the news reached the Cape that this
vessel was on her way, the people of the colony became violently
excited; and they established an anti-convict association, by which they
bound themselves to cease from all intercourse of every kind with
persons in any way connected "with the landing, supplying or employing
convicts." On the 19th of September 1849 the "Neptune" arrived in
Simon's Bay. Sir Harry Smith, confronted by a violent public agitation,
agreed not to land the convicts, but to keep them on board ship in
Simon's Bay till he received orders to send them elsewhere. When the
home government became aware of the state of affairs orders were sent
directing the "Neptune" to proceed to Tasmania, and it did so after
having been in Simon's Bay for five months. The agitation did not,
however, pass away without other important results, since it led to
another movement, the object of which was to obtain a free
representative government for the colony. This concession, which had
been previously promised by Lord Grey, was granted by the British
government, and, in 1854, a constitution was established of almost
unprecedented liberality.

_The Kaffir War of 1850-1853_.--The anti-convict agitation had scarcely
ceased when the colony was once again involved in war. The Kaffirs
bitterly resented their loss of independence, and ever since the last
war had been secretly preparing to renew the struggle. Sir Harry Smith,
informed of the threatening attitude of the natives, proceeded to the
frontier, and summoned Sandili and the other chiefs to an interview.
Sandili refused obedience; upon which, at an assembly of other chiefs
(October 1850), the governor declared him deposed from his chiefship,
and appointed an Englishman, Mr Brownlee, a magistrate, to be temporary
chief of the Gaika tribe. The governor appears to have believed that the
measures he took would prevent a war and that Sandili could be arrested
without armed resistance. On the 24th of December Col. Geo. Mackinnon,
being sent with a small force with the object of securing the chief, was
attacked in a narrow defile by a large body of Kaffirs, and compelled to
retreat with some loss. This was the signal for a general rising of the
Gaika tribe. The settlers in the military villages, which had been
established along the frontier, assembled in fancied security to
celebrate Christmas Day, were surprised, many of them murdered, and
their houses given to the flames. Other disasters