43<^ CATTLE AS AN ECONOMIC FACTOR IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



land between the Fish and Kowie Rivers. Of course, this was 

 misinterpreted as weakness, and the cattle-steaUng- was indulged 

 in more freely than ever until four years later, in 1793, the 

 prospects of plunder were attracting- clans from far and near, 

 and Europeans were being murdered as far west as the Zwart- 

 kops River, their houses being burned and their cattle driven 

 away. In sheer exasperation the farmers in the Zuurveld suffer- 

 ing grievous losses at the hands of the tribes, which a weak and 

 distantly situated Government had permitted to dwell east of the 

 recognised boundary, and without any redress, sought help from 

 Ndhlambe, who lived across the river, and was, as we have already 

 seen, at enmity with their own enemies. This precipitated, un- 

 expected trouble for the Zuurveld natives promptly called to 

 their aid the hordes of Kaffraria, who virtually swept the country 

 of whites. One hundred and sixteen farms out of the one 

 hundred and twenty then existent between the Kowie and Zwart- 

 kops Rivers were hastily abandoned by the whites, and a further 

 instalment of over 60,000 head of cattle, 11.000 sheep, and 200 

 horses, went to enrich the inhabitants of Kaffirland. Theal 

 says that 6,000 warriors were west of the Fish River at this 

 time, and over 65,000 head of cattle had been driven back into 

 Kaffraria. Such a state of affairs could not be allowed to con- 

 tinue, and an attempt was made to put a stop to it, but the 

 period of conflict and travail ended in a peace that was nothing 

 short of ignominous. As before, the natives promised to be 

 peaceable and to stop stealing the cattle, and they were still to 

 remain in the Zuurveld! Is it any wonder that the farmers 

 nwved away in despair to other localities where they might hope 

 for greater security, and that consequently the economic and 

 agricultural development of the whole area was brought to a 

 standstill? Can we be surprised that the dangers and vexations 

 and losses inseparable from the extensive cattle-stealing culmin- 

 ated in 1795 in open rebellion at both Graaff-Reinet and Swellen- 

 dam? — and that at both these places Republics were declared, 

 which, owing to the impotence of the Dutch East India Company, 

 actually continued unmolested for several years. 



In the meantime, however, the British captured the Cape 

 in 1795, and under the stronger rule the burghers of Swellendam 

 slowly realisexl that further resistance was useless, and Graaft*- 

 Reinet held out only until a little judicious economic pressure 

 brought resistance to an end in the following year. 



During .this, the first British occupation of the Cape, the 

 Governor, Earl Macartney, sent his Secretary, Mr. fohn Barrow. 

 F.R.S.. to enquire into the unrest in the Graaff-Reinet area, and 

 on the eastern frontier. Finding that the Boers, embittered 

 by their terrible experiences over a long oeriod of years, were 

 continuing their depredations upon the Kaffirs, under the pretext 

 of shootino- elephants and hippopotami, or of trading. Earl 

 Macartnev determined to establish permanent boundaries. 



Beyond this line the colonists were positively forbidden to eo on anv 

 pretence whatever, under penalty of total confiscation of their cattle, and 



