Compendium of the history and geography of South Africa,

Front matter

No,

COMPENDIUM

OF THE

Preface To Second Edfiton

The favourable reception which the first edition of this book met witli Iihf hi<^' '. the author to enlarge, and, hs he believes, otherwise contiderab'T i* • •> much, he feels, ie due in return for the generous support and kindly notices lie hae roi'civcd

PKEFACE.

In llio jivosent odition, tlie cliapters referring to earlj Kaffir lli^torv will be found much more complete lliau they were in the first. Every one at all acquainted with our records knows in what confusion this subject is involved, down to the War of 1835, of w hich the Hon. Robert Godlonton has given a thoroughly reliable history. The writer, finding it impossible to form a satisfactory conclusion concerning preceding events in any other manner, applied to various antiquaries throughout Kaffirland, and by comparing their accounts with Colonel Collins' report and the statements of Baeeow and Lichtensteix, is enabled to lay before his readers a coherent narrative of the principal events in the history of these people since their ancestors crossed the Kei. Kaffir proper names ai'e spelt in this book as they would be by an educated native, so as to give the correct sound of the words. By an English tongue some of them cannot be pronounced, no matter how they are spelt, and they have no recognized English orthography, — eacli WTiter having followed his own fancy in ihis regard. The mode of spelling adopted will enable the reader to identify the individuals referred to, as well as any other would, and has the advantage of being correct from a Kaffir point of view. The first edition was read by some hundreds of natives, among whom w ere many of the teachers of mission schools on the frontier, and as it is confidently anticipated that this issue will have a still larger circulation among them, it is but fair that everything in the history of their people, — even to the spelling of the names of chiefs of old, — should be accurately given.

The writer desires to express his thanks to the Venerable Archdeacon Kittox, of King William's Town, for the us(^ of a valuable library of South African books, collected with great trouble and by means of agencies in England ; to Percy NiGnTlNGALE, Esq., Civil Commissioner of Victoria East, for the use of various bluebooks ; and to his fellow colonists generally, for enabling him by their support to publish a second edition so soon after the first. Lovedale, South Africa, January, 1876.

In this, the third edition, some few alterations have here and there been made i)i the text, either to simplify it or to make it more accurate. The results of the census of 1875 and some statistics of crime have been added to the chapter on the Greography of the Cape Colony, in which also conunercial statistics have b en brought down to the close of 1876. In some of the historical chapters additional paragraphs have been inserted, where it seemed advisable to enter more minutely into any particular subject. The author w ishes again to ex])ress his thanks to the public of Soutli Africa for the generous support which he has received, the best return for which he believes to be an earnest eflfort to make each successive edition of this book an improvement upon the one before it.

Lovedale, South Africa, Ji.ly, 1877.

CONTENTS:

Chapter I

Physical Divisions. Bays and Harbour.'?. The Coast. Rivers. Salt Pans and Vleis. Islands. Peninsulas. Caries. Mountains. Deserts. Climate. Animals. Yegetables. Minerals. Political Divisions. l*yge i*

CHAPTER II. GEOGRArilY OF THE CAPE C0L0>'1'

Area. Population. Statistics of Industry. Boundaries. Provinces and Electoral Divisions. Description of Towns and Villages. Government. Administration of Justice. Code of Laws. Educational Establishments. Roads and Means of Transport. Telegraphs. Imports and Exports. Statislice of Ci-ime. Revenue. Expenditure. Public Debt. Page 18.

CHAPTER HI.

1 1 1 S r O K 1 C A L 1 K 0 1) L ' C • T ] O N .

Exploratio)! of the rortiiguesc along the African Coast in search of a passage to India. Discovery of the Cape of Good Hope by Bartholomew Diaz. The theory of CoUmibus, and his great discovery. Africa doubled by Vasco de Gama. First Toyages of English ships round Africa. Portuguese conquests in the East. Rise of the Dutcli Power, and enterprise of the Netherlanders. First Voyages of the Dutch round Africa. Gallant Exi)loits of the Dutch in the East. Formation of the Netherlands East India Company. Success of the Dutch in wresting territory from the Portuguese. Con^titulion of the Netherlands East India Company. Use ^}Kule of Table Bay by the Company's sin"ps. Memorial of two seamen wrecked iu Table Bay. Van Ricbeclt's eiulorsement of the mcuiorial. Resolution of the C.M.>i]>niy to form a ^■eKlemMit at tbc Cape of Gjod Hoite. I'age 37.

vr

OaN J t.N J S.

Chapter IV. Ab0k1g1m:;s Of Soutu Africa. — Hottentots. — Busumen

ClIAPTKIl V.

FORMATION OF THE NETHEKLANDS EA.ST INDIA COMPANY'S ESTABLISHMENT AT THE

CHAPTER YI.

HISTORY FROM ].6o7 TO 1672.

Kegulations regarding Free Burghers and Natives. Importation of Slares. First War with Hottentots. Proclamation regarding Religious Services. Introduction of Young Women from Holland. Dismissal of G-overnor Yan Qiiaelberg for supplying foreign ships with provisions. Occupation of Hottentots' Holland. Purchase of Territory from Hottentot Chiefs. Page 73.

CHAPTER Yll.

HISTORY FROM 1672 TO 1689.

Second War with Hottentots. Introduction of Slaves f>om Madagascar. Ydlage of Stellenbosch founded. Introduction of Agricultural Immigrants from Holland. Condition of the Natives in the neighboui-hood of the Settlement. Occupation of Drakenstein. Persecution of Protestants in Prance. Immigration of French Refugees. Page 83.

CHAPTER Yin.

HISTORY FROM 1689 TO 17t6.

Capture of French Ships. Exploration of South Africa. Planting of Constantia. Tyranny of Adrian van der Stell. His Recall. Settlement of the Tulbagh A^alley. Expansion of the Colony. Descriptions of Cape Town. Form of Government. Page 93.

CHAPTER TX.

HISTORY FROM 17u6 TO 1711.

Great Fire at St i'llcnhosch. Ravages of the Small Pox. Tyranny of Governor Yan Noot, r.nd Romantic Account of his Death. Position of the East India Company. Shipwrecks, leading to Simon's Bay being made use of. Extension of the Colony to the Gauitous Rirer. Condition of the Natives. The First Missionary in Soutli Africa. Page 102.

CONTKNTS.

CITAPTKR X.

HISTOEY FEOM 1741. TO 1780.

Formation of the District and Village of Swellendam. Prosperity of the Colony under Governor Tulbagh. Exports. Condition of the Slavec. Treatment of Hottentots and Bushmen in the Frontier Districts. The Orange River visited by Colonel Gordon. Petition of the Colonists to the Home Government. The Fiscal's Statement of the Principle on which the Colony was governed. Permission granted to the Lutherans to establish a Church in Cape Town. Extension of the Colony to the Great Fish River. Page 111.

CHAPTER XI.

ABOEIGINES OF SOUTH AFETCA. — THE KAFFIBS.

CHAPTER XII.

HISTOEY FEOM 1780 TO 1795.

Attempt and Failure of the English to seize the Colony. Issue of Paper Money. Formation of the District and Village of Graaff Reinet. Effort of the Colonists to obtain greater liberty. Establishment of a Mission by the Moravians. First Hostilities with Kaffirs. Arrival of Commissioners from the Netherlands to enquire into the Condition of the Colony. Rebellion of the Burghers of Sv.'ellendam and Graaff Reinet. Seizure of the Colony by the British. Review. Page 134.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE ENGLISH OCCUPATION FROM 1795 TO 1803.

Capture of the Batavian Fleet under Admiral Lucas. Disturbances on the Frontier. Kaffir Invasion. Commencement of the London Society's Missions. First Expedition to Bechuanaland. Restoration of the Colony to the BataviaB Republic. Page 146.

CHAPTER XIV.

DESCBIPTION OF THE COLONY AND ITS INHABITANTS SEVENTY-PIVE TEAE8 AGO.

CHAPTER XV.

THE GOTEENMENT OF THE BATAVIAN REPUBLIC FROM 1803 TO 1806.

Regulations with regard to Natives. Foundation of the Missionary Village of Bethelsdorp. Tour of the High Commissioner De Mist. Formation of the Diatricta of Uitenhage and Tulbagh. Preparations for the defence of the Colony. Battle of Blaauwberg. Capitulation of Cape Town and of the Colony to the English. Review. Page 166.

VITT

Oi).YTF.>'TS.

CIIAPTEK XVI.

HISTOKY FKOM 1806 TO 1819.

Unfriendly Relations between the Colonists and the Kaffirs. Effects of the Suppression of the Foreign Slave Trade. Dr. Cowan's Expedition. Earthquakes. Fate of Stuurman and his People. Establishment of Circuit Courts. Ejection of the Kaffirs from the Zuurveld. Foundation of Grahamstown. Insurrection of Frontier Farmers. Great Failures in Cape Town. Establishment of the South African Public Library. Foundation of Beaufort West. Formation of the District aid Tillage of George. Extension of Missions in the Colony. i*agf 174.

CHAPTER XVII.

KAFFIR HISTORY, INCLTTDINa THE WAR OF 1819.

CHAPTER XVIII.

HISTORY FROM 1819 TO 1828.

Arrival of the British Settlers. Tyranny of Lord Charles Somerset. Great Floods in Albany. Wars in Bechuanaland. Establishment of a Free Press. Formation of the District and Village of Somerset East. Creation of a Council to advise and assist in the Administration of the Government. Ordinance for making British Silver Coin a Legal Tender at the rate of One Shilling and Sixpence for a Paper Riidollav. Abolition of the Courts of Landdrost and Heemraden, and Substitution of Resident Magistrates in their stead. Extension of Missions. Page 193.

CHAPTER XIX.

HISTORY FROM 1828 TO 1835.

Condition of the Hottentots in the Colony. The Fiftieth Ordinance. Formation of the Kat River Settlement. Expedition against the Fecani. Foundation of the South African College. Occupation of Bushmanland. Formation of the Village of Colesberg. Establishment of a Supreme Court. Creation of a Legislative Council. Establishment of Missions by the Rhenish, Paris, and Berlin Societies. Page 204.

CHAPTER XX.

KAFFIR HISTORY, INCLUDING THE WAR OF 1835.

CHAPTER XXI.

HISTORY FROM 1835 TO 1838.

Restoration of the Province of Queen Adelaide to the Kaffirs. Effects of that measure. Appointment of Magistrates to Clanwiliiam, Cradock, and Colesberg. Establishment of the Cape of Good Hope Bank. Emancipation of the Slaves. Great Emigration, of Dutch Farmer.^. Page 223,,

Contents

CHAPTEE XXII.

FEOM THE EMANCIPATION OF THE SLAVES TO THE WAR OF THE AXE. — 1838 TO 184G.

Condition of the Colony. Establishment of Public Schools under the Herschel system. Creation of Eoad Boards, and Employment of Comdcts on Public Works. Immigration. Eapid Increase in the production of Wool. Instance of Kaffir Superstition connected with the death of the Chief Tyali. Shipwrecks in Table^Bay. Discovery of the Guano Islands off the Coast of Great Namaquland. " Page 1.