94 THE BATTLE COMMENCES.-FEROCITY OF THE BECHUANAS. boer should take the command. Cornelius nobly and generously insisted on my taking his best horse, urging that my life was far more valuable than his. This kind act was the more sensibly felt, as the horse was one of the strongest in the commando; and but for this circumstance, I could not have done what I did, nor, humanly speaking, could I have escaped with my life. Having spent an almost sleepless night on the plain, from extreme cold, we were all in motion next morning before daylight. The attempt made the preceding day to bring about a friendly communication having entirely failed, it was judged expedient for the commando to ride up to the invaders, hoping, from the imposing appearance of about one hundred horsemen, to intimidate them, and bring them to a parley. For this purpose, the commando approached within one hundred and fifty yards, with a view to beckon some one to come out. On this the enemy commenced their terrible howl, and at once discharged their clubs and javelins. Their black dismal appearance, and savage fury, with their hoarse and stentorian voices, were calculated to daunt; and the Griquas, on their first attack, wisely retreated to a short distance, and again drew up. Waterboer, the chief, commenced firing, and levelled one of their warriors to the ground; several more instantly shared the same fate. It was confidently expected that their courage would be daunted when they saw their warriors fall by an invisible weapon; and it was hoped they would be humbled and alarmed, that thus farther bloodshed might be prevented. Though they beheld with astonishment the dead, and the stricken warriors writhing in the dust, they looked with lion-like fierceness at the horsemen, and yelled vengeance, violently wrenching the weapons from the hands of their dying companions, to supply those they had discharged at their antagonists. Sufficient intervals were afforded, and every encouragement held out for them to make proposals, but all was ineffectual. They sallied forth with increased vigour, so as to oblige the Griquas to retreat, though only to a short distance, for they never attempted to pursue above two hundred yards from their camp. The firing, though without any order, was very destructive, as each took a steady aim. Many of their chief men fell victims to their own temerity, after manifesting undaunted spirit. Again and again the chiefs and Mr. Melvill met to deliberate how to act so as to prevent bloodshed among a people who appeared determined to die rather than flee, which they could easily have done. Soon after the battle commenced, the Bechuanas came up, and united in playing on the enemy with poisoned arrows, but they were soon driven back; half-a-dozen of the fierce Mantatees made the whole body scamper off in wild disorder. After two hours and a half's combat, the Griquas, finding their ammunition fast diminishing, at the almost certain risk of loss of life, began to storm; when the enemy gave way, taking a westerly direction. The horsemen, however, intercepted them, when they immediately descended towards the ravine, as if determined not to return by the way they came, which they crossed, but were again intercepted. On turning round, they seemed desperate, but were soon repulsed. Great confusion now prevailed, the ground being very stony, which rendered it difficult to manage the horses. At this moment an awful scene was presented to the view. The undulating country around was covered with warriors, all in motion, so that it was difficult to say who were enemies or who were friends. Clouds of dust were rising from the immense masses, who appeared flying with terror, or pursuing with fear. To the alarming confusion was added the bellowing of oxen, the vociferations of the yet unvanquished warriors, mingled with the groans of the dying, and the widows' piercing wail, and the cries from infant voices. The enemy then directed their course towards the town, which was in possession of a tribe of the same people, still more numerous. Here another desperate struggle ensued, when the foe appeared determined to inclose the horsemen within the smoke and flames of the houses, through which they were slowly passing, giving the enemy time to escape. At last, seized with despair, they fled precipitately. It had been observed during the fight that some women went backward and forward to the town, only about half a mile distant, apparently with the most perfect indifference to their fearful situation. While the commando was struggling between hope and despair of being able to rout the enemy, information was brought that the half of their forces, under Chuane, were reposing in the town, within sound of the guns, perfectly regardless of the fate of the other division, under the command of Karaganye. It was supposed they possessed entire confidence in the yet invincible army of the latter, being the more warlike of the two. Humanly speaking had both parties been together, the day would have been lost, when they could, with perfect ease, have carried devastation into the centre of the colony. When both parties were united, they set fire to all parts of the town, and appeared to be taking their de parture, proceeding in an immense body towards the north. If their number may be calculated by the space of ground occupied by the entire body, it must have amounted to upwards of forty thousand. The Griquas pursued them about eight miles; and though they continued desperate, they seemed filled with terror at the enemies by whom they had been overcome. As soon as they retired from the spot where they had been encamped, the Bechuanas, like voracious wolves, began to plunder and despatch the wounded men, and to butcher the women and children with their spears and war-axes. As fighting was not my province, of course I avoided discharging a single shot, though, at the request of Mr. Melvill and the chiefs, I remained with the commando, as the only means of safety. Seeing the savage ferocity of the Bechuanas in killing the inoffensive women and children for the sake of a few paltry rings, or of being able to boast that they had killed some of the Mantatees, I turned my attention to these objects of pity, who were flying in consternation in all directions. By my galloping in among them, many of the Bechuanas were deterred from their barbarous purpose. It was distressing to see mothers and infants rolled in blood, and the living babe in the arms of a dead mother. All ages and both sexes lay prostrate on the ground. Shortly THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN.-FRESH ALARMS. 95 prevent bloodshed or save life, I returned to the station, where Mr. Melvill arrived two days after with the prisoners, to whose comfort and welfare he attended with unremitting care. It was afterwards deemed advisable that some of the Griquas should go and learn what direction the enemy had taken; but this they declined. Messrs. Hamilton and Melvill then set off with a wagon, to rescue the women and children who might still survive, trusting that some of the Griquas would follow with their horses, which Mr. M offered to hire. Two days after their departure the report reached us that, after the battle, the retreating enemy had attacked and plundered three different towns, and were even threatening yet to visit the Kuruman, to revenge their loss, supposing that the horses and guns being gone, the Bechuanas, whom they considered as the dust of their feet, would be utterly unable to resist them. after they began to retreat, the women, seeing that mercy was shown them, instead of flying, generally sat down, and, baring their bosoms, exclaimed, "I am a woman, I am a woman!" It seemed impossible for the men to yield. There were several instances of wounded men being surrounded by fifty Bechuanas; but it was not till life was almost extinct that a single one would allow himself to be conquered. I saw more than one instance of a man fighting boldly, with ten or twelve spears and arrows fixed in his body. The cries of infants which had fallen from the breasts of their mothers, who had fled or were slain, were distinctly heard; while many of the women appeared thoughtless as to their dreadful situation. Several times I narrowly escaped the spears and war-axes of the wounded, while busy in rescuing the women and children. The men, struggling with death, would raise themselves from the ground, and discharge their weapons at any one of our number within their reach; their hostile and revengeful spirit only ceased when life was extinct. Contemplating this deadly conflict, we could not but admire the mercy of God that not one of our number was killed, and only one slightly wounded. One Bechuana lost his life while too eagerly seeking for plunder. The slain of the enemy was between four and five hun-The uncertainty whether the enemy was not in the dred. The Mantatees are a tall, robust people, in features resembling the Bechuanas; their dress consists of prepared ox hides, hanging double over the shoulders. The men, during the engagement, were nearly naked, having on their heads a round cockade of black ostrich feathers. Their ornaments were large copper rings, sometimes eight in number, worn round their necks, with numerous arm, leg, and ear rings of the same material. Their weapons were war-axes of various shapes, spears, and clubs; into many of their knob-sticks were inserted pieces of iron resembling a sickle, but more curved, sometimes to a circle, and sharp on the outside. Their language was only a dialect of the Sechuana, as I understood them nearly as well as the people among whom I lived. They appeared more rude and barbarous than the tribes around us, the natural | consequences of the warlike life they had led. They were suffering dreadfully from want; even in the heat of battle, the poorer class seized pieces of meat and devoured them raw. At the close of the battle, when Mr. Melvill and I had collected many women and children, and were taking them to a place of safety, it was with the utmost difficulty we could get them forward. They willingly followed till they found a piece of meat, which had been thrown away in the flight, when nearly all would halt to tear and devour it, though perfectly raw. Some of the prisoners were so extremely weak as to oblige us to leave them behind. We learned from others that the Mantatees had intended to begin their march towards Kuruman the very day we encountered them, and had slaughtered cattle to make themselves strong. They had driven out the inhabitants of Nokaneng, ransacked and burnt that town, and were about to finish with Lithako in the same manner, when "the thunder and lightning of the Griquas" (as they termed the musketry) drove them back. As my presence was no longer required, either to On receiving the above alarming information, I despatched two men with a letter to Messrs. Hamilton and Melvill, for whose safety we now felt the most trembling anxiety, being without horses, and not a single Griqua having accompanied them. I also sent off with all speed a letter to Waterboer, pointing out the necessity of recalling his force. precincts of the town caused us to spend a most uneasy night. This was a night of great anxiety. Messengers arrived, announcing the certain approach of the Mantatees. It was dark and dreary. The town was without lights of any description. except the few embers of the house-fires, round which sat the trembling families. Most of the men were out of doors, listening to anything like an unusual sound. The dogs kept up incessant barking. No watches were set; no spies sent out. There was no inhabitant between us and the field of battle. Every one appeared afraid to move from the spot where he stood. A cry of sorrow was raised in one part of the town, which made every heart palpitate. It was the intelligence of one newly arrived, the melancholy tale of the parent of a family having been slain by the Mantatees. Occasionally a chief would come to our houses to announce his terror. Imagination painted the town surrounded by a host of the enemy, waiting the dawn of day to commence a general massacre. The Mantatee women in our kitchens and outhouses perceived the alarm, but looked on, or slept, with the most perfect indifference. Again and again parties came and knocked violently at our door, relating new fears-the spectres of their feverish minds. Mrs. M. put warm clothes on the two sleeping babes, in case of being able to escape on foot towards the mountain; while I hung my cloak and my gun close by the door-the latter being necessary for protection, in our flight, from beasts of prey. A woman, who had the day before but scarcely escaped the deadly weapons of the enemy, ran the whole night, and, on reaching the threshold of one of the houses, fainted with fatigue, and fell to the ground. On recovering, the first words she articulated were, "The Mantatees!" This went through the thousands like an electric shock. As morning light drew near, the intensity of feeling increased a hundred-fold. This was a season for the exercise of prayer, and faith in the 96 WOMEN RESCUED-CRUELTY OF THE BECHUANAS. promises of our God. The name of Jehovah was to us a strong tower, for, on looking back to that as well as to similar periods, we have often wondered that our fears were not greater than they were. Happily the dawning morn dispelled them. As great uncertainty existed as to when the Griquas might return, it appeared proper that our wives and children should set off with two wagons towards Griqua Town, and remain there till affairs were a little settled; this they did the following day, and in the evening Messrs. H. and M. returned, totally ignorant that danger was so near. They had not reached the spot where the battle was fought, having seen footmarks of many men who had apparently passed there that morning, which deterred them from proceeding further. They ran many risks in venturing both by night and day to places where they saw strangers, who might have been armed men, but who proved to be women, some of whom had found their way to a considerable distance south of Lithako. They found some literally feasting on the dead bodies of their companions. One night they crept within thirty yards of several groups of women; but the possibility of men being there obliged them to return. They succeeded, however, in collecting about thirty women and children, whom they brought to the Kuruman. While we were yet conversing, I received a letter from Waterboer, informing us that it was impossible for him to come to our assistance, having himself received intelligence that an immense body of Mantatees was coming down the Yellow and Mud Rivers towards Griqua Town; and that as some of the Griquas on the river had already taken flight, he was under the necessity of returning home, and advised us to lose no time in repairing thither, as the only place of safety. When we communicated our intention to the natives, they deeply regretted our leaving them; and Mothibi and several of his chiefs, with many women, came to express their concern, though they thought the step a reasonable one. Our families having proceeded the day before, and the people being unsettled, and scattered, and their most valuable property secreted, they were ready to flee at a moment's warning. It was, therefore, with the full consent of the chiefs that we left, although now it appeared we were fleeing into danger instead of from it, reports having arrived that the Mantatees had fled entirely, while at the same time it was rumoured that a horde was coming down the Vaal River towards Griqua Town. Mr. Melvill and I proceeded on horseback, leaving Mr. Hamilton to follow with the Mantatee women and children. When Mr. Hamilton arrived at Tlose Fountain, two days' journey south of our station on the Kuruman, a circumstance occurred which may be noticed, were it only to show what human beings are in certain situations. Halting at the above place in the evening, a dead horse was found that had belonged to one of the Griquas, and which had been killed by the bite of a serpent. Next morning the women fell on the swollen and half putrid carcase, and began, like so many wolves, to tear it limb from limb, every one securing as much as she could for herself. Mr. Hamilton, who looked on with utter amazement, advised them to avoid the part where the animal had been bitten. To his friendly warning they paid no attention whatever; in the space of about an hour a total dissection was effected, and every particle of skin, meat, bone, the entrails, and their contents, were carried off. Mr. H. was obliged to remain the whole day, finding it absolutely impossible to induce them to leave the spot till every particle was devoured, and in the evening they actually danced and sang with joy! This will appear the more astonishing, as the women were allowed a regular supply of rations; but when people have fasted for a year they require quantities of food, which, if mentioned, would appear incredible, and a long period elapses before the stomach regains its wonted tone. It would only excite disgust were the writer to describe sights of this kind which he has been compelled to witness. On Mr. H.'s arrival at Griqua Town, we had the mortification to hear that the Bechuanas had actually dug up and stolen many of the articles we had buried, in the prospect of our being driven away by the Mantatees, and that our houses had been broken into and ransacked, notwithstanding Mothibi's endeavours to prevent what now appeared to him and his chiefs great ingratitude. He gave orders to the man we left behind to take care to shoot the first depredator; but we felt comfortable, fully assured that he would do no such thing. In the preceding sketch I have glanced but very briefly at the varied scenes connected with the mournful picture of that day. It would have been an easy matter to give more facts; but my mind still shrinks from further details of feats of savage barbarity and lion-like ferocity which I witnessed among the Mantatee warriors. No less furious and revengeful was the spirit manifested by the Batlapi and other tribes, who, though the most accomplished cowards, compared with the invaders, showed that they were, if less inured to war, still as cruel as those who for years had been imbruing their hands in the blood of thousands. The wounded enemy they baited with their stones, clubs, and spears, accompanied with yellings and countenances indicative of fiendish joy. The hapless women found no quarter, especially if they possessed anything like ornaments to tempt the cupidity of their plunderers. A few copper rings round the neck, from which it was difficult to take them, was the signal for the already uplifted battle axe to sever the head from the trunk, or the arm from the body, when the plunderer would grasp with a smile his bleeding trophies. Others, in order to be able to return home with the triumph of victors, would pursue the screaming boy or girl, and not satisfied with severing a limb from the human frame, would exhibit their contempt for the victims of their cruel revenge, by seizing the head, and hurling it from them, or kicking it to a distance. The women evinced the most entire indifference to the objects of terror by which they were surrounded; but still mothers clung to their infants, whose piteous cries were sufficient to melt a heart of stone. With all their conquests, and the many thousands of cattle which they must have captured, they were dying from hunger. Their march for hundreds of miles might have been traced by human bones. Not having seen horsemen before, they imagined horse and rider constituted only one REVIEW OF THE SUBJECT.-CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS. animal; but this, as we afterwards heard, did not intimidate them, for their determination was fixed on attacking the colony, having heard that there were immense flocks of sheep there. Had they succeeded in reaching the Orange River, or the borders of the colony, where they would, most probably, have been defeated, the destruction of human life would have been even more dreadful, as they must have perished from want, when retreating through exasperated thousands of the tribes they had vanquished, towards their own country. Some of the Bechuanas were so sensible of this, that they secretly wished that it might be so, in order that they might satiate their vengeance on a conquered foe. Taking a review of these melancholy scenes, we cannot help startling at the dreadful effects of sin. What a train of miseries mark the chequered scenes of man's short life; and how peculiarly appalling is the state of degradation to which that part of mankind is reduced who inhabit the interior of Africa! Imagining that annihilation is the common lot of man, the world is their god; to acquire the few fleeting and sensual enjoyments it affords, they will endure any hardship, break through any tie, and, with brutal enthusiasm, tear the yet palpitating heart from the breast of their fallen enemy. Surely these facts are calculated to draw forth our compassion towards them. What a call for missionary exertions! for nothing but the word of inspiration can lead them from these doleful shades of heathenish gloom." It may not be inappropriate here to introduce the following reflections from the pens of other writers, who had an opportunity of perusing the whole of the author's journals relative to this affair. After making some extracts from my communications to the Directors, the editor of the Missionary Transactions writes: 97 | indebted, under Providence, to the same causes for the prevention of an extensive predatory inroad on its territory by the invading tribes." On the same subject, the Rev. Dr. Philip, in a letter to Mr. Campbell, writes: "In reading over Mr. Moffat's journal, we cannot help noticing with gratitude the hand of God in all the circumstances connected with the deliverance of our missionary friends and the people of Lithako. Had Mr. M. not undertaken the journey he proposed, he might have remained ignorant of the approach of the enemy; or had he gone forward on his journey without hearing of them, as he might have done in that country, Lithako must have fallen, and he himself, and the mission families, might have been involved in the same destruction; and had he been spared to return from his visit to Makaba, one cannot contemplate him, even in imagination, standing on the ruins of Lithako, and treading on the ashes of his murdered wife and children, without shuddering with horror! But the circumstances which indicate an invisible arm in the preservation of our friends do not stop here. Had he delayed his journey, or had he deferred calling in the Griquas, whatever escape might have been provided for him and our other missionary friends, Mothibi and his people would have been ruined. The influence of the missionaries upon them would in all probability have been lost, and their circumstances might have been rendered so desperate as to preclude all hope of being of any service to them in future." In taking leave of these appalling recitals, it only remains to be noticed that the Mantatees, after finally leaving the country, separated into two divisions. The one proceeded eastward, towards the Bakone country; while the other proceeded to that of the Basuto, from the eastern parts of which they had emigrated, or rather been driven by the destructive inroads of the Zoolu, Matabele, and other tribes. Like many other pastoral people, when robbed of their cattle, they have nothing left; and thus must either perish or rob others; and from being wild men, they become more like wild beasts. Oppression and hunger make a wise man mad in any country; and when we follow the Mantatees in their long campaign of active warfare and bloodshed, we cease to wonder that habit rendered them fierce and fearless as the beasts of prey, among which they roamed. It is a deeply interesting fact, that a missionary is now labouring with success among the latter, conquering them with far other weapons than those which were found necessary to arrest their devastating career at Old Lithako. "We cannot dismiss the above appalling details without making one or two observations. In the first place, the dreadful exhibition they present of the ferocious cruelty and base degradation to which the human race may be reduced, when destitute of the advantages of Christianity and civilization, affords a powerful argument for the prosecution of missionary undertakings, independently of all considerations relating to a future state. Our second observation is, that Christian missionaries are often instrumental in conferring important incidental benefits on the countries and vicinities where they labour. In the present case, a missionary was the person who ascertained the approach of the invading tribes in time to procure help from Griqua Town; and it was at his call that the Griquas gave their assistance. Had it been merely a message from a Bechuana chief, it is doubtful whether the Griquas would have moved until the enemy had approached their own borders. Again, had not the Griquas been previously brought into a comparatively civilized state by the influence of the missionaries who have resided among them, they would not have been in a condition to have resisted the enemy. This resistance was effectual, and appears, under Providence, to have saved the town of New Lithako from the fate of Kurreechane, and the Bechuanas who inhabit it, whom, as we have seen, the invaders regarded as dust under their feet, from destruction. Nor is it at all improbable that the colony is itself | THE events recorded in the preceding chapter were CHAPTER XXIII. Removal of the station proposed-Objections to the planThe Author visits Cape Town-Surprise of the Bechuana chiefs-Missionaries arrive-Return to the station-Journey to the Bauangketsi-Wander in the desert-The country and game-Natural wells-A Sabbath in the wildernessIgnorance of the natives-Manner of catching game-Incidents at a pool-Great sufferings from thirst-A scene at the water-Arrive at the Barolongs-Children offered for saleProceed to the Bauangketsi-Cattle seized-The party met by a son of Makaba-The rain-maker's end-Reception at Kuakue. H 98 REMOVAL OF THE STATION PROPOSED.-MISSIONARIES ARRIVE. covered with water, because we should be a protection to his cattle from the Bushmen, who were troublesome in that quarter. of so peculiar a character, and the circumstances | being in the middle of an extensive valley of reeds, under which they took place so remarkable, that we were naturally led to anticipate a favourable change in the prospects of the mission. We had been but a short time at Griqua Town, when all As I had contemplated a journey to Cape Town, reports of further invasion from the interior died in order to obtain supplies, as well as on account of away, the enemy having taken another route; and Mrs. M.'s health, which had suffered considerably, we accordingly retraced our steps to a spot, now in Mr. Hamilton and I were anxious to settle the subsome measure endeared to us. The people in gene-ject of removal with the natives before I went, that ral appeared to feel deeply sensible of the lively the necessary preparations for so important a meainterest which the missionaries had taken in their sure might be made while at Cape Town. At our welfare, especially as they could not help seeing request Mothibi, two or three of his chiefs, with that it was not without much suffering and depri- Peclu, his son and heir-apparent, accompanied us to vation of comfort on our part. They could not but the spot. After examination, it was agreed that wonder that we remained in the country, when we about two miles of the valley, from the ford downmight have escaped to the colony with compara- ward, should henceforth be the property of the tively little loss of property; and they did not London Missionary Society, and that for the same hesitate to say this to ourselves, with evident admi-a remuneration should be given on my return from ration of our conduct. We had long deplored the unsuitable character of the spot on which we lived for a missionary station; and owing to the succession of dry seasons, there was every prospect, from the diminution of the fountain, of its becoming still more trying. All the buildings which had hitherto been raised were but temporary; and the prospect of being left on a sandy plain without even drinking water, not only prevented our erecting comfortable abodes, but determined us to embrace what appeared a favourable juncture for recommending a removal to a situation more eligible. A place, eight miles distant, and about three miles below the Kuruman fountain, was examined, and appeared, from the locality, its proximity to the source of the river, from which a very large supply of water issued, to be a better spot for a missionary station than any other for hundreds of miles round. When this situation was first proposed to the chiefs it was rejected, owing to the distance from trees and bushes, of which to make their houses and fences. In a former chapter, the disposition and habits of the people in this respect have been explained. The country around where we now lived had in its turn been denuded, and it was in vain that we tried to convince them that they could not expect every advantage in one locality. We found it of no avail to point out to them the manner in which some of the interior tribes built their fences and folds with stone, and of which they had numerous examples before their eyes at Old Lithako, in the ruins of many cattle-folds, and fences on the hills.* Rather than gather or quarry stones to raise a substantial fence, a man would take a forked stick, a thong, and his axe, and occupy nearly a whole day in bringing from a distance a bundle of the hook-thorn (acacia) to fill up a gap in his cattle or sheep fold. Mothibi told us we might go and settle at Seuri (the island), the native name for the place, an island, From these fences or walls, which, however, exhibit nothing like what is understood by masonry, but only stone dykes, the place derives its name, Lorako, a wall (of defence), Lithako (walls). They are supposed to have been built in the days of Tlou, the greatest of the Barolong kings, whose power hills, a distance of two hundred miles. The Batlapis were then an insignificant tribe, which rose to renown and influence, and threw off the yoke of one of the sons of Tlou, whose kingdom had been divided among his sons; and, owing to their wars and contentions for supremacy, the Barolong nation extended from the Bahurutsian mountains to the Hamhana dwindled to a tribe now scattered in various sections. Cape Town. Having completed these arrange- On the very day we reached Cape Town the Nepos arrived, bringing Messrs. Robson, Edwards, and Hughes, three additional labourers for our mission. This was a highly interesting season to us, who had so lately been greatly tried and perplexed. We were also encouraged to hope that the visit of the young prince and Taisho would produce a salutary impression on their countrymen on their return, and at least convince them that the missionaries had friends, and were not obliged to live a life of self-denial among the Bechuanas because they were not allowed to dwell elsewhere. Mr. Robson, who began very early to feel the effects of |