APPENDIX. 307 
suggesting to the Missionaries resident there—the Rev. 
Messrs. Chalmers and Weir—the propriety of their with- 
drawing within the colonial boundary, but these gentle- 
men stated that they were then undecided what course it 
would be most advisable for them to pursue under existing 
circumstances—danger threatened them on either hand ; 
by staying, they might probably fall the victims of Caffer 
treachery; by attempting to escape, they must incur an 
imminent risk of detection; and if the suspicious Chiefs 
were once aroused, vengeance would inevitably follow. 
After writing the foregoing, intelligence reached us of 
the escape of these Missionaries from the hands of the per- 
fidious barbarians. The following extract of a letter from 
the Kat River Settlement will afford some interesting par- 
ticulars on this subject, as well as on the state of that part 
of the country. It is dated Fort Adelaide, 19th January. 
— Since my last, W. D. Klerck’s whole crop has been set 
on fire, and entirely destroyed. He had about two thousand 
sheaves of corn, and more than that quantity of barley. If 
this mode of warfare be followed up, it must aggravate our 
calamities tenfold; but we sincerely hope the Colonial 
forces will soon take the field, by which the fiendish career 
of these barbarians may be checked. About eleven o'clock 
last night we were surprised by a visit from Messrs. Chal- 
mers and Weir, who came to seek assistance in bringing off 
their families. ‘They were obliged to steal away in the 
dark, and, from the state of things, were uncertain whether 
the Institution (the Chumie) might not be attacked last 
night. 
“ Captain Armstrong gave them sixty mounted men with 
whom they started about midnight; so as, if possible, to 
reach the Station before daybreak, in order to escape the 
observation of the Caffers. They will be obliged to aban- 
VOL. Il. Z 
