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EARLY on the morning of the 29th I awoke from a refreshing sleep the flowers of Captain Blyth's pretty garden, especially the violets, perfuming the whole cottage-and after a delicious. bath, for which his residence is famous, we were again on the road.

The inhabitants of the neighbouring kraals seemed to be in a thriving condition. Indeed, a beggar of any colour is never met with in South Africa, although plenty of idle, well-to-do natives may be seen. We outspanned for breakfast near the small stream Ixilingxa, where we met Mr. Wright, the magistrate attached to the Tambookie country, who accompanied us as far as Clarkebury. I must add that it is requisite to use some caution in drinking water at these streams, as they are infested with tadpoles which enter into the system, are difficult to extirpate, and are said to increase in size until they affect the body with fearful involuntary twitchings, like their own impulsive movements.

At the Idutchwa Reserve we were met by Gangeleswe ("as big as the world"), chief of the Tembus, accompanied by about forty followers, each with his gun or rifle.

Gangeleswe is a coarse-looking savage, about thirty years of age, and about 6 feet 2 inches high, dressed in a suit of wellworn tweed, with a cowrie shell stuck in the skin of one ear. He was meanly mounted. I own that what I had heard of him had not prepossessed me in his favour, and it corresponded

with his appearance. Gangeleswe, the Tambookie, married a daughter of Kreli, the Galeka. Returning one day to his kraal, his young and pretty wife displeased him, it is said, by having made use of a word in which occurred one or two of the syllables used in spelling his name (a fatal offence among these people). Savage in word and deed, he raised his ever-ready knobkerrie, and, letting it fall with full strength, broke her leg. The poor thing crawled out of his hut, and, after hiding in the bush for two or three days, managed to meet with some friendly assistance, and ultimately reached her father Kreli's home. Gangeleswe now became much alarmed lest the wrath of the great chief should overtake him. He therefore sent messengers, and as an account of this is given in the native style it may be interesting:

The answer was,

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The messengers of Gangeleswe, having arrived at the kraal of Kreli, delivered their message. The first question was, "By whom had they been sent?" By the people and in pity to the motherless children." Question: "Where are the great men of the tribe, and where are so and so (four or five of Gangeleswe's wives being enumerated, who were said to have been killed) ?" The reluctant reply was, "Dispersed and driven away by the chief." After much talk, Tonise was told to return and say, "A child had been sent by the Galekas to the Halas (Gangeleswe's branch of the Tambookies). After a while rumours of ill-usage reached the Galekas. The rumours were denied by different people. Feltman among the number. Eventually the rumours proved true, and the bones of the child of the Galekas returned. The matter was reported to Government, who said we might bury the bones, or otherwise do as we pleased regarding them; and is it reasonable that we shall now send back this skeleton to the man, who, according to your own admission, has driven away the great man of the tribe and maimed his

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A FAMILY QUARREL.

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wives, and who is now said to be cruelly using the orphans whom you profess to pity? Return, and say we sent our daughter to the Hala chief; her return to the Galekas has not been reported to us by the Halas. She is not here." Tonise, as in duty bound, expressed gratitude for the reply, stating that he would return again. To this there was no objection, and thus the matter stands at present.

The assertion that the woman is not with the Galekas may mean either that she is not publicly or officially there as becomes her birth and position, having crawled away secretly from her husband; or it may mean that, being maimed and disfigured, she is now but a shadow of her former self-in fact, "a skeleton," no longer fit to be the wife of a chief. She has returned to her father's tribe to be buried by them, and not by the tribe to whom she was sent.

When Gangeleswe made his first demand for the return of Kreli's daughter, the matter was reported to Government, and Kreli was informed that he might use his own discretion in reference to sending her back; and thus he says, "Government said he might bury her if he thought fit."

In the spring of 1873 Gangeleswe was accused of causing a waiting-maid of his wife's (Kreli's daughter) to be put to death, which on inquiry was found to be true.

The injury to Kreli's daughter was considered a cause of quarrel. Kreli attacked the Tambookies in the mountains near Clarkebury, and lacking courage to defend his country or his race, deserted by his warriors, Gangeleswe was found alone in a pitiable condition by the missionary. Kreli, obedient to the voice of good counsel, retired to his own land without following up his victory. Gangeleswe in his extremity implored our Government to take his country under their protection; but before his petition could be considered, seeing that the present danger was past, he begged to reconsider his request, and thus

ruled some time longer, receiving an allowance from our Government.

An amusing story is told of a Tambookie warrior that reminds me of the Green Island, for many years my happy residence.

Two Tambookies running from the field of battle hid themselves in a hole, but the leg of one unfortunately protruding caught the eye of some wary Icalaka. They pulled him out, and were preparing to slay him, when he cried, "Spare me, and I will tell you something." They paused, and he said, “There is yet another man in that hole." The second hidden warrior hearing this, called out from his place of concealment, "Don't believe him, kill him at once, he tells lies, there is no one in here." But it availed him nothing, and, after the custom of Kafirs, the two prisoners were forthwith assegaied.

In the following year the Cape Colonial Government sent Commandant Bowker with a considerable force to settle their disputes, which, by his judgment and discretion, he seems to have done in the most satisfactory manner. The following is a short account of the facts :

On the day following, the meeting took place, and was short and satisfactory, with very little excitement, as the effect of fire-water had passed. The Pondos then unconditionally accepted the announcement, and would let byegones be byegones. They broke up, and proceeded by invitation to see and hear Bowker's missionaries who preach peace. One of these, a small cannon, was taken to a spot, and under the able management of Captain Robinson threw some shells for the edification of the many Pongos who had assembled to witness the proceedings. At the word "fire," the gun responded by a loud report, and the shell hastened to its destination, which had previously been indicated, and then burst, to the no small astonishment of the natives,

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MISSIONARIES WHO PREACH PEACE.

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N'gwilso ventured to look into the cannon's mouth. The discharge of a rocket was also the cause of much astonishment, and one of the spectators made a bolt. The chief N'gwilso remarked very naively, "No wonder that you English overcome us!" and proceeded to ask, "Who taught you these things?" We may state in conclusion that Bowker's mission has been successful in initiating a new and peaceful state between the Pondos and Halas, and the value of the mission may be guessed at by a remark which we heard N'gwilso make, and that was, “Come, Bokolo, fire away; you need not mind about wasting your ammunition; you have none to fight with; you have come in peace, and not to fight."

Gangeleswe was evidently most uneasy in his European dress. The only object which excited his attention was the instrument belonging to the trumpeter, which he was most anxious to obtain, saying that he would direct one of his councillors to play it for his amusement.

It is customary in South Africa on the occasion of a visit. from a person of superior rank to present him and his followers with an ox. Should his party not be of sufficient number to consume the whole, the remainder is shared by the followers of the donor. Gangeles we, though so powerful in his kraal, was unable or unwilling to provide the ox; he made great excuses to the interpreter, saying that it was coming; but finally two wretched sheep were substituted, and the chief himself, probably ashamed of his want of hospitality, vanished in the night without even taking leave of his guest.

After a lonely and somewhat fatiguing ride of thirty-five miles we reached the Ungwali river, immediately over which is situated the Mission Station of Clarkebury.

We encamped immediately on the other side of the river, as it is always wise to place a river behind one, lest before the

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