Reminiscences of Kaffir Life and History, and other papers [Edited by Andrew Smith.] With a brief memoir, by Mrs. Brownlee

Preface

. It had long been my father's intention, to publish a sketch of his life, giving an account of many stirring deeds in which he took an active and prominent part. Unfortu nately, however, the onerous duties of his official career prevented him from carrying out this intention while en gaged in active service. After his retirement the state of his health made it impossible for him to undertake any considerable literary task. He had however written papers from time to time on subjects connected with his own special department — Na tive affairs. His large knowledge of Native history, character and customs, and his great experience in deal ing with Native affairs, give a permanent value to some documents found in Blue books, which most persons wid be ready to recognize. Unable at last to write, or even to compose, he sometimes beguded the time by narrating incidents, of his past

PREFACE.

. VI career, in a conversational manner. A few of these narra tives were taken down by an expert short-hand writer, Mr. Beattie, late of the " Watchman Office," whose services deserve grateful acknowledgement, for to him we owe the record of some interesting reminiscences. It wid be un derstood that these narratives are not to be judged by the standard applicable to written composition. It may be remarked, however, that the diffuseness and repetitions found in the reports of conversations with Natives make the narrative a more accurate reflection of the scenes. An account of the Cattle-killing delusion written by my mother, appeared in the life of Tiyo Soga, by the late Rev. J. Chalmers of Grahamstown. My father has supple mented this in the statements recorded by Mr. Beattie. The whole has been recast in the paper on the Cattle kdling.

Some incidents mentioned in papers published long ago, are given more fully in these conversational reminiscences. The indulgent reader will bear in mind that their author was unable to revise the papers and prepare them for publication : At the request of the family Mr. Andrew Smith revised the papers and arranged them for publi cation. It was impossible, however, to avoid repetitions and introduce changes which would have been improvements from a literary point of view, without taking a greater liberty with the papers than seemed expedient.

PREFACE.

. VII Grateful acknowledgments are due to Mr. Smith for the trouble he has taken in preparing them for the printer. They are now published, and will I believe be welcomed by many as the memorial of a laborious, eventful, useful and unselfish life. W. T. Brownlee. King Widiam's Town, June 1896. CONTENTS. PAGE. MEMOIR; BY MRS. BROWNLEE i PERSONAL INCIDENTS— THE OLD PEACH-TREE STUMP ... ... ... 22 SCENES OF OTHER DAYS ; BY REV. H. DUGMORE 48 MY FIRST DIPLOMATIC MISSION ... ... ... 56 MEETING AT TEMBANI TO BID FAREWELL TO THE GAIKA COMMISSIONER ; BY MRS. BROWNLEE 6l FAREWELL ADDRESS TO THE GAIKAS 68 IMIBULELO : THANKS ... ... ... ... ... 79 HISTORICAL CHAPTERS- NATAL AND ZULULAND, FIFTY' YEARS AGO Si PONDOS, XESIBES, AND THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT.

Chapter II

... ... ... ... ... IQ4 A CHAPTER ON THE BASUTO WAR. ... ... ... 204 SUPERSTITIONS AND CUSTOMS AMONG THE NATIVE RACES. > WITCHCRAFT —

CHAPTER I.

... ... ... ... ... 24O

CHAPTER II.

... ... ... ... 247

Chapter III

... ... ... ... 253 SUPERSTITIONS ... ... ... ... ... * 261 A KAFFIR BETROTHAL CEREMONY ; BY MRS. BROWNLEE. 262 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES— GO : IS GRATITUDE TO BE FOUND AMONG THE KAFFIRS. 269 SANDILE. ... ... ... ... ... ... 306 XOXO 320 TOLA AND ENO. ... ... ... ... ... 328 TYALA ; BY' R. W. ROSE- INNES. ... ... ... 334 DEATH OF TYALA. 363 ADDRESSES ON MISSIONS ADDRESS TO THE MISSIONARY' CONFERENCE, WITH

Appendix

. 366 ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF PEELTON MISSION STA- TION. 3S7 A LETTER TO COLONEL MACLEAN. ... ... ... 3g- LAMENT OF TYALA, ... ,.. ... ... MEMOIR. The subject of the following brief sketch was the eldest son of the Rev. John Brownlee, one of the earliest missionaries sent to South Africa by the London Missionary So ciety. As the traveller enters King William's Town by the Queenstown road, a cluster of fine buildings will attract his attention. Facing him is the Presbyterian Church, and to the right stand Dale College, the Roman Catholic Church, the Library and Public Buildings or Government Offices. Surmounting the latter is the Town Clock, and above the entrance of the portico he will see a large brass plate with the following inscription : — ?50 Jhg H^morn OP THE Rev. JOHN BROWNLEE, THE FOUNDER OP KING WILLIAM'S TOWN, BORN NEAR W1SHAW, SCOTLAND, MAY 1st, 1791, DIED AT KING WILLIAM'S TOWN, 21st DECEMBER, 1871 ; DEVOTED AS A MISSIONARY ; BELOVED AS A MAN ; HONOURED AS A SELF-SACRIFICING CHRISTIAN WORKMAN ; FAITHFUL AS A FRIEND TO RICH AND POOR, TO CIVILIZED AND BARBARIAN; WILLING AS A HELPER IN EVERY UNDERTAKING WHICH PROMOTED THE MORAL AND SPIRITUAL WELFARE OF THIS COMMUNITY.

BY MANY, WHO KNEW HIS PURITY OF LIFE, AND ADMIRED HIS HUMILITY OF CHARACTER, IS THIS TABLET, AND THE CLOCK WHICH ADORNS THE TOWER OP THIS BUILDING, ERECTED IN GRATEFUL REMEMBERANCE. II. Cob. V. B MEMOIR. 2 He left his father's house at an early age to accompany and act as interpreter to the American missionaries in Na tal, while they engaged to carry on his education. After leaving Natal, he took to farming, and this occupation he followed till the War of the Axe, in 1846, broke out. The Natives had for a long time been in an unsettled and defiant state. Stealing and other disorderly deeds had been allowed to go on unchecked by the Chiefs. Matters were brought to a climax when a Native who had stolen an axe was sent as a prisoner to Grahamstown from Fort Beaufort, handcuffed to one of the party by whom he was guarded.

A band of Kaffirs waylaid them, and rushing out dispersed the guard, cut off the hand of the con stable to whom the prisoner was handcuffed, and carried him off. The Governor of the Colony demanded that the prisoner and his rescuers should be given up to justice. The Chiefs contemptuously refused to do so, and war was declared. Charles Brownlee, with other farmers, went out under command of the late Dodds Pringle in defence of the country. Soon after the close of this war, Sir Harry Smith appointed him to the important post of Gaika Commissioner, with his younger brother James as his clerk. Their residence was Fort Cox then a military post. There they built cottages for themselves. James married, and Charles was on the eve of marriage when the most disastrous and longest war this Colony has ever seen broke out.

There had been dissatisfaction and unrest among the Na tives for months. The Gaika Chief, Sandile, repeatedly re- MEMOIR. 3 fused to meet the Governor. At last Sir Harry Smith de posed Sandile, a measure which this haughty and warlike tribe would not submit to. Mr. Brownlee, who thoroughly understood native ways and character, rightly read their conduct as indicating that the spirit of resistance was again stirring in both chiefs and people. He repeatedly and earnestly warned the Governor, but he would not believe that a people who had so lately suffered the hardships of war would so soon again enter upon it. In December 1850, things looked very dark, Mr. Brown lee feeling convinced that an outbreak was imminent, begged the Governor to have the farmers and others living in out of the way places warned to seek safety in towns or forts ; but he firmly opposed anything of the sort, fear ing that such action would alarm the native mind, and make them think the colonists were preparing to make war upon them.

Had Mr. Brownlee's advice been taken, what disasters would have been averted, and to a great ex tent life and property saved ! As no warning had been given, people quietly remained at their homes till Christmas eve, when, like a wolf in the night, the enemy was upon them. The assegai did its deadly work, and farmers and others had to flee leaving everything behind, glad to escape with dear life. One of these homes rises vividly before my mind. Si tuated in a lovely spot, the home combined solidity, com fort and beauty, and many valuable pictures hung on the wails. In one night, all was as though it had not been. Pictures were torn down and trampled under foot in the the presence of the terrified ladies, furniture was smashed b2 MEMOIR. 4 and the house fired. Still what was this to the loss of lives — precious lives of sons, brothers and husbands ?

The same day a large force sent by Sir Harry Smith up the valley of the Keiskama, in the direction of Sandile's hiding place, were attacked and a number of them killed. So unprepared were they that their guns were not loaded, and some were bathing in the Keiskama. A faithful native brought the sad tidings to Mr. Brownlee, and he at once told Sir Harry, then at Fort Cox, who treated it as an idle tale, and said, " Oh, it is some cock-and-bull-story. I don't believe it." But alas, the return of the force, by their lessen ed numbers, the groans of the wounded, and the weeping of those who had lost friends, told him plainly that the war he would not believe in had broken out. Dear man, he evidently wished for peace, and bitter must have been the awaking. Mr. Brownlee told some amusing stories of this hot headed and most generous of Governors, who swore at you one minute and' was ready to cover you with kindness the next.

He personally visited the wounded, and sent them dainties from his own table. On one occasion, during hos tilities, he was moving with a large force in an intricate part of the country known to few. The guides were not forthcoming, which greatly excited His Excellency. Mr. Brownlee offered his services, as he knew the country well, but the old man was by this time in a passion and roared, " I want no gentleman guide ; send me my guides." Mr. Brownlee persisted that the guides could not be found, and again offered his services. " Get out of my sight, sir," he shouted, " get out of my sight, with your gigantic strides, MeMoir. 5 and consider yourself under arrest." After floundering on and getting involved in the rough country, he sent one of his staff to call Mr. Brownlee. His answer was — " Tell His Excellency, I am under arrest and cannot come."

Sir Harry ever ready to admire spirit in another, though it told against himself, went to him and asked the youth with the gigantic strides to get them out of their difficulty by acting as guide, and, in the evening, when bivouacked, invited him to his tent to dine, and in presence of his staff apologized for his rudeness in the morning. The Governor was shut up for some time at Fort Cox surrounded by Kaffirs, all communication being cut off. A force sent from Fort Hare to his relief was attacked and driven back with great loss, the Kaffirs coming to close quarters and using the assegai with fatal effect. In 1852, Mr. Brownlee was wounded. He was then com manding one wing of a force under Colonel M'Kinnon, employed in driving the Kaffirs out of a deep and wood ed valley between Port White and Burnshill.

This place has since been called M'Kinnon's box. The Kaffirs were hiding in the bush, and an assegai struck Mr. Brownlee and buried itself to the hilt in his thigh. He had himself to draw it cut, and this caused the wound to bleed so pro fusely that he fainted. In this condition he was found by a friend, the late Robert Fielding, who at first thought him dead, but after dashing water in his face saw a movement and exclaimed joyfully, " There is life in the dear boy." Others soon rallied round, and he was placed on a stretcher and carried to his father's house in King William's Town. MEMOIR. The following Friday, his brother James was sent out with a small party to recapture some cattle, taken from King William's Town by the enemy. They were sur rounded and James fell wounded to death by an assegai.

His head was cut off and taken to Sandile, who, on recog nizing, it said, "You should not have killed this man." Who can describe the sorrow of the family, with one son ly ing in bed weak from loss of blood and the pain of a griev ous wound, and the other brought in dead? The poor young widow, in a distant town where he had sent her to be with her mother and away from the dangers and dis comforts of war, how would she bear the tidings ? The following Friday a little daughter was born. It may here be stated that as her husband fell in battle, she lost his life policy; neither was a pension granted her ; and she had to support herself and child notwithstanding her feeble health caused by the shock and grief at her husband's tragic end. In 1852, Sir Harry Smith was recalled, and Sir George Cathcart was sent to take his place.

A truce to hostilities was then proclaimed. Of this Mr. Brownlee took ad vantage to have his long-delayed marriage consummated, and on the 14th July of that year he was married to Frances, third daughter of the Rev. W. R. Thomson of Balfour. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. James Laing in the little church at Lovedale, Mr. Thomson's family havin« had to leave Balfour owing to the war and take refuse there. Shortly after this, Sir George Cathcart abolished the office of Gaika Commissioner, deeming it superfluous as the MEMOIR. 7 Gaikas were in rebellion, and he thereupon directed Mr. Brownlee to proceed to Fort Peddie in command of a levy of Fingoes. He had therefore to leave his newly-married wife behind. She however took advantage of a train of waggons going to Peddie a month later, to join him there.

The waggons were attacked in the rear, and an officer of the guard and some men were killed. At Peddie, he did duty for six months as captain of levies, going out on patrol and defending the district. The following March, an express arrived with an urgent letter from His Excellency, desiring his immediate presence in King William's Town. On his arriving there, the Governor asked him if he was willing to go out to meet the chiefs, as they refused to listen to terms of peace unless they saw " Chalis" as he was called by all the Natives. He un hesitatingly went and made such satisfactory terms that the Governor was delighted, and not only expressed his satisfaction, but wrote officially a complimentary letter and made him quite the hero of the hour. One of the conditions of peace was that the Gaikas were to move out of all their fastnesses about the Keiskama, the Amatole mountains, and the Buffalo Poorts, and for the future to take up their abode in the country about Kabusi, to the west of the Queenstown road.

Mr. Brownlee, being now re-installed in his position as Gaika Commissioner, took up his abode among the tribes in the new settlement. He pitched his tent near Dohne Post and not far from the Bethel Mission station. Hugh Thom son, his brother-in-law, was appointed his clerk. The following August a son was born and called James. His MEMOIR. 8 baptism took place in his father's native church, and when the child's name was pronounced, a wail of grief rang through the church, for the memory of him who had borne that name was still fresh in the minds of the people. At Dohne, he built a comfortable cottage and made a nice garden, thinking it would be his permanent residence. Sir George Grey succeeded Sir George Cathcart as Governor. A better governor and kinder friend the Natives and Colonists never had.

He directed Mr. Brownlee to or ganize bands of native men for the purpose of making roads and watercourses in various localities. All this Mr. Brown lee had to superintend, besides doing his regular work as Commissioner administering justice to the Gaikas. These public works were a double good, as they benefited the country and gave employment to crowds of Natives impoverished by the war. Dohne is on the high road to Queens town. There were then few houses along that line of road ; hotels none ; his characteristic hospitality was tax ed to the utmost ; from the Governor to the humblest tra veller, all were received. In 1857, the awful cattle killing, and consequent starvation of the Kaffir nation, gave work for many months to all who had a heart to feel and power to work. What a ter rible time that was !

Only those who were in the midst of it knew the horrors of it. At times it made the brain reel. In 1856-7, the German Legion came to this country. Dohne was fixed upon as their head quarters. In a few hours the place was changed into a lively camp. It was a miserable, cold, wet Sunday when they arrived, a dreary beginning for strangers in a strange land. Mr. Brownlee's MEMOIR. 9 house received as many of the ladies and children as it could hold. The quiet place soon became a, busy scene, the sound of the hammer went on almost night and day, and in a few months a flourishing little town covered the hill side, and was called Stutterheim after Baron Von Stutterheim, General-in-Command of the Legion. After a while the Natives, who came to Mr. Brownlee with their cases, got to mix with the German soldiers, drinking with them, quarrelling and sometimes fighting.

On this account, the Governor decided that Mr. Brownlee must move away from Stutterheim, so he had to leave his pretty home and go through all the expense and discomfort of building again. He crossed the Kabusi and fixed on a spot eight miles from Stutterheim, where there was good water and wood sufficient both for domestic and building purposes. Soon settling at this new home, which he called Te mbani (Hope on), the Kaffrarian farms were about to be given out. Mr. Brownlee, from his knowledge of the country was appointed one of " The Land Board" for choos ing localities suitable for farms, and for fixing the boundaries. This took him a great deal from home. It was while on this duty, he first got the injury from which he suffered in after years. Riding along one day in deep thought he did not observe a deep donga till he was close upon it, and reined up his horse sharply.

The animal threw back its head giving him a severe blow on the nose. He reached home in a very suffering state, with his face swollen almost beyond recog nition. Ever after, there was a slight irritation though nothing was to be seen externally, nor did it interfere with MEMOIR. 10 his health which continued robust and vigorous, with the exception of an attack of fever which the Natives put down to his having chewed some " ubuti" (witchcraft medicine). He took great pains to investigate all cases of witchcraft, in order to convince the people of the absurdity of the witchdoctor's pretensions, and on one occasion to convince them of the harmlessness of some stuff which the witch doctress had pretended to find in the hut of an accused party, he chewed some of it himself, but did not take the fever till some months after that.

He went to great trouble and expense buying sheep and giving them out among the Natives, as he thought the care of sheep would induce them to lead a more settled life ; and as it would be impossible for them to fly about with sheep as they had done with cattle in time of war, they would be less ready to enter upon it. With all this secular work, he had the good of missions at heart, and never failed to give a helping hand to the missionary cause. To this the missionaries of the Berlin Society, the Church of England, and the U. P. Church can testify. At Stutterheim, his family had the privilege of attending the services at the Bethel church, where Dr. Kropf and the Rev. W. Rein, officiated ; and later, at Tembani, weather permitting, they rode or drove to Emgwali where Mr. Johnston, Mr. Soga, and Mr. Chalmers held service.

These men were among his dearest friends. In 1860, Sir George Grey asked him to accompany the Duke of Edinburgh to Cape Town in the Euryalus, and take Sandile and some of his leading councillors. Mr. Soga was also one of the party. In his life, written by Mr. Chalmers, MEMOIR. 11 will be found an interesting account of that voyage. So ten happy, busy, and peaceful years were passed, Te. mbani gaining in beauty every year as the ornamental and fruit trees grew. The people were contented and were accumulating property, when all had to be given up. In 1861, Sir Philip Wodehouse succeeded good Gover nor Grey, and set himself to cut down expenses all over the Colony. The Gaikas came under the retrenchment knife, and in 1867 had their much loved and trusted Com missioner removed and a young clerk at a lower salary put over them.

Mr. Brownlee was removed to the Colonial magistracy of Somerset East. How much his removal was felt by both Kaffirs and Europeans will be seen by the account of the farewell meeting. A very handsome clock, costing £50, was presented to him by the Europeans as a parting gift. At Somerset, as elsewhere, he soon endeared himself to the people by his frank friendliness and clear-headed jus tice. The third year of his residence there was one of great trouble. Death, with swift, solemn step, invaded the hither to unbroken family circle and carried away, after a few hours illness, his fifth son and youngest child. Typhoid fever broke out in the town, visiting almost every household, his not excepted. Added to this, his third son, a boy of eight, got a severe kick from a horse which nearly cost him his life, and laid him up for months.

The kindness of the people to the family through this period was overwhelming, and owing to the skill and untiring attention of the doctor, under Providence, two children with typhoid fever and the boy MEMOIR. 12 with the injured leg, were brought back from the very verge of the grave. Early the following year, 1871, his mother died, and at its close his revered and much loved father followed. They had been not only father and son but dearest friends to each other. After a residence of a little more than four years in Somerset, Sir Henry Barbly, who had succeeded Sir Philip, offered Mr. Brownlee the magis tracy of King William's Town. This he declined, as he had become attached to Somerset and its people, and the educational advantages it offered for his now large family were very great. Sir Henry urged him to accept, as he wished him to be near the border to have an eye on Native affairs, and as inducement offered to add £100 to the salary of the King William's Town magistracy, and he finally decided to go.

Only one year was spent at King Wm's. Town. The Cape then obtained Responsible Government, and he was asked to join the first Colonial Ministry as Secretarv for Native Affairs. He accepted office and left King Wm's. Town to take up residence at Cape Town as a member of the Government. It was while in Cape Town that his complaint first took a serious turn. For two successive sessions of Parliament, from driving home in cold and wet, after sitting till a late hour in the heated House, he suf fered from exposure, took cold, and had facial erysipelas in an acute form ; and after severe suffering he resolved to visit England. The object of his trip was fully attained, a surgical operation by Sir Joseph Lister proving a complete success. He held the office of Secretary for Native Affairs for five years and resigned, going out with his colleagues, MEMOIR. 13 though specially urged by Sir Bartle Frere to retain his seat.

This Governor further showed his appreciation of Mr. Brownlee by asking him to accompany him to Natal. From thence, he appointed him Chief Magistrate of East Griqualand, an important and difficult post in a large ter ritory containing a number of different nationalities, among whom were the Griquas who had lately been in rebellion. While in this position, during the Basuto war, he had a most difficult and trying time. Rebellion broke out among the Basutos in this territory, and threatened to spread to all sections of the native population ; but by his tact and quick firm action it was happily checked. The trouble in his face also broke out again at this time, an accident, similar to the first being the occasion. He was giving his two youngest boys a ride, and was leading the horse when something startled it, making it bound forward and give him a blow on the nose.

As soon as the rebellion was quelled, he reluctantly made up hip mind to visit Eng land a second time. When this became known, the in habitants of Griqualand East, both white and coloured, contributed and made up a handsome sum, which they presented to him to assist in defraying the expenses of his trip. After several operations, which at the time appeared successful, he returned to the Cape with the intention of retiring from active service, his medical adviser having told him to avoid exposure to extremes of heat and cold. On reaching the Cape, however, he found that matters in Pondoland were in an unsettled state, and he was persuad ed to continue for a while longer in office. He yielded the more readily as his general health was much improved. MEMOIR. 14 Had he then retired he might have lived in comfort and com parative health for many years.

He was entitled from length of service to retire on a good pension. Two months after his return to East Griqualand he had to be out on a land commission. It was winter and he was exposed for months to all weathers, sleeping in a tent with the temperature so low at night that ink froze in the bottles. From this trying service and exposure he returned much worse, and his complaint became so aggravated that it was quite necessary for him to visit England a third time. He did so, and was, for over a year, under Sir Joseph Lister, whose care and kindness can never be forgotten or repaid. All his skill did not avail. After great suffering from repeated operations, his health completely failed, he felt the battle was over and that he must retire. On his resignation, which shortly followed, in consideration of his long and valuable public services, the Government granted him full pension.

He then settled down in King William's Town endeared to him by many memories, and in order to be beside his eld est son. For a while his health greatly improved and he was able to amuse himself with his favourite pursuit, the culti vation of flowers. Often in these days the two tall men might be seen together looking at and admiring their plants, the son a fresh young image of his father. The first dark shadow which fell on the family, in King William's Town, was caused by the death of this son's young wife, and her husband's departure for Johannesburg after her death. Soon after this, Mr. Brownlee's strength began to decline and the disease attacked one of his eyes. It was a great trial MEMOIR. 15 not to be able to read for long — he had always been a great reader. His daughters spent much time in reading to him.

The year 1888 was an eventful one for the family, for to wards its close his second daughter was struck by consump tion and in three months was carried to her grave. But this was not all. Five months later another heavy blow fell : tidings came to the suffering father that his eldest son was no more. He died at Johannesburg after a short, sharp attack of inflammation of the lungs, in the prime of life. Letters of condolence poured in from all both black and white, one of which it may not be out of place to give here. To The Honourable C. Brownlee C.M.G. " King William's Town, 18 Sept., 18S9. Dear Sir, We are excceedingly concerned, as indeed we ought to be, to hear of three successive deaths in your family circle within a short time, the one from the other. We grieve the more when we remember that you from whom the mutual affection is derived, have been laid up with a malady which more surely than most others directs the sufferer to a speedier dissolution of the present lease of life.

We knew the young man, your eldest son, on whom the cruel hand of death has just been laid. It is not un natural if, in your striving with Providence to resign your unhappy fate into His hands, you had prayed that the boy MEMOIR. might be spared to the remaining ones of your household, and to your many friends of all races in South Africa, but God has ruled otherwise. How unsearchable His counsels ; His ways past finding out. We look upon this as an afflic tion fallen upon us as well as upon you. We will not, therefore, endeavour to administer consolation to you by directing you to consider how fortune has already treated you. We shall not inform you that our very life is not only a memorial but a part of our death, and that therefore you should not grieve over much at a thing so natural. But as sons of a still stricken father, we shall direct you to the example of Job. ' He was perfect and upright, eschewing evil,' and for this cause God permitted evil to come upon him.