MISCELLANIES. 



Uitenhage district, and loO of 

 the Groaff Reynet district under 

 the command of Mr. Landdrost 

 Stockenstrom, and marched on 

 the 30th and 31st March and 1st 

 April, to the Cat River, in the 

 neighbourhood of which it was 

 understood the Caffre chief was 

 on a hunting expedition, attended 

 by about 800 CafFres. 



" Previous to taking up his 

 ground, on his arrival, his lordship 

 sent forward Major Fraser, of the 

 Cape regiment, with the com- 

 mandant Nel, and some armed 

 burghers, to apprize the chief of 

 his approach, and to invite him, 

 with as many other chiefs as could 

 be collected, to the conference, 

 to which proposition he readily 

 assented ; but the day having 

 proved extremely rainy, the meet- 

 ing was postponed to the follow- 

 ing morning, which circumstance 

 was communicated to his Ex- 

 cellency by a deputation consist- 

 ing of four persons, two of whom 

 were chiefs, and the two others 

 members of Gaika's council. A 

 hesitation took place on the next 

 morning, the chief's council having 

 advised him in the night not to 

 put himself in his Excellency's 

 power, and the same deputation 

 arrived early in our lines to ap- 

 prize his Excellency of the 

 change. These ambassadors, 

 however, having received the 

 usual presents, recommended 

 that as Gaika was nst far off, a 

 message should be sent to him 

 with assurances of his personal 

 safety. This having been done, 

 notice was brought of the chief's 

 approach, upon which the troops 

 were turned out, and formed into 

 line upon his Excellency's 

 marquee, the walls of which were 



taken down, for the purpose of 

 making the approaching confe- 

 rence as public as possible ; the 

 burgher cavalry was disposed at 

 right angles with the troops of the 

 line, thus making three sides of 

 a square, the two pieces of 

 ordnance were placed on each 

 side of his Excellency's tent. 

 His Excellency's body guard was 

 formed in the rear of the tent. A 

 chair was placed for his lord- 

 ship's accommodation, and mats 

 were spread for the chiefs who 

 were to accompany Gaika. About 

 eleven he made his approach, 

 marching in the centre of a 

 square formed with great regula- 

 rity by a guard of about 300 well 

 armed CafFres. 



" Lieut.-Colonel Cuyler, Major 

 Fraser, and Mr. Landdrost Stock- 

 enstrom, all known to him, went 

 to greet him on his approach, and 

 were introduced to the chief 

 'Tsambie, Gaika's uncle. The . 

 square then opened and formed 

 into line, and the chief's Gaika 

 and 'Tsambie came forward, and 

 walked to the marquee arm in 

 arm with Lieut.-Colonel Cuyler, 

 Major Fraser, and Mr. Stocken- 

 strom, several other chiefs being 

 in the rear, the Caffre guard 

 following. 



•' His Excellency having taken 

 his seat, Gaika was placed on his 

 right hand, next to him 'Tsambie, 

 then Botma 'Enno, Macommo, 

 and several other chiefs, Gaika's 

 son (a fine youth about nineteen, 

 of remarkably expressive counte- 

 nance), sat immediately behind 

 his father; one of Gaika's coun- 

 cil, and his interpreter, were 

 immediately behind him on his 

 left. His Excellency was attend- 

 ed by Lieut.'Colonel Bird and 



Captain 



