carry out the sentence, and he ordered his men to reconstruct the scaffold. This was done, and by sunset the five had been at last successfully hanged-this time one after the other. The rebellion was checked, but Slachter's Nek was never forgotten by the Boers, and it has been stated that when, in the early days of 1896, there was some talk in the Transvaal of Dr. Jameson being executed in connection with his raid, the identical beam on which the Slachter's Nek rebels were hanged was taken to Pretoria in readiness for possible use over again.] 1817. Rise of the Matabele.-(a) Moselekatze, a favourite of Chaka, and leader of a large part of the Zulu army, is condemned to death, together with his men, for keeping part of the booty secured in an expedition on which he had been sent. [The whole band fled into what is now the Transvaal and Bechuanaland, and formed the tribe of the Matabele. They exterminated the other tribes, with the object of having an uninhabited district between themselves and Chaka. Moselekatze's headquarters were just to the north of what is now Pretoria. See 1836 (b).] - (b) Arrival of 200 Scotch mechanics in Cape Colony. 1818. The missionary movement.-Dr. Philip sent to the Cape as general superintendent of London Missionary Society missions. [The missionary movement, taken up with great energy, was to exercise a powerful influence both in Cape Colony and in England, owing especially to the accusations brought by the missionaries against colonists of inhumanity towards natives. The work of Dr. Philip and others in Cape Colony had a direct bearing on the agitation for the abolition of slavery. See 1828, April 28.] 1819. British colonisation.-Force of from 8,000 to 10,000 Kaffirs, headed by Makana, a prophet, attack Grahamstown. Desperate struggle with garrison of 320 men, but Kaffirs finally repulsed with heavy loss, and driven back to the Kei. [This incursion showed the impossibility of defending the existing frontier, owing to the dense bush on the other side of the Fish River, which concealed the movements of the Kaffirs, and steps were taken to occupy the country between the Fish River and the Keiskamma, that country being capable of better defence. The Colonial Government objected to this extension of the boundary, and a treaty was then made with the Kaffir chiefs that the territory between the two rivers should be neutral ground. The treaty was soon broken by the Kaffirs, whose chiefs, however, while objecting to the presence of isolated farmers as a temptation to plunder, and a possible danger to peace, consented to the setting up of a large British settlement and a line of forts. Lord Charles Somerset reported to the home Government in favour of such a settlement, describing the territory as "unrivalled in the world for its beauty and fertility." The Government obtained a vote of £50,000, and no fewer than 90,000 persons asked to be sent out, though only 4,000 could be selected.] 1820-1. British immigrants: Port Elizabeth founded.-Arrival of 4,000 British immigrants, sent out under the vote of 1819. [The new arrivals proceeded east from Capetown to Algoa Bay, where they started the Albany Settlement, and laid the foundations of Port Elizabeth, so called after Lady Elizabeth, deceased wife of the Acting-Governor, Sir Rufane Donkin. Each immigrant was allotted 100 acres of land, and was bound to employ free labour only. The Settlement greatly increased the British element in South Africa, counterbalancing the Dutch, and carried the line of civilisation up to the borders of Kaffirland.] [Among these immigrants was Thomas Pringle. See 1826.] 1821. The Glasgow Missionary Society starts work in South Africa. 1824. The rise of the Basuto.-Moshesh begins to form the Basuto tribe out of remnants of various tribes broken up by Chaka and other disturbers of native peace, and as the result of forays and expeditions on his own account. [The power of Moshesh grew rapidly, the reputation he acquired for valour, wisdom, and generosity bringing him many adherents. See 1842.] Paul Kruger born.-Stephanus Paulus Johannes Kruger is born at the homestead of Bulhoek. [In the immediate neighbourhood of Bulhoek, the birthplace of the future President of the South African Republic, there was founded, in 1830, the present town of Colesberg.] - AUG. An English footing in Natal.-Lieut. Farewell and Mr. Fynn sent to the south-eastern coast by a company of Cape merchants to establish a trade there, visit Chaka in his principal military kraal, and obtain from him a document which gives to the company "entire and full possession in perpetuity of the port and harbour of Natal, together with the islands therein and surrounding country," representing territory running 100 miles inland, 10 miles to the south-west, and 25 miles to the north-east of the harbour. [In course of time the various English settlers in Natal became chiefs over different parts of an extensive area, Mr. Fynn being recognised as the "Great Chief of the Natal Kaffirs," though they were all responsible to Chaka, or subsequently Dingaan, for the conduct of the people under them. See 1835, June 23.] 1825.-An Executive Council appointed to assist the Governor of Cape Colony. [See 1835 (b).] 1826. Thomas Pringle.-Thomas Pringle, the "South African Poet," and one of the party of British immigrants arriving in 1820-1, returns to England. [He joined almost at once in the anti-slavery agitation at home, and became secretary to the Society for the Abolition of Slavery, and one of the leaders of the whole movement. It was he who wrote the lines: "Oppression, I have seen thee face to face, 1827. The language question.-It is ordained that henceforth all legal proceedings in Cape Colony shall be conducted in English. The Dutch local courts are superseded by magistrates' courts, presided over by English Civil Commissioners. 1828.-Chaka murdered by his brother Dingaan, and succeeded by him. [See 1838, Feb. 6.] APRIL 28. Missionaries and natives.-Publication of Dr. Philip's book, Researches in South Africa, exposing the ill-treatment and the wrongs of the Hottentots. [Many of his statements were afterwards declared to be prejudiced, exaggerated, or altogether inaccurate, and, while they did much to promote the anti-slavery movement, they also added to the bitterness already existing between the missionaries and the Boers.] - JULY. The Magna Charta of the Natives. Following on the publication of Dr. Philip's book, and on the instigation of the home authorities, Gen. Bourke issues his "Fiftieth Ordinance," declaring that "all Hottentots or other free persons of colour, lawfully residing within the Colony, are in the most full and ample manner entitled to all and every right, benefit, and privilege to which any other British subjects are entitled." [This famous Ordinance became known as "The Magna Charta of the Natives."] 1829. Missionary labours of the Paris Evangelical Society begin in South Africa. 1830. FEB. The regulation of slavery.-An Order in Council passed by the home Government which provides, among other things, that slave-owners in Cape Colony shall keep a "punishment record book," heavy penalties being imposed on them for unjust treatment of slaves. Great indignation caused among the Boers. C |