364 TRAVELS IN 
menacing tone, others whose co-operation was doubtful, t(3 
assemble in arms without delay. Their first movement was 
to station themselves near the ford of the Sunday River, just 
at the entrance of the village ; and to send from thence to the 
Landrost a threatening message, that, unless he would comply 
M ith all the demands they were about to make, they should, 
in the first place seize upon his person, and either hang him 
before his own door, or deliver him over to some of the boors 
against whom he had, on a former occasion, been the instru- 
ment of obtaining a decree of outlawry, and who were now 
living with the Kaffers. The Landrost, by means of a few 
dragoons Avho luckily happened at this time to be stationed at 
the drosdy, for the purpose of forwarding dispatches through 
the country, was not only enabled to hold this undisciplined 
rabble, though ten times the number of his forces, at defiance, 
but also secretly to convey to the government at the Cape 
speedy intelligence of the rebellious conduct of the farmers of 
his district. 
Lord Macartney had been authorized by his Majesty's in- 
structions to grant a free pardon for their misdemeanors, and 
to remit the arrears of ground-rent due to the Treasury, 
amounting to two hundred thousand rix-doUars. These gra- 
cious indulgencies, that appeared to make some impression 
for the moment, were however soon forgotten, and it now be- 
came obvious that nothing short of a military force could 
keep them in any sort of order. And as, at this time, the 
Cape was perfectly secure from any attack of a foreign 
•enemy, General Dundas thought it expedient to direct that a 
•detachment, composed of a squadron of dragoons, a few com- 
