Page:George McCall Theal, History of South Africa since September 1795, Volume 1 (1908).pdf/73

1799] There was no promise of pardon in the document that General Vandeleur had sent to them, but they were under the impression that pardon was implied in its terms, and therefore remonstrated when they were placed under guard. The general caused a short investigation to be made, and then offered forgiveness to the ninety-four whom he considered least guilty, upon their paying a fine or furnishing one or two horses. The offer was gladly accepted, and these prisoners were then released. The remaining eighteen were sent to Algoa Bay, where they were put on board the Rattlesnake, a ship-of-war that had brought from the Cape a detachment of the eighty-first regiment. On the 12th of June they arrived in Table Bay, and were immediately placed in close confinement in the castle.

Within a few days twenty-two others came in, and were pardoned. Twenty-seven of the insurgents, however, did not make their appearance, so on the 22nd of April General Vandeleur issued a proclamation calling upon them to surrender themselves at the farm of Thomas Ignatius Ferreira, at the Zwartkops river, on the 3rd of May. Several of them did so, but the others fled into Kaffirland. On the 24th of May General Vandeleur offered a reward of £200 for each of the following, dead or alive: Coenraad du Buis, Jan Botha, Christoffel Botha, Frans Kruger, Jan Knoetsen, Coenraad Bezuidenhout, and Jan Steenberg. All of these were then in Kaffirland, where they had been joined by nine deserters from the English army. They tried to make their way to some distant tribe, but were turned back by the Tembus, and remained for several years under Gaika's protection.

While these events were taking place, the colony was invaded by a horde of Xosas. In February 1799 Ndlambe made his escape from the kraal of his nephew Gaika, and was joined by a great many people, who crossed the Fish river with him and spread over the Zuurveld. All the clans in that district with the exception of the Gunukwebes under Cungwa, at once allied themselves with the powerful refugee. Between Ndlambe and Gaika a fresh quarrel had arisen, which greatly increased