luxuriant verdure, giving them the appearance of fine English meadows.

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Pato's people, who occupy a considerable district extending along the coast to the eastward, are descendants of old Kongo's clan, which, according to Barrow, was formerly settled near the Sunday River, whither Gaika appears to have driven them. Proceeding on Our march," says Mr. B., along the banks of the Sunday River, and among the vast thickets that almost entirely covered this part of the country, we fell in with a prodigious number of Kaffers, with their cattle, belonging, as they told us, to a powerful Chief named Kongo. This man was at the head of all the other emigrant Chiefs who had fled from the Kaffer country, eastward of the Great Fish River, on account of some enmity subsisting between them, and their King Gaika; with whom I had in vain attempted, in company of the Landdrost, to bring about a reconciliation two years before. As the position he now occupied not only encroached very much upon the territorial rights of the colony, but was also far within the line actually inhabited by the Dutch Boors, we deemed it expedient to endeavour to prevail upon him to move towards the eastward; and for this purpose sent a messenger to request that he would give us the meeting. The answer brought back signified, that he did not care to come alone, and that he desired to know if we had any objections to receive him at the head of a certain number of his people. The messenger being told that he might bring with him any number of his attendants, not exceeding thirty, he shortly made his appearance at the head of a party to that amount, each armed with an assagai or spear.

"On being told how necessary it was for the sake of preserving tranquillity, that he should quit his present station among the Boors, he replied, with great firmness, that the ground he then stood upon was his own by

inheritance, for that his father had been cheated out of it by a Dutch Landdrost of Graff Reinet; that, however, being desirous of remaining in friendship with the English, he would remove eastward in the course of three days; but that it was impossible for him to cross the Great Fish River, as there was a deadly hatred, or, as he expressed it, there was blood between Gaika and himself, and that the latter was much too powerful for him.

"The decided tone in which he spoke at the head of his small party, when surrounded by British troops, his prepossessing countenance, and tall masculine figure, could not fail to excite a strong interest in his favour. An open and manly deportment, free from suspicion, fear, or embarrassment, seems to characterize the Kaffer Chiefs. Though extremely good humoured, benevolent, and hospitable, they are neither so pliant, nor so passive as the Hottentot. The poorer sort are sometimes led to seek for service among the Boors, and engage themselves for so many moons, in consideration of so many head of cattle; and they never suffer themselves to be duped out of their hire, like the easy Hottentots. The conversation with Kongo ended by recommending him to withdraw his people and their cattle from the banks of the Sunday River, to which he gave a kind of reluctant assent."

After being driven about for many years, by boors on the one hand and by Gaika on the other, this old Chief was shot (in 1812-13) by a party of the former, while asleep in a cave, whither he had fled for refuge. The armed ruffians had long been in search of him, and having obtained information respecting his hiding-place, in a wood, not far from the embouchure of the abovementioned river, they forthwith repaired to the spot, and there killed him as he lay. One of his sons, who was with him at the time, miraculously effected his escape from those cold-blooded murderers. A war broke out shortly afterwards, between the colonists and the Kaffers ;

upon which it was determined that the latter should be all driven beyond the Keiskamma, and allowed no place whatever within the colony. This measure cost much money, and many lives.

It would appear that the banks of the Chalumna were, at a remote period, occupied by a son of Gonde, named Keitshe, who was driven from thence into the interior, by a powerful and celebrated warrior, to whom tradition traces the whole of the Kongo family. But although thus gained by the valour of their great ancestor, they by no means like it as an inheritance; but would greatly prefer the tract from which they were forcibly expelled, lying between the Keiskamma and the colonial boundary. Hence they have repeatedly, and very importunately, implored, at the hands of our Government, permission permanently to settle there again. Their principal Chief, Pato, is a person of minor importance, compared with the Chiefs of the neighbouring tribes. His manners and exterior are anything but prepossessing; and his mind is far from being distinguished by any thing like superior talent. Lechery, and gross heathenish depravity, form his most prominent characteristics. His reign is but in its infancy; and during his minority, all public affairs were transacted by his elder brother, who, consequently, still retains considerable influence in the tribe. Having been in habits of intercourse with the Dutch colonists, during the time of his father, the latter acquired a smattering of their language; and possesses a much greater degree of general information than his brother, who is therefore indebted to him for counsel and direction in almost all matters of moment.

In the course of the forenoon, several of the elders and principal men were convened to inquire of us respecting the views and plans of our great men," as touching the Amaxosæ tribes. Every Kaffer, however humble his station in society, is a politician; and ever evinces the

greatest possible interest in all subjects of a political nature. They were much pleased to hear, therefore, that there was some prospect of a commercial intercourse being opened with their white neighbours; which it was hoped would prove beneficial to both parties. Of this opportunity we gladly availed ourselves for pointing out to them the surest and best method of securing the numerous advantages of such a project; upon which they unanimously determined on the adoption of such plans as were most likely to put an end to those mischievous depredations that had ever and anon disturbed the tranquillity of the frontier, and given rise to severe measures against them. Every avenue leading out of their territories into the colony was forthwith ordered to be guarded; and all persons found offending against the latter, in any way whatever, to be punished with the utmost severity. "Now that we have got ears," (alluding to the settlement of Mr. S. amongst them as a medium of communication,) we will hear what is good for us, and for our land."

Bloody feuds not unfrequently arise between the different Chieftains, each being extremely tenacious of his power, and jealous of his authority. Just before our arrival, two or three men had been slain in one of these affrays, which had risen to such a height, that war was expected as the final result. When the assembly broke up we walked over to Pato's hamlet, which, like that of his brother, consisted of four or five miserable huts, and a large cattle fold. Here there were a number of naked warriors, chiefly young men, busily employed in making shields. These consist of beast hides, stretched out while raw, and dried in the sun until perfectly stiff: They are then cut to a certain shape, almost oval, but left sufficiently large to cover the whole body, in time of danger. One division of the company had been engaged in slaughtering, and were now attending to a prodigiously

large pot, which was upon the fire, and out of which they were all about to feast at the Chief's expense.

Ten or twelve of them having spears quivering in their right hands, and shields in the left, arose to amuse us with a sham fight. Each had upon his head a double plume of long feathers, consisting of the crane's wings complete, which, from their constituting a part of the national war-costume, are generally preserved with great care. While thus engaged, the eye sparkled with life, and vivacity beamed from every countenance. The athletic form and symmetry of some of the party rendered them figures of the finest order: But their attitudes were of the most warlike character; and in their every gesture there was a savage fierceness, strikingly characteristic of spirits with whom destruction is glory! Being desirous of taking a young lad home with me, for the twofold purpose of facilitating my own acquirement of the language, and of instructing him in English, I introduced the subject to Pato, and requested his sanction. He, however, evaded my wish by turning the conversation to various other topics, and at length signified, that his counsellors would be altogether opposed to it, "" as the young man was just becoming serviceable, being able to use the umkoneto;" and therefore numbered amongst the warriors.

Soon after our return to the colony, a proclamation was issued by his Excellency the Governor, authorizing all persons of approved character, and duly licensed, to trade with the natives, who were therein declared to be at liberty to visit Fort Wiltshire weekly, with ivory, hides, and any other articles they might have for sale. It however enjoined certain restrictions and prohibitions, designed to guard the rights of the Kaffer, and likewise Various to preserve peace amongst the colonists. precautions also were taken to prevent quarrels, and misunderstandings, which were naturally expected to