Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume II.djvu/796

 776 BOERS developed a peculiar character of their own, sin- gularly blending the steadiness and deliberation of the Dutch with recklessness and energy. The Boers could never be reconciled to the transfer of the colony to Great Britain in 1814, and maintained a secret but constant opposition against all efforts to Anglicize the colony. The lenient policy which the British adopted toward the Caffres, and finally the emancipation of the negro slaves (1833), which threatened to overthrow the entire domestic system of the Boers, and the retrocession by government of the neutral eastern frontier district to the Caf- fres in 1835, determined them to emigrate and to establish in the interior an independent com- munity. As early as 1835 the first bands, led by Triechard of Albany, crossed the Orange river, and settled, one part near the Zoutpansberg (Salt-pan mountain) and another part, led by Orich, near Delagoa bay, where they were soon destroyed by malignant coast fevers. A third band, which followed in August, 1835, was attacked by the Matabelee Caffres, and obliged to fall back on the Modder river. Having been reenforced by other emigrants, they again advanced under the leadership of Gen-it Ma- ritz, repulsed the Matabelees, Jan. 17, 1836, and finally settled in the Orange river district, where they organized a patriarchal commonwealth under Pieter Retief. Meanwhile a small Brit- ish colony had been established at Port Natal by Capt. Gardner, who abandoned it as hope- less in 1836. The remaining colonists called on the Boers to unite with them, and in 1837 Retief with his followers crossed the Quath- lamba mountain ; but at an interview with the chief of the Zooloo Caffres he and his compan- ions were treacherously slam. The remnant of his followers turned in a southerly direction, founded the settlement of Pieter-Maritzburg, and under the lead of Pretorius defeated the Zooloos, Feb. 1, 1838. In 1840 Gov. Napier by proclamation denied their right to form an inde- pendent community, even beyond the bounda- ries of the British possessions. In 1842 a small British force was landed, which compelled the Boers to retire from the coast and to accept the amnesty offered them in exchange for their recognizing the British sovereignty. Many of them, unwilling to submit, recrossed the moun- tains and settled in the Vaal region. The Brit- ish, having possession of Natal, at once began to disturb the traditionary rights of the Boers. The consequence was, that again a large por- tion of them migrated northward beyond the Klipp river, then the northern boundary of Natal, where for three years, unprotected by the government, they struggled against the Zoo- loos. When at length, in 1845, they had over- come the resistance of the Caffres by their un- aided efforts, the colonial government immedi- ately proclaimed the Buffalo river as the north- ern boundary of Natal, thus once more sub- jecting the Boers to British rule. After some resistance the Boers determined to emigrate to the Vaal country. Smith, the governor gen- eral, attempted to retain them by promising full redress of their grievances, but it was too late. Similar events followed beyond the Quathlamba. The bands, led by Pretorius, had settled in the vicinity of the Griquas and Be- chuanas; but on Feb. 3, 1848, the colonial gov- ernment annexed by proclamation the Orange river sovereignty to the Cape Colony, under the pretext of protecting the savage Griquas against encroachments on their territory. The Boers took to arms, and on June 17 Pretorius drove the British garrison from Bloemfontein. But Gov. Smith crossed the Orange river with a large force, and on Aug. 29 defeated the Boers near Boomplaats, after a long and obstinate resistance. Pretorius and the majority of his followers, unwilling to submit to the British, migrated to the north, beyond the Vaal river, and there founded the Transvaal Republic. Some 12,000 Boers remained in the Orange river country, but, although subdued by force, they preserved their hostile feeling against their conquerors. The attempt to introduce convicts into the colony was so energetically resisted that the government was obliged to desist. The Caffre wars, begun in 1850, made it evident that united action by the Europeans was neces- sary for safety, and in 1853 the relinquishment of the Orange river country to the Boers was resolved upon by the government. On Feb. 23, 1854, this act was consummated, and the Orange River Republic was recognized as an independent state by England, since which time the two republics of Orange River and Trans- vaal have rapidly gained strength and power. THE ORANGE RIVEB REPUBLIC, or ORANGE FREE STATE, is bounded S. by the Orange river, W. and N. by the Vaal river, E. by the Basuto territory and the Quathlamba or Drakenberg mountains, and extends from lat. 27 to 31 S. ; area, 48,049 sq. m. ; pop. 50,000, of whom 15,000 are white. The country is a high table land, its average elevation above the level of the ocean being about 5,000 feet, excel- lent for grazing purposes, and abundantly watered. The Boers, being principally cattle breeders, have not developed the agricultural resources of the country to any considerable extent. Coal and iron have been found in many places, and gold was discovered in 1854 on the Caledon river. The climate is dry, tem- perate, and salubrious. Excellent roads com- municate with Cape Colony and Port Natal. The republic is divided into five districts, viz., Fauresmith, Caledon or Smithfield, Bloemfon- tein, Winburg, and Harrysmith or Vnal River district. The principal towns are Bloemfon- tein, the seat of government ; Smithfield, on the Orange river; Winburg, the former capital; and Harrysmith, the key of the Port Natal road, and the centre of the principal agricul- tural district. The political organization is democratic. An elective president is the chief magistrate, but the congress (volksrad) has all legislative powers. On the same principle the districts are governed by landdrosts (govern-