his country from their arrogant control. He saw that this was not to be effected by mere marauding incursions, such as had always hitherto characterized Caffer warfare. The great difficulty was to concentrate the energies of his countrymen, and direct their desultory aims to more important objects; and this he at length effected.

"By his spirit-rousing eloquence, his pretended revelations from Heaven, and his confident predictions of complete success, provided they implicitly followed his counsels, he persuaded the great majority of the Amakosa clans (including some of Hinza's warriors) to unite their forces for a simultaneous attack upon Graham's Town, the head-quarters of the British troops. He told them that he was sent by Uhlanga, the Great Spirit, to avenge their wrongs; that he had power to call up from the grave the spirits of their ancestors to assist them in battle against the white men, whom they should drive, before they stopped, across the Zwartkops river and into the ocean; and then,' said the prophet, we will sit down and eat honey!' Ignorant of our vast resources, Makanna probably conceived that, this once effected, the contest was over for ever with the usurping Europeans.

Having called out the chosen warriors from the various clans, Makanna mustered his army in the forests of the Great Fish River, and found himself at the head (according to the best accounts) of about nine thousand men. He then sent (in conformity with a custom held in repute among Caffer heroes) a message of defiance to Colonel Willshire, the British commandant, announcing that he would breakfast with him next morning.'

6

At the first break of dawn the warriors were arrayed for battle on the mountains near Graham's Town; and before they were led on to the assault, were addressed by Makanna in an animating speech, in which he is said to have promised the aid of the spirits of earth and air to assist their cause and to countervail the boasted prowess of the white men's fire.'

"Thus excited, they were led on by their various chiefs, but all under the general direction of the prophet himself, and his chief captain, Dusani the son of S'Lhambi. The English were completely astonished and taken by surprise, when they appeared, soon after sunrise, marching rapidly over the heights which environ Graham's Town; for Colonel Willshire had so entirely disregarded the message sent him, considering it a mere bravado, that he had taken no precautions whatever, and was himself very nearly environed by the enemy as he was taking a morning ride with some of his officers. Had the Caffers advanced by night, they could not have failed of capturing the place.

"All was now bustle and confusion in the little garrison, which consisted of only about three hundred and fifty European troops, and a small corps of disciplined Hottentots. The place had no re

gular defences, and the few field-pieces which it possessed were not in perfect readiness. The Caffers rushed on to the assault with their wild war-cries. They were gallantly encountered by the troops, who poured upon them, as they advanced in dense disorderly masses, a destructive fire of musketry, every shot of which was deadly, while their showers of assagais fell short or ineffective. Still, however, they advanced courageously, the chiefs cheering them on, almost to the muzzles of the British guns; and many of the foremost warriors were now seen breaking short their last assagai, to render it a stabbing weapon, in order to rush in upon the troops, according to Makanna's directions, and decide the battle in close combat. This was very different from their usual mode of bush-fighting; but the suggestion of it evinces Makanna's judgment, for, if promptly and boldly acted upon, it could not have failed of success: the great bodily strength and agility of the Caf fers, as well as their vast superiority in numbers, would have enabled them to overpower the feeble garrison in a few minutes.

"At this critical moment, and while other parties of the barbarians were pushing on to assail the place in flank and rear-the old Hottentot Captain, Boezac, who happened that day to be accidentally at Graham's Town with a small party of his buffalo-hunters, rushed intrepidly forward to meet the enemy. To old Boezac most of the Caffer chiefs and captains were personally known. Не was a man of great coolness too, and familiar with their fierce appearance and furious shouts. Singling out the boldest of those who, now in advance, were encouraging their men to the final onset, Boezac and his followers, some of the best marksmen in the colony, levelled in a few minutes a number of the most distinguished chiefs and warriors. Their onset was for a moment checked. The British troops cheered, and renewed with alacrity their firing, which exhaustion and dismay had somewhat slackened. At the same instant the field-pieces, now brought to bear upon the thickest of the enemy, opened a most destructive fire of grape-shot. Some of the warriors madly rushed forward and hurled their spears at the artillery-men. But it was in vain. The front ranks were mown down like grass. Those behind recoiled-wild panic and irretrievable rout ensued. Makanna, after vainly attempting to rally them, accompanied their flight. They were pursued but a short way; for the handful of cavalry durst not follow them into the broken ravines where they speedily precipitated their flight. The slaughter was great for so brief a conflict. About fourteen hundred Caffer warriors strewed the field of battle; and many more perished of their wounds before they reached their own country.

For the issue of this war and the fate of Makanna, I must refer to Mr. Pringle's notes already repeatedly quoted, which contain also a most eloquent and affecting speech, delivered by one of Makanna's warriors, immediately after the capture of his chief, to the English Commandant in the front of his conquering army......

No. VIII.

Compensation to the Hottentots of Theopolis for their Losses during the Caffer War, and for their Labours at Fort Willshire.-(Vide vol. i. p. 259.)

The following Correspondence between the Frontier Commandant and the Local Authorities, with the Missionary at Theopolis, will sufficiently illustrate the passages referred to in the text.

Uitenhage, Oct. 14, 1820.

SIR,-Six oxen, supposed, by the mark, to have been stolen from the late Mr. Brockhuizen by the Caffers, retaken and sent to Zwart Ruggens, have now been returned to me. Now, as the late Brockhuizen got full compensation from the captured Caffer cattle, he, or rather his estate, can have no further claim; and as I know the poor people under Mr. Ulbricht to have received scarcely any compensation in proportion to their loss, I send these six oxen to you, begging of you and Mr. Ulbricht to divide them amongst the most deserving of those who lost and got no compensation.

To Mr. Barker, Theopolis.

I am, &c.

"

They also suffered much loss from being inadequately compensated for their labour in assisting to raise fortifications on the frontier, as the following documents will testify :

Fort Willshire, Aug. 9, 1820.

Sir, I received your letter by the relieving Hottentots, and have this day sent the twelve men who were here off for the school; only ten have now come in, out of which I have given four leave to go back, as they state they have not sown their corn; as I suffer great inconvenience from sparing them at present at your request, I therefore trust you will send them back to me the moment they have their corn sown, and the two others with them to complete the twelve. The six men now here have no corn to sow, or else they have done it.

I am, &c.

Sir,--About six weeks since, upon your application, I permitted four of the Hottentots to proceed from hence for the purpose of sowing their corn, since which I have never heard of them; and in consequence of their absence, am obliged to require additional labour from those at camp; I therefore beg these four men, or four

others in their place, may be sent here immediately; and those men who are now in camp are looking very anxiously for the relief, which I should be glad if you could send at the same time as the four men alluded to.

To Mr. Ulbricht, Theopolis.

I am, &c.
(Signed)

THOS. WILLShire.

Theopolis, March 15, 1821.

Sir, I take the liberty of intreating your assistance in obtaining the following persons at home, in order to prepare for the Opgaaf.

There are with Colonel Willshire, Andries Swartbooy, Scheeper Swartbooy, Klaas Kivit, Klaas Cupido, Piet Prins, and Willem Links. With Mr. Hope, Hans Platjes and Jantje Witbooy. With à Mr. Eshoigt, Hoert Links.

To Captain Trappes.

I have, &c.
(Signed)

G. BARKER.

Theopolis, March, 1821.

Sir,-In reply to yours of the 9th inst., I have to state that I consider it impossible to send men to relieve those named in mine of the 15th, nor have authority so to do, without a positive order from the magistrate of the district.

I am informed that not a man of those who have been employed in Fort Willshire has received any reward for his labour; and if those now there are not sent home, to procure by some means money for the Opgaaf, I cannot conceive how it can be demanded from them. I beg leave to recommend to Captain Trappes the consideration of what the families of those men must suffer at home whose parents are thus employed earning nothing.

I have, &c.
(Signed)

To Mr. Dyason, Landdrost's Clerk, Bathurst.

G. BARKER.

Theopolis, March 26, 1821.

Sir, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication, with that of the Deputy Landdrost's, dated 21st inst., and shall forward as early as possible a list of those men who have been employed under Colonel Willshire.

To Captain Trappes.

I have, &c.
(Signed)

G. BARKER.

The following is a copy of the list of men, with the periods of service, who were employed at Fort Willshire.

These four men were sent back; but out from home eight days, and worked two days.

Andries Tamboer, Willem Links,

Stoffel Trompeter,

Michel Klaas.

Six men, employed five months.

The following men are now at Fort Willshire :-Andries Swartbooy, Piet Prins, Klaas Kivit, Willem Links, Klaas Cupido, Scheeper Swartbooy.

These six men went in the month of December last, and have remained until this; their families are suffering at home." Theopolis, April 4, 1821.

(Signed)

G. BARKER.

Graham's Town, April 23d, 1821.

Sir, Since the 5th inst., on which I received a letter from Capt. Trappes, relative to the Hottentots from Theopolis being considered