532 CAFFRARIA» 
has a chief, have often wars or fightings among themselves ; 
but they are never bloody^ perhaps not more than one or two 
men are killed during a war. They prefer stealing each 
other's cattle, destroying fields^ gardens, Sec. to killing. 
Most of their civil wars arise from disputes about their 
women^ cattle, and ground. Every chief has a particular 
district which he considers his own, or belonging to his 
Kraal ; others encroaching upon this occasions a war, if the 
intruder insists on retaining it. When one chief steals 
cattle from another, if he who has sustained the loss be 
not satisfied with the offered redress, they resort to arms. 
They take prisoners in war, but only of the higher rank, 
the rest are killed. The chief keeps his prisoners in close 
confinement, till they promise to be faithful subjects to him, 
when they are set at liberty. 
When they march to war, each chief accompanies his 
people, who march in disorder; but on arriving at the field 
of battle, they form into a line, and first endeavour to in- 
timidate the enemy by howling in a terrific manner, and then 
by threatening to cut them to pieces. 
Every child is supposed to be born a soldier ; wherefore 
all serve freely when called upon by the chief, and every one 
learns the art of war, or to use the assagay. When they ob- 
tain a victory, they are rewarded by the chief, and such as are 
wounded are kindly treated. 
The Caffres are much afraid of muskets, and when they 
take any from the boors, they generally break them to 
pieces for the brass upon them, of which metal they are 
very fond. 
Our Hottentots, who had lived some time in Caffraria, 
mentioned to me a battle between two Calfre tribes, the one 
under Congo's father, Chacca, the other under Cobella, 
which Chacca surrounded, when all the prisoners were either 
compelled to drown themselves in the sea, or were murdered 
on the beach ; about eight or ten only escaped, and fled to the 
colony — of those a father, a cousin, and three uncles of one 
who travelled with me, and their wives, composed that 
number. One of these women during this flight, was preg- 
nant with a son who is now at Bethelsdorp, to whom the 
parents gave a name expressive of their circumstances at 
that time, as a time of trouble; indeed it is customary with 
the Caffres, like the ancient patriarchs, to give significant 
names to their posterity. 
