Basutoland records. Copies of official documents of various kinds, accounts of traveller, &c., collected and arranged by order of the Honourable J.W. Sauer, esp., secretary for native affairs
Basutoland
OrrERnooFD, — De laatste brief u uit . Smitbfield gezonden dd. 19 Julij 11. verzocbt ik u op Jammerbergsdrift te kcmen. Dit scbrijven zal u wel tbans geworden zijn. Den 23sten Julij 11. beb ik mij op reis begeven, en ben nu ter bestemden plaatse aangekomen. Docb gij waart daar niet, ook was daar geen berigt van u. Om welke reden gij niet aan mijn vredelievend en vriendelijk scbrijven bebt kunnen voldoen kan ik moeijelijk gissen. Intusscben blijf ik een groot belang stellen in uwe persoonlijke ontmoeting, want ik acbt de zaak waarover ik met u spreken en bandelen wil van bet grootste gewigt en van dringende aard. Wilt gij mij dus Opperboofd ook een bewijs leveren van uwe grootmoedigbeid en beleefdbeid doe mij dan de eer om mij te Bloemfontein te komen bezoeken, of indien die reis u te ver, of de moeijte u te groot mogt zijn kom dan naar Moroko en schrijf mij uwe aankomst, dan zal ik aldaar tot u komen. Opper- boofd ! van. de jeugd af aan bekend met de Kaffernatie zie ik maar al te duidelijk dat er iets is betwelk aan uwe natie ontevredenbeid verwekt, en als een ware vriend durf ik u verzekeren dat bijaldien bet in mijne magt staat die redenen onmiddelijk uit den weg zullen worden geruimd. Op mijne reis berwaarts ben ik nog versterkt geworden in dat gevoelen ; vele gesprekken heb ik geboord onder mijne mgezetenen die mij de ergste gevolgen doen vreezen als gij niet spoedig aan mijnen beleefden en vriendelijken raad wilt voldoen. Denk er aan, Opperboofd, dat van onze hand bet bloed geeischt zal worden dat nutteloos wordt vergoten, en misschien kan worden BASUTOLAND RECORDS. 151 1855] gespaard wanneer wij als ware vrienden van orde en vrede ons eenige moeijte willen nemen. Zorg gij zoo veel in u is dat de menscden die op onze grenzen wonen zoo lang van alle verdere last worden bevrijd en tocli niet langer worden getergd door die gedurige rooverijen. Met den dartelijken wensc-d dat gij aan mijn verlangen zult gedoor geven, noeni ik mij uwen waren vriend. (Geteekend) J. J. Venter, Voorzitter Uitv. Com. Letter from the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Orange Free State to the Chief Moshesh. Gouvernements Kantoor, O.V.S., den 3den Augustus, 1855. OrPERiiooFD, — Verblijdend was mij de ontvangst van uwen brief dd. 30 Jidij d., vooral omdat ik daaruit meen te zien dat gij mijne goede bedoejjjngen op prijs stelt. Ik wil u daarom toonen dat ik geene moeijte zal ontzien om dat gewensebte doel te bereiken, eu zal, volgens uw scdrijven, op den 8sten Augustus aanstaande, indien de Heere wil, op Platberg zijn. Heb de goeddeid, Opperdoo£|d, om de brieven die gij dit jaar van mijne onderdooringen debt ontvangen met u te nemen. Ik verlang gaarne grondig door u te worden ingededt, want deze gelegendeid komt mij gewensedt voor om afdoende maatregelen met u te bepalen en vast te stellen, waardoor wij elkander in de toekomst de danddaving van onze wederzijdscde regteu kunnen delpen danddaven. Daartoe Opperdoofd stel ik u voor uwe zonen of eenige Kapiteinen aldaar to roepen, en verzoek u tevens van een folk te laten vergezeden die de Hodandscde taal magtig is. Ik eindig met den dartelijken wensc-d dat gij in betersedap moogt toenemen en verbdjf UEd. Dw. Dienaar en Vriend. (Geteekend) J. J- Venter, Voorzitter Litv. Comm. Letter from the Chairman of the Executive Committee oj the Orange l'rec State to the Landdrod of Winhurg. Gouvernements Kantoor, O.V.S., den 25sten Augustus, 1855. WelEd. IIeer, — Ik deb de eer do ontvangst te erkennen van uwe missieve dd. 16 dezer, kennisgevende van den moord van een Hottentot benevens diefstallen van paarden door dot volk van McJitsano. Aun- gaande laatstgemelde i'eiten kan ik UEd. infermoren dat door mij op den Oden dezer te Platberg vrededevende sedikkiugen zijn getrofb n met Mosdesd, waarbij onder anderen is bepaald om vrijlioid te vm- leenen tot onderzoek in deszelfs land door eigenai < a van gi iumI'I '• aan wien door mij daartoe permit moot worden verleend, mils onge- 152 BAStTTOLAOT) RECORDS. [_1855 wapend, en dat deze maatregel ook door den ganscken raad van ket Opperlioofd waaronder zich een afgezant van Molitsane bevond, is toegestemd, zoodat U Wei Ed. daarvan ten belioeve der eigenaars gebruik wensckende te niaken, mij opgave kunt doen van de namen en voornamen der personen die verlangen mogten bun vee op te sporen en daartoe een permissie billet zullen begeeren. Ik beb, enz., (Geteekend) J. J. Venter, Voorzitter Uitv. Com. Proclamation by A[oshesh. (Translated by the Rev. T. Arbousset). Tbaba Bosigo, 27tb August, 1855. Tbe word of Mosbesb on witchcraft. — I am Moshesh, I write to my people, and say to them : you remember that formerly when any one resorted to the witch, the public heard of it, that it w^s well known before anything was done, and that one would go far to consult the wizard, even to Zululand. But at the present day witches abound among the Basutos, and it is our people sitting quietly, see one come unexpectedly to announce that some man has been killed on the word of the witch, and sometimes also that many have been killed, though the public be ignorant of the time and cause for having resorted to the enchanter. These wizards are wild dreamers, they ought to be brought together, and one propose them this hard question as a text : The lung sickness, where does it come from, destroying flocks everywhere throughout our lands ? where has it originated ? when shall it end, and what time, that plague which covers the whole earth ? that would be a question worth putting to witches. Instead of this, they are only told of a man that is ill, and upon this some one is killed. It is generally known that these men are mere dreamers of fantastic imaginations ; let them come together, and be asked a difficult question, and were it lawful to bewitch one ; the far-famed wizard Mokoma himself ought to be present, and put to the test, that we may hear what he will say. At Mokkackane’s people do not resort to the witch, neither at Moshesk’s, nor at Letsie’s, nor Poshuli’s, Mogale, Ramanela, Molapo, Mashupa, or Mopeli. But in the smaller towns, people go to the witch constantly, making of this custom a sort of gametrap (profitable trade) ; let that trap ensnare them, and no one will have pity on them. However the people must be told of it first, that they may know of it beforehand ; they have heard of Mpatsi, how he has lately killed Ramothibela.*' No one is to suppose, that though a rare thing sentence of death is not passed among us when a man kills another, (and who BASUTOLAND RECORDS. 153 1855] knows but Mpatsi was insane) ? Now : When any one is Hied in a case of witchcraft, the murderer ivill he most severely judged, and sentenced to death. This word is for public information, and will stand as law, and is assented to by Letsie, by all my brothers, and by all men in the tribe, wbo spit on the lie of witchcraft, and cover its face with their spittle. Mark X of Moshesh, Chief of the Basutos. * Ramothibela was killed, on the word of the witch, and the murderer Mpatsi sentenced to death by the chief Letsie. Letter from the High Commissioner to the Chief Hoshesli. Queenstown, 19th September, 1855. My Friend Moshesh, — I have long since promised your friends that if I visited this part of the country I would go to Aliwal to meet you, if you wished to see me. I have therefore sent on Mr. Griffith to you with this letter, to tell you that I shall be at Aliwal upon Friday the 28th of this month, where I will receive you if you wish to see me, as I should be glad to be of any use to you that I can. I shall not, however, be able to wait at Aliwal, as I am going on to Natal, and am anxious to complete my journey as soon as possible. But I will wait there until Mr. Griffith brings mo back your answer. (Signed) G. Grey. Extracts from a Letter of the High Commissioner to the President of the Orange Free State. Aliwal North, 25th September, 1855. I am delayed by business connected with the border, and to give an opportunity to Moshesh of meeting me at this place, if he desires to do so, which I promised some of his friends I would do. When I have had the pleasure of meeting you, and have made myself acquainted with the subjects you wish discussed at a proposed joint interview with Moshesh, I shall, if these subjects present no obstacles to my doing so, feel great pleasure in meeting him with you, if Moshesh informs me that he falls in with this arrangement. (Signed) G. Grey, High Commissioner. Extracts from a Letter of the High Commissioner to the Colonial Sun fury. Aliwal, 2nd October, 1855. An annual allowance of Fifty-two pounds per annum to be made to Sikonyela, to be paid monthly, and to date from the 1st July 1H,5. This is a compensation to him for the loss of territory and country, to which he has been subjected in having been driven out oi his homo since we left the Orange River Sovereignty, he having drawn upon BASUTOLAXD RECORDS. 154 [1855 himself the hatred of the Basutos from having always acted in alliance with the Government. Minutes of a Conference between the President of the Orange Free State and the Chief Mosliesh, in presence of His Excellency Sir George Grey. Smithfield, 5th October, 1855. The President : I am very glad to see Mosliesh here in the presence of His Excellency Sir George Grey, on the first official opportunity we have had of meeting in the Free State. I think it well that we should often meet, as personal visits are always much more satisfactory than correspondence by letter. As we meet now personally, we had better speak of business. I have often heard that Moshesh is a man of peace, and is desirous of keeping peace with the whites. I am also a man of peace ; and now in the presence of his chief men I wish to show him on what terms we may make peace and friendship continue. As the best mode to do so, my view is that as I am chosen on one side and Moshesh on the other to see that peace is not interrupted, we should, in case any disturbances occur, let each other know our minds freely. I shall, therefore, tell him at once that I have on my arrival been very sorry to hear of many thefts having been committed within our boundary by wicked people on the other side. I would be glad to convince him that such things must be put a stop to, or the consequences will be that they will put the country in a blaze, and do great harm to all. These are all the complaints I know of as yet. Mr. Ford has already represented the case to him, and he has promised to punish the thieves and put a stop to the stealing. I have no doubt that he will prove himself a man of his word, and make his chiefs help him to carry out his promises. Moshesh : Peace is the mother of all. I admire what Your Honour has mentioned. I would be glad to hear any remarks of Mr. Ford’s in confirmation. The President : We will await your answer. Moshesh : If no one else speaks it may appear as if these were the words of only two people. The President : I am the representative of all my people, and my word is theirs also. I wish to hear the mind of Moshesh’s people through him as their chief. Moshesh : May the things you speak of ascend to heaven. My mind looks on the two personages present as the first fruits of a new year. I do not mind faults being mentioned, but I understood this to be a meeting of friendship. I met Mr. Ford about the faults now brought forward. I do not deny that some of the things have gone in 1855] BASUTOLAND RECORDS. 15o our direction. I do not know the best means of stopping these things. What has the Governor come for '? Has he been sent by his master '? Is there not a word of advice and wisdom ? I cannot bear the weight of all. You come from the land of Chaka. If you have not seen him, you may have seen prints of him. He was ruined by his relations. You have wisdom to build beautiful houses of clay. We got all we have from the whites ; can we not make some plan by which we can enjoy what we have, and keep peace ? Dr. Philip wrote to the English Government when we were in trouble, and it assisted us. The complaints have not been sufficiently established. If you can show me the cause of dissatisfaction let me know. There I end. The President : I will take him up at the last word. The cause he must know, but the way is this, — his people come in and steal. The missionaries have been long enough in the country for them to know that stealing is wrong. I believe that Moshesh has enough good men among his people to help him to put down the wicked men who steal. I am glad to hear that he wishes to get advice. I want it also. If we can both get advice, I for my part am ready to take it and be guided by it. If he is willing to take advice from His Excellency, I am also. I will state the cause of complaint, and if he has any I hope he will state any that he may have, and then if I can 1 will remove it. I will tell him clearly in as few words as possible what we complain of. The thefts committed in Mr. Ford’s district within two years, as carefully collected by him from the Fieldcornets, amount to 297 head of breeding cattle. Moshesh : I have already agreed with Mr. Ford that I was con- vinced that some cattle have been stolen, and I have made him promises ; can you not give me some advice ? The President : If Moshesh will listen, I will just tell him the numbers. Moshesh : It is just what I wanted. The President : Oxen and breeding cattle together 363, horses 294, sheep 112. I was not satisfied with the simple returns of the Field- cornets, and have instructed Mr. Ford to get statements on oatli from the owners of stolen cattle. This is not yet complete, but is cousidor- able. Since the numbers in the statement of the Fieldcornets have been ascertained, many more cattle have been stolen. \\ In n tin* lull amount has been ascertained I will let Moshesh know. I do not want anything unjust. I will examine the list myself, and find out those for which Moshesh is answerable, and when this number lias been ascertained I will tell Moshesh. I have now ordered the Landdrosts to send in monthly returns of stolen cattle, with all the particulars <4 the theft, instead of allowing the list to accumulate for two years. I will tell him also that it is not only from Mr. Ford’s district that com- 156 BASUTOLAND RECORDS. [1855 plaints are made ; I liave received also reports from Mr. Orpen that thefts of horses are committed on the Winburg border. Some of the horses have been found with Molitsane, and some have been given up, others he refuses to return unless the owners come to fetch them. This must not be. My people cannot be put to such expenses. He ought to have sent the stolen horses and thieves to Winburg, where they would have been punished by us. Stealing will never cease, unless the thieves are punished. Eetaking stolen cattle from the thief is no punishment. He ought also to be fined or receive corporal punish- ment. If the chief refuses to give up the thief he makes himself responsible. We put thieves in prison, and punish them when con- victed. If he did so we would not have any more stealing. He need not tell me that he has no power to punish those who do wrong, for if they can retake stolen cattle they can punish the thief also. It is complained that Molitsane harbours Bushmen and other thieves, also that Letsie occupies the lands of the farmers and makes gardens there. These are the very people whom Moshesh promised Hoffman to remove last January. Molapo’s people have also encroached, and Molapo, though he has promised to remove them, has not done so. I mention these things to show that they give rise to quarrels. My people will not submit to it any longer. Now, as he has asked my advice, I say, that if his people will not obey him he must make them. He must take his people against them. Those things that they should not wish us to do, he must not do. He could not be satisfied if I said I could not help such things if committed by my people. I know that they can do it, because sometimes for months long no thefts were com- mitted, so if they could stop the thievingqonce they could do so again, and there are other chiefs who do not steal ; I conclude, therefore, that those chiefs who will exercise their power can stop stealing. Moshesh : Can the names of those chiefs not be given '? The President : Moroko, Jan Bloem, Lepui, Adam Kok, and Waterboer. Moshesh : You mention those things, His Excellency being present. We must remember that we are on a friendly visit. Your Honour must remember that you have only been a short time in the country. The Landdrost and I who have long lived here know better. The sword of the mouth is grievous. We had better not speak so, but separate in peace as we have met in peace. The President : I think the best way to secure peace is that friends meet and speak their minds. I have seated all I have had to say, and I want Moshesh to state any grievances he has to speak about. Moshesh : Not to-day. The President : Very good, I shall always be happy to hear from him about anything that is done wrong by my people, as war would 1855] BASUTOLAND RECORDS. 157 only break us all down ; but if there is any other thing, as His Excel- lency is present, of which he feels aggrieved, I shall be glad to hear it. Moshesh : No, not to-day. Let us go home. We can correspond by letter. The President : Would he like His Excellency to give us some advice ? Moshesh : It is not the proper day. His Excellency is not here to hear difficulties. We can correspond by letter. The President : I thought Moshesh would wish it. Moshesh : Advice to a chief ought to be given in private, not in public. The President : When occasion is urgent we seize the first oppor- tunity of meeting, and if Moshesh postpones the conference on these important matters, some accident may occur, for which we may be sorry before we meet again. It may be long before we can meet again; it may not be easy for us to do so. We can write, but we may not understand each other so well as by conversing. I have therefore spoken to him in His Excellency’s presence, in order that he might give us some advice, and that we might profit by it ; and it would be a satisfaction to go home with a mutual conviction of having come to an understanding to correct what has been wrong. Moshesh : I did not expect that the matters already settled with Mr. Ford, and to whom I have already given an answer, would be touched upon ; and I have also given a paper to Mr. Venter that people suffering from thefts should be sent to me. I am ready to hear advice. The President : I know nothing of Venter’s arrangement. He had no right to make one. I was then in the country. Such a proposal as yours that we should go into your country could never ho enter- tained. Mr. Venter was appointed with three others. 1 lie directions given to all by Mr. Ford were good, and ought not to have been broken by one. If I were to send my people that way into your counti'y it would only make disputes and break our friendship. Moshesh : I did not come to speak of business. (There seemed to be some misinterpretation of the Chiei s meaning in this last sentence, which had been interpreted in English by Nehemiah, Moshesh’s son. His Excellency Sir George Grey then asked the Rev. Mr. Arbousset, who was acting as interpreter, whether he thought Moshesh would like to hear what ho ought to do. Mr. Arbousset replied in the affirmative.) His Excellency addressed Moshesh as follows:— You say that w- are wise people in being able to build beaut i 1 1 1 1 houses ol <l.i\ , a man who does that is respected by others, but a man who raises 158 BASUTOLAND RECORDS. [1855 barbarians in the scale of civilisation is admired by ages. You are now the builder. You have collected some barbarians, and made a kind of nation. The question now is whether you are to succeed or fail. Not only is South Africa looking on, but many parts of the world too. Every good man is willing to assist, — no one more so than the President. I have had an opportunity of hearing his views, and I am sure he is anxious to help Moshesh to succeed. It is impossible that a civilised nation can allow a nation of thieves to remain on their boundary. The President and I are ready to put them down. I would be glad to see you more cordial to accept the President’s offers than you have seemed to be ; and as I am now going away for a considerable time I would be glad to be certain that you would devise some plan for the future. In such a plan I will assist as far as the Cape colonial boundary is concerned. It must be greatly owing to your own energy that you have raised yourself to the posi- tion you now hold, and I would advise you to trust to that energy in future and not to bad advisers. I trust that before I leave you will have given some proofs that you will put down stealing, and allow your tribe to prosper. I am sure the President’s remarks will be appreciated, — I have been particularly struck with their justness. I hope before I leave you will promise to put an end to such practices as those that have been carried on. Moshesh : We ought to praise His Excellency for his words, though we were not aware when called to visit that such things would have been brought forward. The President : If he is not prepared to speak on business, will he appoint another meeting, or will he go home and consider, and acquaint me with the result, and in the meantime try with his chiefs to put a stop to the stealing, or otherwise consequences will ensue that we otherwise may all deplore. Moshesh : When I met Mr. Ford at Sefali’s, I made an agreement with him that we should make a list of stolen cattle, with the parti- culars of theft, in order that I could call on the guilty chiefs and show them the accusation against them. Mr. Ford explained that the list was in the course of formation. Moshesh expressed himself satisfied, and said that the measures adopted to settle the thefts on that list would go towards stopping any future thefts. The President : Will the chief give me some promise that he and his chiefs will endeavour to put a stop to any future thieving, or else the lists will only continue to increase ? Moshesh : I cannot bind myself to say that there will be no more stealing, thieves do not tell me when they come in or out. Did I not at the meeting with Ford at Sefali’s tell my people they must not 1855] BASUTOLAND RECORDS. 159 even steal a goat ? You must give me time. I have eaten the Governor’s meat, and it will he easy for me to vomit it up, but it is not so easy to make thieves disgorge what they have stolen. The President : I praise Mosliesh for the manner in which he met Mr. Ford. Moshesh : The sooner the papers are ready the better. I will make my report on them as soon as possible. The President : I will go away satisfied. I shall always be glad with him to remove all difficulties as long as we remain in the same situation. Moshesh : I feel as you do. I came to bring some words to my people. Peace and tranquillity by all means. They are the only things to be relied on. It must be the wish of both. We must by patience overcome evil. The President : I am very glad to hear what he says, and I will remember his words. His Excellency the Governor : Work away building this house. Agreement between Moshesh, Paramount Chief of the Basutos, and the President of the Orange Free State. 1. Moshesh shall cause it to be made known to his subjects that whenever any one of them wishes to enter the Free State, he shall be provided with a pass signed by one of the Chiefs, or by a missionary resident among them, in accordance with the law enacted with that view by the Legislative Assembly of the Free State, dated 51st August, 1855. 2. That whenever a party of Moshesh’s subjects wishes to hunt in the Free State, permission for that purpose shall first be obtained through the Chief to whom such party belongs, from the Landdrost of the District, and such hunting party shall be subject to whatever regulations the Landdrost shall make for the occasion. 3. That whenever subjects of Moshesh shall not act in accordance with these rules, or shall be found without a pass, they shall be liable to such proceedings as are established by the abovementioned law. 4. That in the event of thefts, where such thefts shall bo traced to within the boundary of any Chief, — information thereof shall bo gi\cn bv the owner of the stolen cattle, or by the 1 leldcornet in "Im>m‘ Ward he belongs, to such Chief,— in order that the latter may be enabled to follow the spoor, and make the requisite investigation. 5. That any further measures or proceedings in such cases shall only take place between Moshesh, or the Chief in question, and the Landdrost of the District from which the cattle were stolen. (5. That in the event of cattle thefts, where the Chiefs, to or within whose boundaries the cattle have been traced or discovered, shall 160 BASUTOLAND RECORDS. [1855 deliver the thief or thieves, together with the stolen cattle which may be found in his possession or otherwise, to the Authorities of the Free State, to be punished according to the laws of the State, then no further compensation shall be demanded. — but when the guilty party shall not be delivered to the Authorities as above mentioned, together with the requisite proofs of his guilt, then the stolen property shall be restored, together with a fine or compensation of four times the value of the stolen property. 7. That in every case as above mentioned, restitution or compensa- tion for stolen property shall be made within two months after the date of its being demanded. 8. That whenever any subjects of Moshesh shall trespass or squat upon the farms of one or more of the burghers of the Free State, and shall refuse to remove on being desired to do so by the Fieldcornet, then they shall be driven thence by force. 9. That in any case of dispute or doubt about the right of property in any farm or land of any burgher of the Free State, such right or claim theretofore enjoyed by him shall continue to be recognised and allowed, until a judgment in the case in question shall be decided upon by the Paramount Chief Moshesh and the President of the Orange Free State, or other officer authorised to act on his behalf. 10. That no burgher of the Free State shall be permitted to take possession of, or place himself upon any land in the territory of the Paramount Chief Moshesh, without the latter’s authority so to do ; and if he should do so without the requisite permission, he shall be desired to remove, and should he refuse to remove, may be forced to do so. That by the word cattle shall be understood, as often as it occurs in this agreement, —oxen, cows, or breeding cattle, calves, horses, mules, sheep, and goats. Thus done and agreed upon by the undersigned, and in the presence of the undersigned witnesses, at Smithfield, in the Orange Free State, this sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-five. This agreement to take effect from the tenth of November next. Mark X of Moshesh. (Signed) J. N. Bosiiof, President of the Free State. Witnesses : Mark X of Letsie, (Signed) John H. Ford, ,, E. Casalis, ,, Nehemiah, ,, David, ,, Yobo, Mark X of Makuai, Mark X of Joshua Makoanyane, 161 1855] BASUTOLAND RECORDS. Extract from a Letter of the Private Secretary to the High Commissioner to the Resident Magistrate of Aliwal North. Smitlifield, 6tli October, 1855. Sir, — I am directed by the Governor to request you to pay to Mr. Arbousset the sum of one hundred pounds sterling, to be appropriated by the French Protestant Mission for the building or fitting of Churches in Basutoland. Such amount to be paid from the funds provided by the British Government for establishing schools and missions in South Africa. Extracts from a Letter of the President of the Orange Free State to the High Commissioner. Government Office, Orange Free State, 11th October, 1855. Sir, — In your letter to me from Graaff-Reinet, dated 23rd August last, you were so kind as to express a willingness to co-operate with me, and to afford me any assistance in your power, and as, since your arrival in the Free State, you have already, by your influence and advice to the Basuto Chief Moshesh, been the means of inducing him to come to an understanding with me which I trust will prevent a state of things calculated to bring upon the people of our frontiers particularly such direful calamities, as even the blessings of peace and prosperity for many succeeding years could not have repaired, even supposing us to be ultimately successful in a struggle, which 1 would not have been able to avert so long as the natives on our border were allowed to continue their harassing practices of horse and cattle stealing and encroaching upon the lands of our people, I feel a pleasing duty resting upon me, on behalf of the Inhabitants of this State, of expressing to Your Excellency our sincere acknowledgments for the interest you have shown in our welfare in this and other respects. * * * In the mean time our Government is left to provide for the neces- sary carrying on, or rather establishing an Administration that will tend to secure law, order, and peace in a territory extending several hundreds of miles in length and breadth, with numerous and somo of them powerful tribes on our borders, of whom the most powerful seem to have been left by the late Government under the impression that the all important question of land boundaries between them and the European population, as arranged and fixed by Sir Harry Smith, was broken up and annulled by the abandonment of the country by the British Government, and that all those disputes, which have for many years caused so much trouble and ill feeling between the whites and the coloured tribes, have now to la? opened up anew and nrrangod between themselves as best they can. * * *' M 162 BASUTOLAND RECORDS. [1855 I wish to bring to Yonr Excellency’s notice that in the event of disturbances between us and one or more of the powerful tribes on our borders unfortunately breaking out, they have every chance at the commencement to lay waste a large extent of our country, and unchecked to inflict upon us grievous injuries, being to a very great extent themselves mounted and armed as well as we are ; but if we had a few field-pieces we might, though far inferior in numbers, be enabled much sooner to check the sweeping desolation, and I feel the necessity of such a superiority in our weapons so indispensable that I would consider it a great favour if Your Excellency could assist us in any way to procure four or six small brass field-pieces with carriages and a supply of ball and grape shot,  from a Letter of the High Commissioner to the President of the Orange Free State. Bloemfontein, 11th October, 1855. Sir, — In reply to Your Honour’s letter of this day’s date, I have the honour to state that in endeavouring to induce the Chief Moshesh to come to such an understanding with you as might in your opinion be necessary for the security of the inhabitants of the Orange Free State, and might avert from the frontier the calamities of war, I carried out the wish of Her Majesty the Queen of England, who desires in as far as practicable to use that influence in South Africa which Divine Providence has bestowed upon her, in such a manner as to promote to the best of her ability the peace, happiness, and welfare of all persons, whatever may be the State to which they belong. (Signed) G. Grey. Letter from the President of the Orange Free State to the Chief Moshesh. Government Office, Bloemfontein, 5th November, 1855. Worthy Friend, — I am glad to hear from various quarters that everything is becoming quiet on our borders, and that thieving is ceasing. I ascribe it to your exertions and the co-operation of your various subordinate chiefs, showing a determination faithfully to carry out our agreement. This is as it should be, for then only shall we have a prospect that our people can live in peace and harmony. But you will remember that when we parted you promised me that you will not lend an ear to any man, be he Boer or whatever else, not authorized by me, to meddle in matters of a public nature as between us; and as I have jugt heard that Mr. Hoffman has been with you and made some enquiries as to what took place between His Excellency BASUTOLAND RECORDS. 163 1855] the Governor of the Cape and yourself, and as between you and me ; and as I cannot see what reason he may have, or with what good motive he can have done so, and being determined to punish with severity all busy bodies who I shall find aim at creating any distrust between you and me, or cause any disturbance in the good under- standing now existing, I beg of you candidly and honestly to let me know whether Hoffman spoke to you on such matters, and what the conversation was, or if he wrote to you to send me a copy of his letter and of your answer. Hoping that you may be in the enjoyment of health and happiness I remain, Chief Moshesh, Your Friend (Signed) J. N. Bosiiof, President of the 0. F. State. Letter from the Chief Moperi to the Landdrost of TVinburg. Dear Sir, — Your communication of date October 30 has come safely to hand. Accept of my warmest thanks for the same. As respects the request contained in your circular to remove the various parties therein specified from the places where they are at present located, I have only to reply that we can only act as delegated by the Paramount Chief (Moshesh) and therefore beg of you to refer the matter to him as the best way of disposing of it in a satisfactory manner. I dare not take the responsibility upon me to authorize coercive measures on the part of the farmers, lest it should be productive ol strife and unpleasantness, but doubt not that if the matter is referred to the Chief Moshesh he will authorise us to settle everything in a satisfactory manner. I hope that the removal of the said parties is not so urgent as to require immediate attention for the following reasons : 1. The lungsickness has carried off great numbers of the Basuto cattle, so that those parties now residing on the frontier have nothing to subsist on but their corn, and if they are driven off in haste they will necessarily be reduced to a state of want, which will cause them to steal their neighbours’ property. 2. They have not the means of removing their corn from theii kraals as most of their packoxen have died of lungziekte. 3. Besides this they have large crops of corn sown in their present locations, which requires their attention on the spot to secure the crop. I have only expressed my opinion in this, but wish you, as I suid before, to refer the whole to Moshesh. Platberg, 6th November, 1855. Six children, one Mohlokua, who wa rending with me ; BASUTOLAND RECORDS. 164 [1855 intends writing to the father of the first and request him to send for the child. (Signed) Paulus Moperi. Extracts from a Circular sent by the Landdrost of Winburg to the Chiefs Molapo , Moperi , and Molitsane, and to Frans Viljoen. Pe bedoelde Naturellen zijn voornamelijk de volgende : — 1. Boschjesmannen, dieven van Frans Viljoen, die bezig zijn stroohuizen te maken. 2. Korannas nabij Grobbelaar, die overtredingen op zijn plaats en de plaatsen van de buuren maken. 3. Volk van Moperi en anderen in de nabijheid van Kloklani en Thaba Cheu, die aangezegd zijn geweest door Senekal te vertrekken, en die geweigerd liebben. 4. De kraal waar Tebili woonde op de plaats van Louis Fourie en de andere kraalen op dat mans eigendom. Deze heeft Molapo mij lang al beloofd te removeeren, en het is nu aan mij gerapporteerd dat nog meer van zijn eigen volk daar gegaan zijn. 5. Volk van Letsana en Lentza de zoon van Zethbo, die ik lang geleden aan Molapo als overtreders wijsde. Deze alien, met de uitzondering van de Bosjesmans, heeft Moshesh verleden nieuwe jaar mij een schriftelijke belofte gegeven te remo- veeren. Nu heeft hij de accoord bij den President en den Gouverneur gemaakt. (Geteekend) Joseph M. Orpen. Letter from the Acting Landdrost of Winburg to the Government Secretary of the Orange Free State. Winburg, 8sten November, 1855. Wel Ed. ITeer, — De heer Orpen heeft een van Sikonyelas volk die liier voor een lange tijd gewoond heeft met dit circulaire gezonden, met het oogmerk om te liooren wat de gezindheid van de Kaffers is, kapteins zoo wel als volk. Deze Kaffer verkaalt dat Molitsane zegt hij is geen Kaptein, hij kan niets zeggen, dat de bode moet naar Moperi gaan. Molapo heeft weinig gezegd ; hij zeide dat hij een kind is, en dat hij weet niet. Hij kan de harten van de andere Kaffers niet uithalen en zien wat daarin is. Hij weet niet of de Kaffers zullen vertrekken. Hij wou geen openlijk antwoord geven, maar ik geloof dat hij heeft bekend gemaakt dat zij moesten weggaan- Maar volgens wat de bode zegt hij gehoord heeft, zullen zij niet zonder geweld gebruikt is van hunne tegenwoordige woningen vertrekken. Ik ben, enz., (Geteekend) James Melville, Ag. Landdrost. 165 1855] BASUTOLAND RECORDS. Extracts from a Despatch of the High Commissioner to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Cape Town, 17tli November, 1855. My Lord, — I have the honour herewith to transmit for your infor- mation copies of a correspondence with the President of the Orange Free State, regarding certain points in which he desired the assistance of the Government of this Colony. 2. Your Lordship will be gratified at finding that it has been in my power, on most of these points, to meet the wishes of the Government of the Orange Free State, and that I was fortunate enough to be recently able by mv advice and the influence belonging to my posi- tion, to induce the Basuto Chief Moshesh to come to an understanding with the Government of the Orange Free State, which was the means of averting a war between those two powers, the results of which even under the most fortunate circumstances would in the opinion of the President of the Free State have brought about calamities which it would have required many years of peace and prosperity to repair. 3. I should state in reference to this subject that a public inter- view, a very fair report of which is herein enclosed, took place in my presence between the President and the Chief of the Basutos, upon the 5th of October at Smithfield in the Free State, the result of which left me very much dissatisfied with the conduct of Moshesh, but in the proceedings of which I did not think it right to take any prominent part. 4. The whole of my experience with semi-civilized races has, how- ever, convinced me that but little good results from such public meet- ings, because (amongst other causes) the chief, who is in the presence of all his people, feels if he submits to advice or listens or yields to language of at all a threatening character, his position with his nation will be compromised and his influence lessened, if not under- mined. 5. I therefore early on the morning of the 6th October sent for Moshesh, and saw him in the presence of only his sons and three or four of his principal Chiefs, and I then in plain and strong, yet friendly language, pointed out the absolute necessity ol his forthwith coming to a friendly understanding with the Government ol tin' free State, the terms of which I could in no way attempt to dictate, as each party must in these protect his own interests and do that which was necessary for the good of their people and territories. I simply required that their differences which admitted of the most ready adjustment should be adjusted in a fair and honourable spii it 6. If the conduct of the Basuto Chief had dissatisfied moon (ho previous day, he now did much to repair my previous unfavourable impression, for he now undertook,— fully understanding my views,— 166 BASUTOLAND RECORDS. [1855 to see tlie President of the Orange Free State and to adjust all differences 'with that Government, and in the course of the day an arrangement was made (at a private meeting at which I was not present) between the two States, which was mutually satisfactory to each of them, and which removed the prospect of a collision between them. (Signed) G. Grey. Extract from a Letter of the President of the Orange Free State to the High Commissioner. Bloemfontein, 23rd November, 1855. We have enjoyed perfect peace and quietness since you passed through here, no reports of cattle stealing or other annoyance from the Natives. I had a letter yesterday from our friend Moshesh in answer to one from me. He sent live men on horseback on purpose to bring me his answer, and seems exceedingly pleased to have heard from me that stealing has ceased, and states that it has cost him much trouble and many a restless night. He also professes the utmost anxiety for peace, as well as a great deal of sincere friendship for me personally. I hope he has become sincere at last. Should this be really true, your friendly counsel to him will have wrought a greater change in his conduct, and of his sons and subordinate chiefs, than all the coercive measures hitherto tried with them. In my answer I have amongst other things expressed a hope that he may be equally suc- cessful in carrying out the other part of our agreement, viz., the removal of squatters from the lands of the Boers. This, however, I fear, will not be an easy task even for him to accomplish, but I have offered him my assistance should it be needed. (Signed) J. Boshoe. Letter from the President of the Orange Free State to the Chief Moshesh. ' Bloemfontein, 23rd November, 1855. Good Friend, — I have duly received your letter of the 17th inst., and I am glad of the contents thereof. I am satisfied with your explanation as to Hoffman, and I wrote to you because he himself had been talking, and from what he said to the Landdrost I was justified to suspect him ; I therefore thought it right that I should put you on your guard against him or any man who might be disposed by false representation or from their own restless disposition to disturb you or your people ; for it often happens that such men pretend very much to be our friends, whilst they act as enemies, and I am deter- mined, if I find them out, to have them punished. But as to you I now feel confident that you will not so easily believe what may 1855] BASUTOLAND RECORDS. 