a Tribe of Caffers on the East of the Cape Colony. 6 



was a great warrior, and had many children, wlio, in the wars 

 in which their father was engaged against the Hottentots and 

 Tambookies, became celebrated for their bravery. The prin- 

 cipal mentioned are Un Lawie, Un Acubc, Un Thlambe, Un 

 Tsusa, and Un Nukwa. Un Lawie was much liked by his 

 father, both on account of his being his successor, and for the 

 great daring and bravery he manifested in the field. He fell 

 in battle, having gone with a great command to make an attack 

 upon the Tambookies — it pro\ ed unsuccessful ; the Tambookies 

 fighting bravely, killed many of their enemies, and among them 

 Un Lawie himself. U'Raraba being much enra^^ed at this loss 

 called all his people to arms, and with them immediately pro- 

 ceeded to avenge his son's death. To insure success they took 

 a large number of bullocks, (at that time the Caflers used these 

 animals in their wars.) The Tambookies having heard of their 

 preparations assembled a large force to defend themselves, and 

 received U'Raraba's attack with great courage and skill. When 

 the oxen, as was the custom, were driven on them to break 

 their ranks, and put them into confusion, the Tambookies 

 divided themselves and mixed with the oxen, and having got 

 command of these animals, they drove them back on the 

 CaiFers, and succeeded in breaking through and scattering them. 

 A very great slaughter followed, and among them who fell was 

 U'Raraba himself, with several of his children ; and all the 

 cattle became the prize of the conqueror. By these two dis- 

 astrous campaigns the Caffers sustained so great a loss that they 

 never afterwards dared engage in any great enterprize against 

 the Tambookies, but turned their arms against their less 

 courageous enemies, the Hottentots and Bushmen. 



By the death of U'Raraba and Un Lawie, the sovereignity 

 fell to Gika, the son of the latter, but he being very young Un 

 Thlambe, his uncle, was chosen Regent. Un Thlambe is 

 spoken of as having been at this time a A'^ery powerful and just 

 Ruler, and not only able to defend his own part of the country, 

 but also to protect the independence of that of Gika ; and he 

 appears, during the minority of Gika, to have acted as supreme 

 Ruler of the whole nation West of the Kai River. 



This difficult task he is said to have managed with great 

 prudence and address, for, by promising to abandon the rule 

 when the young Chief was of age sufficient take to the power into 

 his own hands, he was supported by most of his brothers, and 

 retained the Government against all opposition. But when 

 Gika assumed the Government of his own kingdom, and expected 

 that U'Thlambe's would also be under his authority, U'Thlambe 

 refused, and being supported by the chiefs of U'Henza's people, 

 several battles were fought with various success. But Gika 

 appears in the end to have been successful, for many chiefs of 



