Page:George McCall Theal, History of South Africa from 1873 to 1884, Volume 1 (1919).djvu/90

 JO History of the Cape Colony. [1877 Intelligence was continually brought back by the scouts that the Galekas with their women, children, and cattle were broken up in little parties, all of which were pushing eastward, and sometimes they were overtaken by rapid marching and large numbers of cattle were captured. They made very little resistance when attacked, and seemed as if panic stricken. It was believed that they would make a stand in the large forest on the right bank of the Bashee river near its mouth, but when that locality was reached, it was found that they were crossing over into Bomvanaland. It seemed indisputable to Colonel Griffith and the forces under his command that they were driving before them the whole Galeka people, who had lost all courage and all hope of success- ful resistance, and whose sole object was to get away and disperse among other tribes, Perhaps Sigcawu, that cunning spider, thought differently, but if he did, he took good care to give them no cause to suspect it. On the 7th of November Colonel Griffith crossed the Bashee with five hundred and twenty-two Europeans, mostly volunteers, and entered Bomvanaland. He had two field guns with him. This column captured a good many cattle, shot about twenty Galekas, and disarmed a few who were made prisoners. Another column, under Mr. James Ayliff, consisted of volunteers and Fingo auxiliaries, together five thousand one hundred men. Before it crossed the Bashee it came in touch with the enemy in the forest, and captured many oxen and a very large number of sheep and goats, which could not be driven forward as rapidly as the volunteers and Fingos could follow. It also made prisoners of some thousands of Galeka women and children. These were provided with food, and directed to return at once to their former homes, but instead of doing so, as soon as their captors were out of sight they resumed their journey eastward. Over forty Galekas were killed by this column, and it lost eight Fingos