Kafir
called Johannes, a brother of Secocoeni, who was the immediate cause
of the war. This Johannes used to live at a place called Botsobelo,
the mission-station of Mr. Merensky, but moved to a stronghold on the
Spekboom river, in the disputed territory. The Boers sent to him to come
back, but he refused, and warned the Boers off his land. Secocoeni was
then appealed to, but declared that the land belonged to his tribe, and
would be occupied by Johannes. He also told the Boers "that he did not
wish to fight, but that he was quite ready to do so if they preferred
it." Thereupon the Transvaal Government declared war, although it does
not appear that the natives committed any outrage or acts of hostility
before the declaration. As regards the Boers' right to Secocoeni's
country, Sir H. Barkly sums up the question thus, in a despatch
addressed to President Burgers, dated 28th Nov. 1876:--"On the whole, it
seems perfectly clear, and I feel bound to repeat it, that Sikukuni
was neither _de jure_ or _de facto_ a subject of the Republic when your
Honour declared war against him in June last." As soon as war had been
declared, the clumsy commando system was set working, and about
2500 white men collected; the Swazies also were applied to to send a
contingent, which they did, being only too glad of the opportunity of
slaughter.

At first all went well, and the President, who accompanied the commando
in person, succeeded in reducing a mountain stronghold, which, in his
high-flown way, he called a "glorious victory" over a "Kafir Gibraltar."

On the 14th July another engagement took place, when the Boers and
Swazies attacked Johannes' stronghold. The place was taken with
circumstances of great barbarity by the Swazies, for when the signal
was given to advance the Boers did not move. Nearly all the women were
killed, and the brains of the children were dashed out against the
stones; in one instance, before the captive mother's face. Johannes was
badly wounded, and died two days afterwards. When he was dying he said
to his brother, "I am going to die. I am thankful I do not die by the
hands of these cowardly Boers, but by the hand of a black and courageous
nation like myself . . ." He then took leave of his people, told his
brother to read the Bible, and expired. The Swazies were so infuriated
at the cowardice displayed by the Boers on this occasion that they
returned home in great dudgeon.

On the 2nd of August Secocoeni's moun