The New York herald., 1879-10-21
Strange History of the Ishmaelites
of South Africa.
ENGLAND'S BLACK INDIANS.
A Peculiar Race Almost Swept from the
Face of the Earth.
DURHAM, Natal. August &c. 1879

which has had its rise wlthln the present century,
and there probability that fall and extinction
may before the dawn OF the next refer to the
Griquas OF Dutch half breeds. When the little king
dom OF the Netherlands was in its most prosperous
state a couple of centuries ago. its enterprising
merchants went abroad in quest of trade. They
established trading stations wherever commercial
prospect presented itself These merchants were to
be found at the island Of Manhattan as well as at
Java, at Demerara and in India. To facilitate their
trade with India they took possession or the cape OF
Good Hope and held it simply as calling port for
their trading ships. They bought the colony
of Natal 200 years ago. and abandoned it after two
years attempt create trade leaving it to blush un-
until fifty years ago, when Leutenants King ana
Farewell undertook to colonize it in the interest OF
the British Upon settling at the Cape these Dutch
in contact with the Hottentots, who wereit
aboriginal inhabitants. They race of docile
and indifferent people, with features and color not
unlike the Mongolian. Their country was not ex-
tensive, as the more manly Kaffirs occupied the
broad acres nearly the entire South African Penin
sula Living with the Hottentots people
called Corannas. who were, if anything. the most
degraded OF the two. Tho first act OF friendship
performed by the Dutch toward those they found in
the land to enslave them and to prohibit them
from ntermarrying, reserving the women for them
selves. Thus sprang up the Of the Griquas,
who, Of course, were still held as slaves.
THE BRITISH APPEAR.
When the British. under Sir David Baird, wrested
the Cape Colony from the Dutch in 1906. they found
social matters just have described them. Shortly
after this slavery renounced in all British pos.
sessions including, of course. South Africa. In
Identification offered to all the Boer shareholders
for the loss Of the human property which the
law allowed to 60 from them, and the Griquas
accepted the profered liberty with grateful hearts,
and bade goodby to their illegitimate relations
the Boers-as they started off into the northern
wilderness in search of a home for themselves. At
that time the Orange River confined all that was
supposed to be civilizable South Africa. Across
this the Grquas went and took possession Of the
land its northern banks. Here they dwet
disturbed until. few years afterward. number
of their former masters and kin, having become
dissatisfied with British rule, crossed after them.
and cast covetous glances upon their farms. Very
soon there quarrel, and the Griquas turned
their faces again in search Of another home. They
divided, and one party under the chief Waterboer,
took up its abode in arid Karoo wilderness the
banks of the Vaal River, while the other and most
respectable batch under the patriarch Captain Adam
Kok, sought home in what was then known
Nomanslsnd. q secluded spot at the foot OF the
Drakensberg Mountains, and hemmed in all sides
by barbarians. They felt that. having moved out Of
the way Of any who might come from the South. and
having taken up land which was regarded worth
less by the savages surely they would be
molested again. Like the Mormons in Utah, they
We're doomed to disappointment.
FROM HOME TO HOME.
Those who had emigrated to tho west were by far
the most degraded and helpless portion They
numbered among their ranks. the Corannas and
Bushmen, who followed more as dependents than
otherwise. Adam Kok's people who went to the
eastward respectable and Industrious in no
ordinary degree Many Of them almost white
and they spoke the Dutch language. Under their
management Nomansland became land which
hundreds of men-and white men too
were anxious to call their own. But in the
month of April. 1873. incident occurred at
nokstadt which led up to most disastrous results
for the Griquas. Ludowyk Kok. man high in au-
thorisy ana respect among the people. had quarrel
with Mr.. Pringe. o storekeeper The magistrate ap-
rests among them that of Bushman, who was taken
Into custody for merely observing that at
shame to take Ludowyk to prison." For this unwise
remark Bushman got q hogging. and Ludowyk Kok,
after sided trial. sent to prison for six
months. These doings served to excite the murmur-
ing popuace. and they talked OF protesting One of
the crying grievances they had was, they did
not know whether they were British subjects not
the annexation having been consummated in such
an unsatisfactory manner that they knew they were
not their masters and felt that they denied
British rule and justice Unfortunately for them,
stamp. On appearing be. fore Kokstadt Captain Blyth
refused to treat with them. called them rebels and
commanded them to lay down their arms. On being
branded as rebels the GrIquas confronted with
the seriousness of their situation. The
9orty Oh them really had no aggressive
Intention, and, they pointed out to afterward,
would any reasonable man ever dream that this in
significant and peaceable little band had entertained
the idea OF defying and lighting the power of Great
Britain? Most of the men landed propretors
and owned stock and wagons. They aware that
the sghtest hostile design on their part would beg
a hpy h.
United to Captain Byth's demand and laid down
their arms it would be AN ackno nowledgment of re-
bellion. and il they returned to their homes they
might be dragged from them to prison. In the hope
OF being able to come to some arrangement with
the magistrate they encamped at Mount Currie,
about two miles from Kokstadt and occupied an old
laager. Captain Blyth had no reason to fear the
Griquas as he had large force OF well armed civil
lans, detachment of mounted police aud
couple OF thousand OF Basuto Katlirs, and
part of regiment of the line was with
III q days march. on its way to reinforce
his little garrison. Without waiting for the troops
to come up the magistrate sent his forces out
against the Griquas aud opened fire them. At
the hrst volley the Griquas fed without showing
hght. except in one or two individual instances.
They were followed up and shot at Us they ran
until, according to their account, forty-sevcn poor
fellows were slain. The official account OF the affair
not give a third of this number as beinp kIeJ
but am informed by who was with the attack.
ing party that he saw forty-two bodies buried Cap.
tain Byths party did not lose q man. In fact, it
met with no casualties.
LIKE DOGS
one OF the urI4ua leaders named smid Pommer.
with twelve kafhr followers, was afterward sur
ROUNDED in the lngelini bush and annihilated.
Basutcs were then sent out with orders TO bring in
ali the Griquas, together with their cattle shee and
horses. rms they ala with savage gee, turning the
women and children out into the wlds to starye and
IN several Instances they burned houses. About
three hundred prisoners brought into
hokstadt many OF whom had taken part in
the so-caicd rising. and some had been IN Kokstadt
beside the magistrates people all the time The
richest and most influential. together with one or
wo turbulent spirits. were singled out 10 the num-
Der OF lfI, and sent 200 iIes away, to Cape Town.
Wpr0 n laaVsH
passenger ON the sare steamer that carried them To
the Cape aud was struck with their inoffensive and
rea magnificent dcineanor. They ia charge of
Que buued policeman and two assistants In reality
one ma had sole charge of the lot. While on board
they mai hard time OF 1t, being exposed to incenl-
ent weather and short of the barcst necessares In
conversation with the guard and with some of tho
most important OF the prisoners CLEANED that the
nrlquas had been badly used They claimed TO have
peeh loyal and still were. and hoped that they might
nave tue use OF their money to retain counsel and
secure Tor themselves a iair trial In farms and