The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-10-10 00:00:00

: THE NEW AFRICAN NATION.
—.1.1.—.
:'.. futon c SPE TOWN eozerrute TO TIM NTH 01 JOLT )
Sia—Nary surmises and reports Mutate gone abroad, reins
. d• to the Nation now approaching the frontiers of this
' c,„)ey, adding, unnecessarily'. to the steno of the good people
dope Town and vicinity. I think it my duty to give yore
• er best account I am in possession of respecting these
stringers, particularly as I have been so repeatedly Galled
woo for expianstion; therefore, by your insertion of the
lama* statement, you will much oblige, Sir, min, obe-
diently.
scape Tows, July Fit, 1823. GEOROZ THOMPSON.
"The • Msntatees,' the invaders, are so called by the Be-
Meaner, and the other tribes to the north and east. We
pee, at pr-sent, we are led to suppose, means Portuguese.—
This supposition is reasonable:—the nations in the vicinity of
Lettatoo, (properly ' e 'Takoon,') are aware that the Porto-
/Imm have settlements on the coast, and that they are white:.
/Limy now see white people appproachieg from that quarter,
khan they naturally conclude that they are the Portuguese.
•
'4 Through the assistance of Mr. Mores?, (who hag`'
takes great pains to ascertain the troth, with regard to
these invaders), and the Borolong tribes, resident to the
sdoreboast of Lattakoo, but' °Or dispersed, I was enabled
ie, collect lunch information, from which, I am led to
seppo'e, that the white people alluded to in last week's
Gazette are the descendants of the crew of the Grosvenor
lediereme, wrecked abort forty years ago. In thief con.
einem I have lova favoured from the following Hum-
etsue ;--.Whee the exprdition(under blesses. an Recssm
end•others,) arrived at the wreck of the Grosvenor, and
kund the desceedeata of her crew, together with three
&trepan. Ladies (but, melancholy to relate, these three
oeforieratte individuals had forgot their country, and their
leave language), they immediately made a great re-
, joiciolis saying, " Oar fathers and countrymen are come:"
;blow, the present invaders have been told by the Beebe-
. sus, that if they approach. the South, they will meet
. with a powerful white people, that will soon destroy them.
Jo !hie they reply, t• The White people are our fathers, our
countrymen; they will do as no injury; they will supply
. officio; ; fury rive its sheep and cattle." This coineides
,wary..eourh with the people found in the neighbourhood of
.:elmereerk. of tree Grosvenor. Through the same inform-
,eets I. oroorne Lied. to trace the blantatres to the place where
. ihry tiromolata,nce I hostilities, .via. upon the Leyhayos, a
. wirier° the south-west of Delagoa Bay. nsaltitig the place
they •heve•left Harebona, near where the Grosvenor was
wrecked. Likewiso, we haye an account -through the
-tiolfrte country, in corroboration of this fact:--three
imlididuals were taken some time bark in 'the Sanka, from
i whom it appeared that a strange Nation were approaching
lbis Colvoy..under a tradition, that the white people were
.ily4t fethers. lee., aoll were then standing westward, when
they were r, waked by their neighbours the Tarnhookies,
!MAY eighteen months ago. It was after this defeat, that
the Shower% left their country for good,- .proceeding
.oessely due Not ti, and first falling upon the Lehayos, as
already nwootiusted, the bloomer's, Maremootsens, and
,levers other tribes. carrying all before • them, until
,ilbey readied the Wankeete country, about .IW. 24.30. S.
-I*af. '27 . 30. E. King blaccabba—this powerful and wary
O ief ins sooner found them (the Mantaters) in his
toes, than he promised them his friendship, and sent
tos
ntisfowrutheonialyintoe
aAgleesooed supply
i y o
unfortunatewanderers:tatticf‘ b
Alatiagf, when the invaders had nnished a bountiful regale,
• were reposing unconscious of danger, in. the deep
be of night. Macrabba with all his forces fell upon
In
and routed them in a dreadful manner. Being thus
g. "abed they fled southward,. and having again collected
r forces, they attacked several tribes, oith their wonted
...MM.,, laying waste the Mavroules, liorolons, Tannahas
•or Red Cakes. and are now approaching the Bechoana
country, having the Bed Care King a prisoner, and a
,guide. by comp:Anion. And, as slated in last week's
Casette, it is their intention to approach the South.
" The Beriman.s were, previous to my leaving, joined
Iby the Griquas, who will no doubt astonish the tiovadere, •
;lasing mounted on horses, with muskets. In all probaill-
•lity they will he ae much surprised as the Peruvians were
when the Spaniards Mat appeared in their country. The
Beclotroms tight with poisoned arrows. The expedition
.will be eccompanied by Messrs. Moffat and Melville, who
are eager to unravel the history of those curious strangers
efts object devoutly to be wished ; for who knows how near
we are connected by tire ties of countrymen to these people.
They seem. to have mode no plan for retreat, nor do they
wens to he aware of the consequences of plundering ; they
arm al tack when the property can be procured;—they ex-
:press their astonishment at being attacked, and seem to
':appose that they must be supplied with provisions
•gratis, on he unknown journey: When attacked, they
light furiously, rushing on, :mord in hand, with great
•cserage.—Soutetimes they are driven on by the keenest sti-
.mulant, viz. hunger. lt is men that they rushlike the hungry
Ilyeas, li4liting with one hand and devouring with the
fir They are Cannibals, I fear ; but this is through
-eternity. How often are Europeans driven to this dreadful
resource—comp:mina devouring cnuopenion. The nations
they have !atolls approached have generally fled, leaving
nothinz behiudthem for the sobsistence of tire invaders.—
it is on old' occasions, no doubt, that under a strong dessire
!u° teed. the slain are only devoured ; but I trust that the
risaiokrablere a oetter rote, --. r..ving ascertained that
say had been killed rafter the engagnifen" v-0a these
circumstances I am hot to suppose, that the Mantatees, u.
Invaders, are composed of different nations, part the descen-
dants of the before mentioned ship ; these braving the
tradition respecting their Fathers, have set off with the
formation of tinding them, like Telemachus in quest of
31(yrees; but very inconsiderately, with their wives and
children, and in the company of a host of savages.
" It is very probable, that tine revolution in the vicinity
of Delagoa Bay, mentioned by Captain Owen, is caused by
the amine people. We may shortly expect to hear their for.
der history from Messrs. Moffat and Melville, who, I am
well aware, will spare no pain, to effect that object."

A maim is in circulation that one of the Members for
the county of Northumberland is about to accept of the
Chiltern Hundreds. Certain arrangements are spoken of
as likely to take place in the event of a new election, which
it would be premature to mention till we are sure the report
is well founded.—(Tyne Mercury.)
The Birmingham Musical Festival, which is celebrated
once in three years, and we proceeds of which are devoted
towards the support of the general Hospital of the town,
commenced on Tuesday last, under circumstances which
p►omise a very favourable molt to the benevolent exertions
14 the committee, by whom the arrangements are super-
intended. Among the performers engaged are Madame
Catalani, Mrs. Salmon, Miss Stepphen•, Messrs. 13rahani,
Vaughan, lireatorex, Knvvett, Bellamy, Cramer, and
Mon. In the list of violin and viola players are 31 from
the King's Concert, Philiinitionir,and King's Theatre ; 4
from the Conservatoire at Paris ; and the additional per-
formers to complete the strength of the orchestra are
leaders of concerts from various large towns in the king-
dom. Mr. °restore: is the conductor, and presides at the
organ and piano-forte. According to the Birmingham
Chronicle the town was never known so full of distin-
uished visitors. The receipts at the Theatre on Tuesday
evening, equalled the most sanguine expectations of the
Committee, as was the case with those of St. Phillip 's
March in the morning, they surpassed considerably the
Proceeds of the first day at the last meeting. The sum
obtained on the present occasion was 9281.14 e., that on the
b►mer only 7911. 145., making an excess in favour of
Taesday of 1371. The total number of persons in the
louse, including pit, boxes, and gallery, was 1641. Mr.
Sadler is proceeding with the necessary arrangements for
meencling with his balloon to-morrow.