The Mission

the passengers did not land, as the captain stated that he would not stay an hour longer than

ing down and seizing every thing edible which was thrown

" inquired Alexander; "a hen, or any land bird, if it falls into the w

em water-proof. If you will watch a duck pluming and dressing itself, you will find it continually turns its bill round to the end of its back, just above the insertion of the tail; it is to procure this oil, which, as

a sea-bird r

been supposed otherwise; but we do not know so

emain long

e longest under water are the semi-aquatic, whose feet are only half-webbed. I have watched the common English water-hen for many m

ds can not remain long at

scrape so as to form a shallow hole to deposit their eggs. The consequence of their always resorting to the same spot is that, from the voidings of the birds and the remains of fish brought to feed the young, a deposit is made over the whole surface, a fraction of an inch every year, which by degrees increases until it is sometimes twenty or thirty feet deep, if not more, and the lower portion becomes almost as hard as rock. The deposit is termed guano, and has, from time immemorial, been used

ch, I must confess; he appears w

that time an insight into all the public documents: this y

Alexander requested him to continue h

are appointed to the control of a colony require to be there some time before they can see with their own eyes; they must, from thei

influential and benevolent party at home. The prejudices against the Hottentots, and particularly the Caffres, still existed, and were imbibed by the colonial authorities. Commandoes, or, as they should be more properly terme

in 1810,-previous to the emancipation, it is true, but still at a time when the position of the Hottentots

This independent horde of Hottentots gave great offense to the Dutch boors,-the more so as the three brothers had been the leaders of the Hottentots in the former insurrection. For seven years they could find no complaint to make against them, until at last two of his Hottentots, who had engaged to serve a boor for a certain time, went back to the kraal at the expiration of the term, agains

stice, they were sent as prisoners to Robin Island, where malefactors are confined. They made their escape, and returned to Caffreland. Three years afterward, Stuurman, anxious to

serve, Mr. Wilmot, that although the strides of cruelty and oppression are most rapid, the return to even-handed justice is equally slow. Eventually the gross injus

s a space of about thirty thousand square miles between the colonial boundary (that is, the land formerly possessed by the Hottentots) and the Great Fish River. T

to the other side of the Great Fish River. This was an act of injustice and great hardship, and was proceeded in with

was a chief of a portion of the Caffres, but not the principal chief, and although the English treated with him as such, the Caffres would not acknowledge his authority. This is a very frequent error commi

ed them with great arrogance. They fought and conquered him, carrying off, as usual, his cattle. As this was a war between the Caffres, and conf

had conquered. No regard was paid to this remonstrance; the English troops were sent forward, the Caffres attacked in their hamlets, slaughtered or driven into the woods, 23,

mmenced hostilities. They poured into the frontier districts, captured several detached military forts, drove the Dutch boors from the Zurweld, or neutral territory, and k

vernment, when in our hands, was more considerate th

fear," said

t of 'Links,' or the left-handed. He was not a chief, but had by his superior intellect obtained great power. He gave himself out to be a prophet, and certainly showed quite

d the chiefs, if they would implicitly obey his orders, he would lead them to victory, and that he would drive the English into the ocean. He resolved upon the

Town, stating that they would breakfast with him the next morning. The commandant, who had supposed the message to be a mere bravado, was very i

t 350 regular troops and a small force of Hottentots in Graham's Town, and fortunately a few field-pieces. The Caffres rushed to the assault, and for some time

After several rallyings under Mokanna, the Caffres gave way and fled. About 1400 of the bravest remained on the field of battle, and as many more p

part of the Caffres, and showed Mokann

stinction of age or sex, their hamlets fired, cattle driven away, and when they fled to the thickets, they were bombarded with shells and Congreve rockets. Mokanna and the principal chiefs were denounced as outlaws, and the inhabitants thre

e the Caffres," observed Alexander Wilmot;

, Mr. Wilmot, but I will proceed, or dinner will be anno

olved to surrender himself as a hostage for his country. He sent a message to say that he would do so, and the next day, with a calm magnanimity that would have done honor to a Roman patriot, he came, unattended, to the English camp. His w

ecame o

Mokanna's surrender into the English camp. I am told that the imperfect notes taken of it afford but a very faint idea of it

locks grazed the same hills, their herdsmen smoked out of the same pipe; they were brothers until the herds of the Amakosa (Caffres) increased so much as to make the hearts of the Dutch boors sore. What those covetous men could not get from our fath

weld, and we dwelt there because we had conquered it; there we married wives; there our children were born; the white men hated us, but co

nt him horses, on which he rode to steal more; to us you only sent commandoes. We quarreled with Gaika about grass;-no business of yours; you send a commando

colony; we plundered, and we fought for our lives; we found you weak, and we destroyed your soldiers; we saw that we were strong,

e women, and shoot all. You wish us to submit to Gaika; that man's face is fair to you, but his heart is false; leave him to himself; make peace with us: let him fight for himself; and we shall not call upon you for help; set M

sive of the facts and arguments of a case than the above. I am sorry to say it had no effect in altering the destination of Mokanna,

of our own society and belonging to our own country; but to outlaw the chiefs of another c

vastation and misery behind, the expedition returned without obtaining their object, but with the satisfaction of knowing that by taking away 30,000 more cattle, they lef

rrative you have given us. It is, however, to be hoped that you w

cted that justice can be administered. The colonial government had to contend with the whole white population of the colony who rose up in arms a

uch an extensive country; and to give you some idea of this, I will state what was the reply of some of the Dutch boors to the traveler La Vaill

the soldiers, salt their flesh, and send it back by those we might spare, with threats to do the same thing to those who should be

d the conviction makes me more anxio