Page:George McCall Theal, History of South Africa since September 1795, Volume 1 (1908).pdf/419

1823] Riding hastily away to reload, they returned and poured in another volley, all the efforts of the Mantatis to surround or even overtake them being in vain. This mode of combat, if combat it can be called, they continued until between four and five hundred warriors, including two of the leading chiefs, were killed, and a great many more were wounded, when the horde fled in a panic, leaving its cattle in the hands of the Griquas.

A number of women nearly dying of hunger, some men in the same condition, a few children, and the warriors who were too severely wounded to retreat, were left behind. Upon these the Batlapin now fell with savage fury, cutting off their arms with battleaxes or stabbing the wretched creatures to death. Messrs. Moffat and Melvill endeavoured to restrain the barbarians, and succeeded in saving some women and children, but all of the others perished. After this second defeat the Mantati horde broke up into several sections.

One of these, including the Bapatsa, after wandering about for some time went northward, inflicting great losses on the tribes in its course, and years afterwards was found by the reverend Dr. Livingstone on a branch of the Zambesi. It was then known as the Makololo, and its chief was the celebrated Sebetoane.

Another section returned to the Caledon, and under Ma Ntatisi and her son Sikonyela took an active part in the devastation of the country along that river. The people composing this branch of the Mantati horde were of various clans, but henceforth they were all called Batlokua, as their chief was originally the head of the tribe of that name.

Some smaller bands wandered about destroying until they were themselves destroyed.

One band, the section of the Bataung under the chief Molitsane, moved up and down the wasted country for years, until it settled for a time at Philippolis in vassalage to the Griqua captain Adam Kok.