Page:George McCall Theal, History of South Africa from 1873 to 1884, Volume 1 (1919).djvu/83

 1877] The Ninth Kaffir War. 63 orders of the chief magistrate, and finding himself exposed to Gangehzwe's resentment if he did not pay, he submitted without giving trouble. On the 5th of October, while preparations for an advance into Galekaland were being made, a procla- mation was issued by Governor Sir Bartle Frere, in which Kreli was declared to be deposed from all power and authority as a chief. This meant that the European government would no longer treat him as a potentate, but would regard him merely as an ordinary KaflSr. But as far as his own Galekas, or indeed any members of the Bantu family east or west of the Kei, were concerned, such a proclamation was without meaning. In their opinion no power but death could deprive him of the right to which he was born, and so the notice had no effect upon them. But, notwithstanding this, it was a most important measure. By it Kreli's country was taken from him and was reserved for disposal as the queen should direct, and pending instructions from the imperial authorities, it was to be ruled directly by ofi&cers appointed by the government of the Cape Colony. This proclamation was approved of by the secretary of state for the colonies in a despatch of the 14th of November following, and was the basis upon which the administration of Galekaland for several years rested. The war had burst suddenly upon the government, and found the country unprepared for it. There was no system in force for providing supplies of food for combatants in the field, or for transport, or for the control of volunteers. The frontier armed and mounted police, about eleven hundred strong, was the only force ready for action at the disposal of the ministry, and it was quite insufficient to do all the work required. The old burgher organisation was no longer adapted to the needs of the time. Under these circumstances it was fortunate that there was a British regiment of the line on the frontier to