290 EXPEDITION INTO 



shot throiig-h the knee^ he contrived to make g-ood his retreat^ 

 nor did he retire empty-handed ; the whole of the flocks and 

 herds of the emig-rants^ amounting* to six thousand head of 

 cattle^ and forty-one thousand sheep and g-oats, being- swept 

 away by the barbarians^ and safely conducted to Kapain. 

 Remounting' their horses^ the farmers took advantag-e of the 

 retreat of their savag-e foes, to add a few more to the list of 

 slain, until the sun descending" beloAV the horizon, let drop the 

 curtain upon the scene of carnag-e. 



This second gentle hint on the part of his Majesty had the 

 desired effect. A portion of the farmers remained with the 

 wreck of the late flourishing* camp, whilst others, with all 

 possible haste, conveyed the women and children to the Rev. 

 Mr. Archbell's missionary station at Thaba Uncha ; whence, 

 having- procured fresh oxen, the Avhole party fell back, and 

 encamped near the sources of the Modder river. Here their 

 numbers were shortly reinforced by a strong- detachment of 

 emigrants under the g-uidance of Gert Maritz, a wealthy and 

 ambitious burg*her, from GraafF Reinet, who soon contrived 

 to cause himself to be elected g'overnor-g-eneral. At this 

 period the number of wag-g-ons assembled near the populous 

 Earolong- villag-e of Thaba Uncha, amounted to about two 

 hundred and fifty, and the number of souls may be estimated 

 at above eio-hteen hundred. 



Maritz's first step, after assuming- the reins of g-overnment, 

 was to assemble a force for the purpose of retaliating- upon 

 the Amazooloo monarch the injuries that the emig-rants had 

 received at his hands ; but for which, in truth, they had alone 

 to thank their own obstinacy and imprudence. On the 3rd 

 of Januar}^, 1837, a commando, consisting- of one hundred 

 and seven Dutch farmers, forty of Peter David's mounted 

 Griquas, and sixty armed savag-es on foot, left Thaba Uncha 

 on their march to invade Moselekatse's country, under the 

 g-uidance of a warrior, who, having- been taken prisoner in 



