The Sun.
London, England, 1823-10-09 00:00:00

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CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

lerdm Cape town Gaz(ttes to the 30th of July. )

ThE Ronal OP TIIE CAPE TOWN GAZETTE.

MR. Berrott—Many surmises and reports
laving gone abroad, relative to the Nation now
approaching the frontiers of this Colony, adding,
unneeessarily, to the alarm of the good people
,of Cape Town and vicinity, I think it my duty
to give you the best account I am in possession

of respecting these strangers, particularly as I
have been so repeatedly called upon for expla.
nation; therefore, by your insertion of the fol.
lowing, statement, you will much oblige, Sin
your's, obediently,
Cape Town, 22d July, 180.3. GEORGE THOMPSON

" The 6 Mdntatees,' the invaders, are so called
by the Bechuanas, and the other tribes to the
North and East. This name, at present, we are
led to suppose means Portuguese. This suppo.
sition is reasonable :---the nations in the vicinity
of Latta!top, (properly e "fakoon;) are aware
that the Portuguese have settlements on.the Oast,
and that they are white ;—they now see white
people approaching from that.quarter, when they
naturally conclude that they are the Portuguese;
Through the assistance of Mr. Moffat, (who
bas taken great pains to ascertain the truth, with
regard to these invaders), and the Boralong
Tribes, resident to the N.E. of Lattakoo, but now
dispersed, I was enabled to collect much infor-
mation, and from which I am led to suppose, that

the %slate People alluded to in last m:e;ektsGa

zette, are the descendants of the Crew of the
G rovremor Indian-mit, wrecked above 40 years ago.
this conclusion, I have been favoured from the
following circumstance :—When the expedition,
(under Messrs. van Reenen and others,) arrived
at the wreck of the Grosecnor, and found the
descendants of her 'crew, together with three
• European Ladies, (but, melancholy to relate,
these three unfortunate individuals had forgot
'their country and their native language), they
'immediately made a great rejoicing, saying," Our
• Fathers and Countrymen are come !" Now, the
present invaders have been told by the Bechuanas,
that if they approach the South, they will-meet
' ‘vith a powerful white people, that will soon de-
'stroy them. To this they reply, " The White
people are our Fathers,our Countrymen ; they will
do us no injury ; they will supply our wants ;
they will give its shepp and cattle." This co-
incides very mock with the people found in
the neighbourhood of the wreck of the Grosre-
won Through the same informants 1 was en-
ubled to trace tie Mantatees to the place

-where they first eOllllO4, need hostilities, viz t—
ope!' the Lehayos, tt nation to the snnth•wes

-of Delagoa Clay, 'making the place they have
left Hamhona, near where the Grosvenor was,
wrecked. Likewise, we have an ' account
through, the Cafire country, in corroboration
of this fact :—three individuals were taken some
time bark in the Stake, from whom it appeared
that a strange Nation were approaching this Co.
Way, under a tradition, that the white people
were their fathers, 'B4-c., atid were thou 'standing
westward; When they were repulsed by their
Usighbourt the Tarnbookies, nearly 18 Months
a4o, lit was after this defeat, that the Mao tat ees
left • their country far good, proceeding nearly
due North, and first falling upon the Lehayos, as
already mentioned, the Macqueens, Maremoot.
sans, and se v.ral other tribes, carrying all before
them, nnti I they reached the Wan k vets' country,
about lat. 24. 30. S. long. 27. 30. E. King Mac-

tabba,—this powerful and wary Chief no sooner
found then (the Manta tees) in his dominions, than
he promised them his friendship, and .sent them
good supply of cattle, &c.; but this was only
to delude these poor unfortunate wanderers : for
the same evening, when the invaders had finished
L bountiful rep le,and were reposing unconscious
of danger, in the deep sitimbers of night', Mac-
bha , with all his forces fell upon them and routed
them in a dreadful manner. Being thus repulsed
they fled southward, and having again collected
tbeir forces, they attacked several tribes, with
their wonted success, laying waste the Moorotzes,
BOroiongs, Tamahas or Red Cottrell, and are now
approaching the Beehuana country, having the
iced: Caine King a prisoner, and n guide by com.
pulsion. And, us stated in last week's Gazelle,
it is their intention to approach the South.
" The Bechuanas were, previous to my lenvingi
,joined by the Griquas, who will no doubt astonish
the invaders, being mounted on horses, with mus-
kets. in all probability, they will be as much
surprised as the Peruvians were when the Spa-
niards first appeared in their country. The Beck-

u'anas fight with poisoned arrows. expeditio

will be accompanied by Messrs. Moffat and
A/Ovine, who are eager to unravel the history of
these curious strangers, an object devoutly to
be wished ;—for who knows how near we are
connected by the ties of countrymen to these
people. They seem to have made no plan
for retreat,—nor do they seem to be aware of
the consequences of plundering ; they never
attack when the property can be procured ;
—they express their astonishment at being at.
tucked, and seem to suppose that they must be
supplied with provisions gratis, on an unknown
journey. When attacked, they fight furiously,
rushing on, sword in bend, with great courage.
--Sometimes they urn driven on by the keenest
stimulant, viz. hunger : It is then that they
rush like the hungry Hyena, lighting with one
baud and devouring with the other. They are
Cannibals, I fear ; but this is through neces.
sity : How often are Europeans driven to this
dreadful resource—companion devouring corn.
panion. The Nations they have lately approach.
std, have generally lied, leaving nothing behind
them for the subsistence of the invaders. It is
on such occasions, no clobut, that under a strong
desire for food, the slain are only devoured ; but
I trust that the prisoners meet a better fate, not
bating ascertained that any had been killed
after the engagement. From these circumstances
I din led to suppose, that the Mantatees, or In-
vaders, are composed of different nations, part
the descendants of time before-mentioned ship,;
these having the tradition respecting their Fa.
dice s, have set otr with the intention of finding
them, like' Telemachus in quest of Ulysses; but