The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-07-24
LETTER FROM SOTTH AFRICA.
n WREN JOSH
PoRT NATAL, SourH AFRICA,

PoRT NATAL, SourH AFRICA
January is, 1851.
To me Editor Of The National Era:
DEAR Sir Rumors Of the outbreak Of another
kafr war in the Eastern Province Of Cape Colony
have j9st reached this place A steamer, sent
here 70 procure troops, arms, and ammunition, for
the destruction Of the hostile natives has just left
Fifty thousand natives are expected TO be in the
field, and all well armed Orders have been seut
to the native agent in this Colony, TO raise twenty
thousand native trOops-a number equal TO all the
natives in this Colony capable Of bearing arms
and to be ready to march with them over land, a
distance Of two hundred and fifty miles TO attack
the hostile tribes in the rear. The whole from.
tier is in state of painful excitement The
memory Of desolations and bereavements caus-
ed by the bloody war Of lSI7, is still fresh (,
their farms and villages have but just begun to
recover from its ravages and wear again the smile
Of prosperity the tears Of widows and orphans
yet moisten the graves Of hundreds who fell in
that bloody contest
Especially painful and disastrous is the war TO
the missionaries who have been for 80 many years
iaboring in those regions In the last war they
were obliged to flee TO the strongholds of the
S'SS ~ y" c~@st slsaSjug theiS houses to
furnish barracks forthe soldiers at first and after
wards TO be sacked and burned by the sava-
! ges. 6"
These devoted men, when peace was declared,
returned TO their blasted fields Of labor and were
again beginning to behold the wilderness and the
solitary place bud and blossom when the war
cry again startes them, and they are compelled 10
seek refuge with the destroyers Of their people
The storm which has just burst forth has been
long gathering. Smarting with the remem-
brance Of former wrongs real or imaginary, and
continually goaded by the lust Of plumber, which
lust seems 20 be an essential element Of kafT
nature, there has probably been no time since
the peace Of February, 1913, when war has
not been in their hearts and they have only wait
ed for an opportunity promising success, to renew
hostilites For some months past the serious APP
prehensiOns of the frontier settlers have been
awakened, and they have from time to time warn
ed the Government Of their peril Numerous
rObberies have been committed on the property Of
the farmers, and even on Government wagons
arms, ammunition, and cattle have been plumber
ed, if not under the direction Of the chiefs at
least at their cOnnvance, and without their sec
ending any efforts to bring the offenders to JUS
tioe.
A prophet or cOajtHsr, who has great influence,
has been for several months stirring up his ooun-
trymen to war. lie promises TO blrach the guns
Of the English, 30 that they will be harmless
Thousands believe him, or affect TO and In his
PANNhOeiOoA NO VI SNo Mo ASaAoHOAp w
terminate the whites.
Sir Harry Smith, the Governor of Cape Colo
ny, has kept an eye on these movements A few
weeks II Rs iAS
a council Of all the principal chiefs. The one
whom he most wished to oonciate absented him
self from the council Sir II. Smith, In oonse-
quence, declared him deposed, and appointed a
white man in bis place. This was considered by
many as an impolilic and hasty act Confident
that his severe threateniDgs had queted all dam
ger, Sir Harry returned to the Cape, but not long
was he permitted to delude himself His visit, so
far from quietiDg the frontier tribes only kinded
into fame the war spirit. The deposed chief
Immediately sounded the war wboop, and at his
call fifty thousand warriors stood up to defend his
rights And they waited not TO act merely on the
defensive. They commenced slaughtering all the
whites in their reach, sparing neither man. woman,
nor child Out Of one village Of seveny-two souls,
only two escaped-all the rest were butchered
Sir Harry was soon In the field with all the troops
he could raise but in two battles he lost more men
than ia all the last Kafr war The last we heard,
he was shut up in q narrow de6le, where II was
almost impossible for aid 10 reach him. Should
he be killed, We must expect a long and bloody
war before the Kafrs can be subdued lie was
the only successful general who went against them
in the last war-the only man who could bring
them to terms Of pence. H. A. W.