,  that  of  the  Liebenbergs,  had  been 
massacred,  hardly  any  one  escaping.  But  a  laager  of 
the  other  Emigrants  was  formed  at  a  spot  since  known 
as  Vechtkop.  Here  fifty  wagons  were  drawn  up  in 
a  circle  and  lashed  together,  the  spaces  between  the 
wheels  being  closed  with  thorn  trees.  The  Matabele 
attacked,  but  were  driven  off  with  heavy  loss.  Up- 
wards of  a  hundred  spears  were  hurled  over  the 
wagon-ramparts.  On  the  side  of  the  Voortrekkers 
only  two  men  were  killed  and  twelve  wovmded. 

Kindness  of  the  Barolong. — In  their  retreat  the 
Matabele  carried  off  all  the  stock  belonging  to  the 
laager.  The  Voortrekkers  were  now  in  evil  case,  but 
relief  came  from  Thaba-Ntshu,  for  the  Barolong  chief 
lent  oxen  for  the  purpose  of  hauling  back  the  Avagons. 
This  chief  treated  the  distressed  Voortrekkers  with 
great  kindness,  supplying  them  with  corn  and  lending 
milch  cows  for  the  use  of  the  famished  children. 

Dissensions. — The  "  Grondwet  "  framed. — At  Thaba- 
Ntshu  difficulties  arose  between  Potgieter  and  Maritz, 
but  in  April,  1837,  Pieter  Mauritz  Retief  arrived 
with  seven  families  from  the  Winterberg,  and  the 
points  of  difference  were  for  the  time  amicably 
settled.  On  June  6  a  general  meeting  was  held  at 
Winberg,  close  to  Vechtkop.  A  new  Volksraad  was 
elected,  and  a  "  Grondwet "  or  constitution  drawn 
up.  In  terms  of  this  all  European  inhabitants  and 
future  immigrants  were  to  be  citizens  of  the  new 
state.  All  citizens  were  to  have  equal  rights ; 
slavery  was  not  to  be  allowed  ;  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church  was  to  be  the  State  Church;  Natives  were 
to  be  under  the  protection  of  the  law.  But  civil 
and  political  equality  between  white  and  coloured  was 
distinctly  repudiated,  and  no  one  could  obtain  the 
rights  of  citizenship  without  making  a  declaration  on 
oath   that   he    had    no    connection   with   the    London 


The  Great  Trek 


159 


Missionary  Society.  Mr.  lletief  was  given  chief  execu- 
tive i)()uer  with  the  title  of  Governor,  and  Mr.  Maritz 
was  elected  President  of  the  Volksniad. 

Great  Victory  over  the  Matabele.— Flight  of  Um- 
ziligazi. — One  of  the  first  undertakings  of  the  new 
executive  was  the  meting  out  of  retribution  to  the 
Matabele.  In  November  an  exi)edition  set  forth. 
Umziligazi,  with  Kalipa— his  chief  fighting  "induna** 


TREKKING   OVER    DIFFICULT   COUNTRY. 


or  general— happened  to  be  absent  when  the  attack 
was  made.  But  the  spears  of  the  Matabele  were  use- 
less against  the  arms  of  Europeans.  Moi*eover,  the 
latter  were  well  mounte<l,  and  could  choose  their 
own  distance.  The  battle  lasted  several  days.  The 
Natives  were  so  sevei'ely  punished  that  they  fled 
northward,  crossed  the  Limpopo,  and  finally  settle<l 
down  in  what  we  know  as  Matabeleland.  Umziligazi 
(the    word    approi)riately    enough     means    "  trail    of 


i6o  A  History  of  South  Africa 

blood ")  established  his  "  Great  Place  "  at  Buluwayo. 
After  the  exijulsion  of  the  Matabele  the  Voor- 
trekker  Executive  issued  a  proclamation  assuming 
sovereignty  over  the  whole  of  the  immense  territory 
within  which  the  spears  of  Umziligazi  had  exercised 
their  exterminating  sway,  and  which  was  practically 
uninhabited.  This  included  most  of  the  late  South 
African  Republic,  about  half  of  the  Orange  Free  State, 
and  Southern  Bechuanaland — to  the  eastern  bounds  of 
the  Kalahari  Desert. 

Retief  goes  to  Natal. — Differences  between  Potgieter 
and  Maritz  again  arose,  and  this  time  in  a  more  acute 
form.  Retief  endeavoured  once  more  to  compose  the 
quarrel,  but  without  success.  Other  parties  of  Voor- 
trekkers  were  drawn  into  the  dispute.  Retief,  having 
obtained  knowledge  of  Natal  from  a  party  under  Pieter 
Uys,  which  had  visited  that  country  in  1834,  was  in 
favour  of  the  whole  body  of  Voortrekkers  crossing 
the  Drakensberg  and  taking  possession  of  the  country 
between  that  range  and  the  sea.  The  tract  in  question 
had  been  almost  depopulated  by  the  impis  of  Tshaka, 
the  Zulu  King.  A  feAV  Europeans  had  established 
themselves  at  the  present  site  of  Durban,  where  they 
dwelt  under  a  kind  of  vassalage  to  Tshaka' s  successor, 
Dingaan.  It  is  estimated  that  the  whole  of  what  we 
now  call  Natal  at  that  time  contained  somewhat  less 
than  7000  Native  inhabitants.  These  were  refugees 
and  disorganised  fragments  of  a  large  number  of  clans, 
many  of  which  had  been  practically  exterminated  ; 
they  existed  in  constant  fear  of  their  lives.  In  October, 
1837,  Retief,  accompanied  by  six  others,  left  Thaba- 
Ntshu  on  horseback,  and  went  eastward  until  they 
^  reached  the  Bay  of  Natal,  where  they  were  warmly 
welcomed  by  the  members  of  the  small  European 
settlement. 

He  Yisits  Dingaan. — A.  Treaty. — From  there  they  pro- 
ceeded to  Umkungunhlovu,  where  Dingaan  received 
them  with  apparent  friendliness,  entertained  them 
with  dances  and  military  manoeuvres,  and  agreed  to 
cede  to  the  Emigrant  Farmers  the  country  lying  be- 
tween the  Tugela  and  Umzimvubu  Rivers,  on  condition 
that  they  recovered  certain  cattle  which  had  been 
taken  from  the  Zulus  by  Sikonyella,  Chief  of  the  Bath- 
lokua.      Retief    and   his   six   companions   returned   to 


The  Great  Trek  i6i 

where  his  followers  were  impatiently  waiting.  By 
means  of  a  nise  he  got  Sikonyella  into  his  power,  and 
forced  him  to  disgorge  Dingaan's  cattle. 

The  Emigrant  Farmers  cross  the  Drakensberg.— 
Then  the  Emigrant  Farmers  descended  the  steep  Dra- 
kensberg with  their  long  train  of  seven  hundred  ox- 
drawn  wagons,  in  which  were  their  wives  and  children 
and  their. scanty  household  goods.  Along  each  side  of 
the  track  were  driven  their  flocks  and  herds.  As  they 
gazed  down  upon  the  magnificent  landscape  with  its 
fertile,  uninhabited  valleys — after  passing  over  the 
bare  upland  plains — their  new  heritage  must  have 
seemed  to  the  weary  Voortrekkers  a  veritable  land  of 
promise. 

Massacre  of  Retief  and  his  Party. — Among  the 
smiling  slopes  and  glades  through  which  the  Blaaw- 
krantz  and  Bushman  streams  flow  to  the  Tugela,  the 
well-contented  people  scattered,  each  family  choosing 
the  site  that  pleased  it.  Retief  then  rounded  up  the 
recovered  cattle,  and  started  with  them  for  the  "  Great 
Place  '  of  the  Zulu  King.  He  was  accompanied  by 
about  sixty  European  men  and  a  few  boys,  as  well  as 
by  thirty  Hottentot  herds.  Some  of  his  friends  had  a 
premonition  of  disaster,  and  begged  him  not  to  go. 
The  party  arrived  at  Umkungunhlovu  on  February  3, 
1838.  Their  reception  was  most  friendly ;  Dingaan 
caused  a  deed  to  be  drawn  up  by  Mr.  Owen,  a  mis- 
sionaiy  whom  he  had  permitted  to  reside  near  the 
"  Great  Place,"  ratifying  the  verbal  cession  of  territory 
he  had  previously  made.  On  February  6  Retief  and 
his  companions  prepared  to  depart.  They  went  to 
take  leave  of  Dingaan,  who  sat  in  his  large  cattle- 
kraal  surrounded  by  a  numerous  force  of  armed  men. 
The  Farmers  had  been  requested,  in  accordance  with 
Zulu  custom,  to  discard  their  arms  before  coming  into 
the  King's  presence.  This  they  did,  piling  their  guns 
outside  the  kraal's  entrance.  Upon  entering,  they  wei*e 
invited  to  sit  down  and  partake  of  beer. 

Suddenly,  at  a  signal  from  Dingaan,  the  Zulus 
sprang  on  the  Farmers  and  seized  them.  After  a 
desperate  struggle  they  were  dragged  away  to  an 
adjacent  hill  where  executions  commonly  took  place. 
There  they  were  desimtched  by  having  their  heads 
smashed  in  with  clubs.     The  Hottentot  servants  who 

M 


1 62  A  History  of  South  Africa 

had  been  sent  to  fetch  in  the  horses  from  the  veld 
were  killed  on  their  return. 

The  Laagers  attacked. — Immediately  an  army, 
10,000  strong,  was  despatched  with  orders  to  destroy 
all  the  Voortrekkers.  In  the  early  morning  of 
February  17,  the  Zulus,  having  divided  themselves 
into  detachments,  fell  upon  several  encampments  of 
unsuspecting  Farmers  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Tugela, 
and  massacred  them  :  men,  women,  and  children  in- 
discriminately. Fortunately  two  or  three  young  men 
were  able  to  escape  and  warn  those  who  had  camped 
some  distance  away.  The  latter  hurriedly  threw  them- 
selves into  laager  and  were  thus  enabled  successfully 
to  resist  the  onslaught,  in  which  the  Zulus  lost  heavily. 
When  the  latter  withdrew  they  left  of  the  Europeans 
41  men,  56  women,  and  185  children  dead  among  the 
cinders  of  the  burnt  wagons.  All  the  stock  of  the 
Farmers  was  swept  away.  The  spot  where  this 
dreadful  tragedy  took  place  was  named  "  Weenen'' 
(Weeping).  The  survivors  assembled  in  council  to 
discuss  the  situation.  It  was  proposed  by  some  that 
they  should  retire  over  the  Drakensberg ;  but  the 
women  of  the  party  strongly  opposed  this,  declaring 
that  they  would  not  leave  until  vengeance  had  been 
taken  on  the  murderers  of  their  kin.  Then  all  lifted 
up  their  voices  in  prayer  to  the  God  of  their  Fathers 
that  He  might  sustain  them  in  the  hour  of  their  trial 
and  assist  them  towards  a  righteous  vengeance. 

Expeditions  against  Dingaan. — Assistance  soon 
came  ;  upon  news  of  the  disaster  reaching  the  main 
body  of  the  Voortrekkers,  a  force  under  Command- 
ants Potgieter  and  Uys  pressed  swiftly  over  the 
Drakensberg.  The  English  at  the  Bay  of  Natal,  two 
of  whom  had  shared  the  fate  of  Retief  and  his  com- 
panions, offered  assistance.  These  now  had  a  large 
following  of  Natives,  many  of  whom  were  armed  with 
muskets.  In  April,  two  expeditions,  one  from  Weenen 
and  one  from  the  Bay,  set  forth  for  Dingaan' s  capital. 
Owing  to  internal  dissensions  the  latter  expedition  had 
to  return  ;  that  of  the  Emigrants,  under  Potgieter  and 
Uys,  went  on.  It  numbered  347  men,  all  well  armed 
and  mounted. 

Narrow  Escape  of  the  Emigrant  Farmers. — Death 
of  Commandant  Uys. — It  is  impossible  to  over-estimate 


The  Great  Trek  163 

tlie  biavery  of  these  men.  Without  stores,  without 
any  base,  they  advanced  to  attack  a  chief  who  could 
oppose  them  with  probably  40,000  physically  powerful 
and  highly-disciplined  soldiers.  For  Ave  days  their 
inarch  was  unresisted;  then  a  strong  division  of  the 
Zulu  army  was  seen.  Upon  this  an  attack  was  at  once 
made,  but  it  soon  became  clear  that  the  Farmers  had 
fallen  into  an  ambuscade  ;  a  numerous  force  had  closed 
u])on  their  rear  and  cut  them  off.  By  striking  their 
immense  oxhide  shields  with  the  handles  of  their  si3ears 
the  Zulus  made  a  thunderous  din ;  this  frightened  the 
horses  to  such  an  extent  that  they  became  unmanage- 


rhoto:  T.  D.  Baventcro/t.^ 

DINOAAN'S  EBAAL. 

able.  The  Farmers  had  to  retreat ;  they  were  only  able 
to  escape  by  concentrating  their  fire  upon  one  portion 
of  the  ring  of  foes  which  massed  around  them,  and 
breaking  through  the  gap  thus  created.  Their  loss  was 
ten  men  killed,  besides  their  led  horses,  their  baggage^ 
and  their  spare  ammunition.  Commandant  Uys  was 
one  of  the  slain.  While  endeavouring  to  succour  a 
wounded  man  he  was  stabbed  with  a  si^ear.  He 
called  upon  his  comrades  to  fight  their  way  out  and 
leave  him,  but  his  son  Dirk,  a  boy  of  fifteen,  i-ushed  to 
the  ht'lp  of  his  father  and  ^vas  killed  at  his  side. 

Disastrous  Expedition    from    Port    Natal.— In  the 
mean  time  the    English   at    the   Bay  of    Natal    had 


1 64  A  History  of  South  Africa 

organised  another  expedition.  It  consisted  of  17  Euro- 
peans and  1500  Natives,  over  300  of  whom  had  firearms. 
This  force  met  with  complete  disaster ;  it  was  enticed 
across  the  Tugela  by  a  ruse  and  found  itself  between 
the  horns  of  a  powerful  Zulu  army.  A  desperate 
contest  took  place ;  several  times  in  succession  furious 
charges  were  repulsed,  bvit  the  Zulus  received  reinforce- 
ments which  enabled  them  to  divide  the  Natal  army 
like  a  wedge.  The  defeat  was  complete.  From  the 
one  section  four  Englishmen  and  about  500  Natives 
escaped ;  the  other  section  was  utterly  exterminated, 
but  only  after  a  desperate  fight  in  the  course  of  which 
several  thousands  of  the  enemy  were  killed.  The 
victorious  Zulus  marched  to  the  Bay  of  Natal ;  fortu- 
nately a  small  vessel,  the  Comet,  was  there  anchored, 
and  thus  the  few  surviving  residents  were  enabled  to 
escape.  The  Zulus  destroyed  everything  found  in  the 
settlement,  and  then  returned  to  Umkungunhlovu. 

Potgieter  retires  across  the  Drakensberg. — Com- 
mandant Potgieter  with  his  following  retired  over  the 
Drakensberg.  On  the  Mooi  River  they  founded  a 
village,  which  was  named  Potchefstroom  in  honour  of 
their  leader.  Thus  was  formed  the  first  settlement  of 
Europeans  north  of  the  Vaal.  Here  was  established 
an  independent  government,  which  claimed  authority 
over  the  whole  Transvaal  as  well  as  a  considerable 
portion  of  what  is  now  the  Orange  Free  State.  Near 
Winburg  and  in  various  localities  south  of  the  Vaal  were 
independent  parties  of  Emigrant  Farmers,  individu- 
ally experimenting  in  forms  of  government  based  upon 
Biblical  history.  Potgieter  had  been  blamed  by  some 
of  the  Emigrants  for  the  defeat  which  the  commando 
had  sustained.  However,  a  number  of  fresh  parties 
from  the  Cape  Colony  arrived.  In  August  Dingaan 
again  sent  an  army  against  the  Farmers.  On  three 
successive  days  the  laager  on  the  Bushman  River  was 
violently  attacked,  but  the  Zulus  were  beaten  off  with 
heavy  loss. 

Arrival  of  Andries  Pretorius. — Among  the  new 
arrivals  was  one  Andries  Willem  Jacobus  Pretorius, 
from  Graaff  Reinet.  Mr.  Pretorius,  who  was  a  man  of 
high  character  and  great  ability,  was  elected  Com- 
mandant-General. Early  in  December  he  assembled  a 
commando   of   about   470   men  with   which  to  attack 


The  Great  Trek  165 

Diugaaii.  Most  of  the  rivers  were  in  flood,  so  the 
expedition  had  to  cross  the  Tugela  near  its  source  in 
tlie  Drakensberg,  The  commando  was  accompanied  by- 
wagons,  which  were  each  night  drawn  into  a  circle  and 
lashed  together.  A  few  light  cannon  were  also  taken. 
At  every  halting-place  fervent  prayers  for  victory  were 
offered  up  by  the  Farmers,  and  a  vow  was  made  that  if 
such  were  granted  they  would  build  a  church  and  set 
apart  a  festival  day  in  each  year  in  thankful  com- 
memoration.    This  vow  has  been  faithfully  kept. 

Great  Victory  at  Blood  River.— On  December  15, 
1838,  the  little  force  camped  close  to  the  bank  of  a 
river  into  which  a  deep  donga  led.  The  laager  stood 
on  the  angle  thus  formed,  and  was  accordingly  pro- 
tected on  two  sides.  At  dawn  next  morning  a  powerful 
Zulu  army  rushed  to  the  attack.  For  full  two  hours 
successive  charges  broke  upon  the  two  open  sides,  but 
the  steady  fire  from  the  Farmers'  guns  and  the  small 
field  pieces  mowed  the  enemy  down.  Mr.  Pretorius 
emerged  from  the  camp  with  a  small  body  of  horsemen 
and  attacked  the  enemy  in  the  rear.  The  Zulus  then 
broke  and  fled,  leaving  over  3000  of  their  number  dead 
on  the  field.  The  river,  which  that  day  ran  red,  has 
since  been  known  as  the  Blood  River. 

Destruction  of  Umkungunhlovu.— Flight  of  Dingaan. 
— The  commando  moved  forward  to  Umkungunhlovu, 
which  was  found  to  be  in  flames ;  Dingaan  had  just 
previously  fled  into  the  jungles  of  the  Umvlosi  River. 
On  the  Execution  Hill  the  skeletons  of  Retief  and  his 
companions,  who  had  been  slain  ten  months  previously, 
were  found.  The  thongs  with  which  the  unfortunate 
men  had  been  dragged  to  their  doom  were  still  attached 
to  their  remains.  Those  of  Mr.  Retief  were  recognised, 
and  in  his  leather  bag  was  found  in  perfect  pi*eserva- 
tion  the  Deed  of  Cession  granted  by  Dinga^m.  The 
remains  were  collected  and  buried. 

An  Ambush. — A  detachment  of  280  men  were  sent 
in  pursuit  of  Dingaan.  This  was  surrounded  by  Zulus, 
and  had  to  cut  its  way  out  with  a  loss  of  six  of  its 
number.  The  commando  then  returned,  capturing  on 
its  way  about  5000  head  of  cattle.  In  May  the  Emi- 
grants, with  the  concurrence  of  the  English  residing 
at  the  Bay  of  Natal,  issued  a  proclamation,  taking 
possession  of  the  Bay  in  the  name  of  **The  South  African 


1 66  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Emigrants."  In  July  the  Governor  of  the  Cape  Colony 
issued  another  proclamation  in  terms  of  which  the 
Emigrants  were  ordered  to  return,  and  were  promised 
redress  of  grievances.  The  proclamation  also  stated 
that  the  Emigrants  could  not  be  absolved  from  their 
allegiance  to  the  British  Crown,  and  that  whenever  it 
was  considered  advisable  the  Governor  would  take 
possession  of  the  Bay  of  Natal. 

British  Occupation  of  the  Bay  of  Natal.— Departure 
of  the  British. — This  actually  happened  in  November. 
British  troops  landed  and  seized  a  zone  two  miles  wide 
from  high-water  mark  surrounding  the  Bay.  Within 
the  area  was  stored  some  ammunition  belonging  to  the 
Emigrants  ;  this  was  seized.  In  December,  1839,  the 
British  force  abandoned  the  Bay  of  Natal ;  the  British 
Commandant  returned  the  impounded  ammunition  to 
the  Emigrants,  but  informed  them  that  they  were  still 
considered  to  be  British  subjects. 

Pietermaritzburg  founded. — In  March,  1839,  the 
town  of  Pietermaritzburg  was  founded ;  the  name 
being  given  in  honour  of  the  late  Pieter  Retief  and 
Gerrit  Maritz.  Here  the  Volksraad  of  the  Emigrants 
assembled ;  it  consisted  of  twenty-four  annually  elected 
members,  and  met  four  times  a  year.  Dingaan,  who 
was  a  treacherous,  bloodthirsty  tyrant — in  some  respects 
more  brutal  even  than  his  predecessor,  Tshaka,  had 
become  hated  by  certain  sections  of  his  people. 

Panda  makes  Overtures.— Dingaan  deposed.— The 
slaying  of  Tambusa.— In  the  early  part  of  1840  a  brother 
of  Dingaan,  named  Umpande, — known  to  the  Europeans 
as  Panda,  conspired  against  him.  Panda  was  joined  by 
a  powerful  Induna  named  Nongalaza,  who  commanded 
the  district  north  of  the  Tugela.  He  sent  messages  to  the 
Europeans  asking  for  their  support.  Panda  was  at  first 
distrusted,  but  he  appeared  before  the  Volksraad  in 
October  and  satisfied  it  as  to  his  sincerity.  He  and 
his  followers  were  given  temporary  occupation  of  land 
between  the  Tugela  and  Umvoti  Rivers.  It  was  then 
decided  to  depose  Dingaan  and  install  Panda  in  his 
place.  Accordingly  a  burgher  commando  of  400  men 
assembled,  and,  in  conjunction  with  an  impi  some  6000 
strong,  led  by  Nongalaza,  set  out  for  Zululand,  under 
Commandant-General  Pretorius.  The  latter  had  been 
instructed   to   demand  from   Dingaan   40,000   head   of 


The  Great  Trek  167 

cattle ;  it  was  well  known  that  this  demand  would  be 
refused.  Din^aan  sent  messages  to  the  Emigrants,  to 
the  effect  that  he  wished  to  come  to  terms.  One  of 
the  envoys  was  an  influential  induna  named  Tambusa. 
What  now  occurred  leaves  an  indelible  stain  upon  the 
character  of  Pretorius.  Tambusa  and  his  servant  were 
made  prisoners,  tried  by  court-martial  as  spies,  and 
sentenced  to  death.  They  were  shot.  Tambusa  met 
his  doom  with  a  lofty  dignity  that  nuist  have  put  his 
slayers  to  shame. 

Nongalaza  defeats  Dingaan's  Army. — Nongalaza  had 
moved  forward  with  his  force  and,  without  the  assist- 
ance of  the  Europeans,  met  Dingaan's  army  on  the 
Dukusi  River,  where  he  inflicted  upon  it  a  decisive 
defeat.  The  battle  was  fiercely  contested ;  whole 
regiments  of  Tshaka's  iron  veterans  were  slain  to  a 
man.  While  the  battle  was  still  undecided,  a  cry  arose 
from  Nongalaza's  ranks  :  "  The  Boers  are  coming  I " 
This  was  not  true,  but  the  remnants  of  Dingaan's  army 
believed  it  was,  and  fled.  Dingaan  took  refuge  on  the 
borders  of  the  Swazi  country,  where  he  was  shortly 
afterwards  assassinated. 

Panda  installed  as  Chief  of  the  Zulus.— Panda  was 
formally  installed  as  Chief  of  the  Zulus  by  Mr.  Pre- 
torius. He  received  his  appointment  in  vassalage  to 
the  Emigrant  Farmers,  and  removed  his  followers  to 
the  north  of  the  Tugela.  A  proclamation  Avas  issued 
by  the  Executive  at  Pietermaritzburg,  taking  posses- 
sion of  the  country  as  far  north  as  St.  Lucia  Bay. 


CHAPTER    XII 

(To  1850) 

The  Sovereignty  beyond  the  Orange  River 

The  Griquas. — The  Griquas  north  of  the  Orange 
River  prospered  in  the  tract  they  occupied  under  the 
guidance  of  their  missionaries.  They  became  skilled 
hunters  of  the  ostrich  and  the  elephant,  and  made 
long  journeys  to  the  north,  whence  they  returned  with 
quantities  of  feathers  and  ivory.  The  parent  com- 
munity at  Griquatown  sent  forth  offshoots  which 
formed  settlements  at  various  points.  From  time  to 
time  the  more  restless  spirits  organised  themselves  into 
maraviding  bands  ;  these  became  a  terror  to  the  Bat- 
lapin  and  other  Bantu  tribes  to  the  northward. 

Andries  Waterboer.— Adam  Kok. — Andries  Water- 
boer  remained  at  Griquatown.  A  party  under  one 
Barend  Barends  moved  to  Daniel's  Kuil ;  later  to 
Boetsap,  and,  in  1833,  to  Lishuane,  on  the  Caledon 
River.  Another  party  under  Adam  Kok  settled  at 
Campbell.  In  1834  Adam  resigned,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  brother  Cornells. 

Freebooters. — Philipolis. — The  former  left  Griqua- 
town, and  was  joined  by  a  number  of  freebooters 
who,  on  account  of  the  destructive  swoops  they 
occasionally  made  from  their  strongholds  in  the 
Langebergen  on  the  south-east  margin  of  the  Kalihari 
Desert,  had  long  been  a  terror  to  all  within  their  reach. 
They  now  adopted  a  settled  pastoral  life.  But  they 
did  not  long  remain  under  Waterboer' s  leadership ;  the 
greater  number  soon  resumed  freebooting.  In  1826 
Adam  Kok  and  the  residue  who  adhered  to  him  settled 
down  at  the  request  of  the  London  Missionary  Society, 
at  Philipolis — a  mission  station  near  the  Orange  River, 
which  had  been  established  in  1823,  and  named  in  honour 


The  Sovereignty  beyond  the  Orange  River    169 

of  Dr.  Phihp.  The  idea  underlying  the  request  was  that 
I  \w.  Griqiias  were  to  affoitl  protection  to  the  Bushmen 
till  surviving  in  the  vicinity,  but  instead  of  this 
resulting  the  Griquas  exterminated  the  Bushmen  with 
mthless  cruelty.  Adam  Kok  died  in  1835,  and  was 
-ucceeded  by  his  eldest  son  Abraham. 

The  Oriquas  split. — After  various  intrigues,  the 
particulars  of  which  it  would  be  profitless  to  trace, 
the  Griquas  split  into  two  sections.  On  the  one  side 
were  Cornelis  and  Abraham  Kok,  on  the  other  were 
Andries  Waterboer  and  another  Adam  Kok,  the 
younger  brother  of  Abraham.  Several  battles  were 
fought  between  the  two  sections,  but  the  combatants 
engaged  each  other  at  such  a  distance  that  no  damage 
was  done.  Subsequently,  in  1841,  the  Griquas  were 
divided  into  three  sections.  Andries  Waterboer  went 
back  to  Griquatown,  Cornelis  Kok  to  Campbell,  and 
Adam  Kok  the  Second  reigned  at  Philipolis.  Abraham 
Kok,  the  quality  of  whose  morals  had  been  objected 
to  by  the  missionaries,  sank  into  obscurity.  Before 
this  settlement  had  been  arrived  at,  a  document  was 
drawn  up  between  Adam  Kok  the  Second  and  Andries 
Waterboer,  embodying  an  agreement  to  divide  between 
them  the  country  as  far  north  as  Plattberg  on  the  Vaal 
River.  This  agreement  ignored  all  other  claims.  It 
was  dated  November  9,  1838,  and  was  regarded  as 
important  evidence  on  the  subject  of  the  o\\'nership 
of  the  Diamond*  Fields  in  1870.  As  a  matter  of  fact 
the  signatories  to  this  agreement  had  no  more  right 
to  the  tract  it  referred  to  than  they  had  to  the  Isle 
of  Wight. 

Gradual  Migration  of  Europeans  across  the  Orange 
River. — For  many  years  farmers  of  the  Cape  Colony 
liad  been  in  the  habit  of  crossing  the  Orange  River 
when  pasturage  became  scarce  owing  to  drought  or 
visitations  of  locusts.  From  time  to  time  individuals 
settled  on  the  plains  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Riet  and 
Modder  Rivers.  The  relations  between  the  Eui-o- 
]>eans  and  the  Griquas,  who  were  located  farther  south, 
were  (juite  friendly.  The  Griquas,  by  clearing  the 
country  of  Bushmen,  had  gained  the  gratitude  of  the 
farmers.  A  number  of  these,  under  a  leatier  named 
Michael  Oberholster,  were  well-disposed  towaixls  the 
British  Government. 


I70  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Return  of  some  of  the  Emigrant  Farmers.— Of  the 

Emigrant  Farmers  who  recrossed  the  Drakensberg  from 
Natal  after  Durban  had  been  retaken  by  the  British, 
some  moved  to  the  north  of  the  Vaal ;  others  remained 
between  the  Vaal  and  the  Orange.  The  leader  of  the 
latter  was  one  Jan  Mocke  ;  he  and  his  following  were 
bitterly  anti-British.  In  October,  1842,  Mr.  Justice 
Menzies  held  a  Circuit  Court  at  Colesberg.  Two  men 
belonging  to  Mocke's  party  were  charged  with  murder, 
but  acquitted.  Adam  Kok  was  at  the  time  at 
Colesberg. 

A  Comprehensive  Annexation. — Acting  on  informa- 
tion received  from  him,  the  judge  crossed  the  Orange 
River  on  October  22,  hoisted  the  Union  Jack  and 
proclaimed  British  sovereignty  over  the  country  from 
the  32nd  degree  of  longitude  eastward  to  the  sea  and 
northward  from  the  Orange  River  to  the  25th  parallel 
of  latitude.  From  this  comprehensive  tract  were 
omitted  such  portions  as  were  in  possession  of  the 
Portuguese  or  of  native  tribes.  Two  days  afterwards 
Mocke  with  several  hundred  armed  followers  arrived 
and  disputed  the  validity  of  the  proclamation,  claiming 
on  behalf  of  the  Emigrant  Farmers  the  whole  country 
north  of  the  Orange  River  and  as  far  eastward  as  the 
military  lines  around  Durban.  Sir  George  Napier  re- 
pudiated Judge  Menzies'  action  by  means  of  a  published 
notice,  —  which,  however,  again  affirmed  that  the 
Emigrant  Farmers  were  regarded  as  British  subjects. 
At  the  same  time  a  military  force  was  despatched  to 
Colesberg. 

Treaties  of  Alliance  with  Adam  Kok  and  Water- 
boer. — In  1843  a  treaty  of  alliance  was  entered  into 
between  Governor  Napier  and  Adam  Kok  at  the  latter' s 
request,  similar  in  terms  to  the  one  entered  into  with 
Waterboer  nine  years  previously.  In  his  application 
the  Griqua  captain  claimed  a  territory  of  nearly  twelve 
thousand  square  miles  in  extent,  but  in  the  treaty 
only  the  southern  boundary,  a  line  running  from  the 
neighbourhood  of  Ramah  to  Bethulie,  was  mentioned. 
It  was  arranged  that  Adam  Kok  was  to  draw  a  yearly 
subsidy  of  £100  and  to  be  provided  with  one  hundred 
stand  of  arms  and  a  quantity  of  ammunition.  More- 
over, he  was  granted  £50  yearly  for  the  maintenance  of 
a  school. 


The  Sovereignty  beyond  the  Orange  River     171 

Treaties  with  Moshesh  and  Faku. — At  the  same  time 
a  treaty  was  ciitcicd  into  with  Moshesh,  the  Basuto 
chief.  In  the  latU  r  treaty  the  limits  of  the  Basuto 
territory  were  defined  as  follows :  the  Orange  River 
from  its  source  to  its  junction  with  the  Caledon  ;  thence 
a  line  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  miles  northwards  of 
the  Caledon  from  the  district  of  Bethulie  to  the  country 
occupied  by  the  Bathlokua.  The  territory  lying 
between  Basutoland  and  the  sea  was  ceded  by  treaty  to 
Faku  the  Pondo  chief.  Thus  the  Cape  Colony  from  thfe 
Kalihari  eastwards  to  the  Indian  Ocean  was  technically 
cut  off  from  the  possibility  of  expansion  to  the  north- 
ward by  a  chain  of  four  independent  Native  states,  with 
the  rulers  of  which  England  had  entered  into  solemn 
treaty  engagements. 

Resultant  Irritation.— A  Lost  Opportunity.— Pro- 
bably no  act  on  the  part  of  Great  Britain  irritat/cd  the 
Farmers  so  much  as  did  these  treaties.  The  Griquas 
had  been  British  subjects  and  had,  without  permission, 
crossed  the  colonial  boundary.  Their  independence 
was  forthwith'  acknowledged ;  they  were  furnished 
with  arms  and  treated  with  every  possible  favour. 
Europeans,  on  the  other  hand,  were  peremptorily  told 
that  they  could  not  throw  off  their  allegiance,  and  such 
of  them  as  happened  to  be  living  within  the  territories 
occupied  by  the  Griquas  were  now  placed  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  so-called  "Captains,"  belonging  to  a 
hybrid,  inferior  race.  At  this  time  Oberholster's 
following  numbered  more  than  a  thousand;  these 
people  were  well-disposed  and  most  anxious  to  submit 
to  the  Queen's  authority.  They  sent  an  influentially 
signed  memorial  asking  to  be  accepted  as  British 
subjects,  but  no  notice  was  taken  of  their  request. 
Herein  was  a  splendid  opportunity  lost.  Oberholster 
and  his  people,  while  declining  to  acknowledge  subjec- 
tion to  the  Gi'iquas,  entered  into  an  agreement  with 
Adam  Kok  to  the  effect  that,  conjointly  with  him,  they 
would  prevent  any  one  refusing  allegiance  to  Great 
Britain  from  residing  in  the  territory. 

Difficulties  between  Farmers  and  Griquas. — In  1844 
there  was  a  quarrel  between  two  Europeans  near 
Philipolis,  one  of  whom  died  from  the  injuries  he 
received.  Adam  Kok  caused  the  other  man  to  be 
arrested  and    forwarded    to   Colesberg.      Jan    Mocke 


172  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Avrote  on  behalf  of  the  Emigrants  who  were  opposed  to 
British  rule,  demanding  the  release  of  the  prisoner, 
which  was  refused.  Mocke  threatened  war,  and  Kok 
obtained  from  Colesberg  powder  and  lead.  In  June  a 
large  meeting  of  Farmers  and  Griquas  was  held  at 
Colesberg.  No  satisfactory  understanding  was  arrived 
at.  Not  long  afterwards  two  Natives,  on  the  complaint 
of  one  of  the  Farmers,  were  sentenced  by  a  Com- 
mandant to  be  flogged.  Adam  Kok  sent  a  band  of  one 
hundred  men  to  arrest  the  comi)lainant ;  the  latter  was 
not  at  home,  but  the  Griquas  broke  into  his  house, 
abused  his  wife,  and  carried  away  his  guns  and 
ammunition. 

The  Fight  at  Touwfontein. — The  Farmers  went  into 
laager  at  Touwfontein.  The  Griquas  assembled  under 
arms ;  the  two  parties  began  looting  each  other's 
cattle.  Adam  Kok  was  supplied  by  the  Governor  with 
one  hundred  more  muskets  and  a  quantity  of  ammu- 
nition. A  military  force  of  two  hundred  men  proceeded 
from  Colesberg  to  Philipolis  to  support  the  Griquas. 
The  Farmers  maintained  that  they  were  independent 
of  Great  Britain  and  subject  only  to  the  Councils  of 
Potchefstroom  and  Winburg.  They  insisted  that  the 
Griquas  began  the  war,  and  demanded  that  a  line  of 
demarcation  should  be  drawn  between  the  Griquas  and 
themselves.  They  pointed  out  that  as  the  Griquas 
were  regarded  as  a  free  people  it  was  the  right  of  the 
Europeans  to  be  similarly  regarded.  They  professed 
their  willingness  to  return  cattle  captured  if  the 
Griquas  would  do  the  same.  In  the  meantime  a  further 
military  force,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Richardson, 
had  crossed  the  river.  An  advance  was  made  by 
British  and  Griqua  forces  upon  Touwfontein.  After 
a  slight  action  the  Farmers  fled  and  their  camp  was 
taken.  With  the  exception  of  about  one  hundred  men, 
who  surrendered,  the  laager  contained  only  women 
and  children. 

A  Settlement  arrived  at. — Shortly  afterwards  the 
Governor,  attended  by  the  Attorney-General,  arrived 
at  Touwfontein.  A  meeting  of  Basuto  chiefs  and 
Griqua  captains  was  held  ;  Moshesh  was  present.  Adam 
Kok  made  extravagant  demands.  It  was  eventually 
arranged  that  his  territory  should  be  divided  into  two 
portions.      In    one    of     these    no     Europeans     except 


The  Sovereignty  beyond  the  Orange  River     173 

missionaries  and  traders  were  allowed  ;  in  the  other, 
land  might  be  leased  either  to  Europeans  or  Griquas. 
At  the  time  there  were  already  within  it  eighty  farms 
lield  by  Europeans.  It  was  further  arranged  that  the 
administration  of  this  portion  was  to  be  in  the  hands 
of  a  British  resident,  but  the  sovereign  rights  of  Adam 
Kok  were  lu'vcitheless  to  remain  intact. 

Major  Warden. — Captain  (afterwards  Major)  Henry 
Douglas  Warden  was  appointed  Resident.     The  Basuto 


MOSHESH. 


chief  asked  that  the  Europeans  residing  within  the 
bounds  of  the  tract  assigned  to  him  by  the  treaty  entered 
into  with  Sir  George  Napier  might  be  ejected.  These 
numbered  at  the  time  447  families.  Negotiations  on 
the  subject  were  postponed  pending  an  inquiry  to  be 
made  by  Commandant  Gideon  Joubert,  who  was 
appointed  Sub-Commissioner  for  the  purpose.  At  this 
period  the  ninnber  of  the  Natives  who  acknowledged 
Moshesh  as  their  chief  was  about  fifty  thousand. 

The  Ambitions  of  Moshesh. — Moshesh's  conduct  now 


174  A  History  of  South  Africa 

indicated  the  growth  of  his  ambition.  Not  satisfied 
with  the  extensive  tract  which  he  occupied,  he  sent 
parties  of  his  people  to  establish  themselves  in  areas 
where  no  Basuto  had  previously  resided.  He  extended 
his  borders  northward  towards  the  tracts  inhabited 
by  the  Bathlokua  and  ordered  his  brother,  a  noted 
freebooter,  to  seize  a  natural  fortress  which  was  deep 
within  the  area  occupied  by  Europeans.  This  brother 
was  soon  joined  by  a  number  of  Bantu  thieves  belonging 
to  other  tribes. 

Founding  of  Bloemfontein. — In. March,  1846,  a  con- 
ference was  convened  by  Major  Warden.  Moshesh, 
Sikonyella, — the  Bathlokua  chief — with  a  number 
of  other  chiefs  and  the  Griqua  captains  attended. 
At  this  conference  it  was  agreed  to  leave  the 
settlement  of  the  boundary  question  to  a  com- 
mission to  be  appointed  by  the  Governor.  Owing, 
however,  to  the  Kaffir  war  breaking  out,  no  such 
commission  was  appointed.  Major  Warden  selected  a 
spot  known  as  Bloemfontein  as  the  site  for  his  court ; 
this  subsequently  became  the  capital  of  the  Orange 
Free  State. 

Sir  Harry  Smith. — As  soon  as  affairs  in  the  Cape 
Colony  permitted,  Sir  Harry  Smith  went  north  to  visit 
the  Farmers  who  had  crossed  the  border.  He  had 
known  many  of  them  twelve  years  previously,  and, 
trusting  to  his  popularity,  felt  confident  of  being  able 
to  persuade  the  Emigrants  to  return.  But  the  latter 
were  now  much  embittered  by  their  experiences,  and 
had  lost  faith  in  Great  Britain.  Moreover,  among 
them  were  a  number  of  questionable  characters,  in- 
cluding fugitives  from  justice  and  deserters  from  the 
army.  Such  men  had  strong  objections  to  coming 
again  under  British  rule,  and  traded  for  their  own  ends 
on  the  prejudices  of  the  Farmers. 

Adam  Kok  surprised. — Sir  Harry  Smith  summoned 
Adam  Kok  to  meet  him  at  Bloemfontein  on  January 
24,  1848.  The  Griqua  captain  talked  arrogantly  of  his 
rights,  and  took  up  the  position  of  an  independent 
sovereign  in  alliance  on  equal  terms  with  the  Queen  of 
England.  However,  upon  the  Governor  threatening  to 
hang  him  from  one  of  the  beams  of  the  room  in  which 
the  interview  took  place,  he  consented  to  a  reasonable 
compromise.     In  terms  of  this  he  and  his  people  had  to 


The  Sovereignty  beyond  the  Orange  River     175 


176  A  History  of  South  Africa 

draw  a  capitalised  sum  of  £300  per  annum  for  the  land 
let  to  Europeans  in  the  alienable  portion  of  the  Griqua 
territory.  As  the  leases  in  the  other  i^ortion  expired, 
it  was  arranged  that  the  European  occupants  should 
leave,  their  improvements  being  paid  for. 

Proclamation  of  the  Soyereignty.— Oberholster's 
following  of  well-disposed  Farmers  presented  the 
Governor  with  an  address  of  welcome ;  so  did  another 
party  of  Farmers  from  the  Lower  Caledon  River.  At 
Winburg  an  address  signed  by  forty-eight  persons, 
twenty-seven  of  whom  were  heads  of  families,  was 
presented.  This  embodied  a  request  that  the  country 
might  be  brought  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Great 
Britain.  The  Governor  had  a  hurried  interview  with 
Moshesh,  and  informed  that  chief  that  he  meant  to 
proclaim  the  sovereignty  of  the  Queen  over  all  the 
country  inhabited  by  the  Farmers.  Moshesh  signed  a 
document  agreeing  to  the  proposals,  which,  however, 
it  is  not  clear  that  he  fully  understood. 

The  Governor  then  proceeded  to  Natal,  where  he 
visited  the  camp  of  the  Emigrant  Farmers.  There,  on 
February  3,  he  issued  a  proclamation  of  sovereignty  on 
the  part  of  the  Queen  of  England  over  the  country 
between  the  Orange  and  the  Vaal  Rivers,  and  thence 
eastward  to  the  Drakensberg.  He  had  so  much 
confidence  in  the  effect  of  his  personal  influence  that, 
against  Major  Warden's  advice,  he  removed  all  the 
troops  except  sixty  of  the  Cape  Mounted  Riflemen  from 
Bloemfontein.  Provisional  arrangements  were  made 
for  the  government  of  the  new  sovereignty.  A  civil 
commissioner  and  resident  magistrate  was  appointed 
to  Winburg,  and  another  to  the  Lower  Caledon.  All 
farms  were  to  be  held  on  military  tenure,  and  Farmers 
were  required  to  turn  out  in  defence  of  the  Sovereign 
and  her  allies.  But  the  only  allies  of  the  Queen  the 
Farmers  knew  of  were  the  Griquas,  whom  they  despised 
and  hated,  and  the  Basuto,  whose  increasing  power 
they  felt  to  be  a  menace. 

Sir  Harry  Smith  deceived. — Sir  Harry  Smith  had 
completely  mistaken  the  temper  of  the  people,  a  strong 
majority  of  whom  were  irreconcilably  opposed  to 
British  rule  in  any  form.  Many  of  the  Farmers  at  once 
moved  northward  across  the  Vaal  River,  so  as  to  be 
outside  the  Queen's  proclaimed  dominion.     There  were, 


The  Sovereignty  beyond  the  Orange  River    177 

however,  a  fair  proportion,  probably  not  quite  one- 
third  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  sovereignty,  who  were 
ill  favour  of  the  British  connexion.  On  May  22  Major 
Warden  installed  Mr.  Biddulph,  the  new  resident 
magistrate  and  civil  commissioner  at  Winburg.  The 
Rei)ublican  oflicials  there  gave  formal  notice  that  they 
would  not  acknowledge  the  British  official.  They  sent 
a  message  to  Mr.  Pre  tortus  at  Rustenburg  asking  for 
his  assistance.  Mrs.  Pretorius  lay  dying  at  the  time, 
but  she  sent  her  husband  from  her  bedside  to  do  his 
duty.     He  never  saw  her  again. 

Pretorius  intervenes. — Mr.  Pretorius  arrived  at 
Winburg  on  July  12;  he  published  a  notice  to  the 
effect  that  nobody  would  be  permitted  to  remain 
neutral,  and  that  those  who  would  not  join  him  must 
cross  the  Orange  River  before  the  20th  of  the  month. 
The  few  who  were  favourable  to  the  British  Govern- 
ment went  into  laager  and  defied  the  notice.  Mr. 
Biddulph  retired  to  Bloemfontein. 

The  Commandos  assemble. — A  feAv  days  afterwards 
Pretorius  api)roached  with  a  commando,  and  camped 
within  two  miles  of  the  village.  At  a  conference  with 
Major  Warden  the  capitulation  of  Bloemfontein  was 
agreed  upon,  the  few  troops  and  the  civilian  in- 
habitants being  permitted  to  return  to  the  Cape 
Colony.  Mr.  Pretorius  furnished  wagons  to  convey 
their  goods  to  Colesberg.  A  long  manifesto  drawn  up 
and  signed  by  upwards  of  nine  hundred  farmers,  was 
forwarded  to  the  Governor.  It  repeated  the  grievances 
and  reminded  Sir  Harry  that,  as  High  Commissioner, 
he  had  stated  that  unless  the  majority  of  the  in- 
habitants were  in  favour  of  the  Queen's  Sovereignty 
such  would  not  be  proclaimed.  On  this  point  there 
exists  a  discrepancy  between  the  statement  of  the 
Governor  and  that  of  Pretorius.  The  former  said  that 
his  proviso  had  reference  only  to  the  people  north  of 
the  Vaal ;  Pretorius  declared  that  it  also  included 
those  between  the  latter  and  the  Orange. 

When  the  report  of  these  occurrences  reached  Sir 
Harry  Smith,  he  gave  oi-ders  that  all  available  troops 
should  assemble  at  Colesberg.  A  piXK'lamation  was 
issued  offering  £1000  reward  for  the  appi'ehension  of 
Pretorius,  and  £500  for  that  of  William  Jacobs,  the 
landdrost  of  Winburg.    The  British  force,  some  eight 

N 


178  A  History  of  South  Africa 

hundred  strong,  crossed  the  Orange  River  on  August 
26,  Sir  Harry  Smith  taking  personal  command.  It  Avas 
joined  by  a  few  well-disposed  Farmers  and  some  two 
hundred  and  fifty  Griquas,  under  Andries  Waterboer 
and  Adam  Kok.  The  commando  of  the  Emigrant 
Farmers  fell  back  towards  Bloemfontein ;  there  was 
much  dissension  in  its  ranks. 

The  Battle  of  Boomplaats. — On  the  28th  the  com- 
mando took  up  a  position  among  some  stony  hills  near 
the  Kromme  Elleboog  River  at  a  farm  called  Boom- 
plaats. Shortly  before  noon  next  day  the  British 
force  advanced  against  the  enemies'  position ;  Sir 
Harry  and  his  staff  rode  in  front.  By  the  Governor's 
orders  the  caps  had  been  removed  from  the  nipples 
of  the  carbines ;  he  w^as  under  the  impression  that 
the  Farmers  when  they  recognised  him  would  not  fire. 
But  a  volley  rang  out  within  sixty  yards.  The 
Governor  had  a  narrow  escape  ;  his  horse  was  wounded 
in  the  head  by  a  bullet  and  one  of  his  stirrup  leathers 
cut  by  another.  The  British  force  then  attacked,  and 
the  Boers  retired  from  position  to  position,  hotly 
contesting  each.  A  party  of  the  Farmers  under  Com- 
mandant Jan  Kock  made  a  dash  for  the  wagons,  but 
were  forced  to  retire.  At  two  o'clock  the  last  hill  was 
stormed;  the  Farmers  then  broke  and  fled  eastward 
across  the  plain.  In  his  despatch  Sir  Harry  Smith, 
who  had  seen  much  fighting,  described  the  engagement 
at  Boomplaats  as  one  of  the  most  severe  skirmishes  he 
had  ever  witnessed.  The  number  of  Farmers  actually 
engaged  was  probably  about  five  hundred ;  the  British 
loss  was  two  officers  and  twenty  men  killed,  and  five 
officers  and  thirty-three  men  severely  wounded.  The 
number  of  casualties  on  the  side  of  the  Farmers  was 
not  ascertained;  they  admitted  to  having  lost  nine 
men  killed  and  five  wounded.  Next  day  two  men 
who  had  taken  part  in  the  battle  were  captured.  One 
was  a  deserter,  the  other  a  young  farmer  named  Dreyer. 
They  were  tried  by  court-martial  and  shot.  The  exe- 
cution of  Dreyer  was  looked  upon  as  an  act  of  excessive 
severity,  and  was  much  resented. 

A  reward  of  £2000  w^as  now  offered  for  the  appre- 
hension of  Commandant-General  Pretorius,  and  £500 
each  for  the  apprehension  of  three  of  his  officers.  The 
infliction  of  several  substantial  fines  was  announced. 


The  Sovereignty  beyond  the  Orange  River    179 

The  Governor,  with  his  force,  proceeded  to  WinhurK 
rid  Bloemfontein,  and  re-proclainied  the  Queen's 
SovereiKHty.  Moshesh,  who  had  been  invited  to  meet 
liim,  apixjared,  attended  by  several  hundred  followers. 
Amended  arrangements  for  the  government  of  the 
territory  were  announced.  The  seat  of  magistracy  in 
the  Caledon  River  district  was  named  Smithfield.  A 
fort  was  built  at  Bloemfontein,  where  a  small  garrison 
was  left.  Soon  the  more  irreconcilable  of  the  Boers 
moved  northward  over  the  Vaal,  but  their  places  were 
taken  by  fresh  arrivals  from  the  Cape.  On  his  return 
journey  the  Governor  crossed  the  Orange  River  at 
BufFel's  Vlei,  where  he  was  met  by  a  number  of  Farmers. 
It  was  arranged  to  have  a  town  laid  out  at  this  spot, 
to  be  given  the  name  of  Aliwal. 

Establishment  of  Church  Consistories. — Ever  since 
the  emigration,  the  Farmers  had  been  without  any 
official  religious  ministrations  except  those  afforded 
by  the  Reverend  Daniel  Lindley  of  Maritzburg,  who 
occasionally  crossed  the  Drakensberg.  Marriages  were 
performed  by  civil  officers;  baptisms  were  deferred 
until  Mr.  Lindley's  services  became  available.  How- 
ever, the  Farmers  never  lost  hold  of  their  Bible.  There 
were  no  schools,  but  the  children  were  taught  their 
letters  by  the  parents,  and  were  thus  enabled  to  spell 
out  the  easier  passages  of  the  sacred  Book.  The  ad- 
venturous life  led  by  the  children  of  Israel  during 
their  wanderings  had,  to  a  certain  extent,  its  counter- 
part in  the  experiences  of  the  Emigrant  Farmers.  The 
latter  moved  about  in  a  more  or  less  desert  country 
with  their  flocks  and  herds,  and  came  into  conflict 
with  heathen  tribes.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that 
the  Emigrants  came  to  consider  themselves  to  be  in  a 
sense  a  "  peculiar  "  people,  and  to  look  upon  the  Bible 
as  the  one  and  only  guide  to  this  world  as  well  as  to 
the  next.  In  1848  a  synod  of  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church  decided  to  send  a  commission  to  investigate 
the  spiritual  needs  of  the  Emigrants.  When  it  is 
realised  that  twelve  yeai*s  had  passed  without  any 
such  step  being  taken,  one  may  well  wonder  at  the 
delay.  Consistories  were  established  at  Bloemfontein, 
at  Smithfleld,  and  at  a  spot  where  the  town  of  Harri- 
smith  now  stands.  Early  in  1849  the  Reverend  Andrew 
Murray,  junior,  was  appointed  Minister  at  Bloemfontein, 


i8o  A  History  of  South  Africa 

and  Consulent  of  the  other  congregations.  Schools 
had  been  established  at  Bloemfontein,  Winburg,  and 
Smithfield.  Steps  were  taken  towards  obtaining  the 
services  of  clergymen  and  teachers  from  Holland.  In 
1849  a  Legislative  Council  was  created. 

Trouble  in  Basutoland. — Trouble  began  in  Northern 
Basutoland,  between  Moshesh's  people  and  those  of 
Sikonyella.  There  was  considerable  fighting  and  loot- 
ing on  both  sides.  Attempts  were  made  to  lay  down 
a  satisfactory  line  in  the  south  between  the  country 
occupied  by  the  Europeans  and  that  occupied  by  the 
Basutos.  Moshesh  now  claimed  the  whole  of  the  terri- 
tory assigned  to  him  in  terms  of  the  Napier  Treaty, 
besides  a  considerable  tract  in  addition.  Eventually, 
under  compulsion,  Moshesh  agreed  to  accept  a  line  laid 
down  by  Major  Warden.  This  cut  off  an  area  assigned  to 
the  Basuto  by  the  Napier  Treaty  of  1843.  That  treaty, 
however,  had  recognised  as  integral  portions  of  Basuto- 
land, large  tracts  into  which  Moshesh  had  just  recently 
sent  people  to  build  kraals  foi*  the  purpose  of  establish- 
ing a  technical  occupation. 

In  1850  trouble  arose  between  the  Bathlokua  and 
the  Bataung.  A  British  expedition  took  the  field 
against  Sikonyella  who,  however,  submitted.  In  the 
meantime  the  Bataung  had  attacked  a  mission  station, 
so  the  British,  assisted  by  the  Bathlokua  and  the 
Barolong,  attacked  them  and  captured  a  number  of 
their  cattle.  Immediately  afterwards  some  Basuto 
fell  upon  the  Barolong.  This  was  in  revenge  for  the 
Barolong  having  helped  in  the  attack  upon  the  Ba- 
taung, whom  Moshesh  now  regarded  as  his  vassals. 
Nearly  four  thousand  head  of  cattle  and  eight  hun- 
dred horses  were  swept  into  Basutoland.  A  demand 
was  made  upon  Moshesh  for  restitution  of  the  looted 
stock;  some  months  afterwards  he  sent  in  about  two 
thousand  head  of  inferior  cattle.  Raiding  between 
the  Basuto  and  various  clans  on  their  border  com- 
menced. A  meeting  of  all  the  chiefs  in  the  territory 
was  convened  for  June  4,  1851,  at  Bloemfontein.  Only 
Moroko  and  Gert  Taaibosch,  Captain  of  the  Korannas 
on  the  Orange  River,  appeared.  It  was  decided  to 
bring  Moshesh  to  book.  He  now  claimed  autho- 
rity over  the  Baphuti,  a  clan  located  south  of  the 
Orange   River,   and    it   was   his  evident   intention   to 


The  Sovereignty  beyond  the  Orange  River     i8i 

extend  his  borders  in  three  directions — north,  Houth, 
md  west.  A  force  was  assembled  consisting  of  nearly 
lii-ee  hundred  Europeans,  of  whom  about  one  hundred 
and  twenty  were  farmers,  and  upwards  of  one  thousand 
blacks  of  various  tribes.  A  demand  was  sent  to  Moshesh 
for  delivery  of  six  thousand  head  of  good  cattle  and 
three  hundred  horses. 

The  Battle  of  Yiervoet.— To  this  no  reply  was 
received ;  it  was  then  decided  to  attack  the  Bataung 
at  Viervoet,  their  stronghold.  The  force  was  com- 
manded by  Major  Donovan  of  the  Cape  Regiment. 
An  assault  was  made  at  daybreak  on  June  30.  The 
stronghold  was  easily  stormed,  and  the  cattle  of  the 
enemy  taken  possession  of.  In  the  mean  time  three 
bodies  of  Basuto  arrived.  The  Bataung  now  reformed, 
and  in  conjunction  with  the  Basuto,  delivered  a  vigorous 
counter-attack.  What  had  been  looked  upon  as  an 
easy  victory  was  now  turned  into  a  disastrous  defeat. 
The  cattle  were  all  recaptured,  and  a  large  number  of 
the  unfortunate  Barolong  were  slaughtered.  The  com- 
mando then  retreated  to  Thaba-Ntshu,  where  it  was 
broken  up.  The  Barolong  and  the  other  clans  which 
had  resisted  the  Basuto  were  obliged  to  fall  back  to 
the  westward.  The  British  Resident  w^as  now  power- 
less. The  majority  of  the  Farmers  refused  to  support 
him.  Assistance  was  received  from  Natal ;  this  in- 
cluded some  two  hundred  regular  troops  and  a 
contingent  of  Natives  numbering  about  six  hundred. 

Moshesh  plunders  the  Loyal  Farmers. — Moshesh 
sent  foixjes  to  take  possession  of  the  land  vacated  by 
the  tribes  which  had  joined  the  English  against  him. 
Then  while  proclaiming  his  friendliness  towards  the 
British  Crown  he  sent  out  his  men  to  attack  all  Farmera 
who  had  obeyed  Major  Warden's  requisition  to  turn 
out  on  commando.  At  the  same  time  he  spared  those 
who  ha<i  refused. 


CHAPTER   XIII 

(To  1854) 

The  Sovereignty  beyond  the  Orange  River 

Anarchy]  —  Pretorius  asked  to  restore  Order. — The 
Republican  Party  now  assembled  and  drafted  a  request 
to  Mr.  Pretorius  to  the  effect  that  he  should  take  upon 
himself  the  administration  of  the  country,  which  had 
practically  fallen  into  a  condition  of  anarchy.  Moshesh, 
regarding  the  Farmers  as  the  stronger  faction,  joined 
in  this  request.  He  was  aware  of  the  war  which  was 
raging  on  the  eastern  frontier  of  the  Cape  Colony,  and 
no  doubt  believed  that  the  British  were  getting  the 
worst  of  it.  Reinforcements  were  despatched  from 
England,  and  the  Governor  was  instructed  to  restore 
British  authority.  But  the  Secretary  of  State  embodied 
in  his  despatch  a  threat,  which  must  have  sounded 
somewhat  strange  to  the  Republicans,  namely, — that 
unless  the  majority  of  the  inhabitants  would  willingly 
and  actively  obey  the  Sub- Resident,  British  rule  would 
be  withdrawn ! 

In  November,  1851,  Major  Hogg  and  Mr.  Mostyn 
Owen,  who  had  been  constituted  a  Commission  to 
inquire  into  the  conditions  of  the  Sovereignty,  arrived 
at  Bloemfontein.  Those  conditions  presented  peculiar 
features.  The  Farmers  who  had  ignored  the  British 
Resident's  authority,  and  who  were  ijractically  in 
alliance  with  Moshesh,  were  peacefully  carrying  on 
their  avocations,  whereas  those  who  maintained  their 
allegiance  to  the  British  Crown  were  continually 
exposed  to  attack  by  the  Basuto.  The  contingent  of 
Natal  Natives  was  engaged  in  looting  on  its  own 
account,  mainly  from  Sikonyella's  people.  When  they 
had  collected  what  they  considered  a  sufficiency  of 
stock,  they  absconded   to   their   homes.     Moroko   and 


The  Sovereignty  beyond  the  Orange  River    183 

I J  is  [H'ople  had  returned  to  Thaba-Ntshu,  where 
Kiiropean  troops  from  Natal  were  stationed,  but  the 
latter  were  soon  withdrawn  for  the  protection  of  the 
loyalists  of  the  Winburg  district,  who  were  suflfermg 
grievously  from  Basuto  raids. 

The  Sand  River  Convention. — Commandant-General 
Pretorius  wrote  from  Magaliesberg  in  November 
suggesting  that  a  conference  between  the  commis- 
sioners and  the  representatives  of  the  Farmers  from 
beyond  the  Vaal  might  be  held.  This  proposal  was 
agreed  to  on  December  23 ;  at  the  same  time  the 
proclamation  of  outlawry  against  Mr.  Pretorius  and 
of  rewards  for  his  apprehension  and  for  that  of  certain 
of  his  colleagues  was  withdrawn.  On  January  16, 
1852,  the  conference  was  held  at  Mr.  P.  A.  Venter's 
farm  on  the  Sand  River.  About  three  hundred  of 
the  Transvaal  farmers  attended.  At  this  period  there 
were  four  commandants-general  in  the  Transvaal,  each 
taking  charge,  as  chief  executive  officer,  of  a  section 
of  the  country.  The  four  were  Mr.  A.  W.  J.  Pretorius, 
Mr.  A.  H.  Potgieter,  Mr.  W.  F.  Joubert,  and  Mr.  J.  A. 
Enslin.  The  section  which  adhered  to  Mr.  Potgieter 
was  not  represented.  Mr.  Joubert  acted  with  Mr. 
Pretorius  ;  Mr.  Enslin  was  lying  on  his  death-bed.  The 
treaty  known  as  the  Sand  River  Convention  was  then 
drawn,  up  and  signed  by  the  delegates  from  each  side. 
It  provided  for  the  complete  independence  of  the 
Emigrants  who  had  crossed  the  Vaal  River.  It 
specifically  stated  that  there  was  to  be  no  interference 
on  the  part  of  the  British  Government  in  the  internal 
affairs  of  the  Transvaal,  no  encroachment  upon  land 
nor  alliances  with  coloured  tribes  north  of  the  Vaal 
River.  Slavery  was  not  to  be  practised.  Neither 
side  was  to  supply  war  material  to  the  Native  races. 
Certificates  of  birth  and  marriage  issued  by  the 
Government  to  the  Emigrants  were  to  be  recognised. 
The  extradition  of  criminals  was  provided  for.  The 
Convention  was  eventually  ratified  by  the  Secretary 
of  State. 

At  this  time  the  greater  number  of  those  opposed 
to  British  rule  had  left  the  Sovei*eignty  for  the 
Transvmil.  Those  opponents  who  still  remained  con- 
sidered that  Mr.  Pretorius  had  betrayed  them  through 
not    having    provided     for     their    interests     in     the 


1 84  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Convention.  Such  were  informed  that  if  they  chose 
they  might  cross  the  Vaal,  in  which  case  farms  would 
be  provided  for  them. 

Moshesh  continued  to  profess  friendship,  which, 
how  ever,  was  punctuated  by  raids.  He  again  attacked 
Sikonyella,  defeated  him,  and  carried  off  a  large 
number  of  cattle.  A  clan  of  half-breeds  was  supplied 
by  Major  Warden  with  ammunition.  They  raided  the 
Basuto ;  the  latter  in  revenge  for  this  again  raided  the 
Barolong. 

Appointment  of  an  Executive  Council. — Major  Hogg 
died  suddenly,  and  was  succeeded  by  Advocate  J.  W. 
Ebden.  Major  Warden  was  retired,  and  Mr.  Henry 
Green  appointed  in  his  place.  An  Executive  Council, 
consisting  of  five  nominated  members,  under  the  pre- 
sidency of  the  British  Resident,  was  constituted.  The 
latter  acquired  large  tracts  of  land ;  he  was  in  fact  the 
largest  landholder  in  the  Sovereignty.  Sir  Harry  Smith 
had  been  recalled,  and  Sir  George  Cathcart  appointed 
Governor  and  High  Commissioner  in  his  place.  Soon 
afterwards  a  meeting  of  the  delegates  of  the  European 
inhabitants  from  the  different  districts  was  convened. 
This  assembly  was  asked  to  vote  on  the  question  as 
to  whether  Great  Britain  held  the  country  with  the 
consent  of  the  inhabitants  or  not.  The  answer  was  in 
the  affirmative. 

Sinister  Attitude  of  Moshesh. — It  was  now  the 
general  conclusion  that  the  ambitions  of  the  Basuto 
Chief  were  such  as  to  constitute  a  grave  danger.  The 
great  mistake  Avhich  had  been  made  in  permitting  the 
enlargement  of  the  Basuto  territory  and  the  consolida- 
tion of  the  power  of  the  tribe  was  evident.  The 
imperative  necessity  of  employing  military  measures — 
measures  adequate  to  check  the  growing  arrogance 
and  aggressiveness  of  Moshesh  and  his  vassals — was 
generally  recognised. 

Sir  George  Cathcart. — His  Ultimatum  to  Moshesh.— 
Accordingly,  when  Sir  George  Cathcart  had  broken 
the  power  of  the  Kaffir  tribes  on  the  eastern  frontier 
of  the  Cape  Colony,  he  organised  a  powerful  military 
force  wherewith  to  back  the  ultimatum  he  intended 
presenting  to  the  "  Chief  of  the  Mountain,"  as  Moshesh 
Avas  called. 

Assembly  of  a  Strong  Military  Force.— This  force, 


The  Sovereignty  beyond  the  Orange  River     185 

wliich  was  thoroughly  equipped,  consisted  of  about  two 
thousand  infantry  and  five  hundred  cavalry,  with  two 
field-guns.  It  marched  vid  Burghersdorp,  crossed  the 
Orange  River,  and  proceeded  along  the  western  bank  of 
tlu^  Caledon  to  Plattberg,  where  it  halted.  Summonses 
were  issued  to  Moshesh,  Sikonyella,  Molitsane,  Moroko, 
and  Gert  Taaibosch  to  attend.  None  of  them  appeared. 
The  Caledon  was  in  flood,  so  Moshesh  could  not  have 
come  even  had  he  been  willing,  but  two  of  his  sons 
swam  through  the  river  to  the  camp.  Them,  however, 
the  High  Commissioner  declined  to  receive.  The  ulti- 
matum was  presented  to  Moshesh  on  December  14.  It 
was  couched  in  peremptory  and  somewhat  offensive 
terms,  and  embodied  a  demand  for  the  delivery  of 
10,000  head  of  cattle  and  1000  horses  within  three 
days.  Next  day  Moshesh  visited  the  camp  and  con- 
ferred with  the  High  Commissioner,  to  whom  he  de- 
clared that  the  required  number  of  cattle  and  horses 
could  not  be  collected  within  the  time  specified,  and 
that  an  advance  of  the  British  into  his  country  would 
l)e  resisted.  "  A  dog,"  he  said,  "  will  show  his  teeth 
if  beaten."  It  is  probable  that  Moshesh  personally 
favoured  complete  submission,  but  that  his  principal 
vassals  took  a  different  view.  In  acting  against  the 
opinion  of  his  councillors,  there  is  always  a  point 
beyond  which  the  most  influential  Native  chief  dare 
not  go. 

The  Battle  of  the  Berea. — On  December  18  Moshesh's 
son  Nehemiali  brought  3500  head  of  cattle  to  the 
British  camp.  Next  day,  as  no  more  cattle  had  been 
delivered.  Sir  George  Cathcart  moved  a  portion  of  his 
force  to  the  Caledon  Drift  near  the  Berea  Mission 
Station.  In  the  evening  Moperi,  a  brother  of  Moshesh, 
arrived  accompanied  by  a  missionary,  and  begged  that 
the  advance  might  be  stayed,  as  efforts  Avere  being 
made  to  collect  the  balance  of  the  cattle.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  December  20,  however,  the  British  force  moved 
forward  in  three  divisions.  Before  it  lay  the  Berea 
mountain — rugged,  flat-topped,  and  precipitous  ;  it  was 
observed  to  be  thickly  covered  with  herds  of  cattle. 
Beyond  the  Berea  lay  Thaba  Bosigo — "  Tlie  Mountain 
of  Night,"  the  renowned  stronghold  of  the  Basuto 
Chief.  It  was  arranged  that  one  section  of  the  British 
force  should    cross   the  Berea,  and    the    two    others 


i86  A  History  of  South  Africa 

repectively  proceed  around  its  flanks — the  three  to  meet 
on  the  other  side.     The  Cavalry  Brigade,  under  Colonel 
Napier,  whose  course  was  along   the   northern   flank, 
succumbed  to  the  cattle  lure,  left  their  specified  course 
and  without  definite  formation  ascended  tlie  mountain 
side.     Suddenly  about  seven  hundred  mounted  Basutos 
charged  upon  the  disorganised  force.     Colonel  Napier 
rallied  a  few  of  the  troops  and  managed  to  cover  the 
retreat  of  the  others.     Thirty-two  men  were  killed,  of 
whom  twenty-seven  were  Lancers.     Another  detach- 
ment of  over  four  hundred  and  fifty  infantry  with  a 
few  cavalry,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Eyre,  ascended 
the  face  of  the  mountain  and  seized  an  enormous  herd 
of  cattle  which  had  been  placed  on  the  top — evidently 
as  a  bait.     But  the  cattle  proved  unmanageable,  and 
while  the  British  force  was  endeavouring  to  drive  them 
away,  a  mass  of  the  enemy's  horsemen  charged.     Some 
of  the  Basuto  were  dressed  in  the  uniform  of  the  slain 
Lancers,  and  were  not  recognised  as  enemies  until  they 
were  close  at  hand.     Most  of  the  cattle  had  to  be  aban- 
doned.    Fortunately  the  scattered  British  force  was 
able  to  draw  together  and  effect  an  orderly  retreat, 
with  a  loss  of  only  five  men  killed  and  an  officer  taken 
prisoner.     The  third  British  detachment,  about  three 
hundred   strong,  and   under  the  command  of  General 
Cathcart,  moved  round  the  southern  base  of  the  Berea 
and  halted  before  Thaba  Bosigo.     Confronting  it  was 
a  force  of  some  six  thousand  horsemen,  all  with  fire- 
arms.    These  advanced  to  the  attack,  but  hardly  came 
within  rifie  range.     Firing  from  both  sides  continued 
for  some  time,  but  with  little  result.     Then  a  heavy 
thunderstorm  broke,  and  for  a  space  the  firing  ceased. 
When  the  storm  had  passed,  the  enemy,  whose  numbers 
had  now  increased,  began  to  advance,  but  fortunately 
Colonel    Eyre's    detachment    arrived    and    reinforced 
General  Cathcart' s  meagre  contingent.     As  night  was 
falling  the  British  took  up  a  good  defensive  position  in 
an  abandoned  kraal  surrounded  by  large  rocks.     The 
enemy  kept  up  a  vigorous  fire  from  a  distance  until 
eight   o'clock.      The   casualties   were,   considering   the 
circumstances,  light — only  two   officers   and   five  men 
being   wounded.     At   daybreak   the   British   force  re- 
treated  towards   the   Caledon,   watched   by   a   strong 
Basuto  army,  moving  parallel  to  it  along  the  Berea. 


The  Sovereignty  beyond  the  Orange  River     187 

A  Politic  Submission. — On  the  way  a  messenger, 
carrying  a  flag  of  truce,  overtook  the  General  and 
delivered  a  letter  from  Mosliesh,  one  well  described  by 
Dr.  Theal  as  "  the  most  politic  document  that  has  ever 
been  penned  in  South  Africa."     It  read  as  follows : — 

"  Thaba  Bosigo :  Midnight, 

'•  December  20,  1862. 

**  Your  Excellency, 

"  This  day  you  have  fought  against  my  people 
and  taken  much  cattle.  As  the  object  for  which  you 
have  come  is  to  have  a  compensation  for  Boers,  I  beg 
you  will  be  satisfied  with  what  you  have  taken ;  I 
entreat  peace  from  you.  You  have  shown  your  power ; 
you  have  chastised.  Let  it  be  enough,  I  pray  you,  and 
let  me  be  no  longer  considered  an  enemy  to  the  Queen. 
I  will  try  all  I  can  to  keep  my  people  in  order  in  the 
future. 

**  Your  humble  servant, 

"  MOSHESH." 

Two  considerations  no  doubt  weighed  with  the 
Basuto  Chief  in  making  this  timely  submission.  One 
was  that  he  and  his  warriors  had  been  much  impressed 
by  the  cool  courage  evinced  by  the  British,  as  well  as 
by  the  orderly  retreat  they  had  effected  in  the  face  of 
tremendous  odds.  The  other  was  that  Moshesh,  cer- 
tainly the  most  astute  Native  ruler  in  South  Africa, 
knew  how  powerful  Great  Britain  was,  and  that  if  he 
inflicted  a  really  severe  defeat  such  would  inevitably 
be  heavily  avenged.  The  Basuto  loss  is  said  to  have 
been  twenty  killed  and  a  like  number  wounded ;  be- 
sides, some  women  and  children  had  fallen — whether 
through  inadvertence  or  otherwise  could  not  be  stated 
— at  the  commencement  of  the  advance.  In  revenge 
for  this  Captain  Faunce,  the  officer  who  had  been  cap- 
tured, was  murdered. 

At  the  Battle  of  the  Berea  mounted  infantry  wei-e 
for  the  first  time  used  in  warfare  against  civilised 
ti<>()j)s.  Twenty  years  previously  the  Basutos  had 
possessed  few  if  any  horses,  yet  the  military  genius 
of  Moshesh  was  such  that  he  was  able  to  divine  the 
imnieiise  advantage  mounted  men  would  possess  over 
t  hose  oil  foot  under  South  African  conditions,  and  he 
organised  his  army  accordingly. 


i88  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Sir  George  Cathcart  was  soldier  enough  to  know 
that  he  had  been  defeated,  and  diplomatist  enough  to 
make  use  of  the  golden  bridge  opened  to  him.  He 
recognised  how  costly  and  difficult  a  conquest  of  Ba- 
sutoland  would  prove,  and  how  averse  the  British 
Government  would  be  from  undertaking  such  an 
enterprise.  So,  in  spite  of  indignant  protests  from  his 
officers  and  from  Mr.  Owen,  he  proclaimed  peace,  broke 
up  his  camp  and  returned  to  the  Cape  Colony,  leaving 
a  garrison  of  three  hundred  men  at  Bloemfontein. 
Moshesh  forthwith  sent  messages  to  all  the  surround- 
ing clans,  informing  them  that  he  had  gained  a  victory 
over  the  British  and  driven  them  from  his  country. 

Abandonment  of  the  SoYereignty  decided  upon. — 
The  supporters  of  Great  Britain — both  white  and 
coloured — Avithin  the  Sovereignty,  were  now  in  a  state 
of  consternation.  Abandonment  was  in  the  air.  On 
October  21,  1851,  Earl  Grey  had  written  to  Sir  Harry 
Smith  to  the  effect  that  such  should  be  a  settled  point 
in  the  Imperial  policy.  When  the  account  of  the  Berea 
affair,  which  was  described  by  Sir  George  Cathcart  as 
a  victory,  reached  him,  the  Secretary  of  State  at  once 
wrote  to  say  that  abandonment  had  been  finally  de- 
cided upon.  Moshesh  at  first  showed  great  modera- 
tion ;  he  restrained  his  people  from  raiding,  and  even 
when  some  of  his  outlying  subjects  were  attacked  by 
Gert  Taaibosch  and  Sikonyella  he  refrained  from 
reprisals. 

A  Majority  against  Abandonment.— Sir  George 
Russell  Clerk  was  appointed  Commissioner  to  arrange 
for  the  abandonment  of  the  Sovereignty.  He  arrived 
at  Bloemfontein  in  August,  1853,  and  instructed  the 
British  Resident  to  call  upon  the  people  to  appoint 
delegates  for  the  purpose  of  deciding  upon  a  form  of 
self-government.  The  delegates  numbered  ninety-five, 
of  whom  nineteen  were  English.  They  passed  a  reso- 
lution refusing  to  entertain  any  proposals  toward  an 
independent  government  until  the  Basuto  and  other 
pressing  questions  had  been  satisfactorily  settled.  But 
the  British  Commissioner  had  to  carry  out  his  instruc- 
tions, which  were  imperative  as  to  immediate  abandon- 
ment. He  was  therefore  constrained  to  approach  the 
party  irreconcilably  opposed  to  British  rule,  and  to 
ignore  the  wishes  of  those  desiring  to  remain  subjects 


The  Sovereignty  beyond  the  Orange  River     189 

(if  tho  Queen.  The  hitter  were,  owing  to  a  recent  influx 
fioin  the  Houtli,  far  more  numerous  than  they  had 
been  when  the  Battle  of  Boomplaats  was  fought. 
Thus,  owing  to  a  strange  shuffling  of  the  ix)litical 
(•aids,  the  jjeople  who  desired  that  British  rule  should 
he  maintained  were  now  termed  "  The  Obstiiietionists," 
\\  liile  those  formerly  regarded  as  disloyal  were  termed 
"  Tlie  Well-disposed."  All  who  had  taken  the  British 
side,  including  the  clans  and  tribes  who  had  declared 
against  Moshesh,  were  filled  with  dismay.  From  the 
Cape  Colony  petitions  against  the  proposed  abandon- 
ment i^oured  forth. 

Unfounded  Acciisations. — In  some  of  these,  abso- 
lutely unfounded  accusations  relating  to  the  alleged 
practice  of  slavery  and  the  ^perpetration  of  atrocities 
were  made  against  the  Emigrant  Farmers.  In  the 
meantime  Moshesh  again  attacked  Sikonyella  and 
inflicted  on  him  such  a  crushing  defeat  that  he  never 
recovered  his  influence.  After  this  even  the  "  Well- 
disposed  "  demurred  at  taking  over  the  country  until 
the  power  of  the  Basuto  had  been  broken. 

GonYention  of  Bloemfontein. — Eventually,  however, 
this  ix)int  was  waived,  and  on  February  23,  1854,  the 
Convention  of  Bloemfontein  was  signed.  In  terms  of 
this  the  Orange  River  Sovereignty  became  a  Republic 
similar  to  that  constituted  north  of  the  Vaal  River. 
The  provisions  of  the  treaty  resembled  those  of  the 
Sand  River  Convention.  Endeavours  were  made  by 
the  British  Resident  to  arrange  the  terms  of  an  agree- 
ment between  the  new  Burgher  Assembly  and  the 
Griquas,  but  the  situation  was  so  complicated  that  no 
settlement  could  be  arrived  at.  Accordingly  the  solu- 
tion was  left  to  the  new  Government.  On  March  11 
the  British  Flag  was  lowered  at  the  Fort,  and  that  of 
the  ncAV  Republic  hoisted  in  its  place.  Then  the  British 
officials  and  troops  left  Bloemfontein. 


CHAPTER    XIV 

(To  1868) 

The  Orange  Free  State 

A  DiflBcult  Situation. — The  Basuto. — Very  few  common- 
wealths have  begun  their  independent  existence  under 
such  difficulties  as  beset  the  little  community  of 
Europeans  scattered  over  the  wide  plains  between 
the  Orange  and  Vaal  Rivers.  They  numbered  only 
about  fifteen  thousand  ;  on  their  eastern  boundary  was 
a  powerful  and  hostile  Native  state,  the  inhabitants  of 
which  outnumbered  them  by  twelve  to  one.  At  its 
head  was  a  chief  who  was  not  alone  an  astute  diplo- 
matist, but  a  great  organiser  and  a  skilled  soldier. 
Moreover  the  Basuto  Tribe  was  continually  being 
augmented  by  the  incorporation  of  clans  which  sought 
safety  by  amalgamation  under  the  strong  shield  of 
Moshesh.  To  westward  were  located  various  tribes  of 
turbulent  Natives,  to  the  south-westAvard  were  the 
Griquas,  well-armed  and  mounted.  One  great  ad- 
vantage which  the  Europeans  possessed  lay  in  the 
enormous  reserve  of  food  provided  by  the  herds  of 
game  which  so  thickly  covered  the  plains.  This  at 
least  secured  them  against  starvation. 

The  Constitution  framed. — The  people  elected  re- 
presentatives to  meet  and  frame  a  Constitution.  The 
commonwealth  was  to  be  a  Republic ;  it  was  named 
the  Orange  Free  State.  All  adult  European  residents 
were  entitled  to  vote,  naturalised  aliens  being  admitted 
through  a  qualification  based  upon  property  or  income. 
The  franchise  was  extended  to  a  few  educated  men  of 
colour.  The  National  Assembly  of  fifty- six  members 
was  termed  the  "  Volksraad,"  or  "  People's  Council." 
At  the  head  of  the  State  was  to  be  an  elected  President, 
assisted  by  an  Executive  Council.     The  first  President 


The  Orange  Free  State  191 

was  Mr.  Josias  Philip  Hoffman,  whose  sympathy  for 
t  lie  Native  races  was  well  known.  He  possessed  con- 
sidei"able  influence  with  Moshesh,  and  there  is  no  doubt 
that  it  was  this  circumstance  which  led  to  his  being 
elected. 

The  Griquas.— The  first  question  of  importance  the 
lu'w  Government  had  to  deal  with  was  in  connection 
\N  ith  the  Griquas.  Adam  Kok  began  introducing  black 
and  coloured  people  into  his  reserves.  This  was  put 
a  stop  to,  but  the  sale  of  land  in  the  Griqiia  reserves 
to  approved  Europeans  was  permitted.  The  Griqua 
Captain  endeavoured  to  stand  on  what  he  conceived 
to  be  his  rights,  in  terms  of  the  treaty  of  alliance  with 
the  British  Government.  He  was,  however,  informed 
by  the  Governor  of  the  Cape  Colony  that  the  alliance 
no  longer  existed.  Trouble  arose  with  a  Bantu  clan 
from  the  north  under  a  leader  called  Witsi,  who  had 
taken  refuge  in  the  fastnesses  of  the  Drakensberg  to 
the  north  of  Basutoland,  and  begun  raiding  in  the 
Harrismith  district.  Other  raiding  clans  operated  in 
the  south-east. 

Double-dealing  of  Moshesh. — The  Basuto  Chief 
denied  having  any  sympathy  mth  the  robbers,  but  it 
was  found  that  w  hen  the  latter  claimed  his  protection 
they  were  sympathetically  received. 

President  Hoffman's  Gift  of  Gunpowder.— President 
Hoffman  visited  Moshesh  in  1854  and  afterwards  made 
him  a  present  of  fifty  pounds  of  gunpowder.  When 
the  Volksraad  met  in  the  following  year  this  transac- 
tion became  known,  and  it  caused  so  much  indignation 
that  a  number  of  the  Burghers,  including  some  members 
of  the  Volksraad,  seized  the  Fort  at  Bloemfontein  and 
trained  the  guns  on  the  dwelling  of  the  Head  of  the 
State.  President  Hoffman  thereupon  resigned,  and  Mr. 
Jacobus  Nicolaas  Boshof  succeeded  him. 

Treaty  with  the  Basuto. — Matters  were  again  drift- 
ing towards  war  with  the  Basuto.  Sir  George  Grey 
was  now  High  Commissioner  and  Governor  of  the  Cape 
Colony.  He  offered  his  services  towards  endeavouring 
to  effect  a  settlement,  and  a  treaty  was  drawn  up 
between  the  Free  State  authorities  and  Moshesh,  which, 
had  it  been  observed,  should  have  resulted  in  peace 
being  maintained. 

Its  Provisions  disregarded.— The  Border  violated.— 


192  A  History  of  South  Africa 

HoAvever,  the  Basuto  did  not  adhere  to  its  terms.  The 
Border  was  continually  violated ;  quantities  of  cattle 
and  horses  Avere  stolen  and  taken  to  Basutoland. 
Demands  were  made  for  the  restoration  of  these,  but 
all  that  could  be  obtained  from  the  Basuto  were  a  few 
inferior  animals.  By  this  method  Moshesh  made  a 
handsome  profit  out  of  every  looting  transaction. 

Transvaal  Jealousy. — At  this  time  a  section  of  the 
Burghers  north  of  the  Vaal  looked  somewhat  askance 
at  the  signs  of  progress  evinced  by  the  new  Republic. 
It  was  considered  by  them  that  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
original  executive  of  the  Emigrant  Farmers  still  ex- 
tended over  all  the  territory  north  of  the  Orange. 
This  idea  was  reciprocated  by  some  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Orange  Free  State. 

Pretorius  visits  Bloemfontein. — A  deputation  from 
the  Transvaal,  headed  by  Mr.  Pretorius,  attended  at 
Bloemfontein  on  February  22,  1857.  On  the  next  day 
the  third  anniversary  of  the  independence  of  the  State 
was  celebrated. 

Strained  Relations. — The  Verge  of  War. — It  tran- 
spired that  Mr.  Pretorius  had  invited  Moshesh  to 
confer  with  him  at  Bloemfontein,  and  that  he  other- 
wise showed  a  tendency  to  assvime  authority.  This 
was  at  once  repudiated  by  a  proclamation,  and  Mr. 
Pretorius,  wdth  his  coadjutor,  Mr.  Goetz,  were  ordered 
to  leave  Bloemfontein  within  tAventy-four  hours.  Pro- 
ceedings Avere  at  the  same  time  taken  for  sedition 
against  Mr.  Pretorius'  local  sympathisers.  Just  then 
a  consignment  of  lead  for  the  South  African  Republic, 
passing  through  the  Free  State,  Avas  stopped.  This  was 
taken  by  the  South  African  Republic  as  a  declaration 
of  war,  so  an  armed  force  crossed  the  Vaal  and  as- 
sembled in  the  district  of  Winburg,  where  it  AA^as 
joined  by  a  number  of  those  inhabitants  of  the  Free 
State  Avho  desired  union  betAveen  the  tAvo  Republics. 
President  Boshof  also  assembled  a  force. 

A  Settlement. — The  two  commandos  faced  each 
other  on  the  Rhenoster  River,  but  negotiations  Avere 
opened  and  an  agreement  Avas  arrived  at,  in  terms  of 
Avhich  the  Republics  recognised  each  other's  complete 
independence. 

Basuto  Depredations. — In  1858  the  depredations  of 
the  Basuto  and  the  clans  under  their  protection  became 


The  Orange  Free  State  193 

intolerable.  Moreover,  hunting  parties —occasionally 
live  hundred  strong — often  entered  the  Free  State  and 
Ijiughtered  quantities  of  game  in  whatever  locality 
uited  them.  Moshesh  was  several  times  urged  to 
control  his  people  and  make  them  resi)ect  the  Warden 
Line.  He  replied  in  ambiguous  terms,  significantly 
remarking  that  when  Sir  George  Cathcart  left  the 
IJcrea  he  took  the  boundary  with  him. 

War  with  Basuto. — Thus,  early  in  its  career,  war 
\N  as  forced  upon  the  Orange  Free  State.  Two  com- 
mandos entered  Basutoland,  one  from  the  noiiih  and 
( )iie  from  the  south.  They  met  with  strong  resistance, 
and  lost  somewhat  heavily.  At  this  time  the  Basutos 
were  manufacturing  gunpowder  under  instruction 
given  by  some  renegade  Europeans.  Such,  however, 
proved  to  be  of  inferior  quality,  and  was  quite  in- 
effective beyond  a  short  range. 

An  Abortive  Campaign. — The  two  commandos 
effected  a  junction  in  front  of  Thaba  Bosigo,  which, 
however,  Avas  absolutely  impregnable  to  the  Boer 
forces.  Then  terrible  news  arrived  :  it  was  to  the 
effect  that  a  large  force  of  Basutos  was  raiding  the 
districts  of  Winburg  and  Smithfield,  burning  farm- 
houses and  sweeping  off  stock.  The  commandos  at 
once  dissolved,  every  man  departing  for  his  home. 

Sir  George  Grey  mediates. — Before  this  President 
Boshof  had  applied  to  the  South  African  Rejjublic  for 
help,  but  had  had  no  satisfactory  response.  Now  he 
communicated  with  Sir  George  Grey,  Governor  of  Cape 
Colony,  asking  him  to  intervene.  With  the  consent  of 
both  Houses  of  Parliament  the  Governor  accepted  the 
rdle  of  mediator.  Moshesh  agreed  to  abide  by  his 
decision.  In  the  meantime  President  Boshof  had  ap- 
proached Moshesh  with  a  request  for  suspension  of 
hostilities.  An  armistice  was  thereupon  agreed  to, 
hostilities  being  suspended  pending  Sir  George  Grey's 
award  as  to  the  terms  of  pea4:*e. 

Trouble  with  the  Batlapin.— Just  then  the  sorely- 
irie<l  State  had  troubles  on  its  western  border  where 
the  Batlapin  had  taken  the  opportunity  of  raiding. 
Several  murders  were  committe<I.  A  commando  was 
sent  against  the  Batlapin ;  with  this  a  force  from  the 
South  African  Republic  co-operated.  Tlie  Batlapin 
were  defeated  with  heavy  loss.     A  strong  movement 

o 


194  A  History  of  South  Africa 

in  favour  of  union  between  the  two  repubUcs  now 
arose. 

Sir  George  Grey  meets  Moshesh.— Sir  George  Grey 
proceeded  to  Thaba  Bosigo  and  conferred  with  Moshesh. 
It  was  then  arranged  that  a  meeting  betw  een  the  Free 
State  Commissioners  and  the  Basuto  Chief  should  take 
place  at  Beersheba.  Moshesh  failed  to  keep  the  ap- 
pointment. Sir  George  Grey,  anxious  to  effect  a 
settlement,  proceeded  to  Thaba  Bosigo  again  and  dis- 
cussed the  situation.  Eventually  a  settlement  was 
arrived  at,  confirming  the  Warden  Line,  but  assigning 
to  the  Basuto  a  large  area  which  had  been  in  dispute. 
Early  in  1859  Mr.  Boshof,  worn  out  by  anxiety,  re- 
signed. Mr.  Esaias  Rynier  Snyman  Avas  appointed 
Acting-President.  About  this  time  the  borders  of  the 
Free  State  were  extended  some  distance  westward, 
partly  by  conquest  and  partly  by  purchase  of  territory 
from  the  chiefs  of  Native  clans. 

Pretorius  President  of  the  Orange  Free  State. — 
Union  vetoed.— In  February,  1860,  Mr.  M.  W.  Pretorius 
consented  to  leave  the  South  African  Republic  and 
accept  the  Presidency  of  the  Orange  Free  State.  A 
proposal  towards  union  of  the  two  Republics  w  as  made, 
but  Sir  George  Grey  informed  the  respective  Govern- 
ments that  if  such  a  union  took  place  the  Sand  River 
Convention  and  the  Convention  of  Bloemfontein  would 
be  annulled. 

More  Trouble  with  Basuto. — Soon  after  his  assump- 
tion of  the  office  of  President,  a  meeting  took  place 
between  Mr.  Pretorius  and  Moshesh  in  the  Winburg 
district.  The  President  was  only  attended  by  twenty 
farmers,  whereas  Moshesh  had  a  bodyguard  of  six 
thousand  horsemen.  A  Treaty,  having  for  its  object 
the  settlement  of  border  difficulties,  was  entered  into. 
The  difficulties,  however,  were  not  abated.  The  Border 
Clans,  disoAvned  by  Moshesh  w^henever  convenient, 
would  often  raid  stock  and  take  them  into  Basutoland, 
where  they  could  not  be  traced.  In  spite  of  repeated 
remonstrances  this  practice  continued.  A  large 
number  of  Europeans  of  a  low  class  had  taken  refuge 
among  the  Basuto,  upon  whom  they  had  an  exceed- 
ingly evil  influence.  In  the  mean  time  Sir  George 
Grey,  who  had  been  able  to  exercise  some  control 
over  Moshesh,  left  South  Africa.     Moshesh  once  more 


The  Orange  Free  State 


»95 


196  A  History  of  South  Africa 

became  defiant,  and  repudiated  the  treaty  he  had 
^  entered  into  Avith  President  Pretorius. 

Migration  of  the  Griquas  to  "  No  Man's  Land." — In 
spite  of  all  the  difficulties  with  which  they  had  to  con- 
tend, the  Free  State  people  rapidly  advanced  in  power 
and  prosperity.  The  population  had  considerably  in- 
creased. For  some  time  the  position  of  the  Griquas 
in  the  south-west  of  the  State  had  become  increasingly 
anomalous.  The  cancellation  of  the  treaties  with 
Great  Britain  left  Adam  Kok  and  his  people  helpless. 
More  and  more  of  the  Griqua  lands  fell  into  European 
hands.  Sir  George  Grey,  feeling  that  the  Griquas  had 
a  grievance,  offered  them  a  large  and  fertile  tract 
known  as  "No  Man's  Land,"  and  lying  to  the  south- 
Avestward  of  Natal.  A  party  which  inspected  this  tract 
reported  favourably  upon  it.  Accordingly  the  Griquas 
sold  what  remained  of  their  land  between  the  Riet 
and  the  Orange  Rivers,  and  moved  over  the  Drakens- 
berg.  They  arrived  at  a  spot  close  to  the  present 
town  of  Kokstad  in  January,  1863,  and  spread  rapidly 
over  the  surrounding  country. 

Basuto  Outrages. — The  difficulties  between  the 
Orange  Free  State  and  Basutoland  increased  ;  in  view 
of  the  conduct  of  Moshesh,  such  was  inevitable.  As 
a  matter  of  fact  no  settlement  was  desired  by  the 
Basuto,  whose  chief,  although  lavish  of  conciliatory 
phrases,  Avovild  never  adhere  to  any  agreement  which 
defined  a  common  boundary.  His  consuming  ambition 
was  to  extend  westward  the  limits  of  his  territory. 
Great  hunting  parties  continually  crossed  the  border, 
rounding  up  large  herds  of  game  and  driving  these 
into  Basutoland.  The  scanty  water-supply  at  the 
homesteads  was  defiled ;  gardens  and  cultivated  fields 
were  destroyed;  members  of  the  Farmers'  families 
were  insulted  ;  occasionally  murders  took  place. 

President  Brand. — In  October,  1862,  President  Pre- 
torius  resigned  and  returned  to  the  Transvaal,  where 
affairs  had  fallen  into  a  condition  of  disorganisation. 
After  an  interval,  Mr.  John  Henry  Brand,  an  Advocate 
at  the  Bar  of  the  Supreme  Court  at  Capetown,  was 
appointed  President.  Intellectually  and  morally 
President  Brand  stands  high  among  his  contemporary 
South  Africans.  By  his  wise  brain  and  capable  hands 
the  ship  of  the  Orange  Free  State  was  to  be  controlled 


The  Orange  Free  State  197 

for  many  years,  and  to  sail  through  troubled  seas  to 
a  haven  of  prosperity. 

In  1808  claims  were  nimle  by  Nicholas  WaterlxHir 
and  Cornells  Kok,  the  nephew  of  Adam  Kok,  to  large 
tracts  to  the  westward  of  the  Orange  Free  State.  An 
arrangement  was  arrived  at  in  terms  of  which  Sir 
Philip  Wo<lehouse,  who  succeeded  Sir  Greorge  Grey  as 
( lovernor  of  Cape  Colony,  consented  to  act  as  arbitrator 
in  these  matters,  but  Waterboer  refused  to  sign  the 
Deed  of  Submission,  so  the  dispute  was  not  settled. 
Waterboei*'s  claim  was  looked  upon  as  quite  pre- 
posterous ;  it  included  land  which  had  been  under  the 
government  of  the  Sovereignty,  and  afterwards  of  the 
Free  State,  for  fifteen  years. 

Dutch  Reformed  Church. — Issue  of  Paper  Money. — 
In  1804  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  of  the  Orange 
Free  State  became  independent  under  its  own  synod. 
This  body  met  for  the  first  time  in  1805.  There  were 
then  eleven  congregations  in  the  State  ;  of  these  seven 
had  been  provided  with  ministei's.  In  1805  a  law  was 
enacted  preventing  any  foreign  bank  from  carrying 
on  business  in  the  Free  State.  Shortly  afterwards 
paper  money  to  the  value  of  £30,000  was  issued. 

Sir  Philip  Wodehouse  arbitrates  between  Orange 
Free  State  and  Basutos. — Moshesh  again  grew  arro- 
gant. He  rei)udiate{l  all  previous  agreements  as  to 
boundaries,  and  claimed  as  his  territory  about  half 
of  the  districts  of  Winburg  and  Harrismith  up  to  the 
Vaal  River,  inclusive  of  some  two  hundred  and  fifty 
farms  for  which  British  titles  had  been  issued.  At 
the  request  of  the  Volksraad  Sir  Philip  Wodehouse 
consented  to  act  as  arbitrator,  with  the  view  of 
attempting  yet  another  settlement  of  the  ever-recur- 
ring dispute  as  to  the  boundary  line  between  the  Free 
State  and  Basutoland.  His  award  was  wholly  in 
favour  of  the  former.  The  Warden  Line,  with  a 
slight  modification,  was  again  fixed  as  the  boundary. 
The  High  Commissioner's  decision  was  communicated 
to  the  Basuto  at  a  "Pitso,"  or  National  Council,  and 
caused  violent  indignation.  All,  with  the  exception 
of  Moshesh  and  Letsie,  his  great  son,  clamoured  for 
war.  But  Moshesh  pei*suaded  the  people  to  submit, 
significantly  observing  that  some  other  occasion  for 
war   might  arise.     The  general   situation   was   in   no 


198  A  History  of  South  Africa 

way  affected  by  the  award ;  looting  became  worse 
than  ever,  although  Moshesh  continued  his  stereotyped 
professions  of  peaceable  intent. 

War  again  declared  upon  Basuto. — Strenuous  Opera- 
tions.— The  situation  was  now  quite  intolerable.  On 
June  9  the  President,  by  proclamation,  called  the 
burghers  to  arms,  and  war  was  again  declared  upon  the 
Basuto.  A  commando  of  nearly  nine  hundred  burghers 
took  the  field.  Their  camp  was  attacked  by  a  strong 
force,  which  was  beaten  off  with  considerable  loss. 
Large  raiding  parties  entered  the  Free  State,  murdering, 
burning,  and  spoiling.  A  party  of  Europeans  belong- 
ing to  the  Transvaal,  in  crossing  the  Drakensberg  from 
Natal,  halted  just  inside  Free  State  territory.  The 
Basutos  fell  on  these  and  murdered  them.  The  effect 
of  this  was  that  a  commando  of  some  eight  hundred 
burghers  from  the  Transvaal,  under  Commandant- 
General  Paul  Kruger,  came  later  to  assist  the  Free 
State  force.  The  Berea  Mountain  was  stormed  ;  it  was 
found  that  from  the  height  thus  gained,  the  top  of 
Thaba  Bosigo  was  within  range  of  the  cannon.  The 
latter,  however,  did  but  little  execution.  A  spirit  of 
discontent  became  evident  among  the  burghers  and 
dissensions  arose.  The  weather  was  cold,  and  they 
suffered  from  many  discomforts.  A  second  and  unsuc- 
cessful assault  upon  Thaba  Bosigo  resulted  in  the  death 
of  Commandant  L.  J.  Wepenar,  one  of  the  bravest  men 
who  ever  fought  in  South  Africa.  The  commando 
became  depleted  through  desertion. 

Moshesh  desires  Peace.  —  Moshesh,  who  was  well 
informed  as  to  what  was  going  on,  diplomatically 
suggested  an  armistice.  He  wrote  to  the  President 
proposing  that  the  High  Commissioner  should  be  re- 
quested to  arrange  terms  of  peace.  So  certain  was 
Moshesh  that  the  commando  was  about  to  break  up, 
that  he  caused  an  enormous  herd  of  cattle  to  be  brought 
from  the  fastnesses  of  the  Maluti  Mountains,  in  the 
expectation  that  within  a  few  days  they  would  be  able 
to  graze  over  their  usual  winter  pasturage.  This  herd 
was  driven  to  the  top  of  Thaba  Bosigo  by  a  pathway 
at  the  back  of  the  movmtain.  The  armistice  came  to 
an  end,  and  General  Fick,  the  Commandant  of  the 
burghers,  refused  to  renew  it.  The  mountain  was 
immediately  closely  invested  ;  the  cattle,  being  without 


The  Orange  Free  State 


199 


grass  or  water,  became  frantic.     They  rushed  hither 
and  thither,  doing  considei*able  damage.    Within  a  few 


P 

^Hsp7ji|0(^^ 

k^ 

r 

i^'- 

Hj^^ 

i 

* 

mm     < 

f 

• 

II 

""'~^^*^;ii^      ~ 

r 

■' 

•■'?  . 

days  the  whole  herd,  nearly  20,000  in  number,  lay  dead 
on  the  mountain*s  top  or  among  the  surrounding  crags. 


200  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Transvaal  Commando  withdrawn.  —  In  reply  to 
Moshesh's  letter,  the  President  stated  the  conditions 
upon  which  he  was  prepared  to  make  i^eace.  These 
included  the  surrender  of  Thaba  Bosigo  with  all  arms 
and  ammunition,  the  delivery  of  40,000  cattle,  5000 
horses,  and  60,000  sheep,  cession  of  territory,  and  the 
appointment  of  a  magistrate  under  whose  supervision 
the  Basutos  were  in  future  to  be  governed.  Moshesh 
declined  the  conditions  and  asked  for  further  i^arley. 
Renewed  fighting  took  place  in  which  the  burghers 
were  successful,  large  numbers  of  cattle  and  horses 
being  captured.  At  the  end  of  October  the  Transvaal 
commando  was  recalled  owing  to  troubles  which  had 
begun  in  the  Zoutpansberg.  In  spite  of  their  depleted 
numbers  the  burghers  prosecuted  the  war  with  vigour. 
The  need  for  further  men  became  urgent,  so  Presi- 
dent Brand  took  steps  towards  raising  European  and 
coloured  volunteers.  As  cash  was  practically  unobtain- 
able, these  were  to  be  paid  by  means  of  captured  stock. 

The  High  Commissioner  intervenes.  —  The  High 
Commissioner,  Sir  Philip  Wodehouse,  strongly  dis- 
approved of  this  proceeding,  on  the  ground  that  the 
persons  likely  to  volunteer  were  British  subjects.  He 
wrote  in  terms  of  remonstrance  to  the  President,  and 
threatened  to  prohibit  the  supply  of  arms  and  ammu- 
nition to  the  Free  State.  The  Colonial  officials  were 
instructed  to  enforce  strictly  the  provisions  of  the 
Foreign  Enlistment  Act  in  this  relation. 

Basutos  raid  Natal.  —  Ramanela,  a  nephew  of 
Moshesh,  made  a  raid  into  Natal  and  looted  a  large 
number  of  cattle  and  horses  belonging  to  Harrismith 
farmers.  Other  raids  more  or  less  similar  followed. 
The  High  Commissioner  demanded  restitution  of  this 
stock.  Moshesh,  of  course,  agreed ;  but  only  a  small 
consignment  of  cattle  was  delivered.  The  High  Com- 
missioner authorised  the  Natal  Government  to  enforce 
his  demands  by  means  of  an  armed  expedition.  This 
authority  was,  however,  cancelled  before  any  action 
was  taken,  so  full  reparation  for  these  outrages  was 
never  made. 

Renewed  Efforts  of  Free  State. — At  the  beginning  of 
1866  the  Free  State  forces  had  become  much  weakened, 
so  once  more  the  Basuto  took  the  offensive,  looting 
and    murdering    in    the    districts    of     Winburg    and 


The  Orange  Free  State  201 

Bethleht^m.  Presitlent  Brand  issued  a  .stronj?  apj^eal  to 
the  people,  urging  them  to  makc^  a  further  effort ;  this 
met  with  a  Kf><><l  lesponse. 

Submission  of  Molapo.  —  Certain  territory  from 
whieh  tlie  Basuto  had  been  driven  was  annexed.  The 
Volksraad  endorsed  this  proceeding.  Within  the  tract 
in  question  there  were  ten  mission  stations  supported 
by  tlie  Paris  Evangelical  Society  ;  from  these  stations 
the  missionaries  were  driven.  In  the  meantime  the 
High  Commissioner  had  tendered  his  services  as  a 
negotiator  with  the  view  of  establishing  peace.  This 
offer  the  Volksraad  courteously  but  firmly  declined. 
The  campaign  was  now  conducted  with  renewed  vigour. 
The  burghers  sent  a  strong  commando  to  the  Maluti 
Mountains  and  captured  many  cattle.  The  result 
was  that  Molapo,  one  of  Moshesh's  sons,  submitted. 
Negotiations  with  Moshesh  were  renewed  at  the  latter's 
request,  and  a  treaty  of  peace  was  entered  into.  The 
Basuto  Chief  agreed  to  surrender  the  territory  annexed 
by  the  Volksraad  and  to  pay  three  thousand  head 
of  cattle.  His  son  Molapo  and  the  latter's  people 
were  to  remain  subjects  of  the  Free  State.  The  High 
Commissioner  at  once  expressed  disapproval  of  the 
treaty  ;  he  considered  that  too  much  ground  had  been 
taken  from  the  Basuto,  and  that  Molapo's  clan  should 
not  have  been  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  tribe. 
Moshesh  and  his  son  Letsie  made  application  to  be 
taken  under  British  protection.  This  was  submitted 
to  the  Secretary  of  State,  who  refused  to  sanction  the 
proposal.  Letsie  and  several  other  chiefs  then  ap- 
proached the  Free  State  with  a  proposal  that  they 
should  become  its  subjects. 

Some  of  the  Basuto  regained  courage  and  returned 
to  the  ceded  and  annexed  territory,  so  once  more  the 
harassed  Free  State  commandos  had  to  be  assembled. 
However,  the  only  military  operations  now  undertaken 
were  against  the  intruders.  Letsie,  Moperi,  and  Moli- 
tsane  were,  on  their  application,  i*eceived  as  Free  State 
subjects.  But  this  also  met  with  the  disapproval  of 
the  High  Conmiissioner,  and  called  forth  another  threat 
to  the  effect  that  it  might  be  found  necessary  to  rescind 
the  Treaty  of  Bh)enif()ntein. 

The  High  Commissioner  restricts  Supply  of  Ammu- 
nition.— In  the  meantime  the  ci*ops  had  been  harvested, 


202  A  History  of  South  Africa 

and  their  supply  of  food  having  been  thus  renewed, 
the  Basuto  again  flew  to  arms.  The  President  once 
more  appealed  to  the  burghers  to  take  the  field ;  they 
responded  with  enthusiasm.  The  stronghold  of  a  chief 
named  Makawi  was  taken  by  assault ;  other  substantial 
victories  :^llowed.  It  was  evident  that  at  length  the 
burghers  were  in  a  position  to  completely  vanquish 
their  foes.  But  it  was  not  to  be.  Moshesh,  who  was 
old  and  in  failing  health,  renewed  his  efforts  toAvards 
persuading  the  High  Commissioner  to  take  him  over  as 
a  British  subject.  The  efforts  were  successful.  Sir 
Philip  Wodehouse  issued  a  proclamation  on  March  12, 

*  1868,  annexing  Basutoland  to  the  British  Crown.  He 
at  the  same  time  restricted  the  transmission  of  ammu- 
nition to  the  Orange  Free  State. 

Basutoland  becomes  British  Territory. — These  pro- 
ceedings caused  great  indignation.  It  was  felt  by  the 
burghers  that  the  long  and  arduous  struggle  with  the 
Basuto  had  been  forced  upon  them,  and  that  they  were 
now  robbed  of  the  fruits  of  their  victory.  It  was  held 
that  the  annexation  of  Basutoland  was  a  violation  of 
the  Bloemfontein  Convention.  The  State  was  much 
impoverished.     Liabilities  amounting  to  £105,000  had 

^  been  incurred,  and  it  was  difficult  to  see  what  taxation 
could  be  imposed  to  liquidate  this.  The  High  Com- 
missioner proceeded  to  Basutoland,  and  after  inquiry 
and  negotiation  a  boundary  was  fixed.  The  Free 
State  was  compelled  to  surrender  a  portion  of  the 
territory  recently  annexed.  The  line  then  laid  down 
is  the  present  existing  boundary.  In  May  the  Volks- 
raad  ratified  the  settlement,  with  only  one  dissentient. 
Its  supply  of  ammunition  being  cut  off,  the  State  felt 
itself  to  be  powerless. 

Death  of  Moshesh. — His  Character. — On  May  11, 
1870,  Moshesh  died,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven.  In 
character  and  intellect  this  chief  towers  high  above 
the  rest  of  the  Bantu  race.  Moshesh  achieved  great- 
ness by  the  force  of  his  own  individuality,  and  irre- 
spective of  European  assistance.  In  his  latter  years 
the  French  missionaries  no  doubt  gave  him  valuable 
advice,  but  it  was  Moshesh,  and  Moshesh  alone,  who 
laid  the  still-enduring  foundations  of  the  Basuto  State. 
A  skilful  soldier,  when  the  battle  was  won  he  substi- 
tuted merciful  methods  for  the  ferocity  which  usually 


The  Orange  Free  State  203 

charafteriserl  the  barbarian  conqueror.  In  forty  years 
1m'  had  changed  a  disorganisexl  aggregation  of  the  frag- 
ments of  a  few  almost  destroyed  clans  int<i  a  ixjwer- 
ful  and  liomogeneous  tribe.  It  is  true  that  he  seldom 
kei)t  his  engagements — that  his  word  could  not  be 
depended  upon ;  but  it  must  be  remembered  that  among 
savages  truthfulness  is  not  regarded  so  highly  as  it  is 
among  civilised  people.  And  when  it  is,  a  question  of 
crooked  diplomacy — of  failure  to  abide  by  formal  en- 
gagements— which  among  the  nations  dare  throw  the 
first  stone? 

In  the  early  days  of  his  rule,  having  heard  of  the 
benefits  conferred  on  some  of  the  western  tribes  by 
missionaries,  Moshesh  requested  a  certain  half-breed 
hunter  named  Adam  Krotz  to  i)urchase  a  missionary 
for  him,  and  sent  two  hundred  head  of  cattle  for  the 
purpose.  This  indicates  how  utterly  ignorant  the  chief 
was  of  the  world  lying  outside  his  mountain  realm. 
Moshesh's  sense  of  humour  is  evinced  by  the  following 
well-authenticated  anecdote.  In  the  fastnesses  of  the 
Malutis  some  clans  for  a  long  time  adhered  to  the 
practice  of  cannibalism,  and  made  occasional  raids  for 
the  purpose  of  capturing  human  meat.  The  minor 
chiefs  were  anxious  to  attack  and  destroy  these  people, 
but  Moshesh  on  principle  preferred  endeavouring  to 
persuade  them  to  abandon  their  objectionable  mode  of 
life.  On  the  occasion  of*  a  certain  raid  by  these  people 
some  of  the  sub-chiefs  came  and  indignantly  repeated 
the  demand  that  they  should  be  allowed  to  attack  the 
offenders.  They  reproached  Moshesh  for  his  refusal, 
saying  they  had  expected  that  as  these  people  had 
killed  and  eaten  Moshesh's  own  grandfather  he  would 
not  have  protected  them.  Moshesh  smiled  and  replied, 
'*  Well,  I  have  always  been  taught  that  I  should  rever- 
ence the  graves  of  my  ancestors." 


CHAPTER   XV 

(To  1889) 

The  Orange  Free  State  and  Griqualand  West 

First  DiscoYery  of  Diamonds. — In  the  year  1867  an  event 
occurred  which  was  destined  to  have  an  important 
bearing  on  the  fortunes  of  South  Africa.  A  trader 
named  O'Reilly  visited  the  farm  of  a  man  named  Van 
Niekerk,  in  the  Hopetown  district.  Van  Niekerk 
possessed  a  collection  of  pebbles,  including  agates  and 
crystals,  of  which  many  beautiful  specimens  are  found 
in  the  Orange  River  drift.  Among  these  was  one  of 
peculiar  lustre  which  had  been  picked  up  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  homestead  by  a  Bushman  boy.  This  pebble  was 
given  to  O'Reilly,  who  took  it  to  Grahamstown,  where 
Dr.  Atherstone  pronounced  it  to  be  a  diamond.  It  was 
valued  at  £500.  A  search  for  similar  pebbles  was 
made. 

"  The  Star  of  South  Africa."— Further  DiscoYeries.— 
For  some  time  no  more  diamonds  were  discovered,  but 
in  1869  Van  Niekerk  found  a  large  one  in  the  possession 
of  a  Hottentot.  He  purchased  this  for  £400  ;  it  became 
subsequently  known  as  the  "  Star  of  South  Africa," 
and  was  valued  at  £25,000.  The  discovery  of  the  second 
diamond  caused  great  excitement;  others  were  soon 
found  among  the  pebble-deposits  on  the  banks  of  the 
Vaal.  A  large  number  of  people  proceeded  to  the 
latter,  seeking  for  the  precious  stones.  Before  the  end 
of  1870  there  were  upwards  of  10,000  seekers  camped  at 
various  spots  along  the  river  valley,  between  Hebron 
and  where  the  Vaal  flows  into  the  Orange.  Many 
diamonds  were  found  ;  it  Avas  soon  made  clear  that  the 
field  was  a  highly  payable  one. 

The  Dry  Diggings. — So  far  only  the  alluvial  drift  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  river  had  been  worked,  but  towards 


The  Orange  Free  State  and  Griqualand  West    205 

the  t'lid  of  the  year  what  came  to  be  known  as  "The 
Dry  Diggings"  were  discovered.  At  a  farm  called 
Buittontein,  some  twenty  miles  from  the  Vaal,  a 
n limber  of  small  diamonds  were  found  embedded  in 
t  he  plaster  of  a  cottage.  A  search  revealed  the 
circumstance  that  the  surrounding  ground  was  highly 
diamondiferous.  On  the  adjoining  farm,  "  Du  Toit's 
Pan,"  diamonds  were  also  found,  and  on  the  farm 
"  Vooruitzicht,"  about  two  miles  away,  another  mine 
was  opened.  Soon  the  richest  of  all  was  discovered ; 
this  was  the  Colesberg  Kopje,  subsequently  known  as 


THB   KABLY   W0BKINQ8,   KIMBBBLEY. 


the  Kimberley  Mine.  These  four  mines — all  within 
a  radius  of  two  and  a  half  miles — were  subsequently 
found  to  be  volcanic  pipes  filled  with  petrified  mud, 
the  diamonds  being  embedded  in  the  latter. 

Influx  of  Diggers.— People  gathered  to  the  new 
Golconda  from  all  over  South  Africa.  Cities  of  tents 
and  wagons  sprang  up  nuishroom-like,  almost  in  a 
night. 

Camp  Life.— Fever.— In  the  early  days  thei-e  was 
little  crime;  for  the  population  was  largely  composed 
of  j)eaceful  farmers;  later,  however,  there  was  an 
influx   of  questionable   characters   from   all   over  the 


2o6  A  History  of  South  Africa 

world,  and  disorder  became  rampant.  The  sanitary- 
conditions  were  unspeakably  bad.  High  winds,  violent 
dust-storms,  blazing  heat  and  swarms  of  flies  combined 
to  make  life  highly  uncomfortable.  Camp  fever  broke 
out  and  took  its  heavy  toll.  In  the  earliest  days  of  the 
Dry  Diggings  water  had  to  be  fetched  from  a  distance 
of  seven  miles. 

Claims  of  the  Griquas. — The  diamondif erous  area  on 
the  banks  of  the  Vaal  River  was  included  in  the  tract 
which  had  been  claimed  on  behalf  of  Nicholas  Water- 
boer.  The  claim  rested  principally  upon  the  treaty  made 
in  1838  between  Adam  Kok  and  Andries  Waterboer,  in 
terms  of  which  all  the  land  west  of  a  line  drawn  from 
Ramah  on  the  Orange  River  to  Plattberg  on  the  Vaal 
was  regarded  as  belonging  to  the  latter.  This  tract, 
with  the  exception  of  the  small  area  known  as  Albania, 
in  the  extreme  south-west,  had  been  treated  as  an 
integral  part  of  the  Orange  Free  State  ever  since  the 
Bloemfontein  Convention.     It  contained   many   farms 

*  for  which  British  titles  had  been  issued  during  the 
period  of  sovereignty. 

Waterboer  cedes  his  Rights  to  Great  Britain.— 
Nicholas  Waterboer  now  offered  to  cede  his  interests  in 
"  the  tract  in  question  to  the  British  Crown. 

Action  of  the  High  Commissioner. — The  Orange  Free 
State  appointed  officials  to  administer  the  various 
mining  camps.  General  Hay,  who  was  Acting  High 
Commissioner,  informed  President  Brand  that  he  did 
not  acknowledge  the  rights  of  the  Orange  Free  State  to 
the  territory.  The  British  officials  on  the  western 
bank  of  the  Vaal  began  to  exercise  jurisdiction  on  the 
eastern  bank.  Sir  Henry  Barkly,  the  new  High  Com- 
missioner, arrived  in  Cape  Town  early  in  1871,  and  soon 
afterwards  proceeded  to  the  Diamond  Fields,  after 
which  he  visited  Bloemfontein.  The  authorities  of  the 
Orange  Free  State  strenuously  affirmed  their  sovereign 
rights  over  the  territory  in  dispute,  and  suggested  that 
the  matter  should  be  settled  by  arbitration,  either  by 

*  the  Emperor  of  Germany,  the  King  of  the  Netherlands, 
or  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  America. 
This  the  High  Commissioner  would  not  consent  to.  He 
made  an  alternative  proposal — that  the  dispute  should 
be  settled  by  arbitrators  nominated  by  himself,— but 
President  Brand  refused  to  agree.     Notice  was  given  to 


The  Orange  Free  State  and  Griqualand  West    207 

British  subjects  at  the  Diamond  Fields  that  they  were 
only  to  i)ay  taxes  to  the  British  authorities,  and  a  force 
of  the  Frontier  Armed  and  Mounted  Police  was  moved 
to  Klip  Drift,  on  the  western  bank  of  the  Vaal.  The 
President    called    out    a    commando    to    enforce    the 


BIB  JOHH   BRAND. 


authority  of  the  State.  Gi*eat  and  justifiable  irritation 
was  caused  through  a  proclamation  issued  by  the  Elarl 
of  Kimberley,  in  which  it  was  stated  that  "Her 
Majesty's  Government  would  see  with  great  dissatis- 
tjiction  any  encroachment  on  the  Griqua  territory  by 


2o8  A  History  of  South  Africa 

those  Republics  which  would  open  to  the  Boers  an 
extended  field  for  their  slave-dealing  operations." 

Keate  Award. — The  High  Commissioner  asked  the 
Parliament  at  the  Cape  to  approve  of  the  annexation  of 
the  territory  in  dispute.  After  a  long  debate  the 
suggestion  was  approved  by  a  majority  so  narrow  that 
the  vote  was  not  acted  upon.  However,  in  October  the 
Keate  Award  (see  p.  218)  was  published,  and  a  few 
days  later  the  territory  of  Nicholas  Waterboer  was 
annexed  to  the  British  Crown  and  given  the  name  of 
Griqualand  West.  On  November  1,  the  British  flag  was 
hoisted  at  the  mining  camp  at  the  Colesberg  Kopje, 
afterwards  known  as  Kimberley.  The  proceedings 
evoked  no  enthusiasm.  President  Brand  entered  a 
formal  protest ;  throughout  the  Free  State  there  was 
great  indignation.  The  Volksraad  held  sittings  with 
closed  doors  ;  many  of  the  members  were  in  favour  of 
taking  up  arms,  but  eventually  other  counsels  pre- 
vailed, the  commando  wa  s  disbanded  and  a  long  protest 
against  the  action  of  the  High  Commissioner  was 
adopted  at  the  close  of  the  session. 

GoYernment  by  TriumYirate. — The  arrangements  for 
the  Government  of  the  newly  annexed  territory  were 
somewhat  peculiar.  A  triumvirate  was  appointed, 
whose  function  it  was  to  see  that  the  instructions 
issued  by  the  High  Commissioner  were  carried  out.  A 
High  Court  with  a  recorder  and  the  usual  subordinate 
officers  was  established.  The  territory  was  divided 
into  three  districts,  for  each  of  which  a  resident 
magistrate  was  appointed. 

Local  Dissatisfaction. — The  feeling  throughout 
South  Africa,  even  on  the  part  of  most  English  people, 
Avas  against  the  annexation, — although  it  was  generally 
admitted  that  it  would  have  been  difficult  for  the  Free 
State  Government  to  have  controlled  the  cosmopolitan 
crowd  who  flocked  to  the  mines.  The  new  regime  gave 
no  local  satisfaction  ;  the  administration  was  based  on 
the  principle  that  the  most  civilised  Europeans  and  the 
least  civilised  Natives  were  to  be  given  similar  privi- 
leges and  subjected  to  similar  restraints.  The  coloured 
labourers  took  to  drink  and  stole  diamonds  from  their 
employers  ;  these  diamonds  they  had  no  difficulty  in 
disposing  of  to  low-class  Europeans.  Representations 
to    the   triumvirate   were   barren   of    any   result.     In 


The  Orange  Free  State  and  Griqualand  West    209 

Decern Ijer,  1871,  the  diKKei'"^  took  the  law  iuto  their  own 
hands  and  burned  down  four  low-class  liquor  shops, 
\\lii(Ii  \\(^re  notorious  as  clearing-houses  for  stolen 
Konis. 

The  Cape  Parliament  refuses  Annexation. — In  1872 
a  Bill,  providing  for  the  annexation  of  the  new 
province,  was  introduced  by  the  Governor  in  the  Cape 
House  of  Assembly.  This  was  hotly  opi3osed,  especially 
by  Mr.  J.  X.  Merriman,  and,  in  the  face  of  an  over- 
whelming adverse  vote,  was  Avithdrawn.  Matters  at 
the  diggings  did  not  improve.  Serious  crime  increased. 
Further  tent-burnings  took  place  in  July.  In  September 
the  High  Commissioner  visited  the  Diamond  Fields.  As 
the  governing  triumvirate  had  proved  a  failure,  Mr. 
Richard  Southey  was  appoined  Administrator.  Shortly 
afterwards  his  status  was  raised  to  that  of  Lieutenant- 
Governor.  In  July,  1873,  Griqualand  West  was  made  a 
Crown  Colony. 

In  the  meantime  the  boundary  between  Griqualand 
West  and  the  Orange  Free  State  had  not  yet  been 
defined.  Steps  were  taken  towards  the  appointment 
of  a  delimitation  commission,  but  difficulties  arose 
regarding  the  terms  of  the  deed  of  submission.  In 
1874,  Kimberley,  as  the  township  at  the  Colesberg 
Kopje  was  now  called,  was  ahnost  in  a  state  of  insur- 
rection, principally  owing  to  the  evil  Of  illicit  diamond 
buying.  A  Mutual  Protection  Association  was  formed  ; 
men  were  drilled  and  armed.  Early  in  the  following 
year  a  military  force  of  over  three  hundred  men  was 
sent  to  restore  order.  The  leaders  of  the  Mutual 
Protection  Association  were  tried  for  sedition,  but  the 
jury  refused  to  convict  them. 

Discovery  of  other  Mines. — The  Orange  Free  State 
was  now  rapidly  becoming  prosperous.  The  revenue 
^^as  increasing,  and  the  value  of  the  paper  currency 
rose  almost  to  par.  Soon  all  the  "bluebacks,"  as 
the  government  notes  were  called,  were  redeemed. 
Diamond  mines  were  discovered  within  Free  State 
territory ;  one,  at  Jagersfoutein,  and  another  developed 
some  years  later  at  Wesselton,  turned  out  to  be  very 
rich. 

Seizure  of  Guns. — In  1872  serious  differences  arose 
between  the  British  authorities  and  the  Orange  Free 
State.     As   the   diggings   developed,   the   demand   for 

P 


2IO  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Native  labour  became  very  great.  Soon  it  got  to  be 
known  throughout  Kaffirland  that  Natives  working  for 
a  spell  on  the  Diamond  Fields  were  permitted  to  obtain 
guns  and  ammunition.  This  caused  a  large  influx, 
more  especially  from  Basutoland.  Wagon-loads  of 
guns  were  confiscated  when  passing  through  Free 
State  territory.  Three  such  wagons  were  seized  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  as  yet  undefined  line  near  Magersf  ontein, 
and  removed  to  Bloemfontein. 

An  Ultimatum. — This  was  followed  by  an  ultimatum 
from  the  High  Commissioner  demanding  the  return  of 
the  wagons  and  their  contents,  and  the  payment  of 
£600  damages.  The  ultimatum  was  complied  with 
under  protest.  The  Free  State  authorities  also  objected 
to  armed  bodies  of  Basuto  crossing  their  territory. 
Some  of  the  Natives  were  arrested  and  their  guns  were 
confiscated.  On  one  occasion  a  body  of  seventy-five 
armed  Basuto  were  met  by  the  Free  State  Police  and 
driven  back  over  the  border  with  a  loss  of  two  killed 
and  two  wounded.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the 
arming  of  the  Natives  on  the  Diamond  Fields  w^as 
the  cause  of  the  outbreak  of  war  in  1877,  and  of  the 
various  conflicts  during  succeeding  years. 

President  Brand  proceeds  to  London. — In  1876, 
under  authority  from  the  Volksraad,  President  Brand 
proceeded  to  London  to  confer  with  the  British 
authorities.  In  the  meantime  a  judge  had  been 
appointed  by  the  High  Commissioner  to  investigate 
the  Griqua  claims. 

Judicial  Decision  upon  Griqua  Claims  ;  a  Settlement 
arrived  at. — The  resulting  report  was  to  the  effect 
that  Nicholas  Waterboer  had  no  right  whatever  to  the 
territory  in  which  the  Diamond  Fields  were  situated. 
Lord  Carnarvon  was  now  Secretary  of  State.  He  took 
up  the  position  that  as  vested  interests  had  grown  up 
and  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  territory  in  question  were 
now  mainly  British,  the  idea  of  its  retrocession  could 
not  be  entertained.  A  few  farms  along  the  line  Avere 
restored  to  the  Orange  Free  State,  and  £90,000  was  paid 
as  a  solatium. 

Griqualand  West  annexed  to  Cape  Colony.— In  1877, 
another  Bill  providing  for  the  annexation  of  Griqua- 
land West  to  the  Cape  Colony  was  introduced  in  the 
Cape  House  of  Assembly.     As  a  settlement  between 


The  Orange  Free  State  and  Griqualand  West    211 

tlie  Orange  Free  State  and  the  Inii>erial  Government 
liad  tlien  been  arrived  at,  the  annexation  proposal  was 
no  longer  opi>osed,  and  the  Bill  became  law.  It  was 
!K)t,  however,  promulgated  until  1879. 

Rebellion. — The  Griquas,  Koranas,  Bechuana  and  the 
Batia{)in  residing  in  the  Province,  being  disappointed 
as  to  supjKJsed  benefits  which  they  had  believed 
would  accrue  to  them  under  British  rule,  broke  out 
into  rebellion  in  1878.  There  was  very  severe  fighting, 
more  especially  with  the  Griquas.  By  the  end  of  the 
>  car,  however,  the  war  was  at  an  end. 

Prosperity  of  the  Free  State. — From  now  until  the 
last  yeai-  of  the  century  the  Orange  Free  State  was 
happy  in  having  practically  no  history.  It  rapidly 
developed  into  a  prosperous  and  well-ordered  State  in 
which  there  was  little  crime  and  no  pauperism.  A 
Customs  Union  was  entered  into  with  the  Cape  Colony, 
and  railways  were  extended  through  Free  State 
territory  from  both  the  Cape  Colony  and  Natal.  In 
1888  President  Brand — now  Sir  John  Brand — died.  For 
twenty-four  years  his  skill  and  wisdom  had  guided  the 
ship  of  the  State  through  both  smooth  and  troubled 
waters.  He  was  succeeded  by  Chief  Justice  F.  W. 
Reitz,  who  held  office  until  1896,  when  Mr.  M.  T.  Steyn 
became  President. 

Offensive  and   Defensive  Alliance  with  the  Trans- 
vaal.— The  last  and  most  momentous  development  of 
policy  by  the  Orange  Free  State  was  its  entering  into 
an   offensive   and   defensive  alliance   with   the   Souths 
African  Republic  in  1897. 


CHAPTER    XVI 

(To  1884) 

The  South  African  Republic 

Early  Dissensions. — North  of  the  Vaal  River  matters 
were  in  a  transition  stage.  The  enmity  between  the 
two  most  influential  men  in  the  state,  Pretorius  and 
Potgieter,  was  the  cause  of  considerable  disorganisation. 
Ohrigstad. — Malaria. — Lydenburg.— Ohrigstad,  in  the 
extreme  north-east  of  the  Transvaal,  was  chosen  as  the 
capital ;  the  people  wished  to  make  Delagoa  Bay  their 
port,  so  as  to  be  free  from  all  connection  with  the  Cape. 
But  a  terrible  misfortune  befell  in  the  form  of  an  out- 
break of  malarial  fever.  This  caused  very  great 
mortality  ;  in  some  instances  whole  families  died  out. 
Another  site  was  chosen  among  the  mountains  to  the 
south-westward,  and  here  the  new  capital  was  estab- 
lished. It  was  named  Lydenburg,  in  commemoration 
of  the  sufferings  which  its  founders  had  undergone. 
Here  the  Volksraad  met  in  January,  1857.  An  attempt 
at  a  solution  of  the  existing  discords  was  now  made. 
It  has  been  seen  that  the  Sand  River  Convention  had 
been  entered  into  on  the  part  of  the  South  African 
Republic  only  by  Commandant-General  Pretorius  and 
Commandant-General  Joubert  and  their  followers, — the 
other  two  Commandants-General  not  being  represented. 

Pretorius  and  Potgieter  reconciled. — Another  vil- 
lage named  Rustenburg  had  been  founded  in  the 
Western  Transvaal.  Here  the  Volksraad  met  in  March, 
1852,  and  a  reconciliation  between  Potgieter  and 
Pretorius  was,  much  to  the  joy  of  the  people,  brought 
about. 

Native  Troubles.— The  Bapedi,  Sekwati,  Setyeli. — 
In  the  same  year  trouble  arose  with  the  Natives  in  the 
Transvaal.     Sekwati,  Chief  of  the  Bapedi  tribe,  in  the 


The  South  African  Republic  213 

Zoutpansberg  district,  was  in  strong  sympathy  with 
Moshesh.  The  Bapedi  had  managed  to  arm  themselves, 
largely  through  the  medium  of  hunters  who  had 
organised  expeditions  to  the  interior.  They  began 
looting  cattle,  so  it  was  found  necessary  to  attack 
t  liein.  Sekwati  (X"cupied  a  formidable  stronghold, 
wliich,  however,  had  no  water  supply.  This  was 
closely  invested,  and  as  the  Bai>edi  refused  to  sur- 
render their  arms  it  was  decided  to  subdue  them 
through  famine.  Large  numbers  of  the  Natives 
l>erished.  The  Bakwena  Chief,  Setyeli,  with  whom 
Dr.  Livingstone  had  resided  as  missionary,  took  uiy^ome 
ground  without  permission  on  the  Kolobeng  River  and 
declared  his  independence.  Another  clan,  under  a 
petty  chief  called  Moselele,  became  recalcitrant  and 
joined  Setyeli.     A  commando  was  sent  against  them. 

Seizure  of  Dr.  Livingstone's  Goods. — In  the  attack 
on  Kolobeng  some  of  Dr.  Livingstone's  property  was 
confiscated.  This  circumstance  occasioned  much  con- 
troversy. The  Farmers  justified  their  action  by  citing 
the  circumstance  that  the  property  seized  included 
giuis  and  gunmakers'  tools.  Trouble  also  arose  with 
the  Barolong  Chief  Montsiwa,  who  retired  to  a  territory 
north  of  the  Molopo  River. 

Death  of  Pretorius  and  of  Potgieter. — In  1853  Andries 
Hendrick  Potgieter  and  Andries  Pretorius,  the  two 
great  leaders  of  the  Emigrant  Farmers,  passed  away. 
The  high  character  and  great  ability  of  these  men  have 
long  been  recognised.  Pretorius  was  the  more  heroic 
figure.  His  death-illness  lasted  for  a  month,  during 
which  time  people  came  from  far  and  near  to  his 
bedside  to  bid  him  farewell.  These  included  several 
Native  chiefs,  who  manifested  great  grief  and  knelt 
U)  kiss  his  hand.  He  urged  his  people  to  put  an  end 
to  their  differences  and  co-operate  for  the  good  of  the 
State.  He  died  on  July  23,  1853,  at  the  age  of  fifty- 
four.  The  new  village  of  Pretoria,  which  subsequently 
became  the  capital  of  the  Transvaal,  was  named  in  his 
honour.  Here  his  bones  were  re-iuterred  with  much 
ceremony  in  1891. 

Confusion  and  Discord.— The  Transvaal  Reimblic 
was  now  divided  into  iive  districts,  namely,  Pot<^'hef- 
str(N)m,  Lydenhurg,  Zoutpansberg,  Rustenburg,  and  Pre- 
toria.  There  was  as  yet  no  President.    The  Government 


214  A  History  of  South  Africa 

was  carried  on  by  tliree  Commandants-General,  each 
of  whom  could  summon  to  his  assistance  the  Com- 
mandants and  Field  Cornets  under  his  jurisdiction. 
All  were  subject  to  the  Volksraad.  Under  such  cir- 
cumstances control  was  inevitably  weak.  The  laws 
were  often  defied ;  confusion  and  discord  resulted. 
The  advice  of  the  dying  Pretorius  was,  unfortunately, 
disregarded.  Although  there  was  little  crime,  much 
arbitrariness  and  injustice  were  practised. 

Makapan's  Insurrection. — In  1854  a  hunting  party 
consisting  of  thirteen  men  with  ten  women  and  child- 
ren, entered  the  Waterberg  district  and  camped  close 
to  the  kraal  of  a  chief  called  Makapan.  They  were 
attacked  and  the  whole  party  murdered.  The  leader, 
Hermanns  Potgieter,  was  flayed  alive.  Makapan's 
people,  joined  by  other  clans,  then  began  to  pillage 
all  in  their  vicinity.  A  commando  assembled  and  the 
enemy  took  refuge  in  caverns,  which  were  impreg- 
nable against  assault.  The  entrances  were  blocked  up, 
and  all  inside  perished. 

Ecclesiastical  Matters. — So  far,  there  was  only 
one  clergyman  in  the  Transvaal — the  Reverend  Dirk 
van  der  Hoff.  He  came  to  South  Africa  from  Holland 
in  1853.  In  1854  two  clergymen  were  deputed  by  the 
Cape  Synod  to  visit  the  Republic  and  hold  services 
in  the  various  towns.  This  friendly  offer  Avas  much 
resented,  a  circumstance  which  shows  how  keenly  the 
Emigrant  Farmers  dreaded  the  slightest  interference 
with  their  complete  independence. 

New  Constitution  drafted. — In  1855  a  petition  was 
presented  to  the  Volksraad  praying  that  a  committee 
might  be  appointed  for  the  purpose  of  drafting  a  new 
Constitution.  The  prayer  was  granted.  A  committee 
of  three  was  constituted  ;  one  of  its  members  was  Mr. 
Stephanus  Paulus  Johannes  Kruger,  who  was  in  later 
and  more  stirring  times  the  last  of  the  line  of  Presidents 
of  the  South  African  Republic.  The  draft  was  sub- 
mitted to  a  representative  assembly  of  twenty-four 
members,  one  from  each  field-cornetcy  in  the  State, 
and  after  certain  amendments  had  been  made,  was 
adopted.  It  provided  for  a  Legislative  Assembly,  to 
be  termed  the  "Volksraad,"  which  was  to  consist  of 
twenty-four  members,  half  of  Avhom  had  to  retire  at 
the  end  of  two  years  ;  thereafter  half  retiring  yearly. 


The  South  African  Republic  215 

Th«'  Executive  consisted  of  a  President — who  was  to 
hold  ofliee  for  five  yeai's — the  Government  Secretary,  * 
and  two  burghers  ai)iK)inted  by  the  Volksraad.  One 
Commandant-General,  who  was  to  be  subordinate  to 
t  lie  President,  had  to  be  api)ointed  for  the  whole  State, 
liunddrosts  and  Heemraden  for  each  district  were 
to  \w  elected  by  the  people.  The  franchise  was  re- 
-tiieted  to  iK3i*sons  of  Euroi)ean  descent.  The  Dutch 
I  Reformed  Church  was  to  be  the  State  Church,  and 
its  teaching  to  be  that  defined  by  the  Synod  of  Dor- 
drecht and  the  Heidelberg  Catechism.  Slavery  was 
piohibited,  and  the  press  was  declared  to  be  free. '^ 
Dealing  in  anununition  was  to  be  a  Government 
iii()no})oly. 

The  Potchefstroom  Yolksraad.  —  Lydenburg  con- 
tinues obstinate. — On  January  5,  1857,  the  Volksraad 
met  at  Potchefstroom.  Marthinus  Wessel  Pretorius, 
son  of  the  late  Commandant-General,  was  appointed  ^ 
President,  and  Stephanus  Schoeman,  of  Zoutpansberg, 
Commandant-General.  But  neither  Lydenburg  nor 
Zk)utpansberg  would  have  anything  to  do  with  the 
new  Constitution.  Public  meetings  were  held  at  each 
place  respectively,  and  the  Potchefstroom  proceedings 
were  reinidiated.  Mr.  Schoeman  refused  the  appoint- 
ment offered  him.  However,  in  the  following  year 
Zoutpansberg  consented  to  be  incorporated  in  the 
Republic.  Lydenberg,  which  from  1858  included  the 
former  Republic  of  Utrecht,  remamed  a  separate 
Republican  unit  until  1860. 

Religious  ControYersy. — The  "  Dopper  "  Church. — 
During  the  period  between  1858  and  1864  utter  con- 
fusion reigned  north  of  the  Vaal  River.  In  1858  and 
the  following  year  there  was  considerable  religious 
controversy.  The  principal  point  at  issue  was  whether 
or  not  hymns  should  be  used  in  public  worship.  A 
certain  section  of  the  i>eople,  headed  by  the  Reverend 
Mr.  Postma,  decided  that  only  psalms  and  rhymed 
paraphrases  of  scripture  were  i)ermissible.  A  seiwiratist 
body,  nuich  resembling  the  Church  of  the  Scottish 
CovenanttM-s,  was  formed  by  Mr.  Postma's  following. 
This,  commonly  known  as  the  "  DopjH^r  Church,"  still 
exists.  In  1859  the  Tnuisvaivl  Church  unite<l  with  that 
of  the  Ca|)e,  but,  owing  to  a  decision  of  the  Supreme 
Court  at  Cape  Town,  this  union  came  to  an  end  in  1862. 


2i6  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Civil  War.— It  would  be  profitless  to  trace  the 
political  dissensions  which  rent  the  state  and  kejjt  it 
in  a  condition  of  civil  war.  However,  but  little  fighting 
took  place.  At  one  time  there  were  two  Presidents 
and  two  rival  Governments.  At  length,  in  1864, 
Martinus  Wessels  Pretorius  returned  from  the  Orange 
Free  State  and  successfully  mediated  between  the  rival 
factions.  A  new  Volksraad  was  elected  ;  Mr.  Pretorius 
was  chosen  as  President  and  Mr.  Paul  Kruger  as 
Commandant-General.  Then  the  dissensions  finally 
ceased  ;  but  the  state  was  insolvent,  and  official  matters 
•  were  in  a  condition  of  almost  inextricable  confusion. 
The  South  African  Republic  had  lost  the  confidence  of 
the  rest  of  South  Africa ;  the  Orange  Free  State  no 
longer  desired  union  with  its  neighbour  of  the  north. 
The  Natives  took  advantage  of  this  unsatisfactory  state 
of  things,  and  several  of  the  tribesmen  became  defiant. 
Many  of  the  Natives  had  obtained  guns  of  the  most 
modern  pattern  from  hunters  and  traders,  and  were 
thus  better  armed  than  the  burghers  of  the  Republic, 
who  still  adhered  to  the  large  and  clumsy  weapons 
which  they  had  learnt  to  use  with  such  good  effect. 

War  between  Native  Tribes. — Apprenticeships. — 
Native  tribes  to  the  northward  and  westward  of  the 
Republic  were  continually  at  war  with  each  other,  and 
were  always  willing  to  sell  their  captives  as  slaves.  A 
number  of  such  were  purchased  by  Europeans  and 
brought  into  the  Transvaal,  where  they  were  appren- 
ticed for  definite  terms  to  the  Farmers.  This  practice, 
which  was  not,  however,  carried  on  to  a  very  great 
extent,  formed  the  basis  of  charges  of  slavery  subse- 
quently brought  against  the  Republic.  There  is  no 
reason  to  believe  that  these  children  were  badly  treated. 
Had  it  not  been  that  their  captors  knew  they  could 
make  some  profit  out  of  them,  the  children  would  no 
doubt  have  been  killed,  in  accordance  with  the  practice 
hitherto  followed.  In  1877,  when  the  Transvaal  was 
annexed,  not  a  single  individual  was  found  in  any 
servitude  which  resembled  slavery. 

Condition  of  the  People. — In  spite  of  their  rude  and 
uncultured  life,  the  majority  of  the  Transvaal  burghers 
and  their  families  at  this  period  were  probably  as 
healthy  and  as  happy  as  any  people  under  the  sun. 
They  had  abundance  of  food,  for  the  country  was  still 


The  South  African  Republic  217 

possessed  of  those  vast  Iierds  of  game  which  have  since 
l)een  so  ruthlessly  destroyed.  The  people  knew  no 
luxury;  neither  did  they  experience  want.  In  the 
northern  iK)rtion  of  the  Republic,  esj)ecially  in  the 
district  of  Zoutpansberg,  the  more  restless  and  lawless 
ongregated.  These  included  individuals  of  almost 
\cry  utttionality,  many  of  whom  were  fugitives  from 
justice.  The  region  they  occupied  had  once  been  thickly 
I>oi)ulated  by  Natives,  but  the  armies  of  Tshaka, 
I'mziligazi,  and  other  savage  conquerors  had  swept  it 
with  the  besom  of  destruction  over  and  over  again. 
Now,  when  the  advent  of  the  White  Man  had  rendered 
a  recurrence  of  such  raids  imjjossible,  the  survivors  of 
the  scattered  clans  returned  to  their  old  homes.  By 
this  means  several  fairly  numerous  communities  of 
Natives  came  into  being,  and  these  became  defiant 
when  the  Europeans  fell  into  dissension. 

Intermittent  War — The  result  was  a  condition  of 
intermittent  war,  which  lasted  for  several  years.  In 
the  course  of  this  many  unjustifiable  deeds  were  com- 
mitted. Into  this  vortex  of  strife  tribes  as  far  distant 
as  the  Matshangana,  imder  Umsila,  and  the  Amaswazi 
were  diawn. 

Discovery  of  Diamonds. — It  was  only  the  discovery 
of  diamonds  which  made  the  country  on  the  north- 
western bank  of  the  Vaal  River  below  Bloemhof 
imix)rtant.  There  were  several  claimants  to  this  tract, 
including  the  Griquas,  under  Nicholas  Waterboer,  the 
Batlapin,  and  some  Korana  clans. 

Extension  of  Boundaries. — In  1869,  President  Pre- 
torius,  by  proclamation,  extended  the  south-western 
bordeis  of  the  Transvaal  State  to  the  Hart  River  and 
along  the  course  of  the  latter  from  its  junction  with 
the  Vaal.  This  proceeding  was  objected  to  by  the 
various  claimants. 

Intervention  of  British  Government. — In  1870,  the 
Acting  High  Connnissioner  ((leneral  Hay)  remonstrated 
and  requested  the  President  to  abstain  "  from  encroach- 
ments without  lawful  and  sufficient  cause  up>on  the  pos- 
sessions of  Native  tribes  in  friendly  alliance  with  Her 
Majesty's  Government."  The  alliances  referred  to  were 
I  lot,  however,  specified.  8oon  afterwards  a  large  number 
of  diggers  were  scattered  along  both  banks  of  the  Vaal. 
The  community  on  the  western   bank  declared  itself 


2i8  A  History  of  South  Africa 

a  Republic.  The  Acting  High  Commissioner,  Without 
annexing  the  country,  appointed  a  Special  Magistrate 
to  be  stationed  at  Klip  Drift,  now  Barkly  West.  Upon 
this  the  Republic  came  to  an  end.  Shortly  after  his 
assumption  of  duty  as  High  Commissioner,  in  1871,  Sir 
Henry  Barkly  visited  the  Diamond  Fields,  where  he  was 
met  by  President  Pretorius.  An  agreement  was  entered 
into,  in  terms  of  which  a  Court  of  Arbitration,  to  deal 
with  the  territory  in  dispute,  had  to  be  established. 
The  Special  Magistrate  of  Klip  Drift  and  the  Landdrost 
of  Wakkerstroom  were  appointed  arbitrators.  In  case 
they  disagreed  Lieut.-Governor  Keate  of  Natal  w^as  to 
be  referee.  After  a  considerable  amount  of  evidence 
had  been  taken,  and  no  agreement  arrived  at  by  the 
two  arbitrators,  the  referee  was  called  in.  His  decision, 
since  known  as  the  "Keate  Award,"  was  issued  on 
October  17,  1871.  It  was  adverse  to  the  South  African 
Republic  in  every  particular.  The  territory  in  dispute 
was  divided  between  Nicholas  Waterboer,  the  Barolong 
and  the  Batlapin.  It  is  now  generally  admitted  that 
the  Keate  Award  was  an  unjust  one,  but  for  this 
Lieut.-Governor  Keate  is  not  to  be  blamed.  The  case 
for  the  South  African  Republic  was  incompletely  and 
unskilfully  presented.  Upon  the  evidence  adduced  no 
decision  other  than  the  one  given  was  possible. 

The  Keate  Award. — The  Keate  Award  filled  the 
South  African  Republic  with  indignation  and  dismay. 
It  cut  off  from  the  Republic  not  only  the  western 
diamond  field,  but  the  whole  district  of  Bloemhof  and 
portions  of  the  districts  of  Potchef  stroom  and  Marico — 
tracts  occupied  from  the  very  earliest  days  of  the  Great 
Trek  by  the  Emigrant  Farmers.  It  was  not,  however, 
enforced  except  in  respect  of  the  more  southern  areas. 
Under  the  storm  of  indignation  which  arose  the  Pre- 
sident and  the  State  Attorney  resigned. 

Desire  for  Union. — Once  more  a  strong  feeling  in 
favour  of  union  arose  in  the  two  Republics.  In- 
fluentially  signed  requisitions  were  sent  to  President 
Brand,  asking  him  to  accept  the  Presidency  of  the 
Northern  Republic,  in  addition  to  that  of  the  Orange 
Free  State.  It  was  held  by  many  that  even  if  the 
threat  of  annulling  the  Conventions,  which  had  been 
made  when  union  had  been  formerly  proposed,  were 
now  to  be  put  in  force,  the  Republics  would  be  in  no 


The  South  African  Republic  219 

worse  iK>8ition.  It  was  allegecl  that  these  Conventions 
had  been  broken  by  Great  Britain  on  several  occasions. 
Not  the  least  of  the  grievances  was  in  respect  of  the 
\atives  from  Basutoland  and  other  parts  now  being 
|K»rmitted  to  obtain  guns  and  ammunition  at  the 
Diamond  Fields.  President  Brand  declined  the  nomina- 
tion. 

President  Brand's  Restraining  Influence. — At  this 
(lirticult  period  Prosident  Brand  exercised  a  strongly 
HKKlerating  influence.  His  utterances  laid  great  stress 
on  the  importance  of  endeavouring  to  bring  about  a 
good  understanding  between  the  two  White  Races. 
He  ijointed  out  that  such  mistakes  as  had  been  made 
were  probably  due  to  ignorance  of  the  facts.  At  no 
stage  of  his  distinguished  career  did  President  Brand 
show  himself  so  great  as  at  this  crisis. 

President  Burgers. — The  choice  of  the  South  African 
Reimblic  then  fell  upon  the  Rev.  Thomas  Francois 
Burgers,  a  Minister  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  at 
Hanover  in  the  Cape  Colony.  Mr.  Burgers  was  a 
brilliant  man ;  he  conceived  great  ideas,  but  was 
somewhat  unpractical.  His  religious  views  were  not 
orth(xiox  ;  this  not  alone  weakened  his  influence  with 
the  burghers,  but  it  almost  threatened  the  State  with 
disruption. 

Migration  of  the  Orthodox. — In  the  second  year  of 
Mr.  Burgers'  Presidency,  a  number  of  the  more  con- 
servative of  the  Transvaal  burghers  decided  that  they 
could  not  conscientiously  remain  under  the  rule  of  one 
whom  they  regarded  as  an  infidel.  Accordingly  they 
sold  their  farms,  loaded  their  immense  wagons  and 
with  their  wives,  children,  stock,  and  a  few  household 
goods  plunged  into  the  burning  sands  of  the  Northern 
Kalahari,  and  made  for  the  western  coast.  Many  of  the 
people  and  most  of  the  stock  died  upon  that  dolorous 
pilgrimage.  Eventually  the  party  won  through  to  the 
hunting-grounds  of  Damaraland,  where  they  led  a 
nomadic  life  for  several  years  before  finally  settling 
down  in  Portuguese  territory  north  of  the  Kunene 
River.  They  then  numbered  352  souls.  There  is  no 
record  as  to  how  many  left  the  Transvmil. 

Discovery  of  Alluvial  Gold.— In  1873  rich  alluvial  ¥ 
gold  was  discovered  in  the  Lydenburg  district,  and  two  ^ 
large  mining  camps — "Mac  Mac"— so  called  from  the 


220  A  History  of  South  Africa 

number  of  Scotchmen  there  residing — and  "Pilgrim's 
Rest" — were  formed.  Considerable  qviantities  of  gold 
were  produced,  some  of  the  nuggets  weighing  as  much 
as  ten  pounds  each.  Many  of  the  diggers  undertook 
prospecting  operations  in  the  low  country  and  were 
badly  stricken  with  fever.  Out  of  thirty-five  men  who 
descended  the  mountain  range  in  the  summer  of  1873, 
twenty-seven  died. 

Cutting  the  Road  to  Delagoa  Bay. — During  the  follow- 
ing year  an  expedition  was  organised  by  President 
Burgers  at  the  Gold  Fields  to  complete  the  cutting  of 
the  road  to  Delagoa  Bay  through  the  Lebomba  Range, 
and  to  convey  from  Delagoa  Bay  to  Pretoria  a  quantity 
of  war  material.  Most  of  this  had  been  obtained  in 
Germany,  and  was  part  of  the  spoil  of  the  Franco- 
German  War. 

Attack  on  Sikukuni. — Early  in  1876  war  was  de- 
clared against  the  Bapedi  tribe,  located  on  the  Oli- 
fants  River,  to  the  westward  of  Lydenburg.  This 
had  been  long  expected,  for  the  Chief,  Sikukuni,  had 
refused  to  pay  hut-tax.  The  struggle  was  protracted 
and  exhausting,  for  the  strongholds  occupied  by  the 
Bapedi  were  well  fortified.  The  President  wished  to 
employ  one  thousand  Swazis  to  assist  in  the  operation, 
but  the  High  Commissioner  vetoed  the  proposal.  There 
were  many  English  volunteers  with  the  Boer  forces. 
The  burghers  feared  they  were,  on  account  of  the 
President's  unorthodoxy,  under  the  displeasure  of 
Heaven.  The  commandos  withdrew  when  the  season 
of  horse  -  sickness  approached,  leaving  the  Bapedi 
unsubdued. 

Unsatisfactory  Financial  Conditions. — The  finances 
of  the  South  African  Republic  were  now  in  a  very 
unsatisfactory  state.  Taxes  were  unpaid,  and  there 
•  was  general  discontent.  A  strong  party  was  in  favour 
of  annexation  to  the  British  Crown,  or  else  federa- 
tion according  to  the  plan  of  Lord  Carnarvon.  This 
party,  however,  was  principally  composed  of  those 
who  had  flocked  into  the  towns  and  mining  camps. 
Lord  Carnarvon  believed  that  the  time  had  come  for 
him  to  bring  about  his  pet  scheme,  so  he  issued  a 
dormant  commission  to  Mr.  Theophilus  Shepstone, 
authorising  him  in  certain  circumstances  to  proclaim 
British  sovereignty  over  the  South  African  Republic. 


The  South  African  Republic  221 

Mr.  Shepstone  proceeded  to  Pretoria  with  a  small 
escort  of  iK)lice  in  January,  1877,  and  conferred  with 
the  President  and  the  Executive.  He  suggested  the 
adoption  of  Lord  Carnarvon's  Permissive  Federation 
Bill,  but  this  the  Volk.sraad  rejected.  Shepstone  laid 
stress  on  the  danger  of  a  Zulu  attack. 

Annexation  of  the  Transvaal.  —  On  April  12  he 
issued  the  l*roclamation  of  Annexation.  The  Executive 
( 'ouncil  formally  protested  against  this  step.  Two  of 
its  members,  Mr.  Paul  Kruger  and  Doctor  Jorissen, 
decided  to  proceed  to  England  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
senting this  protest  to  the  British  Government.  In 
|)roclaiming  the  annexation,  a  formal  promise  was  * 
made  that  the  Transvaal  should  remain  a  separate 
government  with  its  own  laws,  and  that  a  constitution 
would  be  framed,  affording  the  fullest  possible  legis- 
lative privileges. 

Broken  Promises.  —  Sir  Garnet  Wolseley.  —  This 
promise  was  never  kept.  The  Transvaal  was  treated  ' 
as  a  Crown  Colony.  For  a  time  Shepstone  acted  as 
Administrator.  He  was  succeeded  by  Colonel  Owen 
Lanyon,  who,  although  a  brave  soldier,  was  quite 
unfitted  through  temperament  and  want  of  experience 
for  his  new  post.  A  second  deputation,  bearing  a 
protest  against  the  annexation,  proceeded  to  England 
in  1878.  It  was  told  that  retrocession  of  the  country 
was  impossible.  Now  a  serious  agitation  in  favour  of 
indej>endence  arose  among  the  farmers,  but  most  of 
the  dwellers  in  the  towns  were  in  favour  of  a  con- 
tinuance of  British  rule.  In  March,  1879,  Sir  Bartle 
Frere,  the  High  Commissioner,  visited  the  Transvaal. 
He  was  respectfully  received,  but  it  was  made  clear 
to  him  that  a  large  and  increasing  number  of  the 
burghers  were  as  much  opposed  to  British  rule  as 
ever.  Later  in  the  year  Sir  Garnet  Wolseley,  who 
was  now  High  Commissioner,  also  visited  the  Trans- 
vaal and  issued  a  proclamation  stating  definitely  that 
retrtx'cssion  wius  not  to  be  even  considered.  The 
burghers  now  began  holding  meetings,  at  which  they 
declared  that  they  would  not  acknowledge  the  Queen's 
authority.  Certain  prominent  men  were  arrested,  but 
were  soon  afterwards  libei*ated.  A  Legislative  Assembly 
was  constituted.  This  step  was  received  with  bitter 
laughter.     The  Legislatiu-e  was  to  consist  of  a  number 


2  22  A  History  of  South  Africa 

of  officials,  between  whom  and  the  people  no  sympathy- 
existed,  and  six  nominated  members. 

British  Conquest  of  the  Bapedi. — The  Bapedi  tribe 
remained  as  recalcitrant  under  British  as  it  had  been 
under  Republican  rule.  Sikukuni  desired  to  emulate 
Moshesh — to  fovmd  a  powerful  state  among  the  moun- 
tains surrounding  his  stronghold.  In  October,  1878, 
a  force  of  eighteen  hundred  men  was  despatched 
against  him  —  only  to  retire  baffled.  Next  year  the 
attack  was  renewed  ;  this  time  with  the  assistance  of 
a  contingent  of  five  thousand  Swazis.  After  desperate 
fighting  and  great  slaughter,  the  stronghold  fell  on 
November  28.  Sir  Garnet  Wolseley  personally  com- 
manded the  attacking  force. 

The  Paardekraal  Meeting. — A  mass  meeting  of  the 
burghers  was  held  at  Paardekraal  early  in  December. 
An  administrative  triumvirate,  consisting  of  Messrs. 
Kruger,  Joubert,  and  Pretorius,  was  formed,  and  a 
proclamation  issued  re-establishing  the  Republic.  On 
December  16 — "  Dingaan's  Day  " — the  flag  of  the  Re- 
public was  hoisted. 

The  War  of  Independence. — Majuba.— Four  days 
afterwards  hostilities  began.  A  detachment  of  the 
91th  regiment  marching  from  Middelburg  towards 
Pretoria  was  attacked  at  Brohkhorst  Spruit.  Within 
a  few  minutes  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  officers 
and  men  were  shot  down  ;  the  remainder  surrendered. 
The  Loyalists  at  Pretoria  and  the  other  principal 
towns  went  into  laager.  General  Sir  George  Colley, 
who  was  now  Lieutenant-Governor  and  Commander- 
in-Chief  of  Natal,  advanced  towards  the  Transvaal 
with  a  relief  force  of  one  thousand  men.  He  was  met 
by  the  burghers  at  Laing's  Nek,  in  Natal  territory, 
and  defeated.  Shortly  afterwards  Sir  George  Colley 
moved  with  a  detatchment  to  the  heights  above  the 
Ingogo  River.  Here  another  engagement  took  place, 
resulting  again  in  a  defeat  of  the  British.  Sir  Evelyn 
Wood  arrived  with  reinforcements.  On  the  evening 
of  February  26  Sir  George  Colley  advanced  with  a 
force  of  some  six  hundred  men,  for  the  purpose  of 
occupying  Majuba  Mountain.  Leaving  about  two 
hundred  men  at  two  respective  posts,  he  took  posses- 
sion of  the  summit  of  the  mountain  with  a  force  four 
hundred   strong.     The   Boer   position   was   at   Laing's 


The  South  African  Republic  223 

Nek,  which  was  coinmaiided  by  Majiiba.  BeHeving 
that  tht«  British  possessed  artillery,  the  Boers  prepared 
to  retire.  Then  General  Joul^ert,  who  was  in  eom- 
inand,  ealled  for  volunteei*s  to  storm  the  mountain. 
The  assault  was  successful ;  the  burghers,  accustomed 
t^)  the  hunting-field,  proceeded  skilfully  from  cover  to 
•  over,  and  soon  the  British  found  themselves  under  a 
deadly  fire.  They  were  driven  from  the  mountain  with 
a  loss  of  ninety-two  killed  and  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
four  wounded.  Sir  George  Colley  was  among  the  slain. . 
The  towns  which  were  besieged — with  the  exception 
of  Potchefstroom — held  out  to  the  close  of  the  war. 
In  the  meantime  heavy  reinforcements  were  poured 
ifi  until  there  were  ten  thousand  soldiers  in  Natal. 

The  Transvaal  again  Self-governing. — Acting  under 
instructions  from  the  British  Government,  Sir  Evelyn 
Wood  entered  into  an  armistice  which,  on  March  22, 
1881,  was  followed  by  a  Treaty  of  Peace.  The  Trans- 
vaal was  given  complete  self-government  in  regard  to 
internal  affairs,  under  the  Queen's  suzerainty.  A 
British  Resident  was  ai)pointed  to  Pretoria. 

The  London  Convention. — The  London  Convention, 
entered  into  on  February  27,  1884,  modified  the  Treaty. 
In  terms  of  this  Convention  the  Republic  bound  itself 
not  to  extend  its  borders,  to  allow  freedom  in  all 
respects  to  persons  who  were  not  Natives,  and  to 
conclude  no  treaty  with  any  power  except  the  Orange 
Free  State,  without  the  sanction  of  the  British  Govern- 
ment. Irresixjctive  of  these  limitations  the  Republic 
was  to  be  a  sovereign  state. 

In  1890  railway  communication  w^as  opened  with 
Delagoa  Bay,  and  in  1893  Swaziland,  with  the  consent 
of  Great  Britain,  was  annexed  to  the  Republic. 


CHAPTER  XVII 
(To  1902) 

The  South  African  Republic 

Further  Gold  Discoveries. — Barberton.  —The  Witwaters- 
rand. — In  1884  gold  was  discovered  in  the  Kaap  Valley 
on  the  western  border  of  Swaziland.  A  large  number 
of  diggers  poured  in  and  the  town  of  Barberton  was 
founded.  In  1885  occurred  a  far  more  important  gold 
discovery.  On  the  Wit  water  srand,  the  high  watershed 
of  the  Transvaal,  about  twenty  miles  south  of  Pretoria, 
gold  was  found  to  exist  in  the  banket  formations, 
which  extended  over  a  considerable  area. 

Johannesburg. — Enormous  Gold  Output. — There  was 
soon  a  large  population  scattered  over  the  Rand,  and 
the  city  of  Johannesburg  sprang  suddenly  into  exist- 
ence. Dviring  1887  gold  to  the  amount  of  £81,045  was 
extracted.  By  1909  the  annual  output  had  increased  to 
about  thirty  millions  and  the  value  of  the  total  gold 
which  had  been  extracted  at  the  Rand  was  £258,000,000. 

The  Franchise  raised. — The  resulting  influx  of  an 
enormous  cosmopolitan  population  tended  to  disturb 
the  equilibrium  of  the  State.  The  majority  of  the 
Boers  regarded  with  dread  the  possibility  of  the 
destinies  of  the  country  falling  into  alien  hands.  In 
1881  persons  who  had  resided  in  the  Transvaal  for  a 
year  might  obtain  the  franchise.  In  1882  this  period 
was  raised  to  five  years,  and  in  1890  to  fourteen 
years. 

President  Kruger's  Determination.  —  The  "  Uit- 
landers." — President  Kruger,  a  man  of  great  ability 
but  little  education,  was  firm  as  a  rock  against  all 
attempts  towards  giving  the  newcomers  a  voice  in  the 
Government  of  the  Republic.  He  and  his  followers 
Avere  determined  that  the  country  they  had  won  with 


The  South  African  Republic  225 

their  rifles  should  not  pass  from  their  control.  They 
arKued  that  as  the  strangers,  or  "  Uitlanders,"  as  they 
were  termed,  liad  come  for  gold,  and  as  many  of  them 
had  become  rich,  they  should  be  satisfied.  If  they 
were  not,  the  door  was  open  for  them  to  leave  ;  but  in 
any  case  no  interference  with  the  laws  of  the  country 
on  their  part  would  be  tolerated. 

Their  Grievances. — The  "  Uitlanders' "  case  was  to  the 
effect  that  although  they  provided  about  seven-eighths 
of  the  revenue  of  the  State  they  were  debarred  from 
exercising  the  ordinary  rights  of  communal  civilisation  ; 
that  they  were  misgoverned,  and  subjected  to  irritating 
restrictions  ;  that  monopolies  bore  heavily  up>on  them. 
One  of  these  which  gave  to  a  certain  firm  the  sole  right 
to  manufacture  dynamite  cost  the  community  £600,000 
per  annum,  more  than  if  it  had  been  purchased  in  the 
open  market,  and  the  dynamite  supplied  w^as  of  an 
inferior  quality.  Moreover,  they  were  liable  to  be 
commandeered  for  military  service  against  Native 
tribes.  This  actually  happened  in  a  campaign  against 
Malaboch.  There  is  no  question  but  that  the  mining 
community  on  the  Rand  had  many  and  serious 
grievances.  Among  the  Transvaal  burghers  a  strong 
party  in  favour  of  reform  had  come  into  existence. 

The  Reform  Committee. — The  Jameson  Raid. — In  1895 
an  association  called  "  The  Transvaal  Reform  Com- 
mittee" was  formed.  Arms  and  ammunition  were 
imported,  and  a  plot  was  entered  into,  having  for  its 
object  the  seizure  of  the  fort  and  ai'senal  at  Pretoria. 
With  the  concurrence  of  Mr.  Cecil  John  Rhodes,  Prime 
Minister  of  the  Cape  Colony,  Doctor  Jameson,  Admini- 
strator of  Rhodesia,  assembled  a  force  of  about  five 
hundred  p)olice  with  six  maxim  guns  in  the  vicinity  of 
Mafeking,  close  to  the  Transvaal  border.  With  this 
force  he  entered  Transvaal  territory  on  the  night  of 
December  29,  and  made  for  Johannesburg.  Attempts 
were  made  to  recall  him,  but  these  he  disregai*ded.  On 
January  1,  he  was  met  by  a  burgher  commando  which 
surrounded  and  defeated  him.  The  whole  force  sur- 
rendered. The  prisoners  were  marched  to  Pretoria, 
whence  they  were  sent  to  the  Natal  border,  where 
they  were  handed  over  to  be  dealt  with  by  the  British 
Government.  In  the  meantime  the  members  of  the 
Reform  Committee,  sixty-foiu*  in  number,  were  arrested 

Q 


2  26  A  History  of  South  Africa 

and  put  in  prison.  This  Committee  had  taken 
possession  of  Johannesburg  upon  hearing  that  Dr. 
Jameson  had  crossed  the  border.  The  four  leaders 
were  sentenced  to  death,  but  this  sentence  was  shortly 
afterwards  commuted.  The  rest  of  the  accused  were 
all  found  guilty  and  sentenced  to  heavy  fines  and  terms 
of  imprisonment,  which,  however,  were  soon  commuted. 

Its  Results. — The  result  of  the  Jameson  raid  was 
deplorable.  The  large  and  growing  party  in  the  State 
which  had  hitherto  been  strongly  in  favour  of  reform, 
now  stood  confounded.  The  administration  prepared 
for  the  contingency  of  war  by  extensive  armaments. 

Sir  Alfred  Milner  as  High  Commissioner.— The  Great 
Petition. — Sir  Hercules  Robinson,  who  had  been  raised 
to  the  peerage  as  Lord  Rosmead,  retired  in  1897,  and 
was  succeeded  as  High  Commissioner  by  Sir  Alfred 
Milner.  The  question  of  the  grievances  of  the  "  Uit- 
landers "  assumed  a  very  acute  form.  A  petition 
praying  for  Great  Britain's  intervention  was  signed 
by  21,000  people.  Sir  Alfred  Milner  expressed  himself 
as  strongly  in  favour  of  such  intervention.  A  con- 
ference between  the  High  Commissioner  and  President 
Kruger  took  place  at  Bloemfontein.  It  lasted  from 
May  31  to  June  5,  1899,  but  was  barren  of  result.  The 
discussion  centred  around  the  question  of  the  fran- 
chise. 

The  Ultimatum. — Early  in  October  the  Transvaal 
State  Secretary  transmitted  a  note  stating  that  the 
Republic  regarded  the  concentration  of  British  troops 
close  to  its  border  in  Natal  as  a  threat  against  its 
♦  independence,  and  demanded  that  they  should  be 
instantly  withdrawn.  Moreover,  guarantees  were 
asked  for  to  the  effect  that  certain  troops  then  on  the 
high  seas  should  not  be  landed  in  South  Africa. 
Further,  the  assurance  was  required  that  all  points  of 
difference  should  be  adjusted  by  arbitration  or  other 
friendly  means.  The  Secretary  of  State  refused  to 
discuss  the  conditions  of  this  ultimatum.  It  was  clear 
that  the  Orange  Free  State  was  determined  to  abide 
by  the  terms  of  the  offensive  and  defensive  alliance 
with  its  northern  neighbour.  So  on  October  12, 
burghers  from  the  Transvaal  entered  Natal  territory 
and  burghers  from  the  Free  State  entered  the  Cape 
Colony.     The  Great  Boer  War  had  begun. 


The  South  African  Republic  227 

The  Great  Boer  War.— The  Treaty  of  Yereeniging. — 

The  conflict  which  resulted  la.sted  for  nearly  three 
years.  It  is  not  proix>sed  to  enter  into  the  details  of 
that  struggle,  which  ended  in  a  complete  victory  for 
Great  Britain.  There  was  terrible  loss  of  life  and 
destruction  of  property.  The  Treaty  of  Peace  was 
signed  at  Vereeniging  on  May  31,  1902.  According  to 
its  terms  the  two  Republics  became  British  territory. 
At  the  close  of  the  long  discussion  between  the 
delegates,  Vice-President  Schalk  Burger  spoke  the 
following  memorable  words  : — 

"  We  are  standing  here  at  the  grave  of  the  two 
Republics ;  much  yet  remains  to  be  done,  although  we 
shall  not  be  able  to  do  it  in  the  official  capacities  which 
we  formerly  occupied.  Let  us  not  draw  our  hands 
back  from  the  work  which  it  is  our  duty  to  accomplish. 
Let  us  ask  God  to  guide  us  and  to  show  us  how  we 
shall  be  enabled  to  keep  our  nation  together.  We 
must  be  ready  to  forgive  and  forget  whenever  we  meet 
our  brethren  ;  that  part  of  our  nation  which  has  proved 
unfaithful  we  must  not  reject." 

In  his  farewell  address  to  the  troops,  Lord  Kitchener 
said : — 

"No  war  has  ever  yet  been  waged  in  which  the 
combatants  and  non-combatants  on  either  side  have 
shown  so  much  consideration  and  kindness  to  one 
another." 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

(To  1848) 

Natal 

The  First  Englishmen  in  Natal. — The  first  Englishmen 
who  set  foot  in  Natal  were  some  sailors  from  a  vessel 
called  the  Johanna,  wrecked  near  Delagoa  Bay  in  1683. 
These,  carrying  merchandise  salved  from  the  wreck, 
endeavoured  to  walk  to  Cape  Town  along  the  coast. 
They  were  treated  with  great  kindness  by  the  Natives. 
Another  English  vessel,  the  Francis,  touched  on  the 
Natal  coast  in  1684,  and  traded  with  the  Natives  for 
ivory.  Endeavours  were  made  to  purchase  slaves,  but 
without  success.  Other  slavers  attempted  to  further 
their  horrible  trade  from  time  to  time ;  but  the  Natives 
invariably  refused  to  have  any  dealings  with  them. 

Wreck  of  the  "  Stayenisse."— In  1686,  a  Dutch  East 
Indiaman,  the  Stavenisse,  was  wrecked  on  the  coast 
of  Natal.  The  shipwrecked  crew  met  two  Englishmen, 
who  were  living  on  the  shores  of  the  Bay  of  Natal. 
These  were  survivors  from  a  vessel  named  the  Good 
Hope,  which  had  been  wrecked  the  previous  year. 
The  men  from  the  Stavenisse  felled  timber  at  the  Bay 
and  built  a  boat.  They  were  joined  by  nine  English- 
men survivors  from  a  vessel  called  the  Bonaventura, 
which  had  been  wrecked  near  St.  Lucia  Bay.  Upon  the 
boat  being  completed  a  voyage  of  twelve  days  brought 
the  adventurers  safely  to  Cape  Town,  where  they  re- 
lated their  adventures  to  Commander  van  der  Stel. 

Early  Traders  in  the  Bay  of  Natal.— Three  years 
later  the  galliot  Noord  was  despatched  to  the  Bay  of 
Natal,  which,  with  the  land  adjoining,  Avas  purchased 
from  the  local  native  chief  for  fifty  pounds'  worth  of 
beads  and  copper  rings.  But  the  entrance  to  the  bay 
was  so  dangerous   to   navigation   that  no   settlement 


Natal  229 

was  established.  Fifteen  years  later  another  Dutch 
trading  vessel  called,  but  the  chief  who  had  sold  the 
t<;rritory  was  now  dead,  and  his  son  repudiated  the 
bargain.  In  1824  a  number  of  Englishmen  established 
themselves  at  Port  Natal  for  the  puriK)se  of  open- 
ing up  trade.  They  were  under  the  leadership  of 
Lieutenant  Francis  George  Farewell,  Mr.  Henry  Fynn, 
and  Mr.  James  Saunders  King. 

Their  Relations  with  the  Zulu  King. — Communica- 
tions were  opened  with  Tshaka,  the  Zulu  king,  who 
ceded  the  Bay  of  Natal, — including  twenty-five  miles 
of  coast  and  extending  for  a  hundred  miles  inland, — to 
the  adventurers.  Most  of  the  members  of  the  expedi- 
tion returned  to  Cape  Town,  until  at  length,  besides 
Messrs.  Farewell  and  Fynn,  the  only  remaining  Euro- 
peans were  John  Cane,  Henry  Ogle,  and  a  boy  named 
Thomas  Halstead.  A  number  of  Natives  in  the 
vicinity  placed  themselves  under  the  protection  of 
the  Europeans,  whose  following  was  augmented  by 
some  i-efugees  from  Zululand.  Later  the  party  was 
joined  by  other  Europeans,  including  a  man  named 
Nathaniel  Isaacs,  who  travelled  extensively  in  Zululand, 
and  came  into  intimate  contact  with  Tshaka. 

The  relations  between  the  English  adventurers 
at  the  Bay  of  Natal  and  the  Emigrant  Farmers  are 
referred  to  in  another  chapter. 

The  Republic  of  Natal. — The  young  Republic  of 
Natal  was  laiuiched  on  what  was  destined  to  be  but 
a  short  voyage.  It  was  divided  into  three  districts, 
named  Pietermaritzburg,  Weenen,  and  Port  Natal. 
The  township  at  the  Bay  had  been  given  the  name 
of  Durban  in  1835.  Burghers  who  had  settled  in  the 
country  before  1840  were  entitled  to  farms  and  erven 
free.  The  public  revenue  was  derived  from  customs 
and  port  dues,  a  very  light  quit-rent,  a  transfer  duty 
upon  the  purchase  price  of  land,  and  fines  collected 
in  Court.  The  Civil  List  was  the  smallest  probably 
on  record  ;  it  did  not  amount  to  £500. 

The  Reverend  Daniel  Lindley. — The  only  minister 
of  religion  was  the  Reverend  Daniel  Lindley,  an 
American  missionary  who  had  formerly  lived  in 
Natal,  but  had  been  obliged  to  flee  in  the  Comet 
when  Dingaan  sacked  the  settlement  at  the  Bay  of 
Natal.     He  resiileil  at  Pietermaritzburg,  and  arranged 


230  A  History  of  South  Africa 

to  hold  periodical  services,  not  alone  at  Durban  and 
Weenen,  but  also  beyond  the  Drakensberg  at  Win- 
burg  and  Potchefstroom.  Mr.  Lindley  is  still  held  in 
affectionate  remembrance. 

The  Volksraad,  which  numbered  twenty-four 
members,  met  four  times  a  year.  The  members 
were  elected  by  a  kind  of  ballot,  the  voting  papers 
being  transmitted  through  the  field  cornets.  Theo- 
retically the  Volksraad  was  the  supreme  executive, 
but  its  decisions  were  subject  to  alteration  by  vote 
at  a  public  meeting.  This  system  had  confusing 
results,  for  a  decision  arrived  at  one  day  was  often 
reversed  the  next.  Moreover,  the  Courts  were  practi- 
cally without  power  to  enforce  their  judgments  or 
sentences. 

Commandant  Potgieter  had  in  the  meantime 
established  an  independent  government  of  a  some- 
what similar  character  in  the  Mooi  River  Territory 
in  the  Transvaal.  Between  the  two  communities 
some  indefinite  bond  existed.  At  Potchefstroom  a 
body  which  consisted  of  twelve  members  was  created ; 
it  was  termed  the  Adjunct  Raad.  The  members  of 
this  body,  while  exercising  independent  control  west 
of  the  Drakensberg,  had  the  right  to  sit  with  the 
Volksraad  at  Maritzburg,  when  matters  affecting  the 
general  interests  of  the  Emigrant  Farmers  were  under 
consideration. 

The  Emigrant  Farmers  attack  the  Amabaca. — In 
September,  1840,  the  President  of  the  Volksraad  wrote 
*  to  the  Governor  of  the  Cape  Colony,  requesting  that 
the  independence  of  the  Republic  might  be  acknow- 
ledged. The  Governor  replied  asking  for  further  in- 
formation, and  the  Volksraad  drafted  a  reply  defining 
and  explaining  the  position  which  the  new  state  pro- 
posed to  assume.  In  the  mean  time  thefts  of  cattle 
had  taken  place,  and  the  spoor  of  some  animals  was 
traced  south-westward  to  the  rugged  country  border- 
ing the  Umzimvubu.  This  region  was  occupied  by  a 
section  of  the  Baca  tribe  under  Ncapayi.  A  force  of 
two  hundred  and  sixty  men  was  despatched  to  attack 
these  people.  The  more  moderate  section  of  the 
Volksraad  opposed  this  movement,  fearing  that  it 
would  be  resented  by  the  British  Government.  In  the 
attack  which  followed  it  was  stated  that  twenty-six 


Natal  231 

men,  ten  women,  and  four  children  of  the  Bacas 
were  killed.  Some  three  thousand  head  of  cattle  were 
carried  away.  The  Boers  were  assisted  by  some 
Native  auxiliaries,  who  also  swept  away  a  quantity  of 
stock,  besides  women  and  children.  The  latter  the 
Farmers  caused  to  be  liberated  ;  but  seventeen  children, 
whose  parents  had  been  killed,  were  removed  by  the 
Farmers  for  the  purpose  of  being  apprenticed. 

Action  of  Faku.— Between  the  Amabaca  and  the 
Pondos  a  bitter  feud  existed.  However,  Faku,  the 
Pondo  chief,  now  became  apprehensive  as  to  his  own 
safety,  so  he  communicated  his  fears  to  Sir  George 
Napier,  Governor  of  Cape  Colony,  and  asked  to  be  taken 
under  British  protection.  The  document  containing 
the  recjuest  bore  the  signatures  of  three  European  mis- 
sionaries. It  was  this  raid  which  decided  the  Governor 
to  reoccupy  Port  Natal,  so  a  force  was  despatched  from 
King  William's  Town  to  protect  Faku.  It  encamped 
on  the  Umgazi  River  in  Western  Pondoland. 

Sip  George  Napier  refuses  to  recognise  the  Republic. 
— The  Emigrant  Farmers  still  regarded  as  British 
Subjects.^ — The  Imperial  Government  did  not  wish  to 
enlarge  its  responsibilities  in  South  Africa,  but  it  was 
believed  that  if  a  garrison  were  stationed  at  Port 
Natal  the  Emigrant  Farmers  might  be  induced  to 
return  to  the  Cape  Colony.  In  September  the  Pre- 
sident of  the  Volksraad  was  informed  that  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  Republic  could  not  be  acknowledged, 
and  the  communication  foreshadowed  the  despatch  of 
a  military  force  to  Port  Natal.  The  President  of  the 
Volksraad  replied  to  the  effect  that  the  Emigrant 
Farmers  declined  to  consider  themselves  as  British 
subjects  and  refused  to  receive  a  military  force,  as 
they  had  not  asked  for  it,  and  had  no  need  of  it  for 
their  protection. 

A  British  Force  lands  at  Durban. — On  April  1, 1842, 
a  force  consisting  of  two  hundred  and  sixty-three  men 
with  a  howitzer  and  two  light  field  pieces,  and  a 
considerable  wagon  train,  left  the  Umgazi  camp  for 
Durban.  It  was  commanded  by  Captain  Thomas 
Smith  of  the  27th  Regiment.  Thirty-three  days  later 
this  force  reached  its  destination.  At  the  Bay  of  Natal 
it  was  met  by  two  of  the  Farmers  with  a  written  pro- 
test from  the  Volksi*aad.    Next  day  another  deputation 


232  A  History  of  South  Africa 

arrived  and  informed  Captain  Smith  that  the  Republic 
was  in  treaty  with  and  under  the  protection  of  Holland. 
This  strange  misconception  was  due  to  the  action  of  a 
private  association  which  had  been  formed  in  Holland 
for  the  purpose  of  trading  with  Natal,  and  which  had 
published  and  circulated  privately  a  pamphlet  appeal- 
ing strongly  to  the  sympathy  of  the  people  of  the 
Netherlands  towards  their  distant  compatriots.  The 
movement  was  disavowed  by  the  Dutch  Government. 
HoAvever,  the  statement  made  by  the  Farmers  was 
believed  by  them  to  be  triie. 

Attack  by  the  Emigrant  Farmers. — In  the  meantime 
the  Farmers  mobilised  and  assembled  at  Kongella,  a 
few  miles  from  the  Bay,  under  Commandant-General 
Pretorius,  with  whom  Captain  Smith  held  a  parley. 
The  first  act  of  definite  hostility  occurred  on  May  23, 
when  a  large  number  of  the  transport  cattle  belonging 
to  the  British  force  were  seized  by  the  Farmers.  That 
night  Captain  Smith  led  forth  a  party  to  attack  the 
Boers.  It  consisted  of  about  one  hundred  and  forty 
men  with  two  guns.  This  attack  was  a  complete 
failure.  Sixteen  of  the  British  force  were  killed, 
thirty-one  were  wounded,  and  three  were  reported  as 
missing.  Both  guns  were  captured.  The  wounded  men 
were  well  cared  for  by  the  Boers,  and  sent  back  next 
day  to  the  British  lines.  The  camp  was  noAV  placed  in 
a  state  of  defence. 

Richard  King's  Ride.— The  Siege.— Mr.  Richard 
King,  one  of  the  residents  of  Durban,  managed  to 
penetrate  the  Farmers'  lines  with  two  horses,  and  rode 
to  Grahamstown,  a  distance  of  six  hundred  miles,  in 
ten  days.  Intelligence  as  to  the  plight  of  Durban  Avas 
thus  conveyed  to  the  military  authorities.  The  British 
camp  was  closely  invested.  Two  small  vessels — the 
Pilot  and  the  Mazeppa — which  had  come  from  Port 
Elizabeth  with  stores  and  merchandise,  were  seized. 
A  British  outpost  at  the  Point  was  captured,  together 
with  an  eighteen-pounder  gun,  and  a  quantity  of 
stores  and  ammunition.  A  truce  was  agreed  upon 
until  May  31.  On  that  day  the  camp  was  invested 
and  a  bombardment  began.  The  artillery  used  by  the 
Farmers  included  the  guns  they  had  captured.  The 
bombardment,  however,  did  not  have  very  much 
effect.     By  arrangement  the  women  and  children  were 


Natal  233 

I  ('moved  for  safety  to  the  Mazeppa.  Food  became 
\  cry  sea  ice. 

The  British  Relieving  Force.  Retirement  of  the 
Emigrant  Farmers.  On  Juue  20  the  garrison  was 
iclieved  by  a  force  under  Colonel  Cloete,  conveyed  by 
tlie  frigate  Soiithunipton  and  a  chartered  schooner — 
the  Conch.  After  making  but  slight  further  resistance, 
the  Farmei's  retired.  During  the  most  strenuous  days 
of  the  siege  Captain  Smith  requested  Panda  to  send 
assistance,  but  Panda  refused  to  interfere,  saying  that 
whoever  won  in  the  struggle  should  be  his  master. 
Colonel  Cloete  called  upon  the  Natives  in  the  vicinity 
of  Durban  to  bring  in  what  horses  and  cattle  they 
could  collect ;  but  they  interpreted  this  as  giving  them 
a  licence  to  plunder,  so  they  began  to  loot  the  Farmers. 
Three  of  the  latter  were  murdered. 

Commissioner  Cloete  meets  the  Yolksraad  at 
Maritzburg.  The  Emigrant  Farmers  now  retired  to 
Maritzburg,  Avhere  a  stormy  meeting  of  the  Volksraad 
took  place.  Many  of  the  people  returned  to  their 
farms.  Colonel  Cloete  accepted  an  invitation  to  visit 
Maritzburg  under  a  safe  conduct.  Half  the  members 
of  the  Volksraad  had  disappeared ;  the  remaining  half 
signed  conditions  providing  for  the  release  of  prisoners 
and  the  restitution  of  property  that  had  been  seized  or 
captured,  and  embodying  a  declaration  of  submission 
to  the  British  Crown.  Colonel  Cloete  returned  to 
Cape  ToAvn,  leaving  a  small  body  of  troops  at  Port 
Natal  under  Major  Smith. 

Affairs  in  Natal  were  now"  in  a  very  anomalous  con- 
dition ;  the  British  Government  was  still  much  averse 
to  increasing  its  territorial  responsibilities.  Further 
efforts  were  made  towards  inducing  the  Emigrants  to 
return  to  the  Cape  Colony.  The  Governor  was  in- 
structed to  withdraw  the  force  from  the  Bay  and  to 
prevent  supplies  being  landed  there.  On  his  own 
responsibility  the  Governor  decided  not  to  act  upon 
these  instructions.  The  Seci*etary  of  State  then 
directed  the  Governor  to  send  a  Commissioner  to  Natal 
to  deal  with  matters  there.  Three  main  conditions 
were  to  be  embodied  in  any  settlement  that  might  be 
arrived  at.     These  weve  >— 

(1)  Equality  in  the  eye  of  the  law  of  all  persons, 
irrespective  of  creed  or  colour. 


234  A  History  of  South  Africa 

(2)  That  there  should  be  no  aggression  upon  Natives 

except   under  the  authority  of  Government, 
*  and 

(3)  That  there  was  to  be  no  slavery. 

Resolution  of  the  Women. — Advocate  Henry  Cloete 
was  appointed  Commissioner.  He  held  a  meeting  with 
the  Emigrants  at  Maritzburg  on  June  9,  1843,  with  an 
indeterminate  result.  Various  other  meetings  were 
held.  Several  armed  parties  arrived  from  beyond  the 
Drakensberg ;  one  under  Commandant  Mocke,  numbered 
two  hundred.  There  was  much  dissension  among  the 
Farmers.  A  new  and  enlarged  Volksraad  was  elected. 
A  mass  meeting  of  women  was  held,  at  which  it  was 
unanimously  resolved  that  rather  than  submit  to 
British  rule  they  would  walk  barefoot  over  the 
Drakensberg — that  they  would  have  liberty  or  death. 
At  this  meeting  the  women  affirmed  that :  "  In  con- 
sideration of  the  battles  in  which  they  had  been  en- 
gaged with  their  husbands,  they  had  obtained  a  promise 
that  they  would  be  entitled  to  a  voice  in  all  matters 
concerning  the  state  of  the  country." 

The  Yolksraad  accepts  the  British  Conditions. — 
Eventually  on  August  8,  the  Volksraad  decided  to 
accept  the  British  conditions.  Next  day  the  Farmers 
from  beyond  the  Drakensberg  withdrew,  bitterly  in- 

•  dignant  with  those  who,  in  their  opinion,  had  betrayed 
the  cause  of  liberty  by  submission.  These  views  were 
shared  by  many  who  remained  behind,  and  it  was  found 
necessary  to  bring  troops  to  Maritzburg  for  the  pro- 
tection of  those  who  favoured  the  surrender. 

Many  of  the  Emigrants  recross  the  Drakensberg. 
— Natal  a  Dependency  of  the  Cape  Colony. — A  large 
number  of  the  Emigrants  now  abandoned  their  farms 
and  recrossed  the  Drakensberg.  By  the  end  of  1843 
there  were  only  three  hundred  and  sixty -five  families 
left.  In  1844  the  form  of  Government  for  Natal  was 
settled.  The  territory  was  to  be  a  dependency  of  the 
Cape  Colony,  but  separate  for  executive,  judicial,  and 

•  financial  purposes,  and  was  to  be  administered  by  a 
Lieutenant-Governor.  In  August,  1845,  the  boundaries 
of  Natal  were  defined  by  proclamation.  They  were 
the  Tugela  and  Umzinyati  Bivers,  the  south-eastern 
base  of  the  Drakensberg,  and  the  Umzimkulu  River. 
A  further  proclamation  was  issued  stating  that  it  was 


Natal  235 

not  to  be  understood  that  the  Queen's  authority  over 
her  subjects  residing  beyond  tlie  proclaimed  limits  had 
lieen  renounced.  The  Roman  Dutch  Law  was  made 
the  fundamental  law  of  Natal.  In  November  Mr. 
Martin  Thomas  West,  who  had  been  Civil  Commis- 
sioner of  Albany,  was  apix)inted  provisionally  as 
Lieutenant-Governor.  At  the  same  time  Advocate 
Henry  Cloete  was  appointed  Recorder;  Mr.  Donald 
Moodie,  Secretary  to  the  Government;  Mr.  Walter 
Harding,  Crown  Prosecuter ;  and  Mr.  Theophilus  Shep- 
stone,  Diplomatic  Agent  for  the  Natives.  An  Execu- 
tive Council,  to  consist  of  the  Senior  Military  Officer, 
the  Secretary  to  the  Government,  the  Surveyor-General, 
the  Collector  of  Customs,  and  the  Crown  Prosecutor, 
was  appointed.  These  officers  arrived  on  December  4, 
1845,  when  the  administration  of  Natal  as  a  British 
colony  commenced. 

Influx  of  Zulus. — In  1843  occurred  an  enormous 
influx  of  Zulus  from  across  the  Tugela.  Panda  had  put 
one  of  his  brothers  and  the  latter' s  wives  and  children 
to  death  in  a  very  cruel  manner.  Within  a  few  days 
some  50,000  people  had  crossed  the  border,  seeking 
safety.  Panda  demanded  that  these  people  should  be 
sent  back,  but  the  demand  was  refused  by  Major  Smith. 
The  fugitives  wandered  hither  and  thither  as  they 
listed,  not  respecting  any  boundaries.  The  Emigrant 
Farmers  desired  to  call  out  a  commando  against  them, 
but  this  Major  Smith  refused  to  permit. 

Their  Lawless  Conduct. — Despair  of  the  Farmers. — 
The  Natives,  realising  the  unsatisfactory  relations 
existing  between  the  British  authorities  and  the  Emi- 
grant Farmers,  became  defiant  and  took  to  looting. 
The  Farmers  were  obliged  to  go  into  laager.  Steps 
were  taken  to  demarcate  locations  in  which  the 
intruders  might  settle.  Much  confusion  was  caused 
through  many  of  the  sites  which  had  been  selected  for 
occupation  by  Europeans  being  included  within  such 
locations.  The  Farmers  were  now  almost  in  despair ; 
they  ])repared  to  abandon  the  country,  but  before 
ttiking  the  final  step  decided  to  despatch  a  delegate  to 
interview  the  Governor  of  the  Cape  Colony  on  their 
behalf.  Mr.  A.  W.  J.  Pretorius  was  chosen.  On  his 
way  he  was  joined  by  a  delegate  from  Winburg,  wliere 
the   people    also    had   grievances    to    ventilate.      The 


236  A  History  of  South  Africa 

delegates  reached  Grahamstown  where  the  Governor 
was  staying,  but  he  was  too  bvisy  to  receive  them. 
Pretorius  pubHshed  an  account  of  the  grievances  of 
the  people  in  Natal.  On  his  way  back  he  met  with 
much  sympathy  from  the  Farmers  in  the  districts  he 
traversed.  The  effect  of  his  relation  of  what  had 
taken  place  was  such  that  a  further  considerable 
number  of  people  left  the  Caj^e  Colony  for  the  north. 
When  Pretorius  reached  Natal  he  found  the  people 
fleeing  from  their  homes,  unable  to  withstand  the 
'depredations  of  the  Natives — depredations  which  they 
had  been  forbidden  to  resist.  He  found  his  wife  lying 
ill  in  a  wagon  on  the  road ;  his  youngest  daughter  was 
leading  the  team  of  oxen. 

Yisit  of  Sir  Harry  Smith. — The  Farmers  assembled 
at  the  foot  of  the  Drakensberg  and  made  preparations 
to  cross  the  range.  Just  then  Sir  Harry  Smith  became 
Governor  ;  he  sent  a  message  to  Mr.  Pretorius  suggest- 
ing that  the  movement  should  be  delayed  pending  the 
visit  which  he  intended  to  make.  The  Governor  arrived 
at  the  Farmers'  camp  at  the  beginning  of  February, 
1848,  and  was  enthusiastically  welcomed.  Many  of  the 
Farmers  had  fought  under  him  in  the  Kaffir  wars  of 
former  days,  and  both  liked  and  respected  him.  In  his 
despatch  to  the  Secretary  of  State  the  Governor  thus 
described  the  condition  of  the  unhappy  people  : — 

"  They  were  exposed  to  a  state  of  misery  which  I 
have  never  before  seen  eqvialled  except  in  Massena's 
Invasion  of  Portugal,  when  the  whole  of  the  population 
of  that  part  of  the  seat  of  war  abandoned  their  homes 
and  fled.     The  scene  was  truly  heartrending." 

Sir  Harry  Smith  persuaded  the  Farmers  to  delay 
their  departure,  promising  if  possible  to  adjust  their 
grievances.  He  remained  among  them  several  days, 
inquiring  into  the  circumstances  of  their  unhappy 
case. 

Appointment  of  a  Land  Commission.— Evil  Results 
of  Land  Speculation. — On  February  10  the  Governor 
issued  a  proclamation  appointing  a  Land  Commission 
to  adjust  claims.  The  result  of  this  was  that  several 
hundred  Dutch  families  settled  permanently  among 
the  upper  reaches  of  the  Tugela,  the  Klip  and  the 
Sunday  Rivers.  In  this  region  there  were  but  few 
Natives.     Some  of  the  Farmers  were  granted  land  in 


Natal  237 

other  localities,  but  they  soon  l^ecame  dissatisfied  with 
their  surroundings,  and  retired  over  the  Drakensberg. 
Their  land  was  sold  to  sijecidators,  who  soon  held  large 
tracts.  One  corporation,  the  Natal  Land  and  Colonisa- 
tion Company,  ae(iuired  250,000  acres  of  land  for  the 
ostensible  purpose  of  p)ermitting  European  colonisation. 
But  leasing  land  to  Natives  was  found  to  pay  well,  so 
the  tracts  became  filled  with  Bantu  refugees.  Other 
holders  of  land  adopted  the  same  methods,  until,  to 
(juote  Dr.  Theal,  "Natal  became  like  a  huge  Bantu 
location  with  a  few  centres  of  European  industry  in  it." 


CHAPTER    XIX 

(To  1899) 

Natal 

Early  Immigration  to  Natal. — Immigration  to  Natal 
was  at  first  exceedingly  slow.  In  1838  thirty-five 
families  of  German  labourers  were  introduced ;  most 
of  these  became  prosperous  market  gardeners  in  the 
vicinity  of  Durban.  In  1849  and  the  succeeding  two 
years,  about  4500  emigrants  arrived  from  England. 
These  included  a  disproportionate  number  of  men  ; 
discontent  resulted,  and  many  of  them  went  to 
Australia. 

Business  Energy. — Bishop  Colenso. — The  European 
community  in  Natal  evinced  very  great  energy.  In 
business  generally  Natal  developed  activities  out  of  pro- 
portion to  its  meagre  European  population.  Schools 
were  established,  and  churches  were  founded  by  different 
religious  societies.  In  1854  Dr.  John  William  Colenso 
was  appointed  first  bishop  of  the  Church  of  England. 
He  devoted  himself  largely  to  missionary  work,  and 
came  to  be  known  among  the  natives  as  "  Sobantu,"  or" 
"  Father  of  the  People." 

Natal  was  divided  into  three  large  districts — 
Durban,  Maritzburg,  and  Klip  River.  These  were 
sub-divided  into  counties.  Municipal  institutions 
were  introduced  in  1847,  and  county  councils  in  1856. 

Natal  a  Distinct  Colony. — The  Transport  Industry. 
In  1855  Sir  George  Grey  visited  Natal  and  inquired 
into  the  conditions  of  the  colony.  He  at  once  recom- 
mended that  a  Constitution  should  be  granted.  This 
was  done  the  following  year  under  Royal  Charter. 
Natal  was  created  a  colony  distinct  from  the  Cape, 
with  a  legislative  council  of  sixteen  members — twelve 
elective  and  four  official.     A  considerable   trade  was 


Natal  239 

oi>enecl  up  with  the  Orange  Free  State  and  the  South 
African  Republic,  and  the  conveyance  of  goods  by  ox 
wagon  inland  was  found  to  Ix'  *'x<  <(Mlingly  profitable. 
Xatal  early  recognised  the  jjohniial  profits  of  the 
carrying  trade,  and  accordingly  constructed  good  roads 
to  and  over  the  Drakensberg  Range,  bridging  the 
principal  rivers. 

An  Unprecedented  Flood. — But  in  1868  came  a  flood 
of  unprecedented  violence.  Some  thirteen  inches  of 
lain  fell  in  less  than  three  days,  and  most  of  the 
roads  and  bridges  were  destroyed.  Sugar  cane  was 
introduced  from  Mauritius,  and  found  to  thrive  on  the 
coast  lands. 

Trouble  in  Zululand. — Strife  between  Cetewayo 
and  Umbulazi. — Trouble  arose  in  Zululand ;  King 
Panda  had  become  so  enormously  stout  that  he  was 
no  longer  able  to  take  any  imrt  in  public  affairs. 
Jealousy  arose  between  two  of  his  sons,  Cetewayo  and 
Umbulazi.  The  latter  was  the  younger,  and  it  was 
believed  that  Panda  favoured  his  claims  to  the  succes- 
sion. Umbulazi  and  his  adherents  moved  to  a  terri- 
tory assigned  to  them  on  the  Tugela.  Here  they  were 
attacked  by  Cetewayo  in  December,  1856,  and  defeated 
with  terrible  slaughter.  Umbulazi  lost  his  life.  Bodies 
of  the  slain  which  had  been  carried  out  to  sea  were 
washed  up  in  large  numbers  on  the  beach  in  the 
vicinity  of  Durban.  After  this  Cetqwayo's  power  in 
Zululand  was  supreme ;  he  acted  as  regent  for  his 
father  until  the  latter's  death  in  1872. 

In  1860,  during  the  visit  of  Prince  Alfred,  the  first 
South  African  railway  was  opened  in  Natal.  This 
was  a  line  between  the  Point  and  Durban,  which  was 
afterwards  extended  to  the  Umgeni. 

Fertility  of  Coast  Lands. — Introduction  of  Coolies. — 
Along  the  fertile  coast-lands  tea,  coffee,  and  arrow- 
root came  to  be  cultivated,  in  addition  to  sugar.  To 
meet  the  growing  demand  for  labour  indentured 
coolies  were  introduced  from  India  in  1860.  These 
people  increased  so  rapidly  as  to  become  a  serious 
embarrassment.  A  census  of  1904  startled  the  Colony 
by  the  revelation  that  the  Indians  in  Natal  numbered 
1()(),()()(),  whilst  the  Europeans  numbered  only  97,000. 

The  Franchise. — In  1865  a  law  was  passed  in  terms 
of  which  Natives  were  debarred  from   the  franchise 


240  A  History  of  South  Africa 

unless  they  had  been  exempted  from  Native  law  for  a 
period  of  seven  years.  This  amounted  to  i3ractical 
disfranchisement. 

Death  of  Panda. — After  the  death  of  King  Panda 
in  1872,  Mr.  Shepstone,  at  the  request  of  the  people, 
proceeded  to  Zululand  to  instal  Cetewayo  as  his 
successor.  On  this  occasion  laws  against  the  indis- 
criminate shedding  of  blood,  and  providing  that  no 
person  should  be  condemned  without  an  open  trial, 
were  proclaimed. 

Return  of  Langalibalele. — In  1873  trouble  arose 
with  the  Hlubi  tribe,  which,  under  its  chief,  Langali- 
balele, was  located  along  the  upper  reaches  of  the 
Bushman  River.  Many  of  the  Hlubis  had  been  to 
work  at  the  Diamond  Fields,  and  had  there  acquired 
firearms.  An  order  was  issued  by  the  Natal  Govern- 
ment that  all  such  were  to  be  registered.  This  order 
was  not  obeyed,  so  a  force  was  assembled  to  compel 
compliance.  The  Hlubis  retired  through  the  moun- 
tainous country  towards  Basutoland.  In  an  attempt 
to  stop  the  retirement  a  slight  engagement  took  place, 
in  which  three  Carbineers  and  two  Natives  attached 
to  the  Natal  Force  lost  their  lives.  Langalibalele 
was  arrested  by  the  police  in  Basutoland.  The  tribe 
was  broken  up.  As  a  result  of  the  trouble  with  the 
Hlubis  a  Native  High  Court  was  established,  presided 
over  by  the  Governor  as  supreme  chief,  and  some 
additional  magistrates  were  appointed  in  the  more 
populous  native  areas. 

Sir  Garnet  Wolseley. — Railway  Extension. — In 
1875  Sir  Garnet  Wolseley,  afterwards  Lord  Wolseley, 
was  sent  to  Natal  to  act  as  Governor.  He  was  in- 
structed by  Lord  Carnarvon  to  report  on  the  condition 
of  the  Natives,  and  on  the  relations  existing  between 
them  and  the  Europeans.  In  1876  railway  extension 
began  in  Natal.  For  this  purpose  a  loan  of  £1,200,000 
was  raised,  and  the  construction  of  lines  along  the 
coast  to  the  north-east  and  the  south-west,  as  well  as 
to  Maritzburg,  was  begun.  In  1880  the  line  to  Maritz- 
burg  was  completed.  In  1886  communication  was 
opened  with  Ladysmith. 

Cetewayo' s  threatening  Attitude. — Violation  of 
Natal  Border  by  Zulus. — King  Cetewayo  did  not 
observe  the  new  laws  promulgated  at  his  coronation. 


Natal  241 

Tlu'  old  Zulu  practices  of  massacre  at  the  King's  mere 
will  was  recommenced.  The  Zulu  army  was  organised 
Ncry  comi)letely,  until  it  was  as  i)owerful  as  it  had 
been  in  tlie  days  of  Tshaka.     In  addition  to  si>ears, 


Photo:    T.  D.  Savenacroft.] 

CETEWAYO. 


the  Zulu  soldiers  were  now  armed  with  muskets 
obtained  through  Delagoa  Bay.  A  dangeix)us  situa- 
tion arose.  The  Natiil  bolder  Avas  violated,  fugitives 
being  pursued  by  armed  bodies  of  Zulus  into  Natal 
territory.      Cetewayo    failed    to    afford    satisfaction. 

R 


242  A  History  of  South  Africa 

It  was  not  alone  Natal  that  was  threatened,  for  a 
numerous  Zulu  army  was  massed  upon  the  Transvaal 
border.  It  was  well  knoAvn  that  the  Zulu  soldiery 
were  keenly  desirous  of  an  opportunity  of  fighting,  or, 
as  they  termed  it,  "  washing  their  spears." 

The  Zulu  War.— At  the  end  of  1878  an  ultimatum 
was  delivered  by  the  High  Commissioner.  In  this  the 
surrender  of  those  who  had  violated  the  boundary,  as 
well  as  the  payment  of  a  fine  of  cattle,  was  demanded. 
The  Zulu  King  was  also  called  upon  to  disband  his 
regiments.  A  force  of  6600  Europeans,  besides  a  large 
native  contingent,  was  assembled  on  the  border.  No 
satisfactory  reply  being  obtained,  a  British  force  in 
three  divisions  entered  Zululand  at  the  expiration  of 
the  period  mentioned  in  the  ultimatum. 

Disaster  of  Isandhlwana.— Defence  of  Rorke's  Drift. 
— The  main  column  crossed  the  Tugela  at  Rorke's 
Drift  and  advanced  to  the  Isandhlwana  Hill,  about  ten 
miles  from  the  border.  From  the  camp  there  formed 
Lord  Chelmsford  and  Colonel  Glyn  moved  forward  on 
January  22,  1879,  on  a  reconnaissance  with  a  strong 
patrol,  leaving  the  camp  in  charge  of  some  eight 
hundred  Europeans  and  six  hundred  Native  Levies 
No  orders  were  given  to  entrench  or  to  construct  a 
laager,  according  to  the  well-known  South  African 
practice.  The  Zulus  who  were  massed  in  the  vicinity 
advanced  on  the  camp,  enveloped  it  and  slaughtered 
every  soul,  with  the  exception  of  about  forty  Euro- 
peans and  a  few  Natives  who  managed  to  break 
through  the  ring.  Upon  the  Natal  side  of  Rorke's 
Drift  was  a  Commissariat  and  Hospital  Post,  defended 
by  about  one  hundred  Europeans.  The  Commander, 
Lieutenant  Chard,  fortunately  got  news  of  the  disaster 
in  time  sufficient  to  enable  him  to  organise  a  defence. 
A  force  of  about  four  thousand  Zulus  advanced  to  the 
attack.  Throughout  the  whole  night  desperate  at- 
tempts were  made  to  break  through  the  frail  ramparts, 
composed  principally  of  biscuit  boxes  and  bags  of  flour. 
Furious  hand-to-hand  struggles  took  place;  several 
times  it  was  thought  that  by  sheer  weight  of  numbers 
the  savages  must  prevail.  They  were,  however,  beaten 
off  with  heavy  loss. 

Action  of  Hlobane. — Defeat  of  Zulus  at  Kambula. 
— Action  of  GinginhloYO. — The  northern  column,  under 


Natal  243 

Colonel  Woocl  and  Colonel  Buller,  with  Commandant 
I  Meter  Uys,  were  cami)ed  at  Kambula.  Colonel  Buller, 
w  itli  four  hundred  men,  moved  out  and  occupied  the 
Illobane  Mountain,  only  to  find  himself  surrounded  by 
an  immense  Zulu  army.  In  cutting  their  way  through 
this,  one  hundred  and  twenty  men  lost  their  lives. 
Among  the  slain  were  Commandant  Uys  and  Colonel 
Weatherley.  The  former  lost  his  life  in  a  vain 
endeavour  to  save  his  young  son.  Next  day  a  fierce 
attack  was  made  by  some  twenty  thousand  Zulus  upon 
the  Kambula  camp.  For  five  hours  wave  after  wave 
of  the  enemy  broke  against  the  defence.  Then  they 
fled  before  a  cavalry  charge,  leaving  many  dead  behind. 
The  coast  column,  under  Colonel  Pearson,  was  at  the 
time  besieged  at  Eshowe  by  a  strong  Zulu  army.  It 
was  relieved  by  Lord  Chelmsford,  after  fighting  a 
battle  at  Ginginhlovo,  in  which  the  Zulus  were  defeated 
with  considerable  loss.  The  Fort  of  Eshowe  was  then 
abandoned. 

Battle  of  Ulundi. — In  the  meantime  heavy  reinforce- 
ments arrived.  Sir  Garnet  Wolseley  was  appointed 
Commander-in-Chief  and  High  Commissioner.  The 
main  British  force,  under  the  personal  command  of 
Lord  Chelmsford,  who  had  not  yet  surrendered  his 
command  to  Sir  Garnet  Wolseley,  moved  into  Zululand 
from  the  north-west  and  advanced  towards  the  Royal 
Kraal  at  Ulundi  on  the  northern  bank  of  the  White 
Umfolosi  River.  The  force  consisted  of  some  three 
thousand  infantry  and  three  hundred  cavalry.  The 
enemy  had  massed  a  large  army ;  they  advanced  with 
their  usual  bravery  upon  the  British  square.  For 
twenty  minutes  the  Zulus  endured  being  mown  down 
by  shot  and  shell ;  then  they  broke  and  fled,  pursued 
by  the  Lancers  for  some  distance.  The  King's  Kraal 
was  burnt.  Cetewayo  fled  into  the  Ingome  forest, 
north  of  the  Black  Umfolosi,  wliere  he  was  cai)tured. 

Sir  Garnet  Wolseley  supersedes  Lord  Chelmsford. 
—Subdivision  of  Zululand.— Sir  Garnet  Wolseley 
assembled  the  Zulu  chiefs  at  Ulundi,  and  announced 
the  terms  which  he  decided  to  impose  upon  the  Zulu 
people.  The  dynasty  of  Tshaka  was  abolished,  and  the 
country  divided  into  thirteen  districts,  each  to  be  ruled 
by  a  chief  who  was  subject  to  the  British  Crown. 
Among  the  chiefs  thus  appointed  was  John  Dunn,  an 


244  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Englishman  who  had  spent  many  years  in  Zululand. 
This  settlement  was  not  successful. 

Strife  among  the  Chiefs. — Return  of  Cetewayo. — 
The  chiefs  began  to  fight  with  each  other,  and  a  con- 
siderable number  of  Zulus  desired  that  Cetewayo  might 
be  permitted  to  return.  He  had  been  living  at  a  farm 
in  the  vicinity  of  Cape  Town,  and  in  1882  had  visited 
England.  In  January,  1883,  he  was  taken  back  to 
Zululand  and  installed  once  more  as  King  of  that 
portion  north  of  the  Umhlatuzi  River,  by  Sir  Theophilus 
Shepstone. 

Usibepu. — One  of  the  thirteen  chiefs  appointed  at  the 
end  of  the  war  was  a  man  called  Usibepu,  Avho  belonged 
to  the  Zulu  Royal  House.  Between  him  and  Cetewayo 
there  existed  considerable  enmity.  Usibepu  was  i^er- 
mitted  to  retain  his  territory.  The  tract  between  the 
Umhlatuzi  and  the  Tugela  was  constituted  a  reserve 
under  a  British  Commissioner.  Here  such  Zulus  as  did 
not  desire  to  be  subject  to  Cetewayo  were  located. 
Cetewayo' s  return  had  unexpected  results  ;  he  rapidly 
lost  many  of  his  adherents,  who  joined  Usibepu.  Soon 
he  was  obliged  to  flee  to  the  reserve,  where  he  lived 
under  protection  of  the  Resident  till  1884,  when  he 
died. 

Dinizulu  succeeds  Cetewayo. — He  calls  the  Boers  to 
his  Aid.— The  "  New  Republic."— The  "  Usutu,"  as  Cete- 
wayo's  adherents  were  termed,  acknowledged  his  son 
Dinizulu  as  Chief.  War  soon  broke  out  between  the 
Usutu  and  the  followers  of  Usibepu.  The  British 
authorities  formally  declined  to  interfere.  Dinizulu, 
being  defeated,  called  to  his  aid  a  number  of  Boers  from 
the  Transvaal  under  Lucas  Meyer.  These  allies  soon 
turned  the  scale.  Usibepu,  his  followers  scattered,  fled 
to  the  reserve  for  protection,  as  Cetewayo  had  done. 
Dinizulu  ceded  to  Lucas  Meyer  and  his  followers  some 
3000  square  miles  of  territory  in  the  north  and  north- 
west of  Zululand.  This  tract  now  became  the  "NeAV 
Republic  "  under  the  Presidency  of  Lucas  Meyer.  In 
1886  its  independence  was  recognised  by  Great  Britain  ; 
two  years  later  it  was  merged  in  the  South  African 
Republic. 

Zululand  annexed. — In  1887  Zululand  was,  with  the 
consent  of  the  people,  declared  British  territory,  under 
the  Governor  of  Natal.     In  1884  the  British  Flag  had 


Natal  245 

been  hoisted  over  St.  Lucia  Bay  ;  this  step  was  under- 
taken with  the  view  of  defeating  the  attempts  made  on 
the  part  of  Germany  to  gain  a  footing  on  the  coast  of 
Zuhiland.  The  Bay  had  been  ceded  to  Great  Britain 
by  Panda  in  1834.  In  1888  Dinizulu  and  two  other 
Zulu  chiefs  rebelled  and  were  banished  to  the  Island 
of  St.  Helena.  Soon  afterwards  they  were,  however, 
ix^rmitted  to  return.  In  1895  Tongaland,  lying  between  • 
the  Portuguese  possessions  and  Zululand,  was  annexed 
by  Great  Britain. 

Railway  Extension. — As  soon  as  the  exceeding  rich- 
ness of  the  Witwatersrand  Goldfields  became  an  estab- 
lished fact,  strenuous  efforts  were  made  to  extend  the 
railway  inland  from  the  Port  of  Durban  as  rapidly  as 
possible.  In  1891  communication  was  opened  with 
Charlestown,  close  to  the  border.  In  1892  a  line  was 
completed  to  Harrismith  in  the  Orange  Free  State.  In 
1894  the  Volksraad  of  the  South  African  Republic 
granted  permission  to  the  Natal  Government  to  extend 
the  line  to  Johannesburg ;  by  the  end  of  1895  this  had 
been  effected. 

Responsible  Government  granted.— Responsible 
Government  was  granted  to  Natal  in  1893.  Two 
Chambers  were  constituted :  a  Legislative  Council, 
consisting  of  fourteen  members  nominated  by  the 
Governor  and  a  Legislative  Assembly  of  forty-two 
elective  members.  The  franchise  was  based  on  the 
property  qualification  of  £50  or  payment  of  an  annual 
rent  of  £10,  or  a  salary  qualification  of  £96  per  annum. 
The  Cabinet  was  to  consist  of  five  members.  The  first 
Prime  Minister  was  Sir  John  Robinson. 

Fertility  of  Natal.— Menacing  Problems. — Natal  is 
the  most  fertile  of  the  colonies  now  forming  the  South 
African  Union,  and  deserves  its  name,  "  The  Garden 
Colony."  Sugar  and  coffee  production  have  grown  to  ' 
very  imjKjrtant  industries.  Natal  also  possesses  valu- 
able coal-mines,  fi*om  which  there  is  a  very  large  out- 
put. But  the  enormous  and  increasing  Bantu  and 
Coolie  elements  in  its  population  present  problems  of 
growing  menace. 


CHAPTER   XX 
(To  1852) 

The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule 

GoYernor  Napier.  —  Major-General  George  Thomas 
Napier  took  the  oaths  as  Governor  of  the  Cape  Colony 
in  January,  1838.  He  was  a  brother  of  the  historian 
of  the  Peninsular  War,  and  a  most  distinguished 
soldier.  He  had  lost  his  right  arm  when  leading  a 
storming  party  during  the  siege  of  Ciudad  Rodrigo. 

General  Depression.  —  Scarcity  of  Labour. — The 
Colony  soon  afterwards  fell  into  a  most  depressed  con- 
dition ;  on  December  1,  1838,  the  period  of  four  years' 
apprenticeship  which  the  slaves  had  to  serve  before 
obtaining  complete  freedom,  came  to  an  end.  Labour 
was  unobtainable  ;  the  liberated  slaves,  rejoicing  in  their 
new-found  liberty,  refused  to  work.  The  "  Great  Trek  " 
had  drawn  away  large  numbers  of  the  best  of  the 
European  inhabitants  ;  there  had  been  no  correspond- 
ing immigration. 

Decline  of  the  Wine  Industry.  —  The  principal 
colonial  industry  had  hitherto  been  the  production  of 
wine.  This  industry  had  experienced  many  vicissi- 
tudes. In  1813  a  reduction  of  the  duty  in  England 
gave  wine-making  such  an  impetus  that  ten  years  later 
there  were  three  million  vines  bearing,  and  upwards  of 
19,000  leaguers  of  wine  were  produced.  In  1825  an 
adjustment  of  the  wine  duty  was  made,  which  was 
unfavourable  to  the  Cape  product.  From  this  time 
the  industry  steadily  declined.  In  1840  a  further 
unfavourable  alteration  of  the  duty  inflicted  a  stagger- 
ing blow  upon  the  wine  farmers,  and  through  them 
upon  the  prosperity  of  the  Colony,  for  it  rendered 
further  profitable  export  of  Avine  impossible.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  production  of  merino  wool,  which  was 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        247 

found  to  be  exceedingly  remunerative,  was  rapidly 
i  iitTeaHing.  The  development  of  this  industry  gradually 
l)rought  back  prosperity. 

Epidemios  of  Measles  and  Small-poz. — In  1839  an 
epidemic  of  measles  broke  out ;  this  disease  had  been 
unknown  in  the  colony  for  upwards  of  thirty  yeai's. 
1 1  spread  rapidly  among  the  coloured  people.  Early  in 
the  following  year  sniall-i)ox  was  introduced  through 
the  landing  of  negroes  from  a  captured  slaver.  This, 
as  well  as  the  ei)idemic  of  measles,  caused  heavy  loss 
of  life — more  especially  among  the  liberated  slaves,  who 
had  fl(K-ked  into  the  towns  and  villages. 

Taxation. — Constitution  of  Municipalities. — At  this 
period  various  alterations  in  the  incidence  of  taxation 
and  reforms  in  the  methods  of  collecting  revenue  were 
introduced.  In  1836  an  Ordinance  providing  for  the 
constitution  of  municipalities  had  been  promulgated. 

Improved  Educational  Methods.  —  An  improved 
system  of  education — its  details  mainly  based  upon  the 
advice  of  Sir  John  Herschel,  the  Astronomer  Royal, 
and  Mr.  John  Fairbairn — was  adopted  in  1839.  Schools 
were  divided  into  two  classes,  respectively  termed 
Elementary  and  Classical.  In  1840  eleven  skilled 
teachers  were  introduced,  nearly  all  of  whom  seem  to 
have  been  Scotsmen.  There  were  already  in  existence 
several  good  private  schools.  It  was  usual  for  the 
farmers  to  employ  private  teachers,  but  the  persons 
employed  were  usually  quite  unfitted  for  the  work.  So 
far  the  facilities  provided  for  the  education  of  coloured 
children  were  much  better  than  in  the  case  of  the 
children  of  Europeans.  There  were  upwards  of  fifty 
missionaries  besides  a  large  number  of  lay  teachers, 
male  and  female,  who  were  exclusively  employed  in  the 
coloured  schools. 

Dutch  Reformed  Church  Ordinance. — In  1843  an 
ordinance  was  i)assed  on  the  lines  suggested  by  a  Synod 
of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church,  eliminating  political 
commissioners  from  the  personnel  of  such  Syiiod,  and 
freeing  the  Church  from  secular  interference  in  spiritual 
and  ecclesiastical  matters. 

Construction  of  Roads. — An  important  oixiinanee, 
having  reference  to  the  ccmstruction  and  maintenance 
of  roads,  was  ])romulgated.  There  were  three  main 
roads  piercing  the  great  mouuttiiu  barrier  lying  between 


248  A  History  of  South  Africa 

the  vicinity  of  the  Cape  and  the  interior.  These  were 
the  old  road  through  the  Tulbagh  Kloof,  the  French 
Hoek  road — which  had  been  constructed  in  the  days  of 
Lord  Charles  Somerset — and  the  road  over  Hottentot's 
Holland,  completed  in  1830,  and  named  Sir  Lowry's 
Pass,  after  Sir  Lowry  Cole.  In  the  Eastern  Province 
some  good  roads  and  bridges  had  been  constructed  by 
the  military.  Under  the  ordinance  a  central  board  of 
road  commissioners,  as  well  as  divisional  boards,  were 
constituted.  These  had  the  power  of  levying  rates  for 
the  purposes  of  construction  and  maintenance. 

Life  of  the  Colonists. — Genesis  of  Villages. — The 
life  of  the  South  African  colonists  at  this  period  was 
healthful,  simple,  and,  except  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
eastern  frontier,  comparatively  free  from  care.  Game 
was  plentiful,  there  was  still  ample  room  for  expansion, 
and  that  stress  which  is  such  a  feature  of  modern  life 
did  not  as  yet  exist.  Hospitality  towards  strangers 
was  universally  practised.  Four  times  each  year  the 
people  assembled  around  the  respective  churches  for 
the  *'  Nachtmaal  "  or  celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 
At  these  gatherings,  which  usually  lasted  about  five 
days,  marriages  and  christenings  took  place,  and  much 
business  was  transacted.  Villages  rapidly  sprang  up 
in  various  parts  of  the  Colony,  some  very  remote.  It 
often  happened  that  a  well-to-do  farmer  donated,  or, 
in  dying,  bequeathed  a  site  for  a  church  with  surround- 
ing it  an  area  of  land  sufficient  to  admit  of  a  village 
being  laid  out.  This  land  would  be  surveyed  into 
building  lots,  the  price  of  which  formed  a  fund  for  the 
construction  and  endowment  of  the  chvirch.  A  village 
invariably  grew  around  the  church,  owing  to  the  well- 
to-do  farmers  building  cottages  for  their  accommodation 
during  Nachtmaal  time.  On  the  approach  of  old  age 
the  management  of  the  farm  might  be  handed  over 
to  the  sons,  and  then  the  proprietor  Avould  quietly 
end  his  days  in  the  congenial  env^ironment  created  by 
the  church,  the  doctor  and  a  few  cronies.  Such  was 
the  genesis  of  most  South  African  villages. 

Governor  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland. — In  March,  1844, 
Sir  George  Napier  resigned  and  was  succeeded  as 
Governor  by  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland.  He  likewise  was 
a  distinguished  military  officer  and  had  commanded  a 
brigade    at    Waterloo.      He    had    subsequently    been 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule         249 

I. ieu tenant-Governor  of  both  Upper  Canada  and  Nova 

Scotia. 

Satisfactory  Financial  Condition. — Under  the  sound 
('(•ononnc  inanaK<'ni(Mit  of  Sir  George  Napier,  the  Colony 
had  slowly  cincr^cd  from  its  depressed  condition.  The 
public  debt  had  Ixrii  almost  wholly  paid  off.  For  the 
first  time  in  (  api  Colonial  history,  the  revenue  was 
slightly  in  excess  of  the  expenditure.  A  large  income 
was  being  derived  from  the  Guano  Islands,  off  the  coast 
of  Namaqualand.  Grants  of  public  money  were  made 
towards  immigration  and  some  five  thousand  British 
immigrants  were  introduced. 

Separation  Movement.  —  The  inhabitants  of  the 
eastern  districts  had  for  some  time  been  most  anxious 
for  a  Government  of  their  own,  quite  unconnected  with 
Cape  Town  and  the  western  districts.  In  December, 
1845,  a  strong  petition  asking  for  separation  was  sent 
to  the  Secretary  of  State.  The  petitioners  Avere  dis- 
satisfied owing  to  the  Lieutenant  -  Governor  having 
only  nominal  powers.  Their  i3rayer  was,  however, 
refused. 

Economic  Development. — The  economic  development 
of  South  Africa  was  very  marked  at  this  period.  In 
1844  the  Colonial  Bank  with  a  capital  of  £100,000,  and 
in  1847  the  Union  Bank  with  a  capital  of  £150,000,  were 
established  in  Cape  Town.  In  1847  banks  were  opened 
in  Port  Elizabeth,  Grahamstown,  and  the  Paarl.  The 
South  African  Mutual  Life  Assurance  Society,  which 
is  still  such  a  flourishing  institution,  was  founded  in 
1845. 

Erection  of  Lighthouses.— In  1842  the  first  light- 
house on  the  South  African  coast  was  constructed  at 
Mouille  Point,  Table  Bay.  In  1845  a  revolving  light 
was  mounted  on  a  hulk  moored  off  the  Roman  Rock 
in  Simon's  Bay.  Many  wrecks  hml  happened  in  the 
vicinity  of  Cape  Agulhas,  so  in  1849  a  light  appeared 
there.  Towards  its  cost  upwards  of  £17,000  was  sub- 
scribetl  by  the  public.  The  gi-owing  trade  of  Port 
Klizabeth  rendered  a  light  on  Cajje  Recife  necessary; 
accordingly  a  lighthouse  was  constructed  there  in  1851. 

In  1847  s(mie  of  the  Cape  Town  streets  were  lit  by 
gas  ;  this  was  efFecte<l  by  a  privates  company.  In  1846 
the  convict  station  at  Robben  Island  was  closwl  and 
turned  into  quarters  for  the  lepers  who  had  hitherto 


250  A  History  of  South  Africa 

been  maintained  at  Hemel  en  Aarde  in  the  Caledon 
district.  These  unhappy  sufferers  had  been  taken 
charge  of  by  the  Moravian  Missionaries  ;  now,  however, 
the  English  Episcopal  Church  undertook  their  spiritual 
care. 

More  Trouble  with  the  Natives. — Lord  Stanley,  who 
was  now  Secretary  of  State,  having  i3ractically  given  a 
free  hand  in  the  matter  of  dealing  with  the  Natives  on 
the  frontier  to  Sir  Peregrine  Maitland,  the  latter,  in 
1844,  proceeded  to  the  Eastern  Province,  where  matters 
were  rapidly  drifting  into  a  more  than  ordinarily 
dangerous  condition.  A  farmer  named  de  Lange,  one 
of  a  party  pursuing  six  looters  in  the  Albany  district, 
had  been  killed.  Sandile  gave  up  two  of  the  murderers, 
but  refused  to  surrender  the  other  four ;  eventually 
the  matter  was  settled  by  the  Chief  paying  fifty  head 
of  cattle  to  de  Lange' s  widow.  The  Governor  held  a 
meeting  with  certain  Bantu  chiefs  at  Fort  Peddie.  He 
provided  the  resident  there,  Mr.  Shepstone,  with  two 
hundred  muskets  wherewith  to  arm  the  Fingos  in  case 
of  attack.  At  Fort  Beaufort  he  met  a  number  of  chiefs 
of  the  Tembu  and  Xosa  clans,  including  Sandile  and 
Maqoma. 

Treaties  with  Chiefs. — Various  new  treaties  Avere 
drawn  up  and  signed.  In  terms  of  these  certain  chiefs 
were  granted  allowances,  subject  to  good  behaviour  on 
their  part  and  that  of  their  people.  Treaties  with 
Kreli  the  Gcaleka  chief,  and  Faku,  chief  of  the  Pondos, 
were  also  entered  into.  According  to  the  treaty  with 
Kreli,  that  chief  had  to  protect  missionaries  and  traders, 
to  deliver  up  criminals  and  to  return  stolen  cattle.  For 
so  doing  he  was  to  be  paid  £50  per  annum.  To  Faku 
Avas  granted  the  large  tracts  of  country  between  the 
Umtata  and  Umzimkulu  Rivers,  from  the  Drakensberg 
to  the  sea.  The  treaty  with  Sandile  provided  that 
forts  might  be  constructed  anywhere  west  of  the 
Keiskamma  and  the  Tyume.  One  was  forthwith  built 
at  the  head  of  the  Sheshegu  stream  on  the  watershed 
between  the  Keiskamma  and  Fish  Rivers. 

In  November,  1845,  as  a  party  of  missionaries  were 
encamped  near  Fort  Peddie,  they  were  attacked  by 
men  of  the  Gunukwebe  clan,  and  one,  the  Reverend 
Mr.  Scholtz,  was  murdered,  together  with  a  Hottentot 
servant.     Sandile  began  to  give  trouble  ;  he  broke  into 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule         251 

.1  trader's  store  and  liclpcd  liimself  to  the  goods.  He 
refused,  after  having  i)reviously  given  his  consent,  to 
permit  the  erection  of  a  fort  at  Block  Drift  on  the 
Tyume  River.  His  people  stole  and  he  protected  the 
t  liit^ves.  It  was  abundantly  evident  that  another  war 
w  as  very  near.  The  Stockenstrom  treaties  had  failed. 
Since  they  had  been  signed  there  had  been  one  hundred 
and  six  persons  murdered  by  Natives  on  the  frontier. 
There  had,  moreover,  been  innumerable  robberies. 
During  the  same  i^eriod  not  a  single  act  of  violence 
liad  been  brought  home  to  any  Colonist. 

The  Seventh  Kaffir  War,  or  the  '*  War  of  the  Axe."— 
In  March,  1847,  the  storm  burst ;  a  Native  who  had  been 
arrested  at  Fort  Beaufort  for  stealing  an  axe,  was  being 
escoi*ted  to  Grahamstown  ;  he  was  handcuffed  to  another 
man.  A  party  of  about  forty  Kaffirs  rushed  out  of  the 
bush  and  rescued  the  prisoner.  They  murdered  the 
man  to  whom  he  was  fastened,  and  cut  off  the  former's 
hands.  The  Chief  of  the  clan  to  whom  the  men  who 
effected  the  rescue  belonged,  refused  to  give  them  up. 
They  took  refuge  with  Sandile,  who  also  refused  de- 
livery. The  Lieutenant-Governor  strengthened  the 
garrisons  of  Fort  Beaufort  and  Fort  Peddie,  and  dis- 
tributed arms  to  those  requiring  them.  The  Xosas 
beyond  the  border  soon  began  plundering  the  traders 
and,  in  some  cases,  the  missionaries.  Thus  began  the 
conflict  which  has  ever  since  been  referred  to  by  the 
Natives  as  **  The  War  of  the  Axe." 

Military  Mismanagement. — All  available  troops  were 
hurried  up  from  Cape  Town.  The  burghers  of  the 
eastern  districts  were  called  out.  The  campaign  began 
with  a  serious  disaster.  Without  waiting  for  sufficient 
reinforcements,  and  before  the  burghers  had  mobilised, 
the  Lieutenant-Governor  decided  upon  an  advance.  A 
convoy  of  125  wagons,  each  drawn  by  a  team  of  fourteen 
oxen,  was  sent  along  a  narrow  road  through  broken 
country  in  single  file.  The  train  was  three  miles  long, 
and  was  quite  unprotected  except  by  weak  advance-  and 
rear-guards.  The  convoy  was  attacked  by  the  Xosas 
NN  hile  passing  through  a  narrow,  forestt^d  gorge,  near 
Burnshill  on  the  Keiskamma ;  sixty-nine  wagons  and 
nearly  nine  hundred  oxen  were  lost.  The  enemy  now 
overran  the  Colony  as  far  westward  as  Uitenhage, 
burning  and  looting  as  was  their  wont.    As  the  Farmers 


252 


A  History  of  South  Africa 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        253 

had  it'C'tivcd  warning,  they  were  in  most  instiinces  able 
i«)  draw  toKctlier  for  mutual  protection,  so  not  more 
than  twelve  were  cut  off  and  killed.  In  the  first  in- 
stance it  was  believed  that  only  the  Gaikas  and  a  clan 
called  the  Imidange  had  risen,  but  it  soon  became  clear 
that  from  Gcalekaland  westward  practically  all  the 
Bantu  clans  were  on  the  war-path  against  the  white 
man.  The  only  exceptions  were  the  Fingos  and  two 
minor  chins,  one  under  a  petty  chief  named  Kama,  and 
the  other  under  a  man  of  mixed  race  named  Hermanns. 
It  was  found  that  the  enemy  possessed  a  large  number 
of  firearms  ;  these  had  been  smuggled  in  by  unprincipled 
traders.  The  difficulties  incidental  to  the  campaign  were 
enormous.  The  country  Avas  suffering  from  a  long  and 
severe  drought.  Not  alone  had  some  fourteen  thousand 
troops  and  a  large  number  of  wagon-drivers  and  leaders 
to  be  fed,  but  assistance  had  to  be  given  to  u^jwards  of 
eight  thousand  people  who  had  been  driven  from  their 
farms  and  rendered  destitute  by  the  invasion.  There 
w^as  serious  mismanagement  evident  on  the  part  of  the 
military  a;Uthorities.  At  Fort  Peddie  a  considerable 
force  was  stationed.  One  afternoon  an  attack  was 
made  upon  the  Fingos  at  the  Mission  Station  four  miles 
away  by  about  a  thousand  Kaffirs.  A  column  consist- 
ing of  infantry,  cavalry,  and  artillery  was  sent  to  the 
assistance  of  the  Fingos,  but  retired  without  making 
any  attack.  The  Fingos,  however,  managed  to  hold 
their  own.  In  i)assing  through  the  Fish  River  Bush 
near  Trompetter's  Drift,  a  convoy  of  forty-three  wagons 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

In  this  campaign  occurred  the  only  instance  in  which 
British  cavalry  had  the  opportunity  of  engaging  Natives 
in  the  open.  Some  six  hundred  Xosas  were  encountei*ed 
in  the  shallow  Gwanga  Valley  a  few  miles  from  Fort 
Peddie.  The  enemy  were  completely  cut  up,  about  two- 
thirds  of  their  number  being  killed  or  wounded. 

Threatened  Starvation. — The  difficulties  of  transixjrt 
owing  to  the  drought  were  somewhat  reduced  thi'ough 
a  landing-place  being  found  at  the  mouth  of  the  Fish 
River.  Sir  Andries  Stockenstrom  was  appointed  Com- 
mandant of  the  Eastern  Province  burghers  and  did 
excellent  work.  Strong  mutual  resentment  arose  be- 
tween the  burghers  and  the  i*egular  foi*ces.  The  di'ought 
was  so  severe  that  had  it  not  been  that  pi-ovisions  were 


254  A  History  of  South  Africa 

landed  on  the  coast  starvation  must  have  ensued. 
Horses  died  in  large  numbers ;  when  burghers  were 
disbanded  they  often  had  to  return  to  their  homes  on 
foot. 

From  time  to  time  Sandile,  Kreli,  and  other  chiefs 
expressed  a  desire  for  peace,  but  it  was  afterwards 
clear  that  in  so  doing  they  merely  wished  to  gain  time. 
Sandile  agreed  to  restore  twenty  thousand  head  of  cattle 
and  give  up  his  arms.  He  surrendered  the  stealer  of 
the  axe  whose  rescue  had  caused  the  war,  and  a  number 
of  his  people  handed  in  muskets  and  assegais  of  inferior 
quality ;  but  the  cattle  were  not  delivered.  Thus  a 
kind  of  truce  was  called,  which  was  of  far  more  use  to 
the  enemy  than  to  the  colonists,  for  it  gave  the  former 
the  opportunity  of  reaping  their  crops  and  re-organising 
their  plan  of  action. 

Submission  of  KaflSr  Chiefs.— A  system  of  patrolling 
was  afterwards  undertaken  ;  this  gave  the  enemy  no 
rest.  There  were  soon  signs  that  the  Kaffirs  were  get- 
ting weary  of  the  struggle.  In  October  Sandile  with 
his  brother  Anta,  his  councillors,  and  a  number  of  fol- 
lowers, surrendered.  They  were  sent  to  Grahamstown, 
and  there  detained  as  prisoners  of  war.  Previous 
to  Sandile's  surrender  a  few  of  the  minor  chiefs  had 
submitted. 

GoYernor  Sir  Henry  Pottinger. — In  January,  1847, 
Sir  Peregrine  Maitland  was  retired  on  account  of  his 
advanced  age.  He  was  succeeded  by  Sir  Henry  Pot- 
tinger, an  officer  in  the  East  India  Company's  service, 
who  was  also  appointed  "High  Commissioner  for  the 
settling  and  adjustment  of  the  Affairs  of  the  Terri- 
tories in  Southern  Africa  adjacent  or  contiguous  to  the 
eastern  and  north-eastern  frontier  of  the  Colony."  The 
Governor  proceeded  at  once  to  the  frontier,  and  raised 
a  number  of  volunteers.  The  war  dragged  on  with 
varying  fortune ;  troops  were  landed  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Buffalo,  the  site  of  the  present  port  of  East  London, 
and  a  chain  of  forts  reaching  from  there  to  King 
William's  Town  was  constructed. 

Governor  Sir  Harry  Smith. — Towards  the  end  of 
1847  General  Sir  Henry  George  Wakelyn  Smith  super- 
seded Sir  Henry  Pottinger  as  Governor  and  High  Com- 
missioner. Sir  Harry  Smith  was  well  known  in  the 
Colony;  he  had  been  in  command  of  the  Province  of 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule         255 

Queen  Adelaide  wlien  siieh  was  constituted  under  Sir 
Benjamin  D' Urban.  Owing  to  Lord  Glenelg's  influence 
he  had  been  removed  from  South  Africa.  In  the 
interim  he  liad  distinguished  himself  highly  in  India. 
It  was  Sir  Harry  Smith  who  conquered  the  Sikhs  at 
the  Battle  of  Aliwal  In  1846.  He  was  received  by  the 
inhabitants  of  Cape  Town  with  every  possible  demon- 
stration of  joy.  Eleven  days  after  his  arrival  the  new 
Governor  proceeded  by  sea  to  Algoa  Bay  and  thence  to 
Grahamstown. 

Extension  of  Eastern  Boundary. — He  at  once  pro- 
claimed a  new  boundary  for  the  Colony ;  this  was  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Keiskamma  River  to  its  junction 
with  the  Tyume,  along  the  Tyume  to  its  source,  thence 
along  the  summit  of  the  Katberg  Range  to  Gaika's 
Kop ;  thence  to  the  nearest  source  of  the  Klip  Plaats 
River,  along  the  latter  to  its  junction  with  the  Zwart 
Kei,  along  the  Zwart  Kei  to  its  junction  with  the 
Klaas  Smits  River,  along  the  Klaas  Smits  River  to 
its  source  in  the  Stormberg,  thence  to  the  source  of 
the  Kraai  River,  along  the  Kraai  to  its  junction  with 
the  Orange  River,  and  along  the  Orange  River  to  the 
Atlantic  Ocean. 

British  Kaffraria.— Shortly  after  Sir  Harry  Smith 
reached  Grahamstown,  Pato,  the  last  chief  of  any 
importance  in  arms  west  of  the  Kei,  surrendered. 
Thereupon  the  Governor  proceeded  to  King  William's 
Town,  where  he  proclaimed  the  whole  of  the  country 
west  of  the  Kei  River,  which  had  been  occupied  by  the 
Rarab^  clans,  together  with  a  portion  of  that  occupied 
by  the  Emigrant  Tembus,  as  being  under  the  Queen's 
sovereignty.  The  territory  was  not  annexed  to  Cape 
Colony,  but  was  reserved  for  the  Kafl&rs,  of  whom  the 
High  Commissioner  was  to  be  Supreme  Chief.  It  was 
named  British  Kaffraria. 

A  Histrionic  Function.— A  picturesque  but  some- 
what histrionic  function  took  place.  Sandile  and  Anta 
had  been  brought  from  Grahamstown  and  appeared 
among  a  large  gathering  of  Native  chiefs.  The  ti*oops 
were  drawn  up ;  the  chiefs,  with  their  thousands  of 
attendants,  were  seated  in  a  lai'ge  circle.  Into  this  the 
Governor  rode  in  state,  followed  by  his  staff,  and  read 
the  proclamation.  A  sergeant's  bkton  was  produced, 
which  was  termed  "the  staff  of  war,"  and  a  white 


256  A  History  of  South  Africa 

wand  with  a  brass  head,  which  was  termed  "  the  staff 
of  peace."  The  chiefs  were  called  forward  and  ordered 
to  touch  which  staff  they  pleased ;  each  touched  the 
staff  of  peace.  They  were  then  addressed  at  length, 
promised  certain  benefits  on  good  behaviour,  and 
threatened  with  penalties  if  they  misconducted  them- 
selves. After  this  they  were  called  upon  to  kiss  the 
Governor's  foot,  as  a  sign  of  submission.  Sir  Harry 
Smith  then  shook  hands  with  the  chiefs,  referred  to 
them  as  his  "  children,"  and  presented  a  herd  of  oxen 
as  materials  for  a  feast  to  them  and  their  followers. 
After  this  arrangements  were  made  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  new  province ;  Lieutenant-Colonel  George 
McKinnon  was  appointed  Commandant  and  Chief  Com- 
missioner with  a  corps  of  native  police  officered  by 
Europeans. 

Imposition  of  Impossible  Conditions. — A  strong 
military  force  occupying  eight  separate  strategic  posi- 
tions was  left  as  a  garrison.  These  arrangements  being 
concluded,  another  meeting  of  the  chiefs  was  convened 
for  January  7,  1848.  A  schedule  of  conditions  was 
drawn  up ;  to  these  all  the  chiefs  had  to  swear  obe- 
dience. Nine  out  of  the  eleven  conditions  were  the 
ordinary  ones  referring  to  obedience  to  the  law  and 
general  preservation  of  order;  but  there  were  two 
which  no  one  with  any  knowledge  of  the  Natives  could 
have  expected  would  have  been  adhered  to.  One  read 
as  follows  :  "  To  disbelieve  in  and  cease  to  tolerate  or 
practise  witchcraft  in  any  shape."  Now  the  belief  in 
witchcraft  was  very  deeply  ingrained  in  the  Native 
mind,  and  could  not  be  eradicated  by  such  simple 
process ;  it  is  not  by  any  means  eradicated  yet.  The 
other  proviso  read  as  follows :  "  To  abolish  the  sin  of 
buying  wives."  The  payment  of  dowry  to  the  father 
of  the  bride  is  one  of  the  most  deeply  rooted  of  Bantu 
customs ;  it  is  still  almost  universally  practised  even 
among  the  Christian  Natives,  and  any  Native  woman 
would  look  upon  herself  as  disgraced  if  married  without 
dowry  being  paid  for  her.  Such  conditions,  therefore, 
struck  at  the  very  root  of  Native  social  life ;  those 
who  took  the  oath  to  observe  them  could  have  had  no 
intention  of  doing  so.  The  Governor  again  addressed 
the  chiefs.  Once  more  he  called  the  histrionic  to  his 
aid ;  he  pointed  to  a  wagon,  which  had  been  prepared 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        257 

for  the  occasion  and  which  was  Htanding  some  little 
distance  away.  "  Hear  me  givf  the  word  *  Fire !  *  "  he 
said.  At  the  signal  an  explosion  took  place  and  the 
wagon  was  smashed  to  fragments.  The  chiefs  were 
told  that  a  similar  catastrophe  would  happen  to  them 
if  they  did  not  remain  faithful.  Tearing  a  sheet  of 
paper  to  pieces  and  flinging  it  away,  he  exclaimed, 
"There  go  the  treaties!"  Thus  the  Seventh  Kaffir 
War,  otherwise  the  "War  of  the  Axe,"  came  to  an 
end,  but  the  settlement  was  not  destined  to  be  per- 
manent. Within  a  little  more  than  two  years  the 
war-cry  once  more  went  forth  and  the  frontier  was 
again  fiercely  blazing. 

Dr.  Philip. — In  the  matter  of  this  war  there  was 
apparently  no  conflict  of  opinion  ;  at  all  events,  none 
was  expressed.  The  Commercial  Advei^tiser  fell  into 
line  with  the  rest  of  the  South  African  Press  on  the 
subject.  Dr.  Philip  kept  silence ;  he  was  now  dwell- 
ing at  Hankey,  his  station  on  the  Gamtoos  River.  A 
most  bitter  domestic  bereavement  fell  upon  him ;  this 
he  bore  with  Christian  stoicism,  but  it  was  said  that 
when  he  heard  that  Jan  Tshatshu,  his  former  proteg^, 
had  joined  Pato's  murderous  gang,  Avliieh  burned  alive 
Fingo  old  men,  women,  and  children  who  fell  into  their 
hands,  he  completely  broke  down.  Henceforth  he 
avoided  politics  and  devoted  his  energies  exclusively 
to  missionary  work. 

East  London  founded. — At  the  end  of  1847  the 
village  at  the  mouth  of  the  Buffalo  River  was  given 
the  name  of  East  London.  Shortly  afterwards  this 
village  and  the  surrounding  ground  within  a  radius  of 
two  miles  was  annexed  to  the  Cape  Colony. 

The  Xosas  were  much  impoverished  by  the  war.  A 
large  number  of  them  entered  the  Colony  and  sought 
service  among  the  farmers.  Of  the  Gaika  clan  many 
thousands  crossed  the  Kei,  seeking  food  among  the 
Gciilekas  and  Tembus.  At  the  close  of  1848  the  census 
showed  that  there  were  over  62,000  Bantu  in  the  pro- 
vince of  British  Kaffraria. 

Sir  Harry  Smith  visited  King  William's  Town  in 
October,  1848,  and  held  another  conference  with  the 
chiefs  and  notables,  who  expressed  the  most  loyal 
sentiments.  The  Governor  was  accompanied  by  Bishop 
Grey,  who  laid  the  foundation   stone  of  the   present 

s 


258  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Trinity  Church.  He  had  just  been  appointed  the  first 
Anglican  Bishop  of  the  Cape.  During  the  previous 
year  the  Cape  Colony,  Natal,  and  the  Island  of  St. 
Helena  had  been  constituted  a  see,  the  funds  for  en- 
dowing which  were  provided  by  the  Baroness  Burdett 
Coutts.  The  ratification  of  the  annexation  of  the 
country  between  the  Fish  River  and  the  Keiskamma, 
as  well  as  of  the  creation  of  the  province  of  British 
Kaffraria,  had  been  received  from  the  Secretary  of 
State  in  the  previous  March.  Ten  new  magistracies 
were  established  in  the  Cape  Colony,  inclusive  of  the 
newly  annexed  territory.  The  latter  was  constituted  a 
district,  under  the  name  of  Victoria  East,  with  the 
seat  of  magistracy  at  Block  Drift,  the  present  site  of 
Alice. 

Military  Yillages  laid  out. — It  was  decided  to  try 
the  experiment  of  forming  villages  peopled  by  military 
settlers  along  the  upper  reaches  of  the  Tyume  River ; 
accordingly  four  villages  were  laid  out  with  garden 
lots  and  granted  to  soldiers  who  were  permitted  to 
take  their  discharge.  The  military  force  in  South 
Africa  had  now  been  reduced  to  4703  officers  and  men. 

The  "  Anti-ConYict  "  Agitation.— In  1848  occurred 
the  celebrated  "Anti-Convict"  Agitation.  An  attempt 
was  made  by  Earl  Grey  to  turn  the  Cape  into  a  penal 
settlement.  In  1841  a  similar  proposal  had  been 
mooted,  but  was  so  forcibly  resented  that  the  project 
dropped.  In  1842  the  proposal  was  repeated  in  another 
form ;  this  also  met  with  local  resistance  and  was 
abandoned.  On  November  8,  1848,  the  Governor  in- 
formed the  Legislative  Council  of  Earl  Grey's  proposal ; 
immediately  there  began  an  agitation  for  which  no 
parallel  can  be  found  in  the  history  of  South  Africa. 
For  the  time  being  all  class  jealousies  and  racial 
antagonisms  passed  away.  From  every  part  of  the 
Cape  Colony  came  forth  the  expression  of  a  vigorous 
determination  to  resist  the  proposed  introduction  of 
criminals  by  every  possible  means.  Memorials  were 
circulated  and  signed  everywhere;  these  were  de- 
spatched to  England.  In  notifying  the  proposal  the 
Secretary  of  State  had  said  that  the  convicts  would 
not  be  sent  unless  the  general  opinion  in  the  Colony 
was  found  to  be  in  favour  of  the  measure.  Bvit  in 
March,  1849,  an   announcement,   taken   over   from   an 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        259 

English  newspaper  anrl  published  in  Cape  Town,  made 
it  clear  that  a  shi])  had  been  des[)atelied  to  Bermuda 
tor  tlie  purpose  of  conveying  convicts  from  there  to 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  It  was  known  in  England 
t  hat  the  various  farming  industries  at  the  Cape  were 
suffering  severely  from  laek  of  labour,  and  the  British 
authorities  held  the  view  that  convicts  would  be 
welcomed,  to  supply  the  plaee  of  the  liberated  slaves. 
Now,  however,  a  document  was  drawn  up  and  univer- 
sally signed,  pledging  the  signatories  not  to  employ  in 
any  capacity  or  receive  convicts  on  any  terms,  and 
calling  upon  the  Governor  to  exercise  his  discretion 
towards  preventing  the  convicts  from  landing.  It  was 
known  that  Sir  Harry  Smith  was  personally  as  much 
averse  to  the  proposal  as  the  Colonists  were  them- 
selves. 

On  May  19  a  meeting  of  over  five  thousand  men 
was  held  on  the  Grand  Parade  Ground.  These  unani- 
mously declared  themselves  opposed  to  the  Secretary 
of  State's  proposal.  A  committee  with  executive 
powers  was  elected,  and  the  following  pledge  drafted 
and  adopted : — 

"  We,  the  undersigned.  Colonists  and  inhabitants  of 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  hereby  solemnly  declare  and 
pledge  our  faith  to  each  other  that  we  will  not  employ 
or  knowingly  admit  into  our  establishments  or  houses, 
work  with  or  for,  or  associate  with  any  convicted  felon 
or  felons  sent  to  this  Colony  under  sentence  of  trans- 
portation, and  that  we  will  discountenance  and  drop 
connection  with  any  person  who  may  assist  in  landing, 
support,  or  employ  such  convicted  felons." 

A  Serious  Situation. — On  June  15  the  Governor 
informed  the  Legislative  Council  that  he  had  received 
instructions  from  the  Secretary  of  State  to  arrange  for 
the  reception  of  the  convicts,  and  that  it  would  be  his 
duty  to  carry  out  such  instructions.  He  declined  to 
take  the  responsibility  of  suspending  the  order.  How- 
ever, on  July  11  he  consented  to  prevent  the  convicts 
from  landing  pending  the  receipt  of  further  instruc- 
tions. A  number  of  justices  of  the  peace  and  field 
cornets  throughout  the  country  threw  up  their  offices ; 
four  unofficial  members  of  the  Legislative  Council 
resigned  their  seats.  It  was  impossible  to  find  suitable 
men  who  would  consent  to  fill  the  vacancies.     Banks 


2  6o  A  History  of  South  Africa 

and  insurance  offices  issued  notices  to  the  effect  that 
they  would  transact  no  business  with  any  one  employ- 
ing a  convict.  Owners  of  houses  for  hire,  tradesmen, 
and  shopkeepers  took  similar  steps. 

Arrival  of  the  "Neptune." — Early  on  the  morning 
of  September  20  the  tolling  of  the  church  bells  and 
the  sounding  of  the  fire  alarm  gong  at  the  Town  House 
announced  that  the  convict  ship  had  arrived.  This 
was  the  Neptune,  which  had  cast  anchor  in  Simon's 
Bay.  She  had  282  convicts  on  board.  The  square  in 
front  of  the  Town  House  was  filled  by  an  excited 
crowd.  The  municipal  commissioners  addressed  a  per- 
emptory request  to  the  Governor  that  the  Neptune 
might  be  at  once  sent  away;  this  step  he  considered 
himself  not  authorised  to  take.  Orders  were,  however, 
given  that  no  one  was  to  be  allowed  to  land  from  the 
ship.  A  monster  meeting  was  held,  and  at  it  the  draft 
of  a  letter  written  by  the  chairman  to  the  Governor 
was  approved  of.  This  letter  contained  the  following  : 
"  The  words  of  the  pledge  to  drop  connection  with 
any  persons  who  should  assist  in  supporting  convicted 
felons,  included  all  departments  of  the  Government  by 
or  through  or  under  the  authority  of  which  supplies  of 
any  kind  might  be  conveyed  to  the  Neptune,  until  that 
vessel's  destination  should  be  changed."  This  meant 
the  cutting  off  of  all  servants  of  the  Crown  from  the 
Governor  downwards,  from  the  source  of  supply.  On 
October  10  twelve  persons  suspected  of  furnishing  pro- 
visions to  certain  Government  departments  were  de- 
nounced ;  they  were  at  once  ostracised.  So  strict  was 
the  embargo  that  an  inn  at  which  one  of  these  persons 
was  furnished  with  a  meal  lost  its  custom  and  had  to 
be  closed.  A  fund  was  created  through  which  persons 
adhering  to  the  pledge  were  indemnified  from  loss. 
Next  day  the  Association  decided  that  all  stores  and 
shops  should  be  closed  except  to  known  customers,  and 
that  intercourse  with  Government  should  cease.  Upon 
this  resolution  being  put  into  effect  the  Governor  gave 
notice  that  if  necessary  he  would  use  force  to  prevent 
the  troops  and  civil  servants  from  being  starved.  How- 
ever, he  managed  to  obtain  supplies  from  other  sources. 
A  certain  amount  of  rioting  took  place,  but  a  fund  was 
subscribed  to  for  the  purpose  of  supplying  the  unem- 
ployed with  food,  and  tranquillity  was  restored.     Cape 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule        261 

Town    icinaincd,  as    it    wcic,  in  a  state  of  suspended 
animation  for  sonic  tliicc  months. 

Departure  of  the  Convict  Ship. — At  length,  on 
February  13,  1850,  the  Governor  received  instructions 
to  despatch  the  Neptune  to  Van  Diemen's  Land,  where 
the  convicts  were  to  be  conditionally  liberated.  Cape 
Town,  and  in  fact  the  whole  country,  broke  out  into 
jubilation ;  the  city  was  illuminated  that  night,  and 
the  streets  were  filled  with  joyous  people.  Friday, 
March  8,  was  observed  as  a  Day  of  Thanksgiving  for 
the  deliverance  of  the  country  from  the  threatened 
calamity. 

The  Europeans  of  Cape  Colony  had  been  singularly 
free  from  the  grosser  forms  of  crime,  and  the  idea  of 
introducing  convicted  criminals  into  the  comparatively 
small  community  was  abhorrent,  in  view  of  the  con- 
tamination to  the  white  race  which  might  have  been 
expected  to  occur.  But  there  was  even  a  graver  ob- 
jection than  this.  The  slaves  and  coloured  people  of 
nondescript  race  who  congregated  around  most  of  the 
Western  Province  villages  were  in  such  a  condition 
that  they  would  be  likely  to  respond  to  any  influence 
brought  to  bear  upon  them.  It  was  felt  that  the 
mingling  of  degraded  Europeans,  the  waste  product  of 
civilisation,  with  these  people  would  probably  have 
deplorable  results.  As  it  happened,  the  convicts  on 
board  the  Neptune  were  not  offenders  of  the  worst 
class ;  if  criminals  at  all,  they  were  made  so  by  circum- 
stances. They  had  been  convicted  of  agrarian  outrages 
during  the  famine  caused  by  the  failure  of  the  potato 
crop  in  Ireland.  Among  them  was  John  Mitchell,  who 
although  technically  a  convict,  has  left  an  honourable 
reputation.  But  their  landing  would  have  established 
an  iniquitous  i)reeedent — one  to  be  avoided  at  any  cost. 

A  Lull  on  the  Frontier. — For  the  two  yeai-s  follow- 
ing the  "  War  of  the  Axe  "  matters  in  British  Kaffraria 
and  on  the  eastern  frontier  remained  smooth  on  the 
surface.  But  it  is  now  clear  that  the  j)eace  was  only 
regarded  by  the  Natives  as  a  truce,  and  that  they 
intended  to  resume  hostilities  as  soon  as  they  felt 
themselves  strong  enough  to  do  so.  The  chiefs,  shorn 
of  so  nuich  of  their  power,  had  determined  to  make 
another  attempt  to  throw  off  the  hated  yoke  of  the 
white  man.     The  Gaikas  had  been  left  in  possession  of 


262.  A  History  of  South  Africa 

the  Amatole  fastnesses ;  the  Kaffir  police,  from  whom 
so  much  had  been  expected,  became  (a  grave  element 
of  danger,  owing  to  the  knowledge  which  they  had 
acquired  of  the  white  man's  ways.  Strange  as  it  may 
seem,  nothing  tended  to  make  the  Natives  detest  our 
rule  so  much  as  the  attempts  which  were  made  to 
suppress  the  atrocities  caused  by  the  witch-doctor.  In 
spite  of  the  numbers  of  innocent  victims  sacrificed  by 
these  scoundrels,  public  opinion  among  the  Natives 
was  almost  universally  on  their  side.  In  1850  a  prophet 
arose ;  his  name  was  Umlanjeni.  He  claimed  the  posses- 
sion of  magical  powers,  and  that  he  was  able  to  dis- 
tribute charms  which  would  turn  the  bullets  of  the 
white  men  into  water.  From  far  and  near  the  Kaffirs 
who  had  taken  service  among  the  farmers  crowded 
back  to  their  respective  chiefs. 

The  GoYernor  deceived. — The  Governor  strongly 
believed  in  the  permanence  of  the  settlement  which 
he  had  achieved  ;  up  to  the  latter  part  of  1850  he  con- 
sidered the  alarming  reports  which  were  communicated 
to  him  to  be  unfounded.  He  proceeded  to  the  frontier 
and  sent  a  notice  to  the  different  chiefs  inviting  them 
to  meet  him  at  King  William's  Town  on  October  26. 
On  the  day  appointed  only  a  few  petty  chiefs  appeared. 
According  to  Kaffir  custom,  the  refusal  of  any  chief 
to  appear  before  his  suzerain  is  regarded  as  being 
equivalent  to  rebellion.  The  Governor  accordingly 
issued  a  proclamation  deposing  Sandile  from  his 
position  as  head  chief  of  the  Gaikas,  and  appointing 
Mr.  Charles  Brownlee,  a  son  of  the  first  missionary 
w^ho  had  settled  at  the  Tyume,  in  his  place.  Mr. 
Brownlee  had  been  born  and  brought  up  among  the 
Gaikas  and  was  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  Native 
tongue.  He  was  a  man  of  great  ability  and  high 
character  and  upon  certain  superstitious  grounds  was 
almost  regarded  by  the  Gaikas  as  one  of  themselves. 
But  being  a  European  it  was  impossible  that  he  could 
influence  a  Native  tribe  the  chief  of  which  in  the  direct 
line  was  still  living.  The  arrangement  was  soon  found 
to  be  unworkable,  and  was  abandoned.  Then  Sutu, 
Sandile' s  mother,  was  appointed  Regent  with  a  body 
of  councillors  to  assist  her.  The  Governor  returned 
to  Cape  Town  persuaded  that  there  was  no  cause  for 
uneasiness. 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule         263 

The  Eighth  Kaffir  War. — Disaster  at  the  Boomah 
Pass.  Om  Dt'ct'inlKU'  24,  a  foluinn  of  seven  hundred 
t  KM )i)s,  accompanied  by  a  large  imrty  of  Kaffir  i)olice, 
pioceeded  up  the  valley  of  the  Keiskamma  River. 
The  intention  was  to  arrest  the  deposed  chief ;  it  was 
not  thought  possible  that  there  would  be  any  resist- 
ance. So  firmly  was  this  believed  that  the  soldiers  had 
ui'ders  not  to  load  their  muskets.  The  patrol  entered 
a  rugged  gorge  lying  between  jungle-covered  hills  and 
known  as  the  Boomah  Pass,  the  mounted  men  leading. 
The  horsemen  were  allowed  to  pass  through,  then  the 
Kaffirs,  who  were  lying  in  ambush,  attacked  the  in- 
fantry. These  fought  their  way  through  with  a  loss 
of  twenty-three  killed  and  a  like  number  wounded. 
On  the  same  day  a  patrol  of  fifteen  men  was  surprised 
at  Debe  Nek  and  destroyed. 

Massacre  of  the  Tyume  Settlers. — That  night  the 
war-cry  was  wailed  from  hill  to  hill,  and  on  every  peak 
signal  fires  were  lit.  Next  morning  the  Gaikas  fell 
upon  the  villages  occupied  by  military  settlers  in  the 
Tyume.  At  Woburn  every  man  was  killed,  likewise  at 
Auckland.  The  women  and  children  were  permitted 
to  escape  ;  the  villages  were  burnt  down. 

The  Governor  besieged  at  Fort  Cox. — Sir  Harry 
Smith  was  at  this  time  at  Fort  Cox,  between  the 
Buffalo  and  the  Keiskamma,  which  Avas  garrisoned  by 
250  of  the  Cape  Mounted  Riflemen.  The  fort  was  im- 
mediately besieged  by  a  strong  force  of  the  enemy. 
Colonel  Somerset  attempted  to  relieve  the  Governor 
from  Fort  Hare,  but  was  beaten  back  with  heavy  loss. 
However,  on  December  30  the  Governor  made  a  dash 
through  the  investing  ring  and  managed  to  reach  King 
William's  Town.  A  large  number  of  the  Kaffir  police 
deserted  and  went  over  to  the  enemy  with  arms,  horses, 
and  equipment.  Of  this  force,  upon  whose  fidelity 
such  hopes  had  been  based,  only  fifty  remained  faith- 
ful. Once  more  the  frontier  was  crossed  and  the 
border  districts  overrun ;  once  more  the  farmei*s  had 
to  abandon  their  farms  with  the  bulk  of  their  property  ; 
again  the  flames  of  hundreds  of  burning  homesteads 
ascended  to  the  sky. 

Thei*e  were  certain  features  in  this  war  which  made 
it  somewhat  different  from  the  previous  one.  Several 
dans,  including   some  who  had  fought  most  fiercely 


264 


A  History  of  South  Africa 


against  the  Europeans,  now  remained  faithful  and  took 
the  field  against  the  rebels.     Amongst  these  were  the 


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Gunukwebe  and  the  Ndhlambis.     Most  of  the  elans  on 
the  seaboard  either  assisted  the  Europeans  or  remained 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule         265 

neutral.  The  Tcmbus  were  divided  ;  one  section,  under 
t  he  Regent  Nonesi,  moved  eastward  to  the  Bashee,  so 
MS  to  keep  out  of  the  way  ;  those  under  Mapassa  raised 
the  war-ciy. 

Rebellion  of  Hottentots. — But  on  the  side  of  the 
liostile  elans  a  new  and  formidable  enemy  appeared,  for 
a  large  number  of  the  Hottentot  settlers  at  the  Kat 
River  went  into  rebellion.  These  were  joined  by  many 
who  had  received  a  training  in  the  Cape  Mounted 
Rifles,  and  on  discharge  had  been  located  at  various 
stations  such  as  Theophilus  and  Shiloh.  Moreover, 
many  deserted  from  the  regiment  and  went  over  to 
the  enemy.  The  leader  of  the  Hottentot  rebels  was  a 
rifleman  pensioner  named  William  Uithalder.  He  was 
a  man  of  some  ability  and  planned  to  form  an  inde- 
pendent Hottentot  state  with  himself  at  its  head. 

Attack  on  Fort  Beaufort. — At  Blinkwater,  near  the 
Kat  River  settlement,  lived  one  Hermanns  Matroos, 
the  son  of  a  Kaffir  woman  and  an  escaped  slave.  This 
man  had  a  following  of  Kaffirs  and  people  of  mixed 
blood,  by  whom  he  Avas  regarded  as  a  leader.  He  had 
been  granted  land  by  Government,  and  his  faithfulness 
had  never  been  doubted.  On  January  7,  1851,  he  led 
a  force  to  the  attack  of  Fort  Beaufort ;  the  attack  was 
beaten  off.  Hermanns  and  fifty  of  his  followers  were 
killed. 

Storming  of  Fort  Armstrong. — The  Kat  River  Hot- 
tentot insurgents  took  possession  of  Fort  Armstrong. 
This  was  attacked  and  taken  by  Major-General  Somerset 
after  a  stubborn  resistance.  Great  difficulty  was  ex- 
perienced in  collecting  forces  sufficient  to  conquer  the 
enemy,  who  made  another  destructive  raid  into  the 
Colony. 

Panda  offers  Assistance. — Panda,  the  Zulu  chief, 
offered  assistance,  saying  tliat  his  soldiers  were  weary 
of  peace,  but  the  offer  Avas  declined  with  thanks. 

Kreli's  Country  swept. — In  December,  1851,  and 
Jaiuuiry,  1852,  Kreli's  country  was  swept,  and  30,000 
head  of  cattle  captured.  In  February  the  Governor 
called  up  the  farmers  of  the  frontier  districts  to 
assist  in  sweeping  the  forest  fastnesses,  but  very  few 
respondiHl.  This  war  was  carried  on  mainly  by  regular 
trtxjps  with  levies  of  Fingos,  and  of  those  Hottentots 
who  i-emained  faithful. 


266 


A  History  of  South  Africa 


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The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule         267 

Recall  of  Sir  Harry  Smith.— Sir  George  Cathcart 
Governor. — In  January,  1852,  Earl  Grey,  beiiiK  JIh- 
-atisfied  with  the  manner  in  which  the  war  was  being 
conducted,  recalled  Sir  Harry  Smith  and  appointed 
Lieutenant-General  the  Honourable  George  Cathcart 
as  Governor  in  his  place.  At  the  same  time  Mr.  Charles 
Henry  Darling  was  appointed  Lieutenant-Governor. 
General  Cathcart  took  the  oaths  of  office  on  March  31. 
He  at  once  handed  over  the  conduct  of  affairs  to  the 
Lieutenant-Governor  and  j^roceeded  to  the  frontier, 
where  he  had  an  interview  with  Sir  Harry  Smith. 
Vigorous  measures  were  now  taken ;  heavy  reinforce- 
ments had  arrived.  Major-General  Yorke,  who  was 
appointed  second  in  command  of  the  forces,  came  to 
the  frontier. 

Wreck  of  the  "  Birkenhead." — The  steam  transport 
Birkenhead,  bound  for  the  eastern  frontier  with  troops 
which  embarked  at  Simon's  Bay,  was  wrecked  close  to 
a  spot  on  the  coast  of  the  Caledon  district,  which  has 
since  been  known  as  Danger  Point.  She  struck  a 
sunken  rock  at  2  a.m.  on  February  26.  The  women 
and  children  and  a  few  of  the  men  were  saved,  but  9 
officers,  349  rank  and  file,  and  79  of  the  ship's  company 
were  drowned  or  otherwise  perished  in  the  shark- 
infested  waters.  The  soldiers  afforded  a  splendid 
example  of  discipline.  With  death  imminent  they 
obeyed  the  order  to  fall  in  on  the  deck  of  the  doomed 
vessel — as  calmly  as  though  they  had  been  parading 
in  their  bai-rack  square. 

Mounted  Police  organised.  —  Sir  George  Cathcai-t 
quickly  brought  tlie  war  to  a  successful  conclusion. 
Instead  of  abandoning  strongholds  such  as  the  Amatole 
Basin  and  the  Waterkloof — after  such  had  been  cleared 
of  the  enemy,  sometimes  at  considerable  cost — he 
caused  small  redoubts  to  be  constructed  at  suitable 
strategic  points  within  such  strongholds.  These  re- 
doubts contained  stores  and  afforded  shelter  to  the 
patrols;  they  could  be  impregnably  held  by  a  very 
small  force.  Another  change  he  made  was  to  i-educe 
considerably  the  sti*ength  of  the  irregular  corps  and 
the  Native  levies.  These  had  been  very  expensive, 
and  in  the  case  of  the  latter  zeal  was  apt  to  be  much 
greater  in  the  matter  of  capturing  cattle  than  in 
actually  engaging  the  foe.     A  force  of  750  European 


268  A  History  of  South  Africa 

mounted  police  was  now  organised  ;  these  men  pro 
vided  their  own  horses,  arms,  equipment,  and  food. 
They  were  paid  5s.  Qd.  per  day,  and  supplied  with 
ammunition.  No  more  efficient  force  for  the  work 
required  ever  took  the  field.  Within  a  very  short  time 
they  cleared  the  border  districts  of  the  enemy. 

End  of  the  War. — A  force  of  burghers  was  assembled 
at  Imvani  in  August.  This  with  a  small  detachment 
of  regular  troops  crossed  the  Kei,  burnt  Kreli's  kraal 
and  captured  over  10,000  head  of  cattle.  The  Eighth 
Kaffir  War  was  now  practically  over.  The  chiefs  made 
submission.  Sandile,  Maqoma,  and  several  others  met 
the  Governor  at  Yellowwoods,  near  King  William's 
Town.  They  were  informed  that  neither  they  nor 
their  followers  would  ever  be  permitted  to  return  to 
the  Amatole  region.  A  location  was  assigned  to  them 
farther  to  the  eastward.  Umlanjeni,  quite  discredited, 
sank  into  obscurity.  Uithalder  wandered  for  a  time, 
with  a  price  of  £500  upon  his  head ;  eventually  he  took 
his  own  life. 

Queenstown  District  founded. — Most  of  the  country 
which  Mapassa  and  his  Tembus  had  occupied  at  the 
back  of  the  Amatole  Range  was  surveyed  and  granted 
to  Europeans.  Personal  occupation  and  the  mainte- 
nance of  an  armed  man  for  each  1000  acres  were 
among  the  conditions  of  tenure.  The  forfeited  Tembu 
territory  was  constituted  a  division  and  named  Queens- 
town.  On  the  Komani  River  a  village  was  laid  out ; 
this  has  since  become  one  of  the  most  flourishing  towns 
of  the  eastern  district.  The  land  of  the  Hottentots  at 
Kat  River  (now  named  the  District  of  Stockenstrom), 
who  had  rebelled,  was  granted  to  Europeans,  and 
a  village  named  Seymour,  after  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Charles  Seymour,  the  Governor's  military  secretary, 
was  laid  out  close  to  the  fort  at  Eland's  Post.  This 
became  the  seat  of  magistracy.  Colonel  McKinnon  re- 
signed the  Chief-Commissionership  of  British  Kaffraria, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Colonel  Maclean,  formerly  Com- 
missioner to  the  Ndhlambi  clan.  As  a  proof  of  the 
efficacy  of  missions,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  1500 
Christian  Natives  remained  in  King  William's  Town 
throughout  the  war  and  conducted  themselves  with 
perfect  propriety. 

Sir  George  Cathcart,  just  before  the  settlement  at 


The  Cape  Colony  under  British  Rule         269 

the  end  of  the  war,  piruccdod  to  Basutoland  with  a 
military  force,  where  lie  suHVied  a  leversc.  This  episode 
is  dealt  with  in  another  chapter.  He  retired  in  May, 
1854,  and  returned  to  England.  He  was  killed  at  the 
Battle  of  Inkerman. 


CHAPTER    XXI 

(To  1861) 

The  Cape  Colony— Constitutional  Government 

Desire  for  Representative  Institutions. — As  a  sense  of 
nationality  grew  in  the  Cape  Colony,  the  people  became 
more  and  more  desirous  of  having  a  voice  in  the 
management  of  their  own  affairs.  However,  British 
politicians,  in  view  of  the  peculiar  racial  conditions 
obtaining  in  South  Africa,  were  dubious  as  to  what 
would  be  the  result  of  granting  representative  institu- 
tions. It  was  recognised  that  the  two  white  races  were 
still  sharply  divided  on  certain  important  questions, 
whilst  the  coloured  people  had  been  so  variously  de- 
scribed by  both  friendly  and  unfriendly  critics  that  no 
definite  idea  as  to  their  character  or  capacity  could  be 
formed.  From  time  to  time  petitions  asking  for  a  con- 
stitution reached  ^  the  British  Administration.  Those 
from  the  Western  Province  as  a  rule  asked  for  a  single 
chamber,  and  desired  that  the  Colony  should  be  treated 
as  one  and  indivisible. 

Claims  of  the  Frontier.  —  But  those  from  the 
Eastern  Province  expressed  the  desire  for  a  separate 
Government  on  the  British  model,  or,  as  an  alternative 
to  separation  from  the  West,  that  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment might  be  removed  to  the  frontier.  It  was  pointed 
out  with  much  force  that  of  all  questions  on  South 
Africa  that  concerning  the  relations  between  the  Euro- 
peans and  the  formidable  tribes  of  warlike  Natives  was 
by  far  the  most  pressing,  and  that  only  an  executive 
near  the  frontier  could  adequately  deal  with  the  im- 
portant problems  there  continually  arising. 

A  Draft  Constitution.— It  was  not  until  1846  thdt 
any  definite  steps  were  taken.  Then  the  Secretary  of 
State,  Earl  Grey,  called  upon  the  Government  at  the 


The  Cape  Colony— Constitutional  Government    271 

Cape  for  a  report  on  the  general  question.  Sir  Hany 
Smith  requested  Mr.  William  Porter,  the  Attorney- 
General,  to  prepare  a  draft  of  a  Constitution.  In 
March,  1846,  this  draft  was  submitted  to  a  committee 
consisting  of  three  judges  and  the  members  of  the 
Executive  Council.  Their  report  was  to  the  effect  that 
the  Colonists  had  lost  all  faith  in  the  existing  Legisla- 
tive Council,  and  that  great  difficulty  had  been 
experienced  in  finding  competent  men  to  fill  vacancies 
among  the  unofficial  members.  The  committee  was 
unanimously  opposed  to  the  separation  of  the  eastern 
from  the  western  portion  of  the  Colony,  and  was  in 
favour  of  Cape  Town  remaining  the  seat  of  Govern- 
ment. Further,  it  considered  that  no  danger  was  to 
be  apprehended  from  any  rivalry  between  English  and 
Dutch,  and  that  there  was  no  fear  of  any  attempt 
being  made  by  either  of  the  European  races  to  treat 
coloured  people  unjustly.  At  the  Governor's  request 
the  Attorney-General  drafted  a  Constitution,  which 
was  forwarded  to  Earl  Grey.  After  the  matter  had 
been  referred  to  the  Lords  of  the  Committee  of  Council 
for  Trade  and  Foreign  Plantations,  and  reported  upon 
by  them,  it  was  laid  before  the  Queen  in  Council  on 
January  30,  1850,  and  approved  of. 

Views  of  the  Secretary  of  State. — Constitution 
granted. — On  May  28,  Letters  Patent  were  issued,  de- 
fining the  framework  of  the  Constitution  for  the  Ceipe 
Colony.  There  was  to  be  an  elected  Legislative  Council, 
presided  over  by  the  Chief  Justice,  and  an  elected 
House  of  Assembly ;  the  House  of  Assembly  might  be 
at  any  time  dissolved  by  the  Governor,  or  the  House 
of  Assembly  and  the  Legislative  Council  simultaneously 
dissolved,  but  the  Legislative  Council  might  not  be 
dissolved  without  the  dissolution  of  the  other  Chamber 
taking  plac'e  at  the  same  time.  Most  of  the  other 
details  were  left  to  be  arranged  by  the  existing  local 
legislature  and  after  determination  was  to  be  sub- 
mitted to  the  Queen  in  Council  for  approval  or 
alteration.  The  matter  naturally  aroused  great  interest 
in  the  Cape  Colony.  Many  meetings  were  held;  long 
debates  in  the  Legislative  Council  took  place.  In  1852 
the  Constitution  Ordinance  as  passed  by  the  Legislative 
Council  was  forwarded  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  but 
owing  to  a  change  of  Government  in   Great  Britain 


272  A  History  of  South  Africa 

a  further  delay  took  place.  However,  on  March  11, 
1853,  the  Constitution  Ordinance  was  approved  of  and 
ratified ;  it  had  to  come  into  effect  from  July  1.  Only 
one  important  alteration  in  the  draft,  as  passed  by  the 
Legislative  Council,  was  made.  In  the  original  draft 
one  of  the  qualifications  upon  which  the  franchise 
was  based  was  occupation  for  twelve  months  of  a 
house  worth  £25.  This  had  been  raised  to  occupation 
of  a  house  with  a  yearly  rental  of  £10,  or  possession 
of  landed  property  worth  £50.  The  Attorney-General 
and  two  other  members  of  the  Legislative  Council 
supported  the  lower  qualification,  but  were  overborne 
by  a  vote  of  8  to  3.  The  idea  of  raising  the  franchise 
had  for  its  object  the  restriction  of  the  coloured  vote. 
In  reinstating  the  lower  franchise  the  Secretary  of 
State  wrote  :  "  It  is  the  earnest  desire  of  Her  Majesty's 
Government  that  all  her  subjects  at  the  Cape,  without 
distinction  of  class  or  colour,  should  be  united  by  one 
bond  of  loyalty  and  common  interest."  On  April  21, 
1853,  the  mail  steamer  bearing  the  approved  Con- 
stitution arrived.  It  provided  for  two  chambers :  a 
Legislative  Council  and  a  Legislative  Assembly.  The 
Legislative  Council  was  to  consist  of  fifteen  members 
of  whom  eight  were  to  be  returned  by  the  Western 
and  seven  by  the  Eastern  Province ;  its  duration  was 
to  be  ten  years.  The  candidates  had  to  be  at  least 
thirty  years  of  age,  and  had  to  possess  fixed  property 
of  the  value  of  £200  or  freehold  property  of  the  value 
of  £4000.  The  Legislative  Assembly  was  to  consist  of 
forty-six  members,  and  was  presided  over  by  one  of 
its  own  members  elected,  for  the  purpose  and  termed 
"  The  Speaker." 

Both  Houses  were  elected  on  a  franchise  based  as 
follows : — 

(a)  To  have  been  in  occupation  of  house  or  land  to 
the  value  of  £25,  or  for  one  year,  or 

(6)  To  be  in  receipt  of  a  salary  of  at  least  £50  a 
year,  or 

(c)  To  be  in  receipt  of  a  salary  of  at  least  £25  a 
year  in  addition  to  board  and  lodging. 
The  registration  of  votes  had  to  take  place  every  second 
year ;  only  male  subjects  of  the  Queen  either  by  birth 
or  naturalisation  could  be  registered.  The  Ministry 
was  independent  of  Parliament  and  consisted  of  the 


The  Cape  Colony— Constitutional  Government    273 

Colonial  8eci(;taiy,  the  Attorney-General,  the  Treasurer- 
General  and  the  Audi  tor-General.  These  officials  were 
appointed  in  England.  They  had  the  right  to  debate 
in  both  Houses,  but  might  not  vote. 

The  First  Parliament.  —  The  first  Parliament  of 
tlie  Cape  Colony  met  on  June  30,  1854 ;  Sir  George 
Cathcai't  had  left  to  take  up  a  command  at  the  Crimea, 
so  the  Lieutenant-Governor,  Mr.  Charles  Henry  Darling, 
formally  opened  the  Session,  which  was  held  in  the 
Banqueting  Hall  of  the  "  Goede  Hoop  "  Masonic  Lodge. 
Mr.  C.  J.  Brand  was  elected  as  Speaker. 

Sir  George  Grey.  —  On  December  5,  1854,  Sir 
George  Grey  arrived  at  Cape  Town  and  assumed  the 
functions  of  Governor  and  High  Commissioner.  He 
had  served  as  Governor  in  both  South  Australia  and 
New  Zealand  with  great  success,  and  had  previously 
distinguished  himself  as  an  explorer  in  what  were  then 
unknown  parts  of  Australia.  Sir  George  Grey  was  a 
many-sided  man.  He  possessed  great  tact  and  had 
that  faculty  for  dealing  successfully  with  inferior 
races  which  is  inborn  and  cannot  be  acquired.  The 
guiding  principle  of  his  career  was  an  intense  desire  to 
promote  the  welfare  of  whatever  pi'ovince  lay  in  his 
charge.  He  was  endowed  with  considerable  physical 
endurance,  and  ,he  invariably  inspired  his  subordinates 
with  strong  personal  regard.  Moreover,  he  was  an 
accomplished  scholar. 

As  Lieutenant-Governor,  Lieutenant-General  Sir 
James  Jackson,  was  appointed  to  the  Eastern  Province. 
He  had  to  reside  in  Grahamstown.  Except  in  military 
mattei*s,  he  was  merely  the  administrative  channel 
between  the  Province  and  the  Governor  at  Cape  Town. 
This  arrangement  by  no  means  satisfied  the  inhabitants 
of  tlio  eastern  districts. 

Enlargement  of  the  Supreme  Court. — The  second 
>»>ss ion  of  the  Cape  Parliament  took  place  in  March, 
\S~)~).  Among  the  changes  rendered  necessary  through 
the  development  of  the  Colony,  and  now  introduced, 
may  be  mentioned  the  enlargement  of  the  Supreme 
Court  to  a  Chief  Justice  and  three  puisne  judges,  and 
the  creation  of  nine  new  magisterial  districts. 

Polioe  augmented.  —  The  Frontier  Armed  and 
Mounted  Police,  which  had  been  of  such  great  use  in 
bringing  the  last  Kattir  War  to  a  successful  conclusion, 

T 


274  A  History  of  South  Africa 

were  raised  to  a  strength  of  550  men,  and  placed  under 
the  command  of  Mr. — afterwards  Sir — Walter  Currie. 
Most  of  the  officers  were  young  Albany  farmers  ;  the 


SIE  GEOEGE   GREY. 


ranks   were  mainly  filled   by  young  Englishmen  of  a 
sviperior  class. 

Establishment  of  DiYisional  Councils.— Changes  in 
the     Tariff.  —  Divisional    Councils    were     created     in 


The  Cape  Colony-Constitutional  Government    275 

substitution  for  the  Divisional  Road  Boards.  Each 
Division  had  a  council  of  six  elected  members,  with  the 
Civil  Commissioner  as  Chairman.  Important  changes 
were  made  in  the  Customs  Tariff,  which  now  placed 
goods  imported  from  Great  Britain  on  the  same  level 
as  those  imported  from  foreign  countries.  This  was  in 
accordance  with  British  opinion  at  the  time.  Some 
articles  were  specially  rated,  some  were  admitted  free, 
but  the  general  tariff  was  7^  per  cent,  ad  valorem.  The 
annual  value  of  exports  had  now  reached  nearly  a 
million  sterling  ;  about  two-thirds  of  this  was  in  respect 
of  wool. 

Movement  towards  Responsible  Government.  —  A 
resolution  in  favour  of  the  principle  of  responsible 
government  was  affirmed  by  both  Houses  of  Parliament 
in  1855,  but  was  rescinded  the  following  session. 

Ravages  of  Lung-sickness. — In  1855  and  1856  a 
great  misfortune  befell  the  cattle-farming  industry. 
Lung-sickness  or  pleuro-pneumonia  was  introduced  by 
a  bull  imported  from  Holland  in  1854,  and  landed  at 
Mossel  Bay.  Within  two  years  upwards  of  100,000 
head  of  cattle  died.  At  the  same  time  a  severe  epidemic 
of  horse  sickness  raged  ;  it  was  estimated  that  some 
65,000  animals  died  in  the  Colony.  The  subjects  which 
most  engaged  the  attention  of  the  Parliament  during 
this  session  were  the  proposal  that  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment should  be  removed  to  Grahamstown  and  the 
question  of  State  support  to  ministers  of  religion.  The 
strongest  advocate  of  the  voluntary  principle  was  Mr. 
Saul  Solomon,  the  member  for  Cape  Town,  but  the 
majority  were  so  far  in  favour  of  State  aid. 

The  Mail  Service. — In  1856  an  arrangement  was 
entered  into  by  the  British  Government  with  Mr.  Dundas 
for  the  conveyance  of  mails  from  England  viA  the  Cape 
to  Mauritius  and  India.  The  contract  time  between 
Dartmouth  and  Table  Bay  was  fixed  at  thirty-six  days. 
This  arrangement  only  lasted  for  a  year.  In  its  stead 
a  contract  was  entered  into  between  the  Admiralty  and 
the  Union  Steamship  Company  to  convey  mails  monthly 
each  way  between  Devonp)ort  and  Cape  Town  in  forty- 
two  days.  The  ships,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  in 
use  at  the  commencement,  were  to  be  at  least  530  tons 
burden.  Thus  began  the  connection  of  the  Union  Com- 
pany with  South  Africa. 


276  A  History  of  South  Africa 

,  The  Museum. — In  June,  1855,  the  South  African 
Museum  was  founded,  Mr.  Rawson  W.  Rawson,  Colonial 
Secretary,  and  Dr.  Ludovic  Pappe  being  the  first 
trustees.  Mr.  Edgar  Layard,  a  distinguished  ornith- 
ologist, was  appointed  curator.  His  collection  of 
birds  is  still  one  of  the  most  valuable  and  attractive 
features  of  the  natural  history  section.  In  1857  the 
Museum  was  incorporated  by  an  Act  of  Parliament. 
At  the  suggestion  of  Sir  George  Grey,  a  large  building 
was  constructed  near  the  foot  of  the  Avenue  leading 
to  the  Gardens  from  Adderley  Street.  In  this  the 
Museum  as  well  as  the  South  African  Public  Library 
was  housed  for  many  years. 

Copper  in  Namaqualand. — The  existence  of  copper 
in  Namaqualand,  south  of  the  Orange  River,  had  been 
known  ever  since  the  days  of  Simon  van  der  Stel.  It 
was  not,  however,  until  1846  that  any  attempt  was 
made  towards  mining  the  ore.     The  first  efforts  failed, 

i  but  in  1852  a  mine  was  opened  at  Springbokfontein, 
where  a  rich  deposit  existed.  During  the  following 
two  years  there  was  much  wild  speculation  in  copper 
ventures.  Eventually,  however,  operations  became 
restricted  to  those  few  mines  which  were  found  to  be 
vindoubtedly  payable,  and  the  industry  thus  became  a 
settled  one.  The  transport  of  the  ore  over  a  distance 
of  upwards  of  seventy  miles  to  the  coast  was  effected 
by  means  of  wagons  drawn  by  mules  and  oxen.  This, 
although  difficult  and  expensive,  was  found  to  be 
profitable  in  view  of  the  high  grade  of  the  ore.  In  the 
first  instance  the  latter  was  shipped  from  Hondeklip 
Bay  ;  later,  however.  Port  Nolloth,  about  ninety  miles 
to  the  northward,  was  opened  up.  In  1871  a  trolley 
line  between  Port  Nolloth  and  the  mines  was  established. 
Upon  this  line  steam  power  has  since  superseded  that 
of  mules.  The  annual  value  of  the  ore  exported  is 
about  £300,000. 

British  Kaffraria. — Policy  towards  the  Natives. — 
When  Sir  George  Grey  arrived  at  the  Cape  the  province 
of  Kaffraria  was  in  an  unsatisfactory  and  anomalous 
state.  The  idea  of  appointing  a  Lieutenant-Governor 
had  been  dropped.  Within  the  Province  the  Xosa 
chiefs  possessed  absolute  independence  in  respect  of 
the  government  of  their  own  people.  The  few  European 
residents  were   under   the   High  Commissioner,  whose 


The  Cape  Colony — Constitutional  Government     277 

(•(  mtrol  was  still  quite  undefined.  Colonel  John  Maclean, 
the  Chief  Connnissioner,  resided  at  Fort  Murray,  about 
seven  miles  from  King  William's  Town ;  Mr.  Charles 
Brownlee,  the  Gaika  Commissioner,  at  the  site  of  the 
present  village  of  Stutterheim.  Captain  Richard  Taylor, 
a  retired  military  officer,  was  magistrate  of  King 
William's  Town.  There  were  about  2500  troops  occu- 
pying the  various  posts  in  the  Province.  Within  the 
Colony,  but  close  to  the  frontier,  were  some  2200  more. 
So  strict  was  the  principle  of  non-interference  with  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  chiefs,  that  even  crimes  such  as 
murders  of  Natives  by  Natives  were  not  taken  cogni- 
sance of  by  the  European  administration.  Sir  George 
Grey  was  dissatisfied  Avith  this  state  of  things,  and 
brought  his  strong  personal  influence  to  bear  upon  the 
chiefs,  with  such  effect  that  in  consideration  of  a 
moderate  fixed  salary  they  surrendered  their  right  to 
fines  imposed  on  their  people  and  permitted  Europeans 
to  sit  in  their  courts  as  assessors.  With  a  view  to 
fostering  habits  of  industry  among  the  Natives  roads 
were  laid  out  and  constructed  by  labourers  working 
under  European  overseers.  It  was  obviously  very  im- 
portant to  endeavour  to  undermine  the  belief  of  the 
people  in  ^vitchcraft.  This  belief  is  probably  more 
deeply  rooted  than  any  other  in  the  Native  mind  ;  even 
to-day  it  persists  to  a  considerable  extent.  Half  a 
century  ago  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  among  the 
Bantu  sickness  was  invariably  attributed  to  the  practice 
of  spells  by  an  enemy.  The  effects  of  this  were  terrible ; 
the  witch-finder  was  continually  consulted,  and  at  his 
bidding  large  numbers  of  innocent  people  were  put  to 
a  cruel  death.  With  the  view  of  ending  this  and  giving 
the  Natives  a  true  idea  of  the  nature  of  disease,  a  large 
and  spacious  hospital  building  was  constructed  by  mili- 
tary labourers  assisted  by  Natives.  Thus  was  founded 
the  Gi*ey  Hospital ;  it  was  placed  under  the  control  of 
Dr.  J.  P.  Fitzgerald,  with  whom  Sir  George  Grey  had 
been  acquainted  in  New  Zealand.  The  services  of  two 
other  skilled  physicians  and  a  qualified  dispenser  were 
obtained.  In  the  hospital  sick  Natives  were  maintained 
and  tended  free  of  charge.  Industi-ial  schools  in  which 
Natives  could  be  taught  various  trades  were  also  estab- 
lished by  various  missionary  stxiieties  under  encoumge- 
ment  and    assistance    by   the    Governor.      The    great 


278  A  History  of  South  Africa 

educational  and  industrial  institutions  of  Lovedale  in 
Victoria  East  and  Heald  Town  near  Fort  Beaufort 
date  from  this  period.  The  Imperial  Treasury  treated 
British  Kaffraria  with  great  liberality.  For  the  purpose 
of  civilising  the  Natives  there  the  sum  of  £40,000  per 
annum  was  granted  during  1855  and  the  two  succeeding 
years. 

European  Settlers.  —  Sir  George  Grey  was  most 
anxious  to  introduce  European  settlers  into  the  Pro- 
vince. He  considered  that  by  this  means  security 
would  be  increased,  and  that  before  long  the  garrison 
might  safely  be  reduced.  On  the  eastern  outskirts  of 
King  William's  Town  he  caused  to  be  built  a  number 
of  comfortable  cottages.  It  was  his  idea  that  these 
should  be  occupied  by  married  pensioners  from  the 
army,  to  be  introduced  from  England.  This  scheme 
fell  through,  so  the  cottages  were  given  to  married 
soldiers  who  received  their  discharge  locally.  In  1856 
the  Crimean  War  came  to  an  end,  and  the  British 
Government  decided  to  send  the  German  Legion,  which 
had  been  enrolled  for  service  in  the  war  with  Russia, 
to  British  Kaffraria  and  disband  it  there.  The  Cape 
Parliament  voted  money  for  the  purpose.  In  1857, 
2351  officers  and  men  of  the  Legion,  with  559  women 
and  children,  were  landed  in  East  London  and  distri- 
buted in  suitable  localities  throughout  the  Province. 
Of  the  women,  203  were  English  who  had  married 
Germans  when  the  transports  cast  anchor  in  British 
waters  en  route  for  South  Africa. 

Unrest  upon  the  Border. — Early  in  1856  there  again 
appeared  ominous  indications  of  unrest  upon  the  Border. 
To  those  acquainted  with  the  Native  character,  it  was 
clear  that  the  chiefs  were  preparing  for  another  trial  of 
strength.  The  Fingos  took  to  fraternising  with  their 
former  enemies ;  intermarriages  betw  een  Fingos  and 
Kaffirs  became  common.  The  Government  was,  how- 
ever, fully  cognisant  of  what  was  going  on.  When  it 
was  ascertained  that  confidential  messages  were  being 
exchanged  betw  een  Moshesh  and  Kreli,  it  was  regarded 
as  certain  that  a  fresh  outbreak  of  war  was  imminent. 
Steps  were  taken  towards  increasing  the  South  African 
garrison ;  all  available  troops  were  moved  to  the 
frontier.  A  regiment  stationed  at  Mauritius,  which 
had   been   requisitioned   for   service   in   South  Africa, 


The  Cape  Colony— Constitutional  Government    279 

was  landed  at  Port  Elizabeth  and  marched  to  the 
Border. 

Nongqause. — Umhlakaza. — One  circumstance  which 
iiitenMilitHl  the  Native  unrest  was  the  outbreak  of  lung- 
sickness  among  the  cattle  on  the  frontier.  In  spite  of 
the  obvious  circumstance  that  the  cattle  of  the  Euro- 
peans were  also  dying  of  the  disease,  the  Natives  attri- 
buted their  loss  to  the  exercise  of  the  White  Man's 
magic.  Just  when  war  appeared  to  be  on  the  point  of 
breaking  out,  something  happened  which  completely 
changed  the  trend  of  events.  A  little  girl  named  Nong- 
qause, daughter  of  one  of  Kreli's  councillors,  went  one 
morning,  as  was  her  wont,  to  fill  her  calabashes  with 
water  at  a  stream.  On  returning  she  informed  her 
uncle,  Umhlakaza,  that  she  had  seen  near  the  river 
some  men  of  strange  appearance.  Umhlakaza,  as  he 
stated,  went  to  the  spot  indicated  and  met  the  strangers. 
They  told  him  to  purify  himself  ceremonially,  offer  a 
sacrifice  to  the  "  Imishologu,"  or  ancestral  spirits,  and 
return  on  the  fourth  day.  This  he  did  ;  again  he  found 
the  strangers.  They  informed  him  that  they  had  com© 
from  battlefields  beyond  the  sea  to  aid  the  Xosas  in 
conquering  the  white  men,  and  that  he,  Umhlakaza, 
was  to  be  the  medium  between  them  and  the  Xosa 
nation.  One  most  imperative  command  they  commu- 
nicated :  The  people  had  to  kill  all  their  cattle,  destroy 
food  of  every  description,  and  refrain  from  cultivation. 
Then  the  dead  would  arise  in  their  myriads  and  the 
white  men  be  driven  into  the  sea.  Moreover,  countless 
herds  of  cattle  were  to  emerge  from  beneath  the  waves 
and  from  the  caverns  of  the  earth,  whilst  in  a  night 
the  fields  would  be  filled  with  millet,  ripe  for  the  reap- 
ing. The  old  would  become  young,  and  those  who  had 
died  advanced  in  years  would  arise  in  the  full  strength 
and  comeliness  of  youth.  A  dreadful  fate  was  to  befall 
those  who  neglected  to  obey  the  will  of  the  spirits : — 
a  great  hurricane  would  arise  and  sweep  them  into  the 
sea,  or  else  the  sky  would  fall  and  crush  them.  Nong- 
qause was  probably  a  ventriloquist,  for  she  used  to 
take  people  to  a  certain  cave,  and  also  to  wolf-  and 
ant-bear  holes,  and  there  simulate  the  lowing  of  the 
cattle,  which,  she  said,  were  waiting  impatiently  under- 
ground for  tho  day  of  their  release. 

The  Cattle-killing. — This  wild  story  gained  univei-sal 


2  8o  A  History  of  South  Africa 

credence.  The  people  became  demented  ;  over  large 
areas  every  head  of  cattle  was  slaughtered,  every  atom 
of  food  destroyed.  February  18  was  the  date  fixed  for 
the  great  miracle ;  then  the  sun's  course  was  to  be 
reversed  and  the  earth  wrapt  in  darkness.  Before 
this  day  arrived,  the  people  had  begun  to  feel  the  pinch 
of  hunger,  but  the  hushed  ecstasy  of  anticipation  in 
which  they  lived  made  them  smile  at  their  pangs.  On 
the  last  evening  the  old  women  decked  themselves  out 
in  trinkets  ;  they  were  filled  with  the  belief  that  before 
the  sun  again  arose  youth  and  comeliness  would  have 
returned  to  them,  and  that  they  would  once  more  meet 
their  long-dead  husbands. 

Terrible  Disillusionment. — Famine. — But  dawn  came, 
the  sun  arose,  passed  the  zenith,  and  declined  once 
more,  but  no  miracle  happened.  After  the  manner  of 
his  kind,  the  Prophet  had  an  excuse  ready.  Faith  re- 
vived for  a  few  days.  But  there  was  an  absolute  dearth 
of  food,  and  the  people  soon  began  to  die.  Within  a 
few  weeks  upwards  of  70,000  perished;  among  these 
were  many  of  the  chiefs  and  councillors,  for  famine  is 
no  respecter  of  persons,  and  gentle  suffered  with  simple. 
Among  those  who  starved  to  death  was  Umhlakaza. 

The  seashore  at  the  mouth  of  the  Gxara  River,  east- 
ward of  the  Great  Kei,  was  the  scene  of  the  alleged 
vision.  Umhlakaza  had  evidently  been  told  about  the 
Crimean  War,  for  he  said  that  the  strangers  with  whom 
he  had  conversed  called  themselves  Russians.  During 
the  Crimean  period,  and  for  about  a  year  before  the 
cattle-killing,  look-outs  used  to  be  posted  on  the  higher 
hills  of  the  Transkeian  coast  to  signal  the  arrival  of 
the  Russian  ships,  which  were  supposed  to  be  coming 
with  help  for  the  Xosas. 

The  mortality  was  frightful ;  the  survivors  crept 
away  in  every  direction  seeking  food.  Numbers  went 
to  the  sea  coast  and  endeavoured  to  stay  the  pangs  of 
hunger  by  eating  shellfish ;  but  the  diet  disagreed  with 
them,  and  the  greater  number  died  of  dysentery.  Whole 
families  perished  together  in  their  huts ;  some  took  to 
cannibalism  ;  people  Avere  known  to  eat  the  flesh  of 
their  children.  The  terrible  delusion  extended  to  the 
Tembus,  who  suffered  as  severely  as  the  Xosas.  Thou- 
sands managed  to  drag  themselves  over  the  Border, 
subsisting  upon  roots,  insects,  and  unspeakable  things. 


The  Cape  Colony    Constitutional  Government    281 

These  obtained  work  anions  the  farmers.  The  Gaikas 
did  not  suffer  (xuite  so  much  as  the  other  clans,  for 
Mr.  Charles  Brownlee,  Commissioner  with  Sandile,  was 
able  to  persuade  some  of  the  ijeople  to  refrain  from 
destroying  their  cattle. 

Results  of  the  Cattle-killing.~One  result  of  the 
cattle-killing  Avas  that  the  war  spirit  of  the  Xosas 
disappeared  for  a  generation.  The  dispersal  of  the 
people  among  the  farmers  for  a  season  and  the  kind- 
ness with  which  they  were  treated  dissipated  many 
erroneous  ideas  relative  to  the  Europeans  which  they 
had  hitherto  held.  Kreli,  the  arch  fomenter  of  trouble, 
was  expelled  with  the  sorry  remnants  of  his  tribe  from 
the  territory  the  Gcalekas  had  for  so  long  inhabited. 
He  crossed  the  Bashee  and  occupied  a  small  location 
assigned  to  him  by  the  chief  of  the  Bomvanas.  Sandile's 
powers  were  restricted,  judicial  functions  being  taken 
out  of  his  hands  and  vested  in  those  of  the  magistrate. 
His  territory  also  was  curtaileri.  The  Tembu  chief, 
Vadana,  with  some  nine  hundred  mounted  men,  became 
a  freebooter  and  raided  far  and  near.  His  following 
was,  however,  soon  scattered  by  the  police.  Vadana 
was  captured  and  interned  on  Robben  Island.  The 
Fingos,  who  had  not  allowed  themselves  to  be  led  away 
by  Umhlakaza,  became  prosperous  and  in  various 
localities  supplanted  their  former  oppressors. 

German  Immigrants. — In  August,  1857,  the  Govern- 
ment entered  into  correspondence  with  the  Secretary 
of  State,  suggesting  the  introduction  of  a  large  number 
of  German  emigrants  to  British  Kaffraria.  The  pro- 
posal was  at  first  favourably  received,  but  was  after- 
wards disapproved  of.  In  the  mean  time  the  Governor 
on  his  own  responsibility  entered  into  an  arrangement 
with  a  Hamburg  firm,  in  terms  of  which  2315  p)easants 
from  North  Germany  w^ere  introduced.  No  better 
settlers  than  these  people  ever  reached  the  shores  of 
South  Africa :  they  were  located  in  British  Kaffraria 
and  on  the  western  bank  of  the  Keiskamma.  But  the 
Governor's  action  was  strongly  disapproved  of  by  the 
British  Government,  and  the  emigration  was  forthwith 
8toi)j)ed, 

Farms  in  British  Kaffraria  assigned  to  Europeans. 
— Sir  George  Grey  assigned  most  of  the  land  in  British 
Kaffraria,  which  had  hitherto  been  occupied  by  the  now 


282  A  History  of  South  Africa 

self-exterminated  clans,  to  European  farmers.  Such 
were  for  the  first  time  enabled  to  pursue  their  avoca- 
tions in  security,  for,  excepting  the  Fingos  located  near 
Butterworth,  and  less  than  two  thousand  Ndhlambis 
who  had  been  assigned  a  location  near  Idutywa,  the 
great  tract  of  country  between  the  Kei  and  the  Bashee 
was  uninhabited.  In  1859  a  number  of  the  Xosas  flocked 
back  to  British  Kaffraria,  from  where  they  had  been 
scattered  among  the  farmers  of  Albany  and  Victoria 
East,  and  settled  down  in  certain  locations  which  had 
been  reserved  for  Native  occupation.  According  to  a 
census  taken  on  December  31  of  that  year,  the  Province 
contained  nearly  6000  Europeans  and  about  53,000 
Bantu.  There  were  302  farms  in  occupation  by  the 
former. 

Administration  of  the  Province. — In  1860  Letters 
Patent  were  issued,  settling  the  form  of  government 
for  the  Province.  The  Governor  was  given  the  poAver 
to  enact  laws.  Subject  to  his  authority  a  Lieutenant- 
Governor  had  to  carry  on  the  local  administration. 
The  Province  was  divided  into  two  magistracies.  King 
William's  Town  and  East  London.  Lieutenant-Colonel 
John  Maclean  was  appointed  Lieutenant-Governor. 
In  1861  a  Supreme  Court  under  a  single  judge  was 
constituted. 

Despatch  of  Troops  to  India. — In  June,  1857,  the 
news  of  the  outbreak  of  the  Indian  Mutiny  reached 
Cape  Town.  The  Governor  at  once  took  steps  to 
organise  assistance  for  the  sorely-pressed  Europeans. 
On  August  6  came  intelligence  of  the  seizure  of  Delhi 
by  the  mutineers.  Sir  George  Grey  did  not  hesitate 
for  an  instant.  On  his  own  responsibility  he  despatched 
to  India  as  many  troops  as  transports  could  be  provided 
for.  Other  transports  conveying  troops  to  China  put 
into  Table  Bay ;  he  changed  the  destination  of  these 
to  India.  Subsequently  the  Governor  called  to  the 
colours  for  service  against  the  mutineers,  a  number  of 
the  German  Legion  in  British  Kaffraria.  Many  of 
these  were  unmarried  men  of  a  more  or  less  restless 
disposition.  In  doing  this  Sir  George  Grey  broke  the 
stringent  law  which  existed  against  levying  troops  for 
service  outside  the  sphere  of  his  jurisdiction  without 
authority.  But  it  was  recognised  that  in  the  tre- 
mendous   emergency   existing,   the   end    justified    the 


The  Cape  Colony — Constitutional  Government    283 

means.  This  promjjt  and  enlightened  action  enabled 
the  Indian  Government  to  take  vigorous  steps  towards 
stemming  the  tide  of  revolt  long  before  it  was  possible 
to  obtain  rtMiiforconionts  from  England. 

Origin  of  the  Cape  University. — Railway  Construo- 
tion.— Harbour  Works. — Lighthouses. — The  germ  of 
the  i)ie.s('iit  Cape  University  is  to  be  found  in  a  Board  * 
of  Examiners,  which  was  appointed  by  Sir  George  Grey 
in  1857  and  empowered  to  grant  certificates  in  litera- 
ture and  science.  In  1858  an  Act  of  Parliament  was 
passed,  providing  for  the  appointment  of  a  board  of 
seven  examiners,  who  were  empowered  to  issue  certifi- 
cates to  those  wishing  to  qualify  for  professions  in  the 
colony.  Railway  consti-uction  was  begun  in  1859,  the  . 
first  sod  being  turned  by  the  Governor.  The  first  line 
authorised  was  that  running  from  Cape  Town  to 
Wellington  through  Stellenbosch  and  the  Paarl.  The 
improvement  of  Table  Bay  had  engaged  the  Governor's 
attention.  On  September  17,  1860,  the  Table  Bay 
Harbour  Works  were  commenced — according  to  plans 
drawn  by  Mr.,  later  Sir,  John  Coode.  The  construction 
of  a  breakwater  at  Port  Elizabeth  was  begun,  but 
owing  to  the  formation  of  a  sandbank  the  work  had 
to  be  suspended  and  the  piles  already  in  position  re- 
moved. In  1860  a  lighthouse  was  constructed  at  Cape 
Point  and  during  the  following  year  another  was  placed 
on  the  Donkin  Reserve  at  Port  Elizabeth.  The  light- 
ship in  Simon's  Bay  was  replaced  by  a  lighthouse  on 
the  Roman  Rock. 

Arrival  of  Numerous  Immigrants.— Between  1858 
and  18(U  ui)wards  of  650  innuigrants,  many  of  whom 
were  boys  and  girls,  arrived  from  Holland.  There  was 
very  great  scarcity  of  labour.  In  1857  an  Immigration 
Act  was  passed,  providing  for  the  introduction  from 
Great  Britain  of  farm  servants,  agriculturalists,  and 
mechanics.  During  the  years  1858,  1859,  and  1860, » 
nearly  8000  immigrants  had  their  passages  paid  to  the 
Cape.  Besides  these,  upwards  of  6000  British  immi- 
grants were  introduced  under  a  system,  in  terms  of 
which  a  portion  of  the  passage  money  per  mail  steamer 
was  paid.  In  addition  large  ninnbers  belonging  to  the 
professional  and  commercial  classes  arrived  by  the 
mail  steamers,  for  the  ])uriK)se  of  making  South  Africa 
their  home.    During  1860  and  1861  a  number  of  families 


284  A  History  of  South  Africa 

emigrated  to  the  Cape  from  North  Germany,  paying 
their  own  expenses.  These  comprised  1008  men,  women, 
and  children. 

Depression. — Yine  Disease. — The  year  1859  was  one 
of  misfortune,  so  it  was  found  necessary  strongly  to 
curtail  the  amounts  being  expended  on  immigration. 
There  befell  a  drought  of  such  severity  that  in  many 
parts  of  the  Colony  agriculture  ceased  and  even  traffic 
was  suspended.  In  the  eastern  districts  a  noxious  plant, 
the  Xanthium  spinosium,  or  "  burr- weed,"  spread  with 
strange  rapidity.  This  plant  bears  a  burr  which  imbeds 
itself  in  the  wool  of  merino  sheep,  and  much  reduces 
the  value  of  the  staple.  In  the  vineyards  of  the  Western 
Province  the  blight  of  oidium  broke  out  and  spread 
quickly.  It  seemed  at  one  time  as  though  the  vineyard 
industry  would  be  completely  destroyed.  Fortunately, 
however,  it  was  discovered  that  a  treatment  with 
powdered  sulphur  checked  the  scourge.  In  1858  an 
outbreak  of  small-pox  occurred  in  Cape  Town,  and  did 
much  damage.  During  the  year  following  the  disease 
spread  to  the  country,  but  before  long  its  course  was 
checked.  The  Natives  in  British  Kaffraria  suffered 
severely  from  its  ravages. 

Sir  George  Grey  favours  Federation. — Sir  George 
Grey,  like  many  great  men,  saw  farther  into  the  future 
than  his  contemporaries.  He  divined  the  coming  de- 
velopment of  South  Africa,  and  foresaw  the  inevitable 
union  of  the  different  States.  He  saw  that  while  there 
were  five  distinct  governments  in  South  Africa,  no 
common  policy  which  could  successfully  meet  and  over- 
come the  larger  problems  of  the  country  w^as  practi- 
cable. The  solution  lay  in  federation  between  the 
various  states.  It  was  clear  to  him  that  this  would 
not  only  free  the  Imperial  Government  from  a  great 
deal  of  responsibility,  but  would  diminish  military  ex- 
penditure, and  would  have,  moreover,  the  enormous 
advantage  of  making  possible  a  local  solution  of  those 
questions  which  were  better  understood  in  South  Africa 
than  in  Downing  Street.  A  suggestion  towards  Federal 
Union  came  from  the  Orange  Free  State,  and  this  he 
communicated  in  words  of  prescient  wisdom  to  the 
Cape  Parliament  at  the  opening  of  the  session  on  March 
17, 1859.  In  taking  this  step  the  Governor  acted  in  full 
concurrence  with  the  opinion  of  his  Executive  Council, 


The  Cape  Colony— Constitutional  Government    285 

but  unfortunately  against  the  instructions  of  the 
Secretary  of  State.  Current  opinion  in  England  was 
at  the  time  opposed  to  colonial  expansion,  so  the 
wise  course  taken  by  Sir  George  Grey  resulted  in  his 
recall. 

His  Recall  causes  General  Regret.— Deep  and  general 
regret  throughout  South  Africa  resulted.  For  the 
third  time  Avithin  a  quarter  of  a  century  a  Governor 
who  had  brought  an  open  mind  to  bear  ujwn  South 
African  problems  and  had  successfully  endeavoured  to 
ovei*come  the  difficulties  and  disabilities  under  which 
the  country  laboured  had  been  deprived  of  his  office 
owing  to  want  of  understanding  on  the  part  of  distant 
party  politicians.  Sir  George  Grey  was  the  first 
Governor  who  had  gained  the  trust  and  affection  of 
the  British,  the  Dutch,  and  the  Natives.  Strong 
petitions  were  framed  asking  the  Queen  to  reverse  the 
step  taken  by  the  Secretary  of  State.  In  the  mean 
time  there  had  been  a  change  of  Ministry  in  England ; 
the  Duke  of  Newcastle  had  become  Minister  for  the 
Colonies. 

His  Reinstatement. — In  consideration  of  Sir  George 
Grey's  eminent  services  and  great  ability  the  Minister 
consented  to  reinstate  him,  but  only  on  condition  that 
the  policy  of  non-expansion  should  be  adhered  to.  This 
Sir  George  Grey  agreed  to,  so  he  returned  to  South 
Africa,  where  he  arrived  on  July  4,  1860.  During  the 
period  of  his  absence  General  Wynward,  who  was 
Lieutenant-Governor,  carried  on  the  administration  of 
the  Colony. 

Weights  and  Measures.  —  Angora  Hair. — In  1861 
British  weights  and  measures  were  brought  into  use 
in  the  colony ;  hitherto  much  confusion  had  resulted 
through  those  introduced  by  the  Dutch  East  India 
Company  being  still  used  in  some  parts.  The  land- 
measure  had  been  fixed  in  1857,  when  the  Rhynland 
foot  was  taken  as  the  standard  (1000  Rhynland  feet 
are  equal  to  1038  British  standard  feet).  In  1861  a  Bill 
providing  for  the  separation  of  the  Eastern  from  the 
Western  Province  was  proposed  to  the  Cape  Govern- 
ment, but  was  defeated  in  both  Houses.  A  company 
was  incorporated  to  construct  a  line  of  railway  from 
Salt  River  to  Wynberg  on  the  Cape  Peninsula.  An 
Act  was    passed    authorising  a    private    company   to 


286  A  History  of  South  Africa 

construct  a  telegraph  line  from  Cape  Town  to  Grahams- 
town.  At  this  time  the  military  had  in  use  a  telegraph 
line  between  King  William's  Town  and  East  London. 
The  production  of  angora  hair  had  now  become  an 
important  industry.  For  some  years  efforts  had  been 
made  towards  improving  the  Cape  stock.  To  the  late 
Mr.  Julius  Mosenthal,  a  merchant  of  Port  Elizabeth,  is 
due  the  credit  of  first  introducing  absolutely  pure  stock 
from  Asia  Minor. 

Sir  George  Grey  did  much  to  foster  education.  The 
"  Grey  Institute  "  at  Port  Elizabeth,  the  "  Grey  College  " 
at  Bloemfontein,  the  Missionary  Institutions  at  Love- 
dale,  Heald  Town,  Zonnebloem  and  Lesseytown,  all 
received  from  him  assistance  and  encouragement  at 
their  inception.  He  had  also  encouraged  the  formation 
of  volunteer  corps,  of  which  some  twenty  now  existed. 
It  was  his  idea  that  the  Colony  should  gradually  fit 
itself  to  undertake  its  own  defence. 

The  Secretary  of  State  vetoes  Colonial  Expansion. — 
At  this  period  there  was  a  considerable  extent  of  vacant 
land  on  the  coast  littoral  between  the  Cape  Colony  and 
Natal,  lying  between  the  various  areas  occupied  by 
Bantu.  Sir  George  Grey  was  strongly  of  opinion  that 
these  tracts,  which  were  of  great  fertility,  should  be 
filled  with  European  settlers.  But  public  and  official 
opinion  in  England  was  so  strongly  averse  to  any 
extension  of  Imperial  responsibility  that  the  idea  could 
not  be  carried  out.  Had  such  been  done  much  sub- 
sequent strife  and  bloodshed  would  have  been  spared. 

Sir  George  Grey  transferred  to  New  Zealand. — His 
Gift  to  the  South  African  Library. — In  1861  Sir  George 
Grey  was  appointed  Governor  of  New  Zealand,  and  on 
August  15  he  left  Cape  Town  on  board  H.M.S.  Cossack 
for  his  new  sphere.  His  departure  occasioned  universal 
regret.  A  few  months  subsequently  he  wrote  to  his 
friend.  Judge  Watermeyer,  notifying  a  valuable  dona- 
tion to  the  South  African  Library.  It  consisted  of 
some  5000  rare  books,  besides  a  number  of  manuscripts, 
the  value  of  which  was  £30,000.  This,  "The  Grey 
Collection,"  forms  a  section  of  the  South  African 
Library  and  is  open  for  the  use  of  students. 


CHAPTER   XXII 
(To  1876) 

The  Cape  Colony— Responsible  Government 

Governor  Wodehouse. — His  Character.— Sir  George 
Grey  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Philip  Edmoud  Wodehouse, 
who  was  promoted  from  the  Governorship  of  British 
Guiana.  He  had  begun  his  official  life  as  an  Indian 
civil  servant.  Mr.  Wodehouse  was  a  typical  bureau- 
crat, very  deficient  in  the  item  of  sympathy  and  with 
a  natural  tendency  towards  autocracy  which  had  been 
fostered  by  his  training  in  the  East.  He  assumed  duty 
on  January  15,  1862,  General  Wynward  having  acted 
as  Administrator  since  the  departure  of  Sir  George 
Grey. 

Immigration. — Depression. — During  1862, 767  British 
immigrants  Avere  introduced.  Then  the  immigration 
stopped.  Owing  to  a  succession  of  severe  droughts  the 
Colony  was  in  a  depressed  condition,  so  a  number  of 
those  who  had  recently  come  to  South  Africa  again 
emigrated,  some  going  to  New  Zealand  and  others  to 
the  United  States.  A  few  immigrants  from  Germany 
and  Holland  arrived  from  time  to  time. 

British  Kaffraria. — At  his  first  assembling  of  Parlia- 
ment the  Governor  in  his  opening  speech  favoured  the 
annexation  of  British  Kaffraria.  This  proposal  was 
very  unfavourably  received  by  the  Europeans  in  the 
Province.  A  bill  providing  for  the  annexation  was 
introduced,  but  thrown  out  by  the  House  of  Assembly. 
He  next  proposed  a  measure  providing  for  the  holdmg 
of  Parliamentary  Sessions  alternately  in  Cape  Town 
and  Grahamstown  ;  this  was  also  defeated. 

In  1863  the  railway  line  between  Cape  Town  and 
Wellington  was  opened  ;  that  to  Wj^nberg  was  com- 
pleted the  following  year. 


288  A  History  of  South  Africa 

MoYement    towards     Responsible     GoYernment. — 

During  the  Session  of  18(53  a  motion  in  favour*  of 
responsible  government  was  introduced  by  Mr.  J.  C. 
Molteno,  but  was  lost.  This  was  followed  by  a  motion 
providing  that  the  next  session  of  Parliament  should 
be  held  in  the  Eastern  Province.  The  motion  was 
carried  by  one  vote.  A  similar  motion  in  the  Legisla- 
tive Council  was  lost.  Accordingly  the  House  of 
Assembly  session  of  1864  was  held  in  Grahamstown. 
However,  the  experiment  involved  so  much  incon- 
venience that  it  was  not  repeated. 

Ostrich  Farming. — For  some  years  past  the  Colony 
had  been  in  a  bad  economic  condition.  In  1863  it  had 
been  found  necessary  to  raise  a  loan  of  £160,000  at  six 
per  cent.  In  1864  there  was  so  much  distress  that 
relief  works  had  to  be  started.  It  was  by  this  means 
that  the  road  over  which  the  railway  now  passes  was 
cut  into  the  Tulbagh  Basin.  In  1865  ostrich  farming 
was  begun,  an  industry  which  has  since  enormously 
developed — especially  in  the  District  of  Oudtshoorn. 
It  is  not  quite  certain  who  was  the  first  to  farm  with 
tame  ostriches.  Claims  for  this  distinction  have  been 
advanced  on  behalf  of  the  late  Mr.  Douglas,  of  Heather- 
ton  Towers,  Grahamstown,  and  the  late  Mr.  Van 
Maltitz,  of  Graaff  Reinet.  As  has  been  shown,  the  idea 
originated  with  Van  Riebeek,  but  had  lain  dormant 
for  upwards  of  two  hundred  years. 

A  Census. — In  1865  a  census  was  taken.  The  popula- 
tion was  found  to  be  as  follows : — 

Europeans 181,592 

Hottentots 81,598 

Bantu 100,536 

Asiatics  and  persons  of  mixed  race      .  132,655 


Total     .     .     .     486,381 

Agricultural  DeYelopment. — The  agricultural  returns 
showed  that  with  the  exception  of  mules  and  asses. 
Cape  sheep  and  pigs,  there  was  considerably  more  live 
stock  in  the  Eastern  than  in  the  Western  Province. 
Of  woolled  sheep,  for  instance,  there  were  6,126,786  in 
the  former  province  as  against  2,243,893  in  the  latter. 
On  the  other  hand,  with  the  exception  of  maize  it  was 
found    that  in   the   production   of    cereals,   fruit   and 


The  Cape  Colony     Responsible  Government    289 

tobacco,  the  western  districts  were  far  ahead  of  the 
eastern. 

The  Transkei  abandoned. — Sir  Philip  Wodehouse, 
in  ()i)CMiiiK  i*arlianu'iit,  liad  foreshadowed  a  scheme 
under  which  grants  of  land  in  the  Transkeian  territories 
would  be  made  to  Europeans.  After  a  long  delay  the 
conditions  governing  such  proposed  grants  were  made 
public,  but  were  found  to  be  quite  prohibitive.  Soon 
afterwards  the  Commander  of  the  Forces  reported  that 
he  believed  the  occupation  of  the  Transkeian  territories 
l^y  EuroiKjans  would  lead  to  increased  military  expendi- 
ture. At  once,  without  making  any  investigation,  the 
Secretary  of  State  issued  instructions  for  the  immediate 
abandonment  of  the  Transkei.  This  step  was  regarded 
as  most  unwise  by  the  European  inhabitants  of  South 
Africa,  but  was  evidently  taken  in  accordance  with  Sir 
Philip  Wodehouse's  recommendation. 

Return  of  the  Gcalekas.— The  Tembus. — The  Fingos 
located  in  Transkei.  —  Even  before  the  instructions 
arrived,  the  Governor  had  communicated  with  Kreli 
and  offered  to  permit  him  to  return  to,  and  occupy  a 
portion  of,  his  former  territory.  Accordingly  the 
Gciilekas  moved  back  and  took  possession  of  the  coast 
country  between  the  Kei  and  the  Bashee.  Shortly 
afterwards  a  number  of  the  Emigrant  Tembus  were 
allowed  to  occupy  the  inland  i)ortion  of  Kreli's  former 
territory,  which  now  forms  the  districts  of  Xalanga 
and  St.  Marks.  The  Fingos  in  Peddie,  Victoria  East, 
and  other  districts  where  they  had  been  located,  had 
increased  in  numbers  to  an  unprecedented  extent.  The 
surplus  population  of  the  locations,  some  40,000  in 
number,  was  moved  across  the  Kei  to  what  are  now 
the  districts  of  Nqamakwe,  Butter  worth  and  Tsomo. 
At  the  same  time  all  sovereign  rights  were  relinquished 
over  the  Transkei.  At  the  request  of  the  Natives, 
British  Residents  were  apix)inted  to  the  various  tribes. 
Dissensions  soon  arose,  and  in  1872  war  broke  out 
between  the  Gcalekas  and  the  Tembus.  Year  by  year 
it  became  necessaiy  to  interfere  more  and  moi'e  in 
adjusting  disputes  and  in  endeavours  to  keep  the  peace. 
Til  us  the  chiefs  came  in  an  increasing  degree  to  depend 
upon  tlu"  advice  tciidei'cil  tlieni  by  the  Residents. 

''  No  Man's  Land.''— Extension  of  Natal  Boundary. — 
South-west  of  Natal  lay  a  large  tract  of  country  l^etween 

u 


29©  A  History  of  South  Africa 

the  Drakensberg  and  the  sea,  which,  in  terms  of  the 
Maitland  Treaty  had  been  assigned  to  the  Pondo  Chief. 
This  tract  was  so  sparsely  populated  that  it  had  come  to 
be  known  as  "  No  Man's  Land,"  but  the  few  inhabitants 
were  lawless  and  given  to  raiding,  so  Faku,  being  held 
responsible,  desired  to  get  rid  of  it.  Eventually  in  1862 
the  coast  portion  was  ceded  to  Natal,  the  south-western 
boundary  of  which  now  became  the  Umtamvuna  River. 
The  inland  portion  was  assigned  by  the  High  Com- 
missioner in  1863  to  the  Griquas  under  Adam  Kok, 
who  emigrated  from  the  south-western  portion  of  the 
Orange  Free  State.  Soon  afterwards  Nehemiah  Moshesh 
moved  over  the  Drakensberg  from  Basutoland  and  en- 
endeavoured  to  establish  himself  below  the  mountains 
with  a  f reebooting  gang,  but  he  was  driven  back  by  the 
Griquas. 

Occupation  of  "  No  Man's  Land  "  by  Native  Clans. — 
Strife  among  Natives. — ^During  the  war  between  the 
Orange  Free  State  and  the  Basuto,  which  began  in 
1865,  a  number  of  Moshesh's  people  were  driven  into 
the  south-western  portion  of  "  No  Man's  Land."  Later 
came  detachments  of  other  clans,  including  Bathlokua 
and  Hlubis.  To  all  these  people  locations  were  assigned 
by  the  High  Commissioner.  The  immigrant  commu- 
nities quarrelled  with  each  other,  as  well  as  with  their 
neighbours  the  Amabaca  and  the  Pondomisi,  so  in  1872 
a  Commissioner  was  appointed  to  investigate  and  report 
upon  the  condition  of  the  country  occupied  by  the  new- 
comers, as  well  as  that  held  by  the  tribes  on  its  south- 
western margin.  The  Commission  found  the  people 
weary  of  constant  strife  and  desirous  of  the  introduction 
of  settled  government.  Several  of  the  influential  chiefs 
expressed  a  desire  that  the  administration  at  the  Cape 
should  assume  authority  over  them,  and  offered  to  pay 
hut-tax.  In  1873  a  Resident  was  appointed  to  the 
Pondomisi  Tribe. 

The  Griqua  Country  annexed. — Annexation  of  Trans- 
keian  Territories.^In  1875  the  Griqua  country  Avas 
annexed  and  before  long  British  authority  had  been 
extended  over  the  surrounding  territories.  In  1876  a 
magistrate  Avas  appointed  to  Mount  Frere  as  resident 
with  the  Baca  Chief,  Makaula.  Thus,  with  the  exception 
of  Pondoland,  the  whole  area  betAveen  the  Cape  Colony 
and  Natal  had  been  annexed. 


The  Cape  Colony    Responsible  Government    291 

Annexation  of  British  Kaffraria  to  Cape  Colony. — 
III  1804  the  Governor  infornied  the  Secretary  of  State 
t  liat  both  the  Cape  Colony  and  the  Province  of  British 
IvafPraria  were  much  averse  to  being  conjoined,  and 
-iiggested  that  the  British  Government  should,  by  an  act 
<>F  the  Inii^erial  Parliament,  bring  about  union  between 
t  hem.  This  proceeding  was  much  resented  in  the  Cape 
Colony.  However,  an  act  providing  for  the  annexation 
of  British  Kaffraria  was  passed  by  the  Cape  Parliament 
in  1865  in  the  face  of  great  opposition.  At  the  same 
time  the  House  placed  on  record  a  strong  condemnation 
of  the  Governor's  action. 

Destructive  Tempest  at  Table  Bay.— A  Period  of 
Droughts  and  Floods. — On  May  17  of  that  year  occurred 
one  of  the  most  violent  tempests  ever  known  at  Table 
Bay.  One  steamer  and  fifteen  sailing  vessels,  besides 
a  number  of  cargo  and  other  boats,  were  wrecked.  On 
the  same  day  the  village  of  Swellendam  was  almost 
completely  destroyed  by  fire.  The  Colony  was  now  in 
such  a  state  of  financial  depression  that  the  relief  works 
at  Tulbagh  Kloof  had  to  be  stopped  owing  to  lack  of 
funds.  A  long  succession  of  droughts,  punctuated  by 
occasional  floods,  had  borne  hardly  upon  agriculture. 
Food  became  so  scarce  on  the  frontier  that  the  Xosas 
again  took  to  thieving  ;  this  led  to  retaliatory  measures 
on  the  part  of  some  of  the  Kaffrarian  farmers,  which 
were  followed  by  futile  prosecutions. 

Friction  between  Governor  and  Parliament.  — 
Considerable  friction  aiose  between  the  Governor  and 
Parliament  over  the  question  of  finance.  The  Governor 
suggested  additional  taxation  in  the  form  of  an  impost 
iiix>n  wool  and  other  products.  He  also  foreshadowed  a 
demand  on  the  part  of  the  Imj^rial  Government  for  a 
contribution  towards  the  maintenance  of  the  garrison. 
The  House  insisted  uponxetrenchment  asthe  alternative 
to  extra  taxation.  The  general  conviction  was  that  it 
would  be  impossible  to  contribute  more  than  the  sum 
already  appropriated,  namely,  £10,000  a  year,  towards 
the  expenses  of  the  garrison.  The  Frontier  Armed  and 
Mounted  Police  were  now  being  maintained  at  the 
Colony's  exjKMise.  Matters  almost  reached  a  condition 
of  deadlcx'k.  Mr.  Molteno  again  introduced  his  Bill, 
providing  for  i^esponsible  government ;  this  was  rejectee! 
by  the  House  of  Assembly  by  a  majority  of  seven  votes. 


2  92  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Early  in  the  year  an  epidemic  of  low  fever  of  a  very 
fatal  kind  became  general,  especially  in  the  larger  towns. 
This  was  undoubtedly  due  to  bad  sanitary  arrangements 
and  an  inferior  water  sui^ply. 

Affairs  in  the  Northern  Border. — For  some  years  the 
state  of  affairs  upon  the  Northern  Border  of  the  Cape 
Colony  had  been  very  unsatisfactory.  Marauding  i)arties 
of  Koranas  emerged  from  the  river  fastnesses  from  time 
to  time,  and  plundered  all  they  covild  reach.  In  1868 
the  Cape  Parliament  passed  an  act  authorising  the 
appointment  of  a  Special  Magistrate  to  be  entrusted 
with  very  large  powers  and  given  jurisdiction  over  the 
whole  of  the  Northern  Border.  At  the  same  time  a 
force  of  police  was  raised  and  placed  under  the  Special 
Magistrate's  orders.  Within  the  next  few  years  the 
marauding  clans  were  dispersed  and  a  number  of  their 
members,  including  the  leaders,  captured. 

The  Governor  proposes  to  amend  Constitution. — 
Departure  of  Sir  Philip  Wodehouse. — In  1869  rela- 
tions between  Sir  Philip  Wodehouse  and  the  Parliament 
once  more  became  very  strained.  Upon  Parliament 
refusing  to  adopt  the  estimates  submitted  by  the 
Governor  both  Houses  were  dissolved.  Before  re- 
election took  place  the  Governor  published  the  draft 
of  a  Bill  amending  the  Constitution  by  substituting 
for  the  existing  Parliament  a  Legislative  Council  of 
thirty-seven  members,  of  whom  five,  including  the 
President,  were  to  be  nominated.  The  Bill  received 
no  support.  The  general  sentiment  of  the  country 
was  in  favour  of  attaining  a  larger  measure  of  political 
freedom.  The  Governor's  suggestion  was  retrogressive  ; 
its  adoption  would  have  involved  an  acknowledgment 
of  failure,  a  confession  of  distrust  in  the  future.  On 
May  5,  Parliament  was  prorogued.  Sir  Philip  Wode- 
house left  South  Africa  shortly  afterwards,  regretted 
by  nobody. 

Destructive  Forest  Fires. — Floods. — In  February, 
1869,  occurred  a  terrible  fire  which  destroyed  large 
areas  of  the  drought-parched  forests  in  the  districts 
of  Knysna,  Human sdorp  and  Uitenhage.  Some  lives 
were  lost,  many  houses  and  orchards,  many  flocks  and 
herds  were  destroyed.  The  forests  have  never  re- 
covered from  the  ett'ects  of  the  conflagration.  In 
September  a  heavy  gale  caused  enormous  damage  to 


The  Cape  Colony— Responsible  Government     293 

liippinj?  in  Port  Elizabeth.  Of  thirteen  sea-going 
v«'8Hels  in  the  roadstead  only  two  survived.  In  October 
<»t'  the  same  year  occurred  fhxxls  which  caused  serious 
•  l.iniaKc  in  the  districts  of  Oudtsh(K)rn  and  Beaufort 
West.  The  long  i)eriod  of  drought  now  came  to  an 
end.  Regular  rains  set  in  and  the  coinitry  was  soon 
covered  Avitli  verdure.  Prosperity  returned ;  there  is 
|)robably  no  countiy  in  the  world  that  ix>s8esses  such 
powers  of  resilience  as  South  Africa. 

Sir  Henry  Barkly  as  Governor. — Sir  Henry  Barkly, 
who  succeeded  Sir  Philip  Wodehouse  as  Governor, 
assumed  duty  on  December  31,  1870.  He  had  held  a 
similar  post  in  four  other  British  colonies.  Prosperity, 
owing  to  the  breaking  up  of  the  long  drought  and  the 
increasing  trade  resulting  from  the  development  of  the 
Diamond  Fields,  had  set  in  like  a  returning  tide. 

Soon  after  his  assumption  of  duty  the  Governor 
undertook  an  extended  tour,  in  the  course  of  which 
he  visited  the  Eastern  Districts,  Bloemfontein,  the 
Diamond  Fields  and  Basutoland.  The  Basuto  requested 
to  be  brought  directly  under  the  Queen's  government 
rather  than  under  a  Colonial  administration.  The 
Diamond  Fields  were  in  a  condition  of  growing  unrest.^ 

Responsible  GoYernment  once  more. — In  opening 
Parliament  on  April  27,  1871,  the  Governor  referred  to 
the  inadequacy  of  the  machinery  of  administration 
that  existed  in  the  Colony,  and  suggested  that  some 
system  of  responsible  government  should  be  introduced. 
On  this  question  the  Governor  acted  independently  of 
the  Executive  Council,  which  held  a  different  view. 
On  June  1,  Mr.  Molteno,  the  Member  for  Beaufort 
West,  introduced  in  tlie  House  of  Assembly  a  motion 
affirming  the  desirability  of — 

(a)  ResiK>nsible  government,  and 

(b)  Federation  between  the  different  South  African 

States. 
After  a  long  debate  the  motion  was  carried.  A  Bill 
embodying  the  principle  of  the  first  part  of  the  motion 
was  drafted ;  this  passed  the  House  of  Assembly,  but 
was  thiown  out  by  the  Legislative  Council  on  the  fii*st 
reading. 

During  the  session  of  1871  Basutoland  was  annexed 
by  Act  of  Parliament  to  the  Cape  Colony,  and  measures 
•  See  Chapters  XV.  and  XVI. 


294 


A  History  of  South  Africa 


were  enacted  providing  for  the  improvement  of  the 
harbours  at  Port  Elizabeth  and  East  London.  A 
company  which  had  been  formed  with  the  object  of 
constructing  a  railway  and  a  telegraph  line  between 
Port  Elizabeth  and  Uitenhage,  was  incorporated. 

Federation. — In  the  meantime  a  commission  had 
been  apijointed  to  inquire  into  and  report  upon  the 
question  of  federation.  In  proroguing  Parliament  the 
Governor  expressed  his  regret  at  the  defeat  of  the  Bill 
providing  for  the  introduction  of  responsible  govern- 
ment. 


TABLE    MOUNTAIN,    FEOM   KLOOF   NECK. 

In  February  a  disastrous  flood  occurred  at  Victoria 
West.  One  night  a  cloud-burst  took  place  in  the  valley 
in  which  the  village  stands.  The  torrent  rushed  down 
and  swept  away  more  than  thirty  dwellings  ;  sixty-two 
persons  were  drowned. 

Responsible  GoYernment  introduced. — Public  opinion 
in  the  Cape  Colony  was  steadily  growing  in  favour 
of  responsible  government.  When  Parliament  met  in 
\  1872  a  Bill  embodying  the  principle  was  introduced  as 
a  Government  measure  and  passed  by  both  Houses. 
Henceforth  Cape  Colony  was  to  be  governed  through 


The  Cape  Colony— Responsible  Government    295 

a  ministry  which  eould  hold  office  only  so  long  as  it 
retained  the  confidence  of  Parliament.  The  ministry 
<  )r  cabinet  was  to  be  comi)osed  of  the  Colonial  Secretary, 
the  Attorney-General,  the  Treasurer-General,  the  Com- 
missioner of  Crown  Lands  and  Public  Works,  and  the 
Secretary  for  Native  Affairs.  One  or  more  Ministers 
without  i)ortfolio  and  drawing  no  salaiy  might  be 
included.  Mr.  J.  C.  Molteno  was  the  first  Prune 
Minister. 

Development. — Between  1868  and  1872  the  imports 
of  the  colony  liad  risen  from  £1,883,590  to  £4,210,526; 
tlie  exports  from  £2,215,881  to  £4,666,071,  and  the 
revenue  from  £595,556  to  £1,039,886.  The  University 
at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  was  constituted  and  es- 
tablished by  Act  of  Parliament  in  1873.  In  1877  a 
Royal  Charter  recognising  its  degrees  w^as  issued. 

Lord  GarnaPYon  favours  Federation. — In  the  mean 
time  a  change  had  come  over  public  opinion  in  Great 
Britain  on  the  subject  of  the  Colonies.  The  spirit 
which  had  uncompromisingly  opposed  expansion  was 
now  dead,  and  Imperialism  had  been  born.  Lord 
Carnarvon,  the  Secretary  of  State,  was  desirous  of 
bringing  about  federation  of  all  South  African  States. 
The  subject  was  mentioned  in  the  Queen's  Speech 
closing  the  Session  in  April,  1875,  and  also  by  Mr. 
Disraeli,  the  Prime  Minister,  at  the  Lord  Mayor's 
Banquet.  The  idea  underlying  this  policy  was  ex- 
cellent ;  it  had  many  supporters  in  South  Africa — even 
in  the  Republics — where  the  people  were  still  smarting 
under  a  sense  of  injustice  caused  by  the  annexation  of 
the  Diamond  Fields.  But  Lord  Carnarvon  failed  to 
realise  that  the  impulse  towards  such  a  development 
as  federation  had  to  be  spontaneous,  and  that  by 
attempting  to  coerce  the  various  states  into  adopting 
his  scheme  he  destroyed  all  possibility  of  its  success. 
A  conference  on  the  subject  assembled  in  London  in 
1 876.  At  this  neither  the  Cape  Colony  nor  the  Trans- 
\iial  was  represented.  The  House  of  Assembly  at 
Cape  Town  had  already  affirmed  the  principle  that 
any  movement  towards  federation  should  origmate 
from  the  Government  of  the  Colony  acting  in  concert 
w  ith  the  Legislature. 


CHAPTER    XXIII 

(To  1899) 

The  Cape  Colony— Bechuanaland— Rhodesia 

Native  Unrest.— The  Ninth  Kaffir  War.— Defeat  of  the 
Gcalekas. — In  1876  there  were  unmistakable  signs  of 
unrest  among  the  Natives  in  the  Transkei.  Thousands  of 
the  Xosas  had  been  at  work  on  the  Diamond  Fields  and 
had  there  been  permitted  to  obtain  arms.  Kreli's  army 
now  numbered  about  twelve  thousand  men,  and  there 
were  other  clans  whose  relationship  to,  and  sympathy 
with  the  Gcalekas  made  it  certain  that  in  the  event  of 
an  outbreak  they  too  would  rise.  The  Gcalekas,  whose 
numbers  had  largely  increased,  cast  jealous  eyes  upon 
the  adjacent  territory  occupied  by  the  Fingos.  In 
August,  1877,  a  wedding-feast  was  held  at  the  kraal  of 
one  Ncaicibi,  near  Bvitterworth,  and  close  to  the  Gcaleka 
border.  This  feast  was  attended  by  two  of  Kreli's 
petty  chiefs  and  their  followers.  A  quarrel  took  place  ; 
one  Gcaleka  was  killed  and  the  two  chiefs  were  badly 
beaten.  The  war-cry  sounded  and  Kreli's  warriors 
mustered  to  be  doctored  for  war.  Then  the  Gcalekas 
poured  over  the  Fingo  border  and  raided  stock.  On 
September  23  an  engagement  took  place  at  Gwadana. 
Inspector  Chalmers  of  the  Police  with  eighty  Europeans 
and  1500  Fingos  were  attacked  by  a  Gcaleka  army  some 
5000  strong.  The  force  had  to  fall  back  on  Ibeka  with 
a  loss  of  its  only  field-piece,  the  carriage  of  which  had 
broken  down.  The  Fingos  were  scattered,  the  Sub- 
Inspector  and  six  of  the  Mounted  Police  were  killed. 
The  police  camp  at  Ibeka,  where  Colonel  Griffiths  was  in 
command,  was  attacked  on  the  29th  and  30th  by  a  con- 
siderable Gcaleka  army,  which,  however,  was  beaten 
off  with  heavy  loss.  In  the  mean  time  large  reinforce- 
ments were  assembled ;  these  included  Mounted  Police, 


The  Cape  Colony-  Bechuanaland     Rhodesia    297 

N'ohmteers,  a  levy  of  Finpos,  and  a  contingent  8iii)plied 
by  Gangclizwo,  the  Tenibu  chief.  Sevei-al  engagements 
followed,  in  all  of  which  the  Gcalekas  were  defeated. 
By  the  end  of  Octol^er  the  enemy  had  been  driven 
across  the  Bashec  with  heavy  loss  of  both  men  and 
<vittlc. 

Disbandment  of  Volunteers.  War  Renewed.-  The 
Rebellion  Spreads. — A  nnniber  of  the  Volunteers  were 
now  flisbanded,  but  it  was  soon  found  that  the  war 
was  by  no  means  at  an  end.  The  Gcalekas,  after 
having  placed  their  women  and  children  in  safety  in 
the  Bomvana  country,  returned  and  renewed  the 
attack.  By  the  end  of  December  the  rebellion  had 
spread  westward  across  the  Kei  and  most  of  the 
Rarab^  clans,  as  well  as  a  number  of  Tembus  in  the 
Herschel  District,  had  risen.  In  this  upheaval  Sandile 
took  the  lead.  On  February  7,  1878,  a  decisive  battle 
was  fought  near  Kentani,  where  Captain  Upcher  was  in 
command  of  436  Euroi>eans  and  560  Fingos.  The  camp 
was  attacked  by  a  mixed  force  of  Gcalekas  and  Gaikas  ; 
both  Kreli  and  Sandile  were  present.  The  attack  was 
led  by  one  Xito,  the  war  doctor,  who  had  promised  that 
his  incantations  would  preserve  the  tribesmen  from 
injury  by  the  bullets  of  the  Europeans.  The  Natives 
fought  with  great  bravery,  but  soon  realised  to  their 
cost  that  Xito's  charms  had  been  proved  worthless,  so 
they  broke  and  fled.  Kreli  once  more  crossed  the 
Bashee ;  Sandile  returned  to  Colonial  territory  and 
with  his  followers  took  refuge  in  the  great  Perie  Forest 
on  the  eastward  slojie  of  the  Amatole  Range.  Here  he 
was  shot  in  a  skirmish  on  May  29.  The  territory 
betw^een  the  Kei  and  the  Bashee  was  now  parcelled 
out  into  districts  over  which  magistrates  were  placed. 

Moirosi,  Chief  of  the  Baphuti  clan,  located  close  to 
Quithing  in  Southern  Basutoland,  defied  the  Govern- 
ment and  went  into  rebellion.  This  chief  occupied  a 
natural  fortress  of  great  strength,  which  was  besieged 
for  many  months  by  the  Colonial  Forces,  and  was  only 
taken  after  desperate  fighting. 

The  "  Peace  Preservation  Act."  The  Basuto  War.— 
In  1878  an  Act  entitled  the  "  Peace  Preservation  Act," 
providing  for  the  disai-mament  of  Native  tribes  within 
the  Colony  and  in  the  adjacent  territories,  wa<  p;i--('d 
by  the  Colonial  Parliament.     In  1880  an  attenii)i   was 


298 


A  History  of  South  Africa 


made   to   apply  this   Act  to  Basutoland.     The  Prime 
Minister,  Sir  Gordon   Sprigg,   attended   a  "Pitso"  or 


General  Assembly  of  the  People,  and  explained  the 
object  of  the  enactment.  The  Basuto  had  for  years 
past  been  encouraged  to  go  to  work  at  the  mines,  on 


The  Cape  Colony— Bechuanaland    Rhodesia    299 

I  he  tacit  understanding  that  at  the  end  of  their  period 
ot*  service  they  were  to  be  i^ennitted  to  obtain  guns. 
These  they  now  refused  to  surrender,  and  war  followtjd. 
This  was  the  first  canii)aign  of  any  magnitude  carried 
on  solely  by  Colonial  troops.  The  Basuto  fought  with 
great  courage.  When  the  first  European  column 
crossed  the  border  a  troop  of  yeomanry  on  the  left 
fiank  were  charged  by  the  enemy  at  the  foot  of  the 
Kalibani  Hill  and  nearly  forty  slain  with  battle-axes. 
The  Basuto  invariably  adopted  mounted  infantry 
tactics  unless  Avhen  defending  fortified  positions. 
Pierce  but  fruitless  attacks  were  made  by  each  side. 
Eventually,  after  heavy  losses,  a  compromise  was 
arrived  at.  The  Basuto  made  a  show  of  submission 
by  surrendering  a  few  thousand  inferior  cattle,  but 
they  retained  their  guns. 

War  in  Griqualand  East.— Action  of  the  Amabaca. 
— The  war  fever  spread  over  the  Drakensberg  into 
Griqualand  East,  as  No  Man's  Land  was  now  called. 
The  Pondomisi  tribe  under  Umhlonhlo  rebelled  and 
murdered  their  magistrate,  Mr.  Hope.  The  Quati  clan 
under  Dalasili,  located  on  the  upjier  reaches  of  the 
Bashee,  also  sounded  the  war-cry.  There  was  great 
danger  that  the  Pondos  and  other  tribes  in  the  vicinity 
would  also  rise,  but  the  Bacas  under  Makaula  in  the 
district  of  Mount  Frere  declared  for  the  Government, 
attacked  the  Pondomisi  at  the  ford  of  the  Tina,  and 
defeated  them.  There  is  no  doubt  that  this  action 
of  Makaula  stemmed  the  flowing  tide  against  the 
Europeans  and  prevented  a  serious  catastrophe.  A 
large  force  of  Colonial  troops  took  the  field  against  the 
Quatis  and  the  Pondomisi.  The  Natives  were  defeated 
and  driven  into  the  forests ;  all  their  cattle  were 
cai)tured.  Dalasile,  the  Quati  chief,  was  taken 
prisoner ;  Umhlonhlo  became  a  fugitive  in  Basutoland 
with  a  price  on  his  head. 

Sir  Bartle  Frere. — Sir  Bartle  Frere,  a  distinguished 
Indian  administrator,  succeeded  Sir  Henry  Barkly  as 
Governor  and  High  Conmiissioner  in  1877.  He  came  to 
South  Africa  as  a  convinced  and  confessed  supporter 
of  Lord  Carnarvon's  ))olicy  of  confederation.  But  Sir 
Bartle  Fi-ei-e,  too,  failed  to  realise  that  South  Africa 
could  not  be  hurried  along  the  difficult  path  of  national 
development. 


300  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Sir  Hercules  Robinson. — In  1880  a  resolution  in 
favour  of  federation  was  introduced  into  the  Cape 
Parliament  by  the  Prime  Minister,  but  in  the  face  of 
considerable  opposition  was  withdrawn.  Upon  this 
being  reported  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  Sir  Bartle 
Frere  was  recalled.  He  was'sueceeded  by  Sir  Hercules 
Robinson. 

The  Afrikander  Bond. — It  was  at  this  period  that 
the  Afrikander  Bond  came  into  existence.  The  Bond 
was  a  political  association  mainly  composed  of  Dutch 
farmers  which,  at  its  inception,  declared  its  ultimate 
aim  to  be  a  united  South  Africa  under  its  own  flag. 
At  the  same  time  the  existing  form  of  government  was 
explicitly  accepted.  In  1883  the  Bond  amalgamated 
with  the  Farmers'  Protection  Society.  Later  the 
association  came  under  the  control  of  Mr.  Jan  Hendrik 
Hofmeyr.  A  new  constitution  w^as  adopted  in  1887  ; 
from  this  all  provisions  capable  of  being  construed  as 
anti-British  were  eliminated.  Later,  the  Bond  joined 
forces  with  the  South  African  Party  in  Parliament 
against  the  Progressives. 

During  1882  there  occurred  an  outbreak  of  virulent 
small-pox.  The  mortality  in  the  poorer  quarters  of 
Cape  Town  was  very  severe. 

Dis-annexation  of  Basutoland. — Basutoland  remained 
in  a  condition  of  ferment  after  the  war.  An  Act  w^as 
passed  in  1883  dis-annexing  the  country.  On  Novem- 
ber 28  a  "Pitso"  was  held  at  which  Captain  Blytli, 
the  resident,  explained  to  the  people  the  terms  upon 
which  the  British  Government  would  take  over  the 
country  and  assume  responsibility  for  its  administra- 
tion.    Next  year  Basutoland  became  a  Crown  Colony. 

Annexation  by  Germany. — In  1884  an  immense  tract 
in  South- West  Africa  was  annexed  by  Germany.  This, 
as  arranged  by  subsequent  treaty,  included  the  Atlantic 
Coast  between  Cape  Frio  and  the  movith  of  the  Orange 
River,  and  included  all  the  country  eastward  to  the 
tw^entieth  meridian,  besides  a  strip  in  the  extreme 
north-east  extending  to  the  Zambezi.  From  the  tract 
are  excluded  the  Guano  Islands,  twelve  in  number,  on 
the  coast  of  Great  Namaqvialand,  and  Walfish  Bay  with 
a  hinterland  of  four  hundred  square  miles.  The  Guano 
Islands  had  been  in  the  possession  of  the  Cape  Colony 
since  1874.     Walfish  Bay  was  annexed  by  Great  Britain 


The  Cape  Colony —Bechuanaland—Rhodesia    301 

ill  1878,  but  was  handed  over  to  the  Cape  Colony  in 
1S84. 

Complications  in  Bechuanaland. — Under  the  Keate 
Award,  whicli  is  tioati'd  of  in  another  chapter,  that 
ast  territory,  portions  of  which  are  occupied  by 
liechuana,  Batlapin  or  Barolong  tribes,  usually  called 
Bechuanaland  and  which  lies  U)  the  eastward  of  the 
Ivalihari  Desert,  had  been  cut  off  from  the  Transvaal. 
The  chiefs  of  these  tribes  quarrelled  frequently  among 
themselves,  and  a  considerable  number  of  Euroi>ean 
adventurers,  principally  from  the  Transvaal,  were  at- 
tiacted  by  offers  of  land  U)  assist  respectively  the 
\  arious  disputants.  After  these  adventurers  had  be- 
(•<mie  sufficiently  numerous,  they  banded  themselves 
together  in  two  communities  and  seized  large  tracts  of 
land  in  which  they  established  republics.  One  of  these 
was  named  Stellaland  and  the  other  Goschen.  Later 
these  amalgamated,  and  the  more  reckless  spirits 
founded  yet  another  republic,  Avhich  was  called  Rooi 
Grond.  The  Batlapin  Chief,  Mankorane,  and  the  Baro- 
long Chief,  Montsoia,  complained  to  the  British  Govern- 
ment and  asked  for  assistance.  The  situation  was 
complicated  by  the  South  African  Republic  proclaiming 
a  Protectorate  over  the  territory  involved.  There  was 
considerable  anarchy ;  several  British  subjects  were 
murdered.  With  the  object  of  restoring  order,  and 
securing  the  trade  route  to  the  North,  the  British 
Government  despatched  an  expedition  to  Bechuanaland 
under  Sir  Charles  Warren  in  1884. 

A  Protectorate  declared. — ^^A  Protectorate  was  estab- 
lished,  the  Reverend  John  Mackenzie,  an  experienced 
missionary,  being  appointed  British  Resident.  He  held 
office  only  for  a  few  months  and  was  succeeded  for  a 
short  period  by  Cecil  John  Rhodes,  who  was  now  coming 
into  political  prominence.  A  meeting  took  place  be- 
tween President  Kruger  and  the  Cape  Premier,  alid  an 
agreement  was  arrived  at  on  the  following  ba^is — 

(1)  Montsoia,  who  had  been  driven  from  his  country, 

was  to  be  reinstated. 

(2)  The  claims  of  freebooters  to  land  were  not  to  be 

recognised. 

(3)  The  Imperial  Government  was  to  administer  the 

whole  territory  until  the  government  of  the 
CaiHj  Colony  was  ready  to  take  it  over. 


302  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Expedition  of  Sir  Charles  Warren.— The  British 
force  was  not  resisted.  A  satisfactory  settlement,  to 
the  terms  of  which  the  Native  Chiefs  gladly  assented, 
was  effected.  Sir  Charles  Warren's  proceedings  did  not 
meet  with  the  approval  of  Mr.  Rhodes  or  Sir  Hercules 
Robinson,  the  High  Commissioner.  But  the  Secretary 
of  State  nevertheless  endorsed  what  had  been  done. 
Bechuanaland  was  created  a  Crown  Colony,  and  Judge 
— afterwards  Sir— Sydney  Shippard  was  appointed 
Administrator.  The  railway  from  Cape  Town  to  the 
north  reached  Kimberley  in  1885  ;  that  to  Colesberg 
vid  Cradock  was  completed  during  the  same  year.  The 
latter  was  extended  to  Pretoria  in  1893.  A  railway 
from  East  London  linked  up  with  the  line  from  Port 
Elizabeth  at  Springfontein,  in  the  Orange  Free  State. 

Improved  Conditions  in  Basutoland. — Basvitoland 
continued  in  a  state  of  anarchy.  There  were  fierce 
inter-tribal  fights,  and  on  several  occasions  the  territory 
of  the  Orange  Free  State  was  violated.  Colonel — after- 
wards Sir — Marshal  Clarke  was  appointed  British  Resi- 
dent, and  under  his  beneficent  rule  order  soon  succeeded 
chaos.  By  1886  the  country  had  completely  settled 
down  and  the  consumption  of  brandy,  which  had  been 
introduced  with  the  connivance  of  some  of  the  chiefs, 
was  very  much  reduced. 

Yine  Disease. — In  1886  the  Phylloxera  vastatrix 
threatened  the  vineyards  of  the  Cape  with  extinction, 
but  by  means  of  the  introduction  of  resistant  stocks 
the  evil  was  overcome. 

Amendment  of  the  Franchise  Law.— An  important 
amendment  to  the  franchise  law  was  enacted  in  1887. 
The  gist  of  it  was  as  follows  :  "No  person  shall  be 
entitled  to  register  as  a  voter  by  reason  of  his  sharing 
in  any  communal  or  tribal  occupation."  In  1892  the 
property  qualification  was  raised  from  £25  to  £75.  The 
effect  of  these  alterations  was  to  disfranchise  a  large 
number  of  Natives  who  lived  in  locations. 

The  Diamond  Fields.— Growth  of  Corporations. — 
In  the  early  days  of  the  Diamond  Fields  the  individual 
digger  worked  his  claim  Avith  the  aid  of  a  few  labourers, 
but  as  the  excavations  at  the  Dry  Diggings  grew  deeper 
and  deeper,  many  difficulties  arose.  Of  these  the 
principal  were  in  connection  with  the  inflow  of  water 
and  the  falling  of  the  "  Reef  "  as  the  friable  surface  of 


The  Cape  Colony— Bechuanaland— Rhodesia    303 

theeontaininK  volcanic  pipe  was  tn  iiicd.  Mmdv  dlKgers 
sold  their  claims  to  HjHJculators  ;  later,  (•()ini)anic.s  were 
formed.  Later  still  the  princii)al  mines  fell  into  the 
hands  of  a  few  cori)orations.  The  most  important 
muie  of  all  was  that  at  Kimberley  ;  next  in  importance 
was  the  otic  known  as  Dc  Beers. 

Cecil  John  Rhodes.  The  Mines  Amalgamated. — 
The  former  was  controlled  by  Mr.  Barnard  Barnato, 
the  latter  by  Mr.  Cecil  John  Rhodes.  After  a  great 
struggle  Rhodes  obtained  the  mastery,  and  the  whole 
group  of  mines  known  as  the  "  Dry  Diggings "  was 
amalgamated  as  one  vast  corpMDration.  In  drawing  the 
trust  deed,  Mr.  Rhodes  inserted  a  proviso  giving  the 
De  Beers  Diamond  Mining  Co.,  as  the  corporation  was 
called,  the  right  to  spend  its  resources  on  practically 
any  objcjct  approved  of  by  the  directorate.  It  was  this 
proviso  that  enabled  the  British  South  Africa  Company 
subsequently  to  acquire  and  open  up  Rhodesia  and 
secure  the  vast  territories  beyond  the  Zambezi. 

Customs  Convention. — Treaty  with  Lo  Bengula. — 
In  1888  a  Customs  Convention  was  entered  into  by  the 
various  South  African  States,  excepting  the  Transvaal, 
which  held  aloof.  In  terms  of  this  a  general  ad  raloretn 
tariff  of  12  per  cent,  was  imposed,  with  higher  duties 
on  wines  and  tobacco.  A  treaty  of  peace  and  amity 
was  concluded  betAveen  the  High  Commissioner  and 
Lo  Bengula,  King  of  the  Matabele,  and  the  huge  tract 
between  the  Zambezi  and  the  Transvaal  and  as  far  west- 
Avard  a^  the  twentieth  degree  of  longitude  was  pro- 
claimed as  within  the  sphere  of  British  influence. 

Sir  Henry  Loch.  -Bank  Failures. — Sir  Hercules 
Robinson  retired  from  his  post  in  1889  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Sir  Henry  Loch,  Governor  of  Victoria.  In 
1890  public  credit  received  a  serious  shock  through  the 
failure  of  two  banks — "  The  Cape  of  Gotxi  Hope,"  and 
the  "  Union."  In  the  case  of  the  latter,  the  shares 
imposed  unlimited  liability  uix)n  those  who  held  them ; 
consecjuently,  many  people  were  ruined. 

The  British  South  Africa  Company.  Rhodesia. — 
Mr,  Cecil  John  Rhodes  and  a  few  of  his  colleagues 
obtained  a  concession  of  mining  and  trading  priAdleges 
in  Matabeieland.  The  British  South  Africa  Company 
was  formed  and  granted  a  Chartin-  by  the  Imperial 
Government.    The  extension  of  its  oi>erations  to  the 


304  A  History  of  South  Africa 

Beehuanaland  Protectorate  and  the  country  north  of 
'the  Zambezi  as  far  as  Lake  Tanganyika  Avas  sanctioned. 
The  territory  was  named  Rhodesia. 

The  Pioneer  Expedition. — A  police  force  was  raised 
and  a  Pioneer  Expedition  traversed  Southern  Matabele- 
land  and  entered  Mashonaland.  The  extension  of  rail- 
way and  telegraph  lines  northward  from  Kimberley 
was  begun.  In  1890  Mr.  Rhodes  became  Prime  Minister 
'  of  the  Cape  Colony. 

A  Census. — According  to  a  census  taken  in  1891  the 
population  of  the  Cape  Colony  was  as  follows : — 

Europeans 376,987 

Kaffirs 608,456 

Fingos 229,680 

Hottentots 50,388 

Malays 13,907 

Other  coloured  persons  .     .     .  247,806 

Total  .     .     .       1,527,224 

Export  of  Fruit.— In  1893  a  Fruit  Growers'  Associa- 
tion was  formed  in  the  Western  Province.  The  export 
of  fruit  had  now  become  a  very  important  industry, 
and  the  trade  obtained  facijlities  from  the  Administra- 
tion which  placed  it  upon  a  satisfactory  basis. 

War  in  Rhodesia. — In  July  war  broke  out  in 
Rhodesia.  A  Matabele  impi  raided  the  environs  of  the 
village  of  Victoria  and  slew  a  number  of  Natives  in  the 
employ  of  Europeans.  No  satisfaction  could  be  ob- 
tained from  the  King.  Four  hastily-gathered  columns 
converged  upon  Buluwayo,  the  Royal  residence.  The 
Matabele  were  defeated  in  several  pitched  battles.  Lo 
Bengula  fled  northward  ;  Major  Wilson  with  a  party 
of  thirty-flve  pursued  him  closely,  but  was  cut  off  by 
the  King's  bodyguard.  After  a  desperate  fight  the 
brave  band  was  slain  to  a  man.  Soon  the  Matabele 
submitted,  the  township  of  Buluwayo  was  founded  on 
the  site  of  Lo  Bengula's  blood-stained  kraal,  and  the 
general  administration  of  the  country  undertaken  by 
the  Chartered  Company. 

The  Glen  Grey  Act. — In  1894  an  important  measure 
was  introduced  by  Mr.  Rhodes,  and  passed  by  the  Cape 
Parliament.  This  was  the  "  Glen  Grey  Act."  The 
measure  was  permissive ;  it  provided  for  the  survey  of 


The  Cape  Colony— Bechuanaland     Rhodesia    305 

hincl,  and  the  substitution  of  individual  for  communal 
tcniu'e  in  areas  occupied  by  Natives.  Each  district  had 
.1  council ;  representatives  of  the  district  councils  met 
and  formed  a  General  Council,  which  had  taxing  and 
-jx'ndinK  powers.  Road -making,  the  formation  of 
plantations,  and  industrial  education  were  also  under 
I  lie  control  of  the  General  Council.  This  system,  which 
lias  since  been  applied  throughout  the  Native  Territories, 
lias  had  most  excellent  results. 

Annexation  of  Pondoland. — During  the  same  year 
Pondoland  was  aiinoxed  ;  a  Protectorate  had  been  pro- 
claimed over  this  territory  in  1887.  Pondoland  was 
Ihe  last  independent  Native  state  south  of  Natal.  In 
1895  British  Bechuanaland  became  a  portion  of  the 
Ca|:)e  Colony.  Sir  Henry  Loch  retired,  and  Sir  Hercules 
Robinson  (afterwards  Loi'd  Rosmead)  returned  to 
South  Africa  as  Governor  of  the  Cape  Colony  and  High 
Commissioner. 

In  1896  the  Batlapin,  a  degraded  Bantu  tribe  located 
in  Southern  Bechuanaland,  went  into  rebellion,  in  which 
they  were  joined  by  many  waifs  and  strays  from  other 
tribes.  Under  a  leader  named  Luka  Jantje  the  rebels 
took  refuge  in  the  arid  fastnesses  of  the  Lange  Bergen. 
A  long  and  troublesome  campaign  followed ;  in  this 
\vere  engaged  police,  volunteers,  and  Native  levies.  It 
was  nearly  ten  months  before  the  rebellion  was  crushed. 

The  Rinderpest. — For  several  years  it  had  been 
known  that  the  plague  of  rinderpest  was  steadily 
advancing  from  the  north,  destroying  practically  every 
bovine  animal.  Herds  of  buffalos  lay  dead  on  its  traek. 
Various  devices,  such  as  fencing,  were  adopted  with 
the  view  of  fending  off  the  scourge,  but  it  leaped  over 
every  obstacle.  In  the  middle  of  1897,  the  disease 
broke  out  in  the  Native  Territories.  Fortunately  Dr. 
Koch  had  discovered  that  the  bile  of  infected  animals 
injected  into  those  that  were  uninfected  fortified  the 
latter  against  the  disease.  It  was  found  difficult  to 
induce  the  Natives  to  permit  the  application  of  the  bile 
treatment  to  their  herds.  In  many  instances  whole 
districts  were  cleared  of  cattle.  In  others,  where  the 
treatment  was  adopted,  a  fair  proportion  were  saved. 
By  the  time  the  rinderpest  had  reached  the  herds  of 
the  Euroi^eans,  organisations  for  the  application  of  the 
bile   treatment  had    been    established,   and    thus   the 

X 


3o6  A  History  of  South  Africa 

course  of  the  disease  was  stemmed.  Had  it  not  been 
for  Dr.  Koch's  magnificent  discovery  widespread  ruin 
Avould  have  resulted. 

Resignation  of  Mr.  Rhodes.— The  Matabele  Rebellion. 
»  — On  account  of  his  complicity  in  the  Jameson  Raid, 
Mr.  Rhodes  resigned  the  Prime  Ministership  and  retired 
to  Rhodesia.  During  the  absence  of  Dr.  Jameson  and 
his  force,  the  Matabele  arose  in  rebellion  in  March,  1896, 
and  murdered  141  Europeans.  The  Imperial  Govern- 
ment sent  troops  to  assist  in  suppressing  the  revolt, 
under  the  command  of  Sir  Frederick  Carrington.  For 
five  months  a  severe  struggle  lasted.  The  Matabele 
found  they  could  make  no  stand  against  European 
arms  in  the  open ;  accordingly  they  took  refuge  in  the 
rugged  Matoppo  Mountains,  from  which  it  was  found 
practically  impossible  to  dislodge  them.  A  conference 
with  the  chiefs  was  arranged,  and  with  great  bravery 
Mr.  Rhodes,  with  four  companions,  ventured  unarmed 
into  the  rebel  fastnesses  and  arranged  terms  of  peace. 

Sir  Alfred  Milner.— Sir  Hercules  Robinson,  now 
Lord  Rosmead,  retired,  and  was  succeeded  as  Governor 
and  High  Commissioner  by  Sir  Alfred  Milner. 

Sir  Gordon  Sprigg  became  Prime  Minister  as  Leader 
of  the  Progressive  Party,  upon  the  resignation  of 
Mr.  Rhodes.  A  Redistribution  Act  was  passed  in  1898. 
This  placed  the  Sprigg  Ministry  in  a  minority,  so  in 
the  following  year  Mr.  William  Philip  Schreiner  took 
office  with  a  Ministry  representing  the  South  African 
Party.  In  1900,  during  the  early  stages  of  the  war 
with  the  Republics,  the  Schreiner  Ministry  resigned 
and  \yas  succeeded  by  one  under  Sir  Gordon  Sprigg. 


CHAPTER   XXIV 
(To  1910) 

The  South  Africa  Commonwealth 

Lord  Milner  as  High  Commissioner  and  Governor 
of  the  Conquered  Republics. — Sir  Walter  Hely  Hutchin- 
son.— Lord  Milner,  retaining  his  functions  as  High  Com- 
missioner, was  appointed  Governor  of  the  conquered 
and  annexed  Republics,  which  were  named  respectively, 
"  The  Transvaal  Colony,"  and  "  The  Orange  River 
Colony."  Sir  Walter  Hely  Hutchinson,  the  Governor 
of  Natal,  succeeded  Lord  Milner  as  Governor  of  the 
Cape  Colony. 

An  agitation  having  for  its  object  the  suspension  of 
the  Cape  Constitution  followed  on  the  proclamation 
of  peace.  This  was  supported  by  Mr.  Rhodes  and  the 
Progressive  Party,  and  had  the  approval  of  Lord 
Milner.  The  petition  in  favour  of  suspension  was  re- 
fused. There  happened  to  be  a  gathering  of  the  prime 
ministers  of  the  self-governing  colonies  in  London  at 
the  time  when  it  was  presented,  and  their  opinion  was 
strongly  averse  to  the  proposal. 

Death  of  Cecil  John  Rhodes.— His  Career. — Mr. 
Rhodes,  whose  health  had  been  failing  for  some  time, 
died  at  Kalk  Bay  on  March  26,  1902,  before  the  thunder 
of  the  guns  had  ceased.  According  to  his  wish,  the 
body  of  the  great  Empire-Builder  was  removed  for 
burial  to  the  Matoppo  Hills.  Cecil  John  Rhodes  came 
to  Natal  in  1870,  and  began  his  career  as  a  cofFee- 
planter.  He  made  an  immense  fortune  at  the  Diamond 
Fields,  and  entered  public  life  as  a  member  of  the 
House  of  Assembly  for  Barkly  West  in  1881.  He  and 
Paul  Kruger  were  imdoubtedly  the  two  gi-eatest  men 
of  their  generation  in  South  Africa.  Rhodes  stood  for 
British  dominion ;  Kruger  for  a  state  in  which  Dutch 


3o8 


A  History  of  South  Africa 


ideals  should  be  dominant.  Both  were  conscientious. 
The  Dutchman  failed  to  keei)  pace  with  the  develop- 
ments of  the  age  ;  his  outlook  was  that  of  a  dweller  in 
the  early  seventeenth  century.  The  Bible  was  to  him 
what  the  Koran  is  to  the  orthodox  Mahommedan.     Its 


Photo :  W.  (b  D.  Downey,  57,  Ebury  Street,  London.] 

THE   EIGHT   HON.    CECIL   J.    RHODES. 


tenets  covered  all  spheres  of  human  activity ;  all  know- 
ledge outside  its  scope  Avas  superfluous  and  therefore 
negligible.  And  his  mental  poise  was  such  that  he  was 
apt  to  regard  the  teaching  of  the  Old  Testament  as 
more  authoritative  than  that  of  the  New.     Herein  lay 


The  South  Africa  Commonwealth 


309 


his  strenj^th  and  his  weakness.  The  Englishman's  mind 
outstripped  the  natural  development  of  his  environ- 
ment ;  he  sought  for  fruit  before  the  blossoms  had 
fallen.  The  traveller  who  keejjs  to  the  high-road 
usually  reaches  the  end  of  the  journey  before  the  one 
n  lio  takes  short  cuts. 

Death  of  Paul  Kruger. — Within  a  little  more  than 
two  years  Paul  Kruger  followed  his  great  opi^onent  to 


PhoU>:  EUinttJkFni.] 

PRESIDENT   KRUGER. 


the  grave.  He  died  an  exile  in  Switzerland  (1904). 
His  body  was  brought  back  to  South  Africa  and  laid 
to  rest  in  Pretoria,  the  capital  of  the  state  he  had 
so  ably  helped  to  found,  and  in  whose  tragic  and 
momentous  history  he  had  played  so  strenuous  a  part. 
Mr.  Chamberlain  visits  South  Africa.— In  1003 
Mr.  Chambcilain  visited  South  Africa  and  undertook 
an  extended  t<mr,  in  the  course  of  which  he  listened 
to  expressions  of  the  views  of  various  political  parties. 


3IO  A  History  of  South  Africa 

He  held  out  no  immediate  hope  of  constitutions  being 
granted  to  the  new  Colonies.     Nominated  Legislative 
»  Councils  were  established.     In  these  the  Boer  leaders 
refused  to  accept  seats. 

The  *'  Premier  "  Diamond  Mine. — A  rich  diamond 
mine — "  The  Premier  " — was  discovered  in  the  Pretoria 
district.  In  1909  the  output  of  diamonds  had  reached 
1,877,486  carats,  valued  at  £1,176,680. 

The  Customs  Convention. — A  South  African  Customs 
Convention  came  into  force  in  1903.  This  provided  for 
preferential  treatment  of  imports  from  Great  Britain 
and  reciprocating  British  Colonies.  Such  were  allowed 
a  rebate  of  25  per  cent. 

Introduction  of  Chinese  Labour. — After  the  close 
of  the  war  there  was  a  scarcity  of  Native  labour  on 
the  Rand.  This  was,  under  the  circumstances,  only  to 
be  expected.  Then  the  mine-owners  decided  to  reduce 
the  rate  of  wages  by  nearly  50  per  cent.  To  meet  the 
deficiency  of  labour,  the  Legislative  Council  passed  an 
Ordinance  authorising  the  introduction  of  Chinese 
labour.  As  the  "  Annual  Register  "  somewhat  artlessly 
phrased  it :  "  the  mining  industry  and  the  official 
hierarchy  were  as  one  "  on  the  subject.  The  Secretary 
of  State  sanctioned  the  measure  and  at  once  a  stream 
of  Chinese  coolies  began  pouring  in.  In  1906  the 
number  on  the  Rand  was  51,427.  Outside  mining 
circles,  public  opinion  was  strongly  averse  to  the  in- 
troduction of  the  Chinese. 

Unsatisfactory  Results. — The  experiment  did  not 
work  smoothly.  It  was  found  impossible  to  confine  the 
Chinamen  to  their  compounds  ;  they  broke  out  from 
time  to  time  and  roamed  about  the  country  in  bands ; 
they  committed  atrocious  crimes.  Many  were  armed 
with  knives  nearly  a  yard  long.  Terror  reigned  in 
certain  localities  ;  lonely  farmhouses  were  in  a  state  of 
siege.  A  feeling  that  the  Chinamen  must  be  got  rid 
of  grew  throughout  South  Africa.  Both  Australia  and 
New^  Zealand  had  protested  against  their  introduction. 

Mr.  Chamberlain  resigned  his  position  as  Secretary 
of  State  for  the  Colonies  and  Avas  succeeded  by  Mr. 
Alfred  Lyttelton.  The  latter  i)ublished  the  draft  of  a 
limited  constitution  for  the  Transvaal,  but  not  for  the 
Orange  River  Colony.  However,  in  1905,  the  general 
election  placed  the  Liberal  party  in  power,  and  Lord 


The  South  Africa  Commonwealth  311 

lOl^in,  the  new  Secretary  of  State,  immediately  an- 
nounced that  full  responsible  government  would 
forthwith  be  granted  to  both  Colonies.  Pending  the 
constitution  for  the  Transvaal  coming  into  force,  he 
prohibited  any  further  introduction  of  Chinese.  At 
this  time  Lord  Milner  had  resigned,  and  Lord  Selborne 
had  been  appointed  High  Commissioner  and  Governor 
in  his  stead. 

A  Census. — A  general  election  held  in  the  Cape 
Colony  in  1004  gave  the  Progressive  Party  a  majority. 
This  was  increased  through  a  redistribution  measure 
which  was  shortly  afterwards  passed.  A  general 
anmesty  to  all  rebels,  ei^cept  those  convicted  of  murder, 
^vas  now  granted.  A  census  was  taken  throughout 
South  Africa;  it  showed  the  European  population  to 
be  1,135,016,  and  the  coloured  5,198,175.  In  1905,  Lero- 
tliodi,  paramount  chief  of  the  Basuto,  died.  He  was 
succeeded  by  his  son  Letsie.  The  shadow  of  general 
commercial  depression,  the  inevitable  consequence  of 
the  long  war,  fell  upon  South  Africa. 

Responsible  Government  granted  to  the  Annexed 
Republics. — In  190(5  full  responsible  government  was 
granted  to  the  two  new  Colonies  respectively.  It  was 
arranged  that  Native  Territories,  such  as  Swaziland, 
were  to  remain  under  direct  control  of  the  Crown. 
General  Botha  became  the  first  Prime  Minister  of  the 
Transvaal ;  Mr.  Abraham  Fischer  of  the  Orange  River 
Colony.  General  Botha  at  once  announced  that  no 
more  Chinese  would  be  introduced  and  that  those 
already  in  the  country  would  be  repatriated  at  the 
expiration  of  their  indentures.  Practically  no  difficulty 
has  been  experienced  in  providing  an  equivalent  in 
Native  labour. 

Native  Rebellion  in  Natal.— Native  unrest  in  Natal, 
due  to  imposition  of  a  poll  tax,  culminated  in  a  revolt. 
A  chief  named  Bambata  with  his  fighting  men  en- 
deavoured to  break  through  into  Zulidand.  About 
five  thousand  Colonial  troops  took  the  field.  Between 
three  and  four  thousand  Natives  were  killed,  with 
hardly  any  loss  to  the  Eui'opeans.  The  operations 
came  to  an  end  in  July. 

Commercial  Depression. — Distress  due  to  the  com- 
mercial depression  deepened  thix)ughout  South  Africa. 
In  Cape  Town  riots  took  ijlace. 


312 


A  History  of  South  Africa 


The  railway  bridge  across  the  vast  gorge  just  below 
the  Victoria  Falls  of  the  Zambesi  was  opened  for  traffic. 
Thus  another  stage  towards  the  realisation  of  one  of 
Mr.  Rhodes's  great  conceptions — the  Cape  to  Cairo 
Railway — had  been  attained. 

The    Asiatic     Registration    Act. — In  1907  the  New 


■ 

1 

i«f. 

^1 

^^^^^^1 

^H 

l^^^^^^^^^^^l 

■ 

1 

m4 

1^1 

B 

i 

'^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^M 

^^^^m-  ''*'  ,^P^ 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^11 

^H 

■■ 

nn 

£^?^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^|l 

Photo  :  Bussell  &  Sons.] 


THE   RIGHT   HON.    LOUIS    BOTHA. 


Parliament  of  the  Transvaal  met  at  Pretoria,  and  sat 
for  only  two  days.  But  one  measure  was  passed;  it 
met  with  the  support  of  both  political  parties.  It  had 
reference  to  the  registration  of  Asiatics.  At  this  time 
there  were  nearly  fifteen  thousand  Indians  in  the 
Transvaal,  many  of  whom  held  fraudulent  certificates 


The  South  Africa  Commonwealth  313 

of  rt'gistration.  There  was  considerable  agitation 
anioiig  the  Indians  against  the  methods  of  registration, 
\N  liich  included  the  giving  of  finger-print  impressions. 
A  widespread  movement  of  passive  resistance  followed. 
After  considerable  trouble  a  compromise  was  arrived 
at,  on  the  basis  of  i^ersons  voluntarily  registering  not 
being  re(iiiired  to  give  their  finger-prints.  At  Johannes- 
burg occurred  a  strike  of  white  miners,  which  for  a 
linio  threatened  to  disorganise  the  mining  industiy 


J'holo:  EUiott  A  Fry.] 

GENERAL   THE   HON.    J.    C.    SMUTS. 

Unrest  among  the  Zulus. — There  were  fresh 
symptoms  of  unrest  among  the  Zulus.  One  chief  who 
liad  distingiiished  himself  by  evincing  loyalty  to  the 
(iovernment  was  murdered.  Attempts  were  made  on 
I  lie  lives  of  several  other  loyal  chiefs.  An  exijedition 
was  sent  to  arrest  Dinizulu,  who,  however,  vohnitiirily 
gave  himself  up.  A  i)reparat<)ry  examination  in  the 
matter  of   a    number  of   charges  of   sedition  bi*ought 


314  A  History  of  South  Africa 

against  him  was  held  at  Maritzburg.  The  Chief  was 
subsequently  tried  and  acquitted  upon  all  but  two 
minor  charges.  Upon  these  he  was  somewhat  severely- 
sentenced.  Not  long  afterwards,  however,  he  received 
a  pardon. 

A  general  election  in  the  Cape  Colony  resulted  in 
a  sweeping  victory  for  the  South  African  Party.  Mr. 
Merriman  became  Prime  Minister ;  he  was  faced  with 
a  deficit  of  three  million  pounds.  Stringent  retrench- 
ment and  increased  taxation  followed. 

MoYement  towards  Closer  Union. — The  question  of 
closer  union  of  the  different  South  African  States 
was  now  engaging  general  attention.  It  was  recog- 
nised that  such  union  was  highly  advisable.  In  1895 
the  country  had  been  brought  to  the  verge  of  war 
through  President  Kruger  closing  the  drifts  of  the 
Vaal  River  in  favour  of  the  Delagoa  Bay  Railway^  and 
against  goods  imported  through  the  Cape  Colony.  It 
was  evident  that  the  varied  and  conflicting  interests  of 
the  different  States,  more  especially  in  regard  to  rail- 
way matters,  were  bound  in  course  of  time  to  lead  to 
practically  irreconcilable  disputes ;  South  Africa  had 
to  "unite  or  fight."  The  first  authoritative  utterance 
favouring  closer  union  was  made  by  Sir  Matthew 
Nathan  in  replying  to  an  address  of  welcome  on  his 
assumption  of  duty  as  Governor  of  Natal.  In  response 
to  an  invitation  from  the  Premier  of  the  Cape  Colony, 
made  with  the  concurrence  of  the  Executives  of  the 
various  States,  Lord  Selborne  drew  np  an  able  memo- 
randum on  the  subject.  There  were  various  schemes 
mooted ;  the  principal  ones  being  federation  of  the 
several  States  or  an  unconditional  union  under  one 
central  Government.  In  May,  1908,  an  inter-colonial 
Conference  was  held,  and  a  unanimous  resolution  in 
favour  of  an  early  union  of  the  several  self-governing 
colonies  under  the  Crown  of  Great  Britain  was  passed. 
'  A  further  resolution  contemplating  the  inclusion  of 
Rhodesia  at  some  fviture  time  was  adopted. 

Union  of  Dutch  Reformed  Church  under  one  Synod. 
— In  1909  the  various  branches  of  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church  in  South  Africa  resolved  to  unite  under  one 
synod. 

The  National  Convention. — A  National  Conven- 
tion was   appointed,   in  which   the   Cape   Colony  was 


The  South  Africa  Commonwealth  315 


%! 


!6 


Prom  a  photograph  by  i'eters,  rape  Town.] 

THB   BIGHT  HON.  JOHN   X.    MERBIMAN. 


3i6  A  History  of  South  Africa 

represented    by   twelve   delegates,   the   Transvaal    by 
•  eight,  the  Orange  Free  State  and  Natal  by  five  each. 
Mr.  Hofmey  r,  who  strongly  favoured  federation  instead 
of  union,  declined  to  serve  on  the  Convention. 

The  National  Convention  finished  its  labours  in 
February,  1909.  An  Act  providing  for  the  union  of  the 
four  States  was  drafted.  The  principal  difficulty  had 
been  in  regard  to  the  qualification  of  voters.  In  the 
Transvaal  and  the  Free  State  all  persons  of  colour  w  ere 
disqualified  from  the  franchise.  In  Natal  svich  persons 
theoretically  might  become  enfranchised,  but  only 
through  a  process  so  difficult  that  it  amounted  to  prac- 
tical disfranchisement.  In  the  Cape  Colony  Natives 
could  qualify  for  the  franchise  on  the  same  terms  as 
Europeans.  As  a  compromise  it  was  decided  that  the 
franchise  as  existing  locally  in  the  several  Colonies 
should  not  be  disturbed. 

The  South  African  Commonwealth  created. — Special 
sessions  of  the  Parliaments  of  the  several  Colonies  were 
held  at  the  end  of  March  for  the  purpose  of  consider- 
ing the  Draft  Act.  The  Transvaal  Parliament  passed 
the  latter  without  alteration.  The  modifications  sug- 
gested by  the  Parliament  at  Bloemfontein  were  unim- 
portant, but  in  the  Cape  Parliament  various  fundamental 
alterations  were  suggested.  The  principles  of  "  one 
vote  one  value,"  proportional  representation,  and  three- 
membered  constituencies  were  not  accepted.  The  Natal 
Parliament  refused  to  adopt  the  Draft  Act  without  a 
referendum  ;  this  was  taken  in  June,  and  the  majority 
in  favour  of  union  was  found  to  be  overwhelming.  The 
Convention  reassembled  at  Bloemfontein  in  May  to 
discuss  the  suggested  amendments,  and  after  some  diffi- 
culty an  agreement  was  arrived  at.  Proportional  repre- 
sentation and  three-membered  constituencies  were 
abandoned.  A  delegation  in  which  Mr.  Hofmeyr  Avas 
included  carried  the  amended  Draft  Act  to  England. 
It  was  passed  by  both  Houses  of  Parliament  and  received 
the  Royal  assent  on  September  20.  Thus,  as  from 
May  31,  1910,  the  South  African  Commonwealth  was 
created. 

Death  of  Mr.  J.  H.  Hofmeyr. — Mr.  Hofmeyr  never 
returned  to  South  Africa.  He  died  in  England  in 
1909.  His  body  was  brought  back  to  the  land  of  his 
birth   for    burial.      Jan    Hendrik    Hofmeyr,   although 


The  South  Africa  Commonwealth 


317 


often  misunderstood,  exercised  a  beneficent  and  steady- 
ing iiilliience  in  South  African  iMilitics.     It  was  he  who 


i 


<^^iN4 


Photo:  Elliott  ik  Fry.] 

THE  HON.  JAN  HENDBIX  HOFMEYR. 


proposed  the  first  feasible  scheme  of  fedei*ation  of  the 
British  Empire,  by  means  of  a  tax  to  be  levied  on    ' 


3i8 


A  History  of  South  Africa 


imports,   the   proceeds   of  which   should   be    spent   on 
Imperial   defence.     He   rather   shrank   from    assuming 


A^N  G_yb 


S°  U.U  \  35° 


''v/Broejnifontoin  ^     >    -  ^J^ermaritzburg  I 

/     '  1>  -.  yPurban^PnrtMU^; 


The  British  Possessions 


SOUTH  AFRICA 

Fnprhsh  Miles 
o    5c  loo         2(X)         300 


20°  Longitude  East   25°  of  Greenwich       30° 


35" 


^_^^  Emery  *alker  sc; 

States  included  in  the  Union E^S     States  not  in  the  Union jMtM 

direct  responsibility  in  public  affairs,  preferring  to 
exercise  influence  from  outside  the  administrative  circle. 
His  political  opponents  named  him  "  The  Mole." 


The  South  Africa  Commonwealth  319 

The  Constitution. 7-According  to  the  Union  Act, 
I'lt'toria  was  constituted  the  adminintrative  capital, 
('a))e  Town  the  legislative  cajntal ;  whilst  the  seat  of 
I  lie  Appeal  Court  was  fixed  at  Bloenifontein.  Lord 
(iladstone  was  appointed  Governor-General.  General 
Jiotha  became  the  first  Prime  Minister  of  the  Union. 

The  Union  Parliament  consists  of  two  chambei'S — the 
Senate  and  the  House  of  Assembly.  The  Senate  is 
composed  of  forty  members,  eight  being  elected  from 
each  of  the  four  provinces,  and  eight  nominated  by  the 
Governor-General  in  Council.  Of  the  latter  four  are  to 
be  chosen  by  virtue  of  their  special  knowledge  of  and 
interest  in  the  Natives.  Senators  are  appointed  for 
life,  but  at  the  end  of  ten  years  changes  in  the  com- 
position of  the  Senate  may  be  made.  The  House  of 
Assembly  is  composed  of  members  elected  according 
to  the  existing  franchise  in  the  four  respective  pro- 
vinces. The  numbers  returned  by  each  province  are 
determined  by  the  population.  To  the  first  Parliament 
the  Cape  Colony  returned  fifty-one  members,  the  Trans- 
vaal thirty-six,  Natal  and  the  Orange  Free  State  seven- 
teen each.  At  or  before  the  expiration  of  five  years 
the  House  of  Assembly  has  to  be  dissolved,  and  a  fresh 
election  must  take  place. 

The  Racial  Bar. — No  one  may  belong  to  either  the 
Senate  or  the  House  of  Assembly  unless  he  be  a  British  # 
subject  of  European  descent.     No  analogous  racial  or 
colour  line   has   been   drawn   in   any  other   of   Great 
Britain's  self-governing  colonies. 


APPENDIX. 

According  to  the  Census  taken  in  1911,  the  population  of  the 
Union  was  as  follows  : — 

Europeans  in  the  Cape  Province 582,377 

„     .     „    Natal 98,114 

„    the  Transvaal 420,562 

„    the  Orange  Free  State     .     .     .  175,189 

Total    .     .     .  1,276,242 


Coloured  in  the  Cape  Province 1,982,588 

„    Natal 1,095,929 

„    the  Transvaal 1,265,650 

„    the  Orange  Free  State  ....  352,985 

Total    .     .     .  4,697,152 


Grand  total    .     .     .     5,973,394 


INDEX 


ABEONA,  loss  of  the,  127 
Afrikander  Bond,  the,  300 
Afrikaner's  freebooters,  95 
Alborti,  Captain,  102 
Amabaca,  the,  230,  281 
Amalinda,  battle  of,  119 
Amangwane,  the,  138 
Angora  goats,  145 
Anti-Convict  agitation,  the,  258- 

261 
Arckel,  Rev.  J.  van,  26 
Asiatic  Registration  Act,  the,  812 
Assenburgh,  Governor  Louis  van, 

50.51 


Baibd,  Sir  D.,  99, 100, 101 

Bakwena,  the,  213 

Bambata,  311, 

Banks,  establishment  of,  249 

Bapedi,  the,  212,  213,  220,  222 

Barberton,  224 

Barbier,  sedition  of  Estienne,  60 

Barkly,  Sir  Henry,  206,  218,  293 

Barolongs,  the,  213,  218 

Basutoland,  293,  300,  302 

Basutos,  the,  190,  191,  192 

Basuto  War,  the,  299 

Batlapin,  the,  193,  218,  305 

Bax  van  Herenthals,  Governor  J., 

31,32 
Beachrangers,  the,  20 
Beaufort  West,  district  of,  115 
Bechuanaland,  301,  302 
Berea,  battle  of  the,  185, 193 
Bethelsdorp,   Mission  Station  at, 

94,  103.  104,  107,  108 
Bezuidonhout's  case,  112,  113 
Bigge,  Commissioner  John,  134 
Birkenhead,  loss  of  the,  267 
Blaauwberg,  battle  of.  100 
Black  Circuit,  the,  107,  108,  113 
Bloemfontein,  Convention  of,  189, 

194,  201,  202 


Bloemfontein,  foundation  of,  174 
Blood  River,  victory  at,  165 
Boer  War,  the,  227 
Boomah  Pass,  disaster  at,  263 
Boomplaiits,  battle  of,  178 
Borghorst,  Commander  J.,  29 
Boshof,  President  J.  N.,  191,  192, 

193,  194 
Botha,  General,  311 
Bourke,  General,  137,  139,  141 
Brand,  President  J.  H,,  196,  198, 

200,  201,  202,  206,  207,  208,  210, 

211  218  219 
British  Kaffraria,    255,  276,  281, 

282,  287,  291 
South  Africa  Company,  303, 

804 
Bronkhorst  Spruit,  222 
Brownlee,  Charles,  262,  277,  281 
Buluwayo,  160,  304 
Burger,    Vice-President     Schalk, 

227 
Burgers,    President    T.    F.,   219, 

220 
Bushmen,  the,  52,  60,  83,  93,  103, 

140 
Buys,  Coenraad,  115 


Cabral,  Pedro  Alvarez,  10 
Caille,  Abb^  de  la,*64 
Caledon,  the.Earrof,aOi,  104 

River,  discovery  of,  1 04 

Cam,  Diego,  2 

!  Cape  Colony,  handed  over  to  Great 

;       Britain,  88 

,  retrocession  of  the,  96 

University,  283 

Carnarvon,    Lord,   220,   221,  240, 

295 
Carrington,  Sir  P.,  306 
Oastle,  building  of  the,  27 
Cathcart,   Sir    George,   184,   185, 
186,  188,  193,  267,  268 


322 


Index 


Cattle-killing,  the,  279-281 
Cavilhao,  John  Pedro  of,  5 
Cetewayo,  239,  240,  241,  242,  243, 

244 
Chamberlain,  Joseph,  309,  310 
Chard,  Lieutenant,  242 
Chavonnes,  Governor  M.   P.   de, 

52,  53,  55 
Chelmsford,  Lord,  242, 243 
Chinese  labour,  on  the  Rand,  310 
Church,  building  of  the  first,  48 
Consistories,    establishment 

of,  179 
Circuit  Courts,  establishment  of, 

108 
Civil  Commissioners,    appointed, 

139 
Clarke,  General  A.,  89 
Cloete,  Advocate  Henry,  232,  233 

,  Colonel,  233 

Cole,  Governor  Sir  Lowry,  141, 

144 
Colebrook,    Commissioner    Major 

W.,  134 
Colenso,  Bishop  J.  W.,  238 
Colesberg  Kopje.      See  Kimber- 

LEY 

Colley,  Sir  George,  222,  223 

Commando,  the  first,  47 

Congo,  discovery  of  the  mouth  of 

the,  2 
Constitution  granted,  to  the  Cape 

Colony,  271-273 
Cook,  Captain,  69 
Coolies,  introduced    into    Natal, 

289 
Copper  Ore,  38,  86,  276 
Council  of  Advice,  the,  134 

of  Policy,  the,  20,  37 

Cradock,    Governor,   Sir  J., 

109 
Craig,  General,  88,  89 
Customs  Convention,  303,  310 
Cuyler,  Colonel,  102,  103,  107,  113 


D'Ableing,  J.  C,  50,  51 

d' Almeida,  Francisco,  11 

Davagul,  21,  24 

De  Beers  Diamond  Mines,  303 

De  Jonge  TJiomas,  wreck  of,  71 

Delagoa  Bay,  55,  56,  57,  212,  220, 

223 
Diamond  Fields,   the,    169,   204, 


104, 


205,  206,  209,  217,  293,  302,  303, 

307,  310 
Diaz,  Bartholomew,  4,  5,  10 
Dingaan,  138,  161,  165,  166,  167, 

230 
Dinizulu,  244,  245,  313 
Donkm,  Sir  Rufane,  123,  127,  128, 

130 
Dopper  Church,  the,  215 
Dordrecht,  Synod  of,  215 
Drake,  Sir  Francis,  13 
Drakenstein  Valley,  occupation  of, 

40 
Dunn,  John,  244 
Durban,  229,  231 

,  the  siege  of,  232 

D'Urban,  Sir  Benjamin,  144,  146, 

150,  152,  154,  255 
Dutch  East  India  Company,  14, 

85,  89 
Reforinedi  Church,  the,  158, 

179,  197,215,247,314 


Eastern  boundary,  the,  68,   73, 

255 
East  London,  254,  257 
Elphinstone,  Admiral,  88 
Emigrant  Farmers,  the,  161,  162, 

174,  176,  232,  233 
Eshowe,  siege  of,  243 
Executive  Council,  creation  of  the, 

146 
Exeter  Hall,  influence  of,  103 


Fairbairn,  John,  135,  136,  142 
Fairs,  periodical,  128 
Faku,  171,  231,  250,  290 
Federation,  policy  of,  220, 284,294, 

295,  299,  314 
Fingos,  the,  147,  281 
Fontaine,  Governor  Jan  de  la,  58, 

59 
Fort  Armstrong,  265 

Beaufort,  133,  250,  251,  265 

Cox,  263 

Frederick,  building  of,  92 

Hare,  263 

Peddie,  250,  251,  253 

WiUshire,  128 

Franchise,  the,  in  Natal,  239 

,  raised,  in  Transvaal,  224 

Freebooters,  115,  168 


Index 


323 


Frero,  Sir  Bftrtle,  221,  299 
Frickenius,  Capt.  S.  H.,86 

Gaika,  96,  97,  103,  104,  113,  116, 

143 
Gama,  Vasco  da,  7,  8, 9, 10 
Gariep.     See  Oranqe  River 
Genadendal,  61,  87 
Georgo,  the  district  of,  104 
Gorman  South- West  Africa,  300 
Ginginhlovo,  action  of,  243 
Glenelg,  Lord,  147,  149,  160, 152, 

154,  256  i 
Glen  Grey  Act,  the,  304 
Gonnema,   Hottentot    Chief,   31, 

32 
Goske,  Governor  Is  brand,  30,  31 
GraafT,  Governor  C.  J.  van  de,  82 
— —  Reinet,  foundation  of,  83 

,  insurrection  at,  87 

Graharastown,  battle  of,  121 

,  foundation  of,  lOG 

Great  Trek,  the,  108,  153-167 

Greig,  George,  136,  137 

Grey,  Bishop,  257 

,   Sir  George,  193,  194,  196, 

238,  273,  276,  277,  278,  282, 284, 

285,286 
Grey  College,  the,  286 

Hospital,  the,  277 

Institute,  the,  286 

Griqualand  East,  299 

West,  208,  209,  210 

Griquas,  the,  114,  168,  169, 191 
Griquatown,  115 
Grondwet,  framing  of  the,  168 
Orosvenor,  wrect  of  the,  80 

HAARLEM,  wreck  of  the,  17, 18 

Hackius,  Commander  P.,  29 

Tlarl)Our  construction,  283,  294 

Hay,  General,  206,217 

Heald  Town,  278 

Heidelberg  Catechism,  the,  215 

Henry,  Prince,  "  The  Navigator," 

1,2 
Hintza,  104,  146 
Hlol>ano,  action  of,  248 
Hlnbis,  the,  240 

Hofl,  the  Rev.  Dirk  van  der,  214 
HofTinan,  President  J.  P.,  191 
llofmeyr,  J.    H.,   800,   310,   317, 

318 


Hospital,  building  of  a,  43,  71 
Hottentots,  the,  20,  22,  30,31,  42, 

47,  52,  68 
Hottentots'  HoUand,  30,  32,  33 
Hottentots,  the  "  Magna  Charta  " 

of  the,  104 
Huguenots,  arrival  of  the,  40 
Hutchinson,  Sir  W.  H.,  307 


Imbuldmpini,  138 

India,  reached  by  da  Gama,  9 

,  troops  despatched  to,  282 

Ingogo  River,  222 
Isandhlwana,  242 


Jaabsvbld,  a.  van,  90 
Jacobinism,  85,  87 
Jagersfontein,  209 
Jameson,  Dr.,  225 

Raid,  the,  225,  226,  306 

Janssens,  Governor  J.  W.,  96,  99, 

100 
Johanna,  wreck  of  the,  228 
Johannesburg,  224 
John  II.,  King,  of  Portugal,  2 
Jorissen,  Doctor,  221 
Joubert,    Commandant  -  General, 

183,  212,  222,  223 


Kaffir  War,  the  First,  78 

,  the  Second,  84 

,  the  Third,  91 

,  the  Fourth,  105 

,  the  Fifth,  119 

,  the  Sixth,  146 

,  the  Seventh  (War  of  the 

Axe),  251,  257 

,  the  Eighth,  263 

,  the  Ninth,  296 

Kambula,  battle  of,  243 
Kat  River  Settlement,  141 
Keate  Award,  the,  208,  218 
Keiskamma  River,  the  boundary, 

122 
Kemp,  Dr.  van  der,  98,  107 
Kimberley,  208,  209, 303 

Mine,  the,  206 

King,  Ride  of  Richard,  232 
King  SVilliam's  Town,  147 
Kitchener,  Lord,  227 
Kok,  Abraham,  169 


324 


Index 


Kok,  Capt.  Adam,   95,  1G8,    169, 

170,  171,  174,  206,  290 

,  Cornells,  168,  169,  197 

Kokstad,  193 
Kongella,  232 
Kreli,  250,  254,  265,  278,  281,  289, 

297 
Kruger,  President,  156,  198,  214, 

216,  221,  222,  224,  226,  301,  307, 

308,  309,  314 
Kuhne,  Capt.  D.,  83,  84 


Laing's  Nek,  222 
Lancaster,  Captain,  13 
Land  tenure,  fixity  of,  109 
Langalibalele,  240 
Lanyon,  Colonel  Owen,  221 
Legislative   Council,   creation   of 

the,  146 
Lerothodi,  311 
Library,    the   South   African,  66, 

131,  286 
Liebenbergs,  massacre  of  the,  158 
Lindley,    the   Rev.   Daniel,    179, 

229,  230 
Livingstone,  Dr.,  213 
Lo  Bengula,  303,  304 
Loch,  Sir  Henry,  303,  305 
Locusts,  visitation  of,  62 
London  Convention,  the,  223 
Missionary  Society,  the,  93, 

115,  116,  168 
Lovedale,  278 
Lucas,  Admiral,  90 
Lydenburg,  212,  213,  215,  219 
Lyttelton,  Alfred,  310 


Macaetney,  Lord,  91,  94 

Mac  Mac,  Mining  Camp,  219 

Mafeking,  225 

Mail   Service,  the,  to   the   Cape, 

112,  275 
Maitland,    Governor  Sir  P.,  248, 

250,  254 
Majuba,  222,  223 
Makana,    the  Prophet,   118,   119, 

121,  122 
Makapan,  insurrection  of,  214 
Maqoma,  131,  133,  141,  250,  268 
Maritz,  G.  M.,  156,  160 
Matabele,  the,  155,  156,  159,  303, 

304 


Matabele  Rebellion,  the,  306 
Matiwane,  138 
Maynier,  Honoratius,  85,  93 
Merino  sheep,  144,  246 
Merriman,  J.  X.,  209,  314 
Meyer,  Lucas,  244 
Milner,  Lord,  226,  306,  307 
Missions,  development  of,  143 
Mist,  Commissioner,  J.  A.  U.  de, 

95,  96,  97 
Molapo,  201 

Molteno,  J.  C,  288,  291,  295 
Monomotapa,  the  fabled  Empire 

of,  21,  35,  56 
Montsivs^a,  213 
Moravian    Society,    the,   61,    87, 

143,  250 
Moselele,  213 
Moshesh,  171,  172,  173,  176,  180, 

181,  184,  185, 187,  191,  193,  194, 

196,  197,  198,  200,  201,  202,  203, 

213,  278 
Mounted  Police,  organised,  267 
Murray,  the  Rev.  Andrew,  179 
Museum,  the  South  African,  276 


Namaqualand,  expedition  to,  37, 

85 
Namaquas,  visit  of,  to  the  Cape, 

35 
Napier,  Sir  George,  231,  246,  248, 

249 
Natal,  a  distinct  Colony,  238 
,     a     dependency    of     Cape 

Colony,  234 

,  discovery  of,  8,  9 

Land  and  Colonisation  Com- 
pany, the,  237 

,  Republic  of,  229 

Nathan,  Sir  Matthew,  314 
National    Convention,    the,    314, 

316 
Ncapayi,  230 
Ndhlambi,  96,  103,  104,  116,  118, 

119,  121,  142 
Ndhlambis,  the,  264 
Nederburg,  Adv.  S.  C,  86 
Neptune,  the,  260,  261 
New  Republic,  the,  244 
No  Man's  Land,  196,  289,  290 
Nongalaza,  166,  167 
Nongqause,  279 
Noodt,  Governor  P.  G.,  57 


Index 


325 


Oak  planting,  39 

Oberholster,    Michael,    1G9,    171, 

176 
Ohrigstad,  212 
Orange   River,    first    crossing  of 

the,  67 
Ordinance,  the  60th,  140,  141 
Ostrich  farming,  288 


Paardekraal,  meeting  at,  222 
Panda,   166,   167,   233,   235,  239, 

240,  245,  265 
Paper  money,  86 
Paris    Evangelical    Society,   the, 

201 
Parliament,  the  Cape,  273 
Peace  Preservation  Act,  the,  297 
Philip,  Dr.  John,   140,   141,  144, 

146,  148,  161,  169,  257 
Philipolis,  168 
Pietermaritzburg,   166,   229,   233, 

240 
Pilgrim's  Rest,  220 
Plettenberg,    Governor    van,    70, 

71,  73,  75,  76,  77,  78 
Pondoland,  305 
Pondos,  the,  171,  231 
Port  Elizabeth,  126,  128 

Francis,  133 

Natal,  229,  231 

Nolloth,  276 

Post  Office,  the  Ocean,  15 
Postma,  Rev.  Mr.,  215 
Potchefstroom,  164,  213,  223 

Volksraad,  the,  216 

Potgieter,   Andries  H.,  156,  160, 

162,  164,  212,  213,  230 

,  Hermanns,  214 

Pottinger,  Governor  Sir  Henry, 

254 
Premier  Diamond  Mine,  310 
Press,  Freedom  of  the,  136 
,   Ordinance  regulating    the, 

142 
Prester  John,  4 
Pretoria,  218,  222 
Pretorius,  Andries,  164,  165,  167, 

177,  182,  192,  212,  218,  214 

,  A.  W.  J.,  286,  286 

,  President  M.  W.,  194,  196, 

215,  216,  217,  218,  222,  232 
Pringle,  Thomas,  186,  136 
Provinces,  formation  of  two,  139 


QuALENBEBG,  Commander  C.  van, 

28,29 
Queen  Adelaide,  Province  of,  146, 

147,  255 
Queenstown  District,  268 


Read,  Mr.,  missionary,  94,  107 
Reform  Committee,  in  the  Trans- 
vaal, 225 
Reitz,  President,  F.  W.,  211 
Rensberg,  van,  the  Voortrekker, 

155 
Researches  in  South  Africa,  Dr. 

Philip's,  140,  141 
Resident  magistrates,  appointed, 

139 
Responsible  Government,  at  the 

Cape,  288,  293,  294 
,    in    Transvaal     and 

Orange  River  Colony,  311 
Retief,  Piet,  160,  161 
Rhodes,  C.  J.,  225,  301,  302,  303, 

304,  306,  307 
Rhodesia,  303,  304 
Riebeck,  Jan  van,  18, 19,  22,  24,  26 
Rinderpest,  305 
Robben  Island,  249 
Robinson,      Sir      Hercules.     Sec 

LOBD  ROSMEAD 

,  Sir  John,  245 

Rorke's  Drift,  242 

Rosmead,  Lord,  226, 300,  302,  303, 

305,306 
Rustenburg,  212,  213 
Ryksdollar,  value  of  the,  135 

St.  Lucia  Bay,  246 

Sandile,   260,  251,  264,  265,  262, 

268,  281,  297 
Sand  River  Convention,  the,  183, 

194,  212 
Sdo  Jodo,  wreck  of  the,  13 
Schoeman,  Stephanus,  215 
Schreiner,  W.  P.,  306 
Scotch       Presbyterian       Clergy, 

arrival  of,  180 
Scurvy,  ravages  of,  43 
;   Sekwati,  212,  213 
i   Selborne,  Lord,  311,  314 
Separation    Movement,    in    Cape 

Colony,  249 
Settlers,  the  British,  of  1820...12S, 

124, 126,  127, 128,  129, 135 


326 


Index 


Setyeli,  213 

Shepstone,   Sir  Theophilus,   220, 

221,  235,  240,  244 
Shipping  disasters,  55,  59 
Sikonyella,  160,  161,  180 
Sikukuni,  220,  222 
Simond,  Kev.  Pierre,  41 
Simon's  Bay,  61,  62 
Slaghter's  Nek,  113,  114 
Slavery,  abolition  of,  150 
Slaves,  emancipation  of,  50,  102 

,  enactments  regarding,  37 

Sluysken,  Commissioner,  87 
Small-pox,   epidemic   of,    51,   52, 

66,  67,  68 
Smith,  Sir  Harry,  174,  176,  177, 

236,  254,  259,  263,  267,  271 
,  Captain  Thomas,  231,  232, 

233,  235 
Somerset,  Lord  Charles,  111,  112, 

130,  133,  135,  136,  137,  138 

,  Major  Henry,  130,  133 

South  African  College,  the,  143 
Commercial  Advertiser, 

the,  136,  142,  144,  151,  257 
Spoor  Law,  the,  117 
Sprigg,  Sir  Gordon,  298,  306 
Star  of  South  Africa,  the,  204 
Stavenisse,  wreck  of  the,  38,  228 
Steamship,  arrival  of  the  first,  134 
Stel,  Commander  Simon  van  der, 

34,  228 
,  Governor  W.  A.  van  der,  45, 

48,  49,  50 
Stellenbosch,  conflagration  at,  51 

,  foundation  of,  34 

Steyn,  President  M.  T.,  211 
Stockenstrom,  Capt.  Andries,  139, 

148,  149,  251,  253 

,  Landdrost,  105 

Stormy  Cape,  the,  5 
Stuurman's  freebooters,  144 
Sumptuary  Laws,  40,  66 
Supreme  Court,  establishment  of 

the,  139 
Swaziland,  223 
Swazis,  the,  220,  222 
Swellengrebel,    Governor   H. ,  59, 

60,  62,  63 


Taaibosch,  Gert,  180 
Table  Bay,  annexation  of,  by  an 
English  Commodore,  16 


Table  Bay,  a  place  of  call,  14,  53 
,  occupation  of,  by  Dutch 

East  India  Company,  18 
Tas,  Adam,  49 
Thaba  Bosigo,  194,  198,  200 
Thaba-Ntshu,  156 
Title  Deeds,  registration  of,  40 
Tongaland,  245 
Touwfontein,  the  fight  at,  172 
Transkei,   abandonment    of    the, 

289 
Transvaal,    annexation     of     the, 

221 
Triechard,  the  Voortrekker,  155 
Tshaka,  138,  147,  217,  229 
Tulbagh,   Governor  Ryk,    60,  64, 

65,  66,  69 
Tyume,  massacre  of  Settlers,  2G3 


UiTENHAGE,  district  of,  97,  102 
Uithalder,  William,  265,  268 
Uitlanders,  the,  225,  226 
Ulundi,  battle  of,  243 
Umbulazi,  239 
Umhlakaza,  279,  280 
Umkungunhlovu,   160,   161,    164, 

165 
Umlanjeni,  262,  268 
Umziligazi,  159,  217 
Union  of  South  Africa,  the,  316, 

319 
Union  Steamship  Company,  the, 

275 
Usibepu,  244 

Utrecht,  the  Kepublic  of,  215 
Uys,  Pieter,  160,  162,  163 


Vadana,  281 

Vagrancy,  increase  of,  151 
Vechtkop,  the  Laager  at,  158 
Vereeniging,  Treaty  of,  227 
Vergelegen,  48,  49,  50 
Victoria  Falls  Bridge,  312 
Viervoet,  battle  of,  181 
Voortrekkers,  the,  155 


Wagenaar,    Commander  Z.,   26, 

28 
Walfish  Bay,  300 
Warden  Line,  the,  193,  194,  197 
,  Major,  173,  174,  176,  177 


Index 


327 


Warren,  Sir  Charles,  302 
Waterboer,  Andries,  144,  168,  109, 

170,206 
,  Nicholas,  197,  206,  208,  210, 

217 
Wavern,  the  land  of,  45,  61 
Weenen,  162,  229 
Wesselton,  209 

West,  Lieut.-Qovornor  M.  T.,  236 
Willshire,  Colonel,  121 
Wilson,  Major,  304 
Wine-making    industry,    22,    68, 

246,  284,  302 
Witwatersrand,  the,  224,  245 


Woclehoue>9,  Sir  Philip,  197,  200, 
202,  287,  289,  292 

Wolseloy,  Lord,  221,  222,  240,  243 

Woltemaade,  Wolraad,  71 

Wood,  Sir  Evelyn,  223 
}  Worcester,  District,  115 
I 

1  Young,  Governor  Sir  G.,  94 

ZOUTPANSBEEG,     155,     200,     213, 

215,  217 
Zululand,  239,  243,  244 
Zulu  War,  the,  242,  243 
i   Zuurveld,  the,  83,  102,  109,  117 


THE  END 


I'KINTED  IN  GRKA.T  BHtTAlN   BY 
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