Page:George McCall Theal, History of South Africa from 1873 to 1884, Volume 1 (1919).djvu/79

 1877] The Ninth Kaffir War. 59 retired from his unpleasant post, and Inspector Chalmers, who was in command of the police camp at Ibeka in the south-western angle of the district, with Fingo- land close by on one side and Galekaland equally near on the other, was instructed to perform the additional duty of magistrate. On the 23rd of September, on account of Kreli's plain declaration to Colonel Eustace that he was unable to restrain his warriors from attacking the Fingos, though he hoped to preserve peace with the white people, the resident withdrew to the police station a^t Ibeka, and further negotiation was abandoned. The traders in the country and the missionaries were warned that they should withdraw to places of safety without further delay, and all of them except Mr. John Barnett at Ibeka, where the police camp was, did so. Two days later notice was given to the farmers west of the Kei that military posts had been established for their protection at Komgha, Impetu, the Kei mouth, and two other places. Beyond the Kei police posts were formed at Toleni and Idutywa, which with the one at Ibeka would serve the same purpose. All the Bantu labourers engaged on the bridge over the Kei had deserted, but the European workmen were still there, and they were now supplied with arms and a position impregnable to barbarians without cannon was formed. The railway from East London was open as far as the Kabusi river, and the stations and platelayers' cottages along it had been constructed with a view of being used for defensive purposes, so that there was no lack of places of protection. There was now no longer a doubt that war had commenced, and Kreli acknowledged it in a chivalrous manner by sending some of his own sons and three hundred warriors to escort Mr. West Fynn with his family and the missionaries in his country, the reverend Messrs. Dewar and Leslie, with theirs, to a place of safety.