“Know you this, our own Inkosi Enkulu, representative of our great Queen of England, that I (here each chief repeated his name) will be faithful and true unto you, or whomsoever Her Majesty pleases to place over us, and faith to you bear for the lands which I hope to hold of you—and that I will lawfully do to you the customs and services which I ought to do in the terms assigned, viz...” The terms pointed out to them by his Excellency were then agreed to. These were, to obey the laws established by him; to abolish and “disbelieve” (?) in witchcraft; to protect their people, and encourage them to honesty; to hold the lands conditionally; to acknowledge no Chief but the representative of the Queen of England; to cease from buying wives; to listen to the missionaries, and send the children of the tribes to their schools; and, on the anniversary of the 7th of January, to bring each a fat ox to King William’s Town, in testimony of acknowledgment of the footing on which the land was held.
This ceremony over, Sandilla offered his “great thanks,” professing, in the usual strain, to be “under the Governor’s feet,” and abjuring all idea of chieftainship in his own person, except as it was reflected in him by the “White Inkosi Enkulu.” He then added, “Your children now beg for more land, as they are very much crowded.”
His Excellency remarked that there was plenty of land towards the Kei, but Sandilla answered “He did not know that country; he was not brought up there.” “Nor,” said Sir Harry, “were you brought up in the Colony, into which you so lately found your way.” Sandilla “wished to protect both sides of the drifts!” “The soldiers will do that,” was his Excellency’s answer. Umhala spoke his thanks, which had as much meaning in them as Sandilla’s, but Páto’s were very characteristic of his nation. “I thank you as a great chief,” said he; “to-day you have taken me from among the monkeys (Note 3); to-day I may sit in the sun—I could live under you before—to-day I can sit outside. There is the Chief; (Sandilla); where we churn we take our butter; speak to him, that we may listen to his word.”
But the Governor interrupted him by striking the staff of peace violently on the ground, exclaiming there should be no Chief but himself, and, flinging the staff forward, made Páto, who trembled exceedingly, pick it up, and lay it at his feet.
“Take to the bush again,” said his Excellency, “and see how I will hunt you out!”
Konah, Macomo’s son, “thanked,” and remarked that he “was a little child, and had no place ‘to sit in!’” Macomo’s absence at Port Elizabeth (Note 4) prevented any decisive arrangements being made to settle his people.
After all the chiefs had spoken, his Excellency again addressed them on the subject of a fair division of the land, on the advantages of industry, of their young people becoming servants, and of agricultural pursuits; and, deprecating the love of cattle, he declared that each disputed bullock should be shot, and threatened to “eat up” the idle and the vicious. He pointed out to them the Kaffir police, which had been clothed—“These,” said his Excellency, “are not to hunt the good, but to keep rogues out of the Colony;” and, in allusion to the recent murder of a settler named Stanley, he offered 50 pounds reward for the apprehension of the murderers, observing they should be “hunted out.”
Colonel Mackinnon was pointed out as “The mouth of the Governor,” who was to be obeyed, and listened to in the absence of his Excellency; landmarks were promised, and arms demanded.
“Go to Kreli (Note 5) and Boko,” said Sir Harry Smith, “and tell them they are no longer chiefs. The Queen of England has sent me to keep peace! peace!”
The word was taken up by the Kaffirs, and accompanied by shouts on all sides. The Governor then bade them good bye, promising to be amongst them again in thirty days. The National Anthem, from the magnificent band of the Rifle Brigade, closed the ceremonies of this eventful day, and “Peace! Peace! Peace!” were the last words echoed by the multitude before the people separated—some to return to the Colony, and resume their pursuits—some to wander back to the people of their tribe with “the news.”