252 BOTANICAL EXCURSIONS 
the chiefs of the Gaika tribe, of whom the principal were 
Macomo, Tyali, Botma, and Eno. "This was a still more pic- 
turesque scene than that at the Beeka, for the meeting was 
held in the open air, in a wide green meadow, dotted with 
fine acacia-trees. The principal Caffers seated themselves 
on the grass in a semicircle, around the little group of 
English who attended the Governor; the rest stood on the 
outside, and the rich uniforms, the scarlet and gold, and 
swords and feathers of the officers, made a striking contrast 
with the dusky and naked savages. What added, perhaps, 
to the exciting interest of the scene, was the feeling that we 
were quite in the power of these people, who being between 
three and four hundred in number, and all armed, could, in 
all probability, easily have overpowered the little handful of 
Europeans; and though, in point of fact, there was no rea- 
son to distrust them, one could not but reflect that they 
might, if they chose, cut off at one blow the Governor and 
Lieutenant-governor of the colony, and the Commandant of 
thefrontier. The discussion, though it ended peaceably, was 
much more animated than on the former occasion ; many © 
the Caffers speaking with much vehemence and warmth of 
manner, and with great fluency of language ; and even through - 
the medium of an interpretation, it was impossible not to be 
struck with their art and address in debate. All the speakers - 
professed, whether sincerely or not, an aversion to war, an 
a desire to remain on good terms with the English ; but they 
complained of the insufficient extent of their territory, and 
dwelt much on the injustice done to Gaika by a former g0- 
vernment, in depriving him of a part of his country, the Kat 4 
River settlement, after professing to look on him as a friend; 
they asked why, when the greater part of their territory was 
restored to them by the last treaty, which professed to re- - 
dress all their wrongs, this was not restored likewise? This 
was evidently a sore point with them, and some of their — : 
speakers dwelt upon it with great force and pertinacity. It Jh 
was urged particularly by Macomo, and by one of Gaika s 
old captains, a man of most noble appearance. When this 2 
