Page:George McCall Theal, History of South Africa from 1873 to 1884, Volume 1 (1919).djvu/100

 8o History of the Cape Colony. [1877 On the 6th of December the author of these volumes, who was known to the Xosas as an antiquary versed in their lore and interested in their welfare, received a telegram asking if he would take charge of Oba and his clan, and try to influence them for good. The civil commissioner of the district of Victoria East, Percy Nightingale, Esqre., who was doing all that a most efficient and sensible official could do to preserve order, had represented to the government that he thought the people in question would listen to one whom they knew so well and for whom they professed to feel the highest regard. An opportunity to be of some service to the country and to the Kaffirs also was not to be neglected, and the request was complied with. This ne;ed not be referred to again, and it will suffice to say that Oba and his clan took no part whatever in the war, but were induced to move westward, where the people dis- persed m service among farmers at a great distance from the scene of hostilities, and the chief with his leading men consented to be conveyed to Capetown and to remain there until the war was over. An empty barrack at Wynberg was assigned for his residence and that of his attendants. Not a drop of their blood was shed, nor did they shed a drop of the blood of any white man. As regards military operations, on the 9th of December Colonel Glynn was placed in command of all the forces that could be gathered for service in Galekaland, with instructions to try to subdue Kreli's army, and Colonel W. Bellairs took the position previously held by Colonel Glynn west of the Kei. This condition of things was an anomaly in a colony v»'ith responsible government, that might be supposed to provide for its own defence. The imperial authorities threw the blame upon the Cape government for not having provided for such an emergency by organising proper forces in time, and when the governor and the