our intercourse with savage nations, who are as pertinacious of their
rights as the monarchs of Europe. The error on our part was soon
discovered, but the government were too proud to acknowledge it.

"It so happened that the other Caffre chiefs formed a powerful
confederacy against Gaika, who, trusting to the support of the English,
had treated them with great arrogance. They fought and conquered him,
carrying off, as usual, his cattle. As this was a war between the
Caffres, and confined to their own land, we certainly had no business to
interfere; but the colonial government thought otherwise, and an
expedition was prepared.

"The Caffres sent forward messengers declaring their wish to remain at
peace with the English, but refusing to submit to Gaika, who was only a
secondary chief, and whom they had conquered. No regard was paid to
this remonstrance; the English troops were sent forward, the Caffres
attacked in their hamlets, slaughtered or driven into the woods, 23,000
head of cattle taken from them, of which 9000 were given to Gaika, and
the rest distributed to the Dutch boors, or sold to defray part of the
expenses of the expedition.

"Deprived of their means of subsistence by the capture of their cattle,
the Caffres were rendered furious and reckless, and no sooner had the
expedition returned, than they commenced hostilities. They poured into
the frontier districts, captured several detached military forts, drove
the Dutch boors from the Zurweld, or neutral territory, and killed a
great many of our soldiers and of the Dutch boors. All the country was
overrun as far as the vicinity of Algoa Bay, and nothing could at first
check their progress."

"Why, it really does not appear that the colonial government, when in
our hands, was more considerate than when it was held by the Dutch,"
replied Alexander.

"Not much, I fear," said Mr Fairburn.

"The councils of the Caffre chiefs were at that time much influenced by
a most remarkable personage of the name of Mokanna. In the colony he
was usually known by the sobriquet of `Links,' or the left-handed. He
was not a chief, but had by his superior intellect obtained great power.
He gave himself out to be a prophet, and certainly showed quite as much
skill as ever did Mahomed or any other false prophet. He had often
visited Cape Town, and had made himself master of all that he could
acquire of European knowledge.

"This man, by his influence, his superior el