fire drove back the aggressors, who had suffered
severely during their repeated assaults. The garrison made a sortie at
a moment of confusion in the Caffre ranks, caused by the havoc of the
guns; the sortie was successful, but not until after a fierce conflict
at close quarters. The force at Sir Harry Smith's command was totally
inadequate to suppress such an insurrection, unless, indeed, by singular
good fortune, and with most severe loss. The Hottentots, encouraged by
the success of the Caffres, burst into sudden rebellion, and committed
numerous murders upon the settlers, as well as inflicting loss upon the
armed bands of loyalists, and troops, with whom constant skirmishes
were maintained. The natives in the English pay, even the Cape Mounted
Rifles, deserted in great numbers, and strove earnestly to organize
Caffres and Hottentots for more effective war. Colonel Somerset, now
promoted to the rank of majorgeneral, succeeded in coming upon the main
force of the Hottentots with two columns of British, one six hundred and
the other three hundred strong. The general committed precisely the same
errors, and in the same manner, as Lord Clyde and his lieutenants
in India, in the mutiny of 1857, afterwards made the English nation
accustomed to expect from British officers--the stronghold of the
Hottentots was so carelessly invested that they escaped, and the war,
which, so far as they were concerned, might have been terminated, was
consequently prolonged. In various actions which took place the Caffres
and Hottentots fought well; the Fingoes, the allies of the British,
fought indifferently. The English suffered from successful ambushes on
the part of the enemy, and from being badly supplied with ammunition.
Colonel Fordyce, who was very active, but not always successful, in
command of separate columns under the orders of General Somerset, was
killed, and many brave officers and men fell.

On the 31st of October a draft of a constitution for the colony,
dispatched by Earl Grey, arrived at Cape Town. It was transmitted to the
Cape for the approval of the legislative council, in order eventually,
by the queen's sanction, to become law. According to that document the
parliament of the colony was to consist of the governor, the legislative
council, and a house of assembly. The legislative council was to be
elective, the members retiring by rotation at intervals of five years,
until ten years had expired, when the members should