Page:George McCall Theal, History of South Africa from 1873 to 1884, Volume 1 (1919).djvu/103

 1 87 7] The Ninth Kaffir War. 83 were registered, two hundred and twenty- three guns, mostly muzzle loaders, and three thousand five hundred assagais were taken from them, and they were supplied with passes which enabled them to move about freely. They had with them ten thousand five hundred head of horned cattle. A few of them were really spies, and when opportunities offered fought on the rebel side, as was ascertained by their dead bodies being found after engagements with their passes in their skin bags. Ndimba and Mackinnon with their people joined the rebels, but old Anta, who was too feeble to move about, Fini, son of Tyali, and Kona, Makoma's son of highest rank, declared their intention to remain faithful to the government. On the 22nd of December General Cunynghame left King-Williamstown, and on the 25th reached Ibeka, where he intended to remain while operations were being conducted against the Galekas. He had hardly crossed the Kei when communication by post with the governor was cut off by the rebels, who took possession of several miles of the main road between Komgha and King- Williamstown, burnt the Draibos hotel and several farm houses, and lay in wait for the commissariat waggons conveying supplies of provisions to Galekaland, On the 29th of December a strong force of the mounted police and eighty-eighth regiment left Komgha to try to clear the road, but did not succeed in doing 80, though many of the rebels were shot. A policeman was killed and two officers were wounded on this occasion. On the following day another party was sent from Komgha to escort the mail, but was obliged to return after losing three killed and two wounded. On the 31st the telegraph wire, which the rebels had previously regarded with superstitious dread, was cut, but it was quickly repaired, and the road was cleared for traffic again by a combined force of soldiers, police, and volunteers. Martial law was now, 31st of December,