The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-25 00:00:00

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[PRICE 5.D .

CAPE OF G 001) HOPE.

The General Screw Steam Shipping Company's
mail packet Lady Jocelyn, Commander Stuart,
arrived at Plymouth yesterday. Few events, it
appears, have occurred since the departure of the
last steamer which can be regarded as indicative
of. the prospects of the war. None of the pro-
scribed chiefs have yet been given up. Another
of those unfortunate " suprises" by the enemy
which have so often during the war proved fatal
to small parties of our force has lately occurred.
About 20 of Montagu's Horse, under Captain
Villiers, were passing between Chumie Camp and
the Kieskamma Hoek, and the road being steep
they had dismounted and were leading their horses,
with their rifles incautiously left slung in the
buckets attached to their saddles. Suddenly about
100 rebel Hottentots fell upon them and com-
menced firing, upon which the whole party fled,
leaving five guns, and ten horses in the hands of the
enemy, besides two which were killed. Captain
Villiers was slightly wounded, and one of his men
dangerously. A party froni Chumie Camp, under
Captain Rennie, 7311 Regiment, at once proceeded
to the spot, but the foo had vanished with his
booty.
The captured Slambie chief Seyolo has been
brought down by sea to Cape Town, and lodged in
the town prison until arrangements are made for
his safe custody in the neighbouring village of
Wynberg. • When the sentence of the Court-mar-
tial by which he was tried at Graham's Town was
read to him, condemning him to be " shot to death
by musketry," he is said to have betrayed no elm-
! tion ; • brit when informed that his sentence was to
be commuted, and that he was to be carried over
the sea, he was overcome with alarm, and appeared
to regard this doom as much more terrible than
that first pronounced against him. He is accom-
panied by one of his wives, a counsellor of his tribe
and his wife, and a female servant.
The Governor has proceeded with a force of 2,000
men into the Orange River territory, having first
issued the following proclamation :

" Know all chiefs and men of all classes and tribes
within her Majesty's dominions of the Orange River
territory, that I am come among you to administer, in
the Queen's name, justice and right equally to all. lam
come not to make war, but to settle all disputes and to
establish the blessings of peace.
" I therefore order and command you all to remain
quiet, each of you within your own country, and to
await and abide by my judgment and decision.
" I have with me sufficient of the Queen's troops to
enforce obedience, and to punish with rigour and severity
any chief, class, or tribe who may dare to resist my law-
ful authority.
" All loyal subjects of the Queen will be ready to join
me, should I deem it necessary to call upon them for
their co-operation, against any contumacious offenders.

" God save the Queen."

The cause of this movement has not been officiftlly
announced, but it is generally believed that the
powerful Basouta chief Moshesh and the Sove-
reignty farmers are likely to collie into serious col-
lision. Reports have been received, which, how-
ever, want confirmation, that Moshesh has made a
prisoner of the Rev. Mr., Giddy, a Wesleyan mis-
sionary, together with a number of the farmers,
whom he had invited to a conference, and has sent
a message to General Cathcart threatening to put
the who] e of them to death should the troops dare
to enter his territory.
General Cathcart has issued a proclamation al-
lowing that portion of the Tambookie tribe under '
Nonesi to return and settle down upon the terri-
tory they formerly occupied.
Within the western districts tranquillity prevails,
and the crops promise an abundant harvest.
The Extra to the Graham's Town, Journal of
the 14th of December—states that his Excellency
the Governor with his staff, assistant commis-
sioners, &c., crossed the Orange River into the
Sovereignty on Tuesday, the 30th of November.
The camp is described as extending • in a line of
about two miles, and presenting a most formidable
appearance. It is not known what his Excellency's
policy towards, Moshesh will be. All sorts of re-
ports were rife in the camp. Some say Moshesh's
men have been patrolling the banks of the Caledon
for several days past ; others, that his sons will
try their strength with the British ; while others,
who 'know the native character well, say that he
has already sent off the bulk of his cattle intt)
-tiff loacenible' and—fug:ged motintaiufs, and will
try the effect of duplicity and evasion. Ex-
_ _

presses, it is stated have been sent off to the chiefs
by his Excellency, but their contents have
not transpired. The whole forco, it is said,
will move in a few days towards Plaatberg, which
is situated about 20 miles from Thaba Bobziou, the
residence of the chief Moshesh, and about 100 miles
from Commissie Drift. His Excellency visited
Smithfield on the 3d, and returned to the camp the
same afternoon. The English mail, by the Calcutta,
which arrived in Table Bay on the 22d of Novem-
ber, reached the Governor's camp early on the
morning of the 3d—a distance of about 900 miles
from Cape Town in 10 days.
Subjoined is a description of Macomo's den, as
supplied by the Colonist, in a letter from Fort
Fordyce, dated December 5 :
" We went on an expedition the other day to Maco-
mo's den, which is situated at a short distance from this
fort, and as there were only twelve of us, you may infer
that the Waterkloof is completely cleared. This den is a
number of caverns at the top of Fuller's Hoek, and the
approach to them is most difficult from the rugged nature
of the ground. We found several skulls, one of which
seemed to be that of a European. There were also old
karosses, leather, tobacco, bags, pumpkins, water bottles,
and a good knife. A skeleton was found there a day or
two ago wrapped up in a kaross, with the skeleton of a
dog lying at its head. Another skeleton was near it,
also wrapped up in a kaross, and from the material about
it, was evidently that of some one who had been killed
by a rocket. There are plenty of graves of the poor
soldiers about, many of which had been dug up either by
jackalls, or by Kafirs in order to get the blankets."

The Fettercairn, Captain Maitland ; the brig
Jane, 180 tons ; the barque Lady Sandys ; and the
schooner Iris are laid on at the Cape for the gold

regions.
In Table Bay there are at present no less than 13
vessels destined for the gold regions of Australia,
and conveying emigrants from various quarters, in-
cluding England, Ireland, and America, and some
few from the Cape. The gold fever, however,
which prevailed in Cape Town on the arrival of
the Australian, has to a certain extent abated, and
many who recently purposed emigrating have now
wisely concluded to let well alone, at least until
society is more organised in that modern El Dorado.
The shipments of provisions, implements, and ne-
cessaries hence have necessarily created much ad-
ditional business in the various mercantile houses
here.

Large shipments are being made for Australia,
not only in provisions, but also in wearing apparel.
An advance in price has taken place on many arti-
cles of general consumption in consequence. Flour
and brandy are now reported at an advance of
fully 10 per cent. upon previous rates. No less than
2,500 tons of merchandise will be shipped from
Cape Town for the Australian colonies in the course
of the present month.
From Mauritius the Commercial Gazette says—
" Freights' have an upward tendency, and Si. is now
asked, owing to the short supply of tonnage in the har-
bour, reduced as follows :—The Mary, burden about 500
tons ; Emperor, about 500 tons ; Albion, about 700
tons ; Stratford, about 500 tons ; Lady Valiant, about
900 tons. This amount is very small at this time, as
about 15,000 tons will be required by the end of the
year. A private letter from Madras informs us that the
William Prowse has been chartered to Sydney at 3/. 10s.
for 500 tons of sugar, and 4/. for other goods. This
vessel was crowded with passengers. Purchases of
sugar will be checked by the want of tonnage, otherwise
' the market is steady at former prices."
The same journal states that 50 persons have
subscribed and purchased the Walter Scott, in.which
' they were about to sail immediately for Australia.
The Mazeppa has arrived at Madagascar.