Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 13.djvu/851

KAFFRAEIA 817 winter the day temperature is seldom below 50, though the nights are very cold. But the variation in altitude places climates of all grades within easy reach, from the burning coast to the snow-clad mountain. Thunder storms are frequent in summer ; rain mostly falls in spring and summer, and the winters are generally dry. On the whole the climate may be considered as extremely healthy. British Kaffraria, on its incorporation with Cape Colony, was divided into King William s Town and East London, each with a capital of the same name, and forming the two most easterly divisions of the colony. King William s Town has an area of 1781 square miles, and a total popula tion (1875) of 106,640, of whom 9012 are white; the population of the capital is 5169. The area of East London province is 1225 square miles, and the population 15,514, of whom 3773 are white. Its capital, East London (population, with the contiguous Panmure, 2134), at the mouth of the Buffalo river, is the port for British Kaffraria. The anchorage is exposed, but extensive harbour works are in operation (1881). In 1880, 135 foreign ships arrived of 134,753 tons, and coastwise 152 of 217,174 tons. It is connected by railway with King William s Town, the line going north-west as far as Queenstown, the capital of the province of that name. The imports of East London amounted in 1880 to 1, 15 2, 6 10, showing an increase of 72,488 over the previous year; and the exports to 303,991, being an increase over 1879 of 38,369. Sheep and goat rearing is extensively carried on ; there are also large numbers of cattle. Wheat, maize, and millet are the staple agricultural products. The wool exported from East London in 1880 amounted to 5,253,650 R). In both divisions are numerous German settlements. Kaffraria Proper or the Transkeian Territories consist of the territories of various native tribes, most of which have been annexed (1875-80) to the Cape Colony, and are under the jurisdiction of magistrates. The area of Kafl raria Proper is about 18,000 square miles, its extreme length bsing about 230 miles, and its breadth from the sea to the mountains bounding it on the north-west averaging about 120 miles. On the south-east it is washed by the Indian Ocean; the Drakenberg and Stormberg ranges bound it on the north-west ; in the west and south-west are the Indwe and Kei rivers, and on the east and north-east the Umzimkulu and Umtamvuna. It is surrounded by Cape Colony, Basutoland, and Natal. The area and population of the various districts can only be given approximately ; the following is an official estimate of the present popula tion : Fingoland 45,000 Idutwya Reserve 18, 000 Gcalekaland (Kreli s ) fln nftft country) - 60 > 00 Bomvaniland 20, 000 Tambookieland 70,000 Griqualand East 100,000 Pondoland 230,000 543,000 Fingoland, to which (with the Idutwya Reserve and Gcalekaland) the name Tanskeian Territory, or the Trans- kei, is often confined, is about 40 miles square, and is the most advanced of the districts ; it is suited both for pasture and for cultivation. According to the latest return it had 4976 horses, 37,298 calves, 182,869 sheep, and 50,240 goats, the total value of its stock being 321,784. The revenue in 1879 was 5047, the expendi ture 3286. There are many trading stations, and wool is largely exported. The annual value of the imports and exports is estimated at 150,000. Tambookieland or Tembuland is divided into Tambookieland Proper, the district of the Emigrant Tambookies, and Bomvaniland. The first is about 75 miles long and from 30 to 40 broad. The population is probably about 30,000. There are many trading stations, and large numbers of sheep and cattle. A bill for the annexation of Tambookieland Proper passed the Cape Parliament in 1880. The revenue of the whole of Tambookieland was estimated at 12,500 for 1880. The magistracy is at Umtata on the river of that name. West of Tambookieland and Fingoland is the district of the Emigrant Tambookies, removed some years ago from Tambookieland over the Indwe. It is 85 miles long and 20 broad ; population about 40,000, with (in 1875) 5348 horses, 38,749 cattle, 84,201 sheep, 47,300 goats, and many trading stations. The Idutwya Reserve is about 28 miles square, with (in 1874) 2514 horses, 17,698 cattle, 51,302 sheep, 14.909 goats ; revenue about 1380, expenditure 2976. Gcalekaland, the country of the Gcalekas, or Ama-Xosa Kaffres under Kreli, is about 50 miles long and 30 broad. Traders are settling in the country, and a small trade in wool is done. All these territories lie mainly between the Kei and Bashee rivers. Bomvaniland is about 30 miles by 20 ; it lies between the Bashee and Umtata rivers. On both sides of St John s river, and extending to the Natal boundary, is Pondoland ; only that portion of it on the south side of the St John s river, known as St John s Territories (21,905 inhabitants), has been form ally annexed, but the magistrate has jurisdiction on both sides. Pondoland is about 60 miles square. This dis trict is noted for its fertility and beauty, and has much excellent pasture land. The district between Pondoland, Natal, Basutoland, Wodehouse division, and Tambookieland, is now known as Griqualand East, inhabited by various tribes (upwards of 100,000 souls), about 125 miles long and 40 to 75 miles wide. A great part of this territory formerly went by the name of Nomansland, in area about 6000 square miles, and lay at the foot of the Drakenberg, between the Umzimkulu and Kinira rivers. In 1862 it was handed over to Adam Kok s people, but in 1877 an Act of annex ation was passed, which was promulgated in 1879. The boundaries of the new district were made to include what was known as the St John s River territory, including, however, British Pondoland. The Griquas themselves are not numerous, being found chiefly in the neighbourhood of Kokstadt, the station of the chief magistrate, 95 miles from the mouth of the St John s River. Their farms are rapidly passing into the hands of Europeans. Various other tribes have had land allotted them in the district. The whole district is said to be very fertile, and eminently adapted for the cultivation of various kinds of grain. In 1880 land was granted and sold in Griqualand East to the extent of about 300,000 acres. All these districts may be regarded as virtually annexed to the Cape, with which they will doubtless be gradually incorporated. Kaffraria is governed by ministers responsible to the Cape legisla ture, in which, however, it has no representatives. Mission stations and trading stations are scattered all over the region. Kaffre IVars. During the extension of the Dutch and English powers over South Africa, collisions with the natives were of course inevitable ; there are six contests which more especially came under the designation of Kaffre wars. In 1780 the Great Fish river was settled on as the boundary between the KafFres and the colonists. Eor some time previous to 1811 the Kaffres in the Zuurveld broke the boundary, took possession of the neutral ground, and committed depredations on the colonists. In order to expel them from the Zuurveld, Colonel Graham took the field with a mixed force in December 1811, and in the end the Kaffres were driven beyond the Fish river. In 1817 Lord Charles Somerset, governor of the colony, entered into a treaty with a chief, Ngqika, in which he acknowledged that chief as head of all the Ama-Xosa Kafl res, and in which it was agreed that any kraal to which stolen cattle could be traced should be held accountable for compensation. This was a serious blunder, Ngqika being merely a subordinate chief, the para mount chief of the Ama-Xosas being Hintza, the chief of the Ama-Gcalekas. Some stolen cattle having been traced to one of the kraals of a chief Ndlambe, Major Fraser, with a small force, was sent to enforce restitution. On this, Ndlambe and his fellow-chiefs attacked Ngqika, who claimed and obtained help from the colonial XIII. --103