during the last war. Their interest, therefore, must ever be mine; and most rendily do I watch over their welfare, now that I am the representative of our most gracious Queen, for whom they so truly profess every loyalty."

THEIR CONDUCT UNDER NEGLECT AND ILL USAGE.

In attempting to account for the disaffection of a portion of the Kat River people, which for the first time manifested itself on occasion of the present war, it should be stated, that not only had their long and meritorious services to the Government been requited with neglect, but for various grievances of an aggravated nature, of which they repeatedly complained to the authorities, no redress could be obtained. When it became known that the Kaffirs were in arms, the Kat River settlers, in common with others, received instructions from the Government to embody in volunteer corps, under their own elected leaders. A meeting of the people having been convened by the resident magistrate, J. H. B. Wienand, Esq., the official requisition was read and explained. The prevailing sentiment of the meeting, which was composed of English and natives, seemed to be,-1st, That wars had proved impoverishing and ruinous to the people of the Kat River Settlement; 2nd, That after having made great sacrifices for the Government and country, in preceding wars, they had not been well used; 3rdly, That another Kaffir war would sink them in irretrievable ruin; and lastly, they expressed a wish that a letter might be addressed to His Excellency the Governor, praying exemption from active duties at that time, or from entering Kaffirland, but to be allowed to protect their own sub-district to where it joins with that of Fort Beaufort, by burgher-service, under their own commandants.

While negotiations were going on with the Government on these matters, the startling intelligence arrived that Col. Mackinnon's patrol had been attacked and repulsed by the Gaikas, that the English Military Settlements on the Chumie had been burnt, and the settlers massacred. Being Christmas-day, many of the Kat River people were attending Divine service at the time. The interesting meeting was abruptly closed, and the worshippers dispersed to their various homesteads, with instructions from the authorities to assemble at Fort Armstrong, and other places selected as points of concentration.

THEIR PARTIAL DEFECTION THE RESULT OF ARTIFICE AND VIOLENCE.

There is most satisfactory evidence that, up to this period, there was not the slightest symptom of disaffection on the part of any of the Kat River Hottentots. On the 29th of December, however, information was brought to the authorities and to the Missionaries, that the Kaffir chief Hermanus had manifested à disposition, and was in fact using every effort, by force and enticement, to draw the people of Lower Blinkwater from their allegiance. At this time they were for the most part unarmed, having, in common with the rest of the Kat River people, been deprived by the magistrate, more than a year before, of the Government guns, to the number of 400, which they had received from the commandant of the settlement; and hence they became an easy prey to the machinations of this treacherous leader. To show that the revolt was altogether unpremeditated, it should be stated, that these people, on the approach of Hermanus, sent informa tion to the authorities at Armstrong and Beaufort of their perilous situation, and asked help to get away from the Blinkwater, and resolved among themselves, as they had ever done, to stand by the Government. On the evening of the same day, Hermanus came to Tidmanton with a large body of men; and on reaching

the church, in which the people had taken up their abode, he called out in a dictatorial tone, "Where is the Field Cornet Valentyn Jacobs? He must tell me to-night whether he is on my side or on the side of the Government." Mr. Van Rooyen, the Missionary, quietly said to him, "What do you mean, Hermanus? What do you want?" He exclaimed, "I want the men." Mr. Van Rooyen rejoined, "You must not force the people into rebellion." Hermanus replied, "No, I shall first ask them; but, willing or not willing, they shall go." It was calculated that at this time there were in the camp of this rebel chief about 900 Kaffirs, including the runaway servants, whose conduct had been the cause of so much excitement in the colony, while there were only ninety Hottentots at Blinkwater, more than half of whom were unarmed. Hermanus then rode about

the camp, ordering out the men; the Missionary, Mr. Van Rooyen, all the while following, and urging him to desist from such doings. At last he turned round and sternly rebuked Mr. Van Rooyen, and one of the Kaffirs then told him it was no longer safe for him to be there.

On the 30th December, Mr. Van Rooyen, seeing he could not get help from Armstrong to extricate the Hottentots from their perilous predicament,—the people not being strong enough to resist Hermanus, or fight their way to that fort, and he himself being in imminent danger, resolved to proceed to Fort Armstrong; on reaching which place, he again applied to the functionaries for help to get the people away from the power of the Kaffir chief, but without success. From these facts it is sufficiently clear that the Blinkwater Hottentots were involuntary agents in the revolt; that so far from sympathizing in the treasonable projects of Hermanus, they would gladly have escaped from his influence, had timely succour been afforded. It is indeed too true that a portion of these people eventually brought disgrace and ruin upon themselves, by the part they took in the progress of the war, but they had then committed themselves, and finding they had already gone too far to recede either with honour or safety, they became reckless of consequences.

On the 7th January, Hermanus, during an attack on Fort Beaufort, was slain, together with several of the people, including some of the Blinkwater Hottentots.

ENERGETIC EFFORTS OF THE MISSIONARIES TO STEM THE TIDE OF REVOLT.

While these mournful events were in progress, the Rev. Messrs. Read, father and son, Mr. Van Rooyen, the Rev. Mr. Thomson, minister of the Dutch Reformed Church, and other zealous friends of the Government, were indefatigable in their attempts to reclaim those of the people who had joined the standard of revolt, and to confirm the loyal in their fidelity. With that view they made repeated visits to the hostile camps, at the risk of their personal safety, and earnestly and affectionately exhorted the misguided people, by the love they bore their ministers, by the debt of gratitude they owed to the English churches and nation, and by the greatness of the Redeemer's cause, which would be tarnished by their revolt against the Government, to lay down their arms and return to their duty as British subjects. The following document was also addressed, by our faithful and indefatigable Missionaries, to the people residing at the several Missionary Institutions :— "Kat River Settlement, January 6, 1851. "To the Hottentots and other people of colour residing at the Missionary Institutions, and the towns and villages of the colony.

"Friends and fellow subjects, you will have heard, with deep regret, that our Government is again at war with the Kaffir nation, and still more, that several

persons belonging to this settlement have, by compulsion and seduction, been induced to join a rebel band, under a Kaffir named Hermanus Matroos, residing at Lower Blinkwater.

"It is not the time to enter into particulars; what we earnestly wish to communicate to you is, that the great body of the Kat River people in no wise participate in this rebellious and treacherous proceeding against the Queen's supremacy in this country.

"We wish by these presents to make known to you, that the respectable people of Kat River are quiet and loyal; and lest the rebels endeavour to work on the feelings of the unwary in the colony, by telling them that the whole population in this settlement are in rebellion, or that they are contending for a great and just cause, and thereby either work on the sympathies of the coloured classes in the colony, or strike a panic into others, or cause others to feel a disinclination to come forward in defence of the Queen's authority; we therefore declare, hereby, that the proceeding of Hermanus Matroos and his adherents is a rebellious and treacherous act, and advise all our fellow-subjects to come willingly forward to suppress it; as also to repel and subdue the Kaffirs who are engaged in war against the colony. Let the Hottentots remember the blessings they have enjoyed under the British Government, and what is now in jeopardy,-viz., the elements which constitute social and political happiness,-Christianity, civilization, and British Institutions.

'We have thought it right to publish this, to counteract the efforts of the rebellious and misguided, as well as to inspire you with, and confirm you in, your loyalty to our Most Gracious Sovereign Lady the Queen of England; and we beg all Missionaries and persons of influence to read, and translate, if necessary, this to all the people in the colony.

The rebels having advanced on Fort Armstrong, the Missionaries and other English, with their families, who had sought an asylum there, were compelled, on the 23rd January, to evacuate the place, which was subsequently pillaged.

SUMMARY.

From the foregoing statement it appears :

1st. That previous to the breaking out of the present war, the Hottentots of the Kat River Settlement felt deeply that they had grounds for complaint of neglect and ill usage on the part of the Government.

2nd. That notwithstanding these alleged grounds of complaint, they evinced no symptoms of disaffection, until they were exposed, unarmed and hopeless of relief, to the arts and violence of Hermanus.

3rd. That the actual number of those who joined the standard of revolt formed only a small portion of the Kat River settlers; and

4th. That the Missionaries, instead of being lukewarm and unconcerned spectators of what was going on, as their enemies have alleged, displayed a zeal and an energy in the support of the Government and social order, which, had their example been generally imitated by the colonists, might have brought the war to a speedy issue.

APPEAL ON BEHALF OF THE SUFFERERS BY THE

KAFFIR WAR.

Ír affords the Directors much gratification to state, that their appeal, through the medium of last month's Magazine, on behalf of the natives of South Africa, and others, who are suffering innocently, but severely, in consequence of the present Kaffir war, has met with a prompt and liberal response. The subscriptions already received are as per subjoined list:

The Directors, with a view to corroborate the statements contained in their late appeal on behalf of the sufferers by the Kaffir war, and to show the extent of the calamity as affecting the Mission Stations, invite the particular attention of their friends and the Christian public to the following extract of a letter just received from the Rev. James Read, sen. :

Writing, under date 12th July, from Alice, on the Kaffir frontier, where the Mission families have found a temporary refuge, Mr. Read observes :—

We have had several wars, but none so ruinous as this; particularly as it respects the Kat River Settlement, which has suffered greatly from the commando of General Somerset. Much spoil, cattle, &c., were taken, and part of the settle ment burnt to the ground, and what was then left has been taken and destroyed by the Kaffirs; so that, at present, there is scarcely a house or hut standing in the whole settlement: all burnt. The same has happened to the other Societies,― the stations destroyed, and the Missionaries scattered,—s -so that darkness pervades this part of the country, and the Prince of darkness reigns almost unrestrained, and, as yet, little prospect of a change. War and devastation are spreading wider and wider, and the reports coming in are more and more alarming and distressing. Since the troops attacked the Ammatola, the Kaffirs have been spreading in the colony, in the districts of Albany, Cradock, Burgensdorp, Albert, Somerset, &c.» where many colonists have been killed, and vast herds of cattle, sheep, goats, and horses, are being swept away. Dutch and English farmers are flying before the enemy in every direction; so that we seem as far, or farther, from peace now, with the re-inforcements from England, than we were six months ago. The time of service for most of the Hottentot levies, consisting of about fifteen hundred from the western districts, George, Zwellendam, Graff Reinet, &c., has expired, and they are all leaving; and few or no others coming in their places. This is known to the Kaffirs, and no doubt strengthens their determination not to give in.

"It is a consolation to Mr. Thomson, of Balfour, to my son James, and to myself, that we were able to save many of our people from taking an active part in the rebellion. We have here, at Alice, about one hundred and thirty of our Philipton church members, men and women; and there are abotit the same number at Eiland's Post, who have taken no share, nor had any symph thy with the rebels, besides many who were absent from the settlement, and thuis escaped being compelled to join the disaffected. There are also many who fled into the bush from fear of the attack at Fort Armstrong and the visit of General Somerset to Philipton, who are now here, and have not taken part with the rebels. It is also matter of thankfulness, that few or none of our people have joined them during the last four months. On the contrary, from three hundred to four hundred have joined the levy companies, and are doing good service under General Somerset; besides those who are doing duty as free burghers. There are also a number of others belonging to the settlement doing duty at various places, viz., Fort Beaufort, &c. I yet hope God will overrule this dark dispensation, for his glory, and the eventual good of the people and the country."

To the foregoing statement Mr. Read subjoins a mournful list of the various Mission Stations, belonging to our own and other Societies, which have been abandoned, and, for the most part, entirely destroyed. The list comprises six principal stations, belonging to the London Missionary Society, viz.:

1. Philipton, with its 13 out-stations.

Theopolis. 5. Peelton. 6. Knapp's Hope.

2. Tidmanton. 3. Freemanton. 4.

The whole of the above stations have been burnt, or otherwise destroyed, and abandoned, excepting that at one of them, Tidmanton, the chapel alone has been left standing.

In addition to the foregoing, the work of devastation has also extended over fourteen principal stations belonging to five other different Societies.