Page:George McCall Theal, History of South Africa since September 1795, Volume 1 (1908).pdf/193

1808] waggon, they proceeded to the farm of Willem Basson. Here they announced that the fiscal had given orders for all the slaves to repair to Capetown to be set free, and that the white men were to be made prisoners.

Being joined by Basson's slaves, they took possession of his horses, vehicles, guns, ammunition, and whatever provisions they could find. In this manner thirty-four different farms at Zwartland, Koeberg, and Tigerberg were visited, from each of which the white men, after being bound, were removed, and all the horses, carts, waggons, guns, and ammunition taken away. Provisions and brandy were also freely appropriated, but not a drop of blood was shed during the whole of the rash proceedings. In some places the slaves refused to join the insurgents.

On the 27th the different parties into which the band had divided turned towards Capetown, which was then garrisoned by nearly five thousand soldiers. That evening the occurrence was reported to the governor, who at once sent out a strong body of cavalry and infantry, and within a few hours three hundred and twenty-six slaves were made prisoners without the slightest resistance. Five of the leaders escaped at the time, but were apprehended shortly afterwards.

A brief examination by the fiscal showed that far the greater number of the insurgents really believed they had been acting under his orders, in consequence of which all but fifty-one were sent back to their masters, with a caution to be more careful in future. The white men who were confined in waggons were released, and the plundered property was restored to its owners.

The fifty-one prisoners were brought to trial before the high court of justice, and on the 7th of December sentence was pronounced. Sixteen were condemned to be hanged and their bodies to be afterwards exposed in various places, one was acquitted, and the remaining thirty-four were condemned to various kinds of punishment. The sentences were mitigated by the governor, however, so that only Louis, Hooper, Abraham, and two slaves who had taken a leading part, were hanged