CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. SIR JI. SMITH'S PROGRESS. [Continued from last Wednesday's paper.]

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 209, 31 May 1848, Page 3

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. SIR JI. SMITH'S PROGRESS. [Continued from last Wednesday's paper.]

Tlio following, in connection with the Proclamations, a Inch will be iouml in to-day's paper, must be ic«aid<(l ,is amongst the most wnpoitant hifoimation, as n>spe(ts South Aliica, cvci published. The bold mca:>iue adopted by Her Majesty's Higli Commissioner of pioclaiinmg loutish supiemacy ovei the whole country (o the W.K , as iai a» .Natal, tcvcis at once ihe knot of difficulty which has so long and so seiious'y cinbarrasscd tlieirovemment of this Colony. The path to success lieiu has often been pointed out, but no one, until the aniv.il of Sii H.niy Smith, had the moi.it ooui.i»c to pin sue it, Son.c of Ins piedeccssois Ikiw ventuicd to ihe ihicshold, but they stopped. To thcii •Ypichension tlieie woie " lions in the way," and it w is lell to the llcio of Alnv.il logo foiwaid, and by prculi.ii liact and unwavering daeiinin.ition to achi-vca bloodless conquest over the prejudices and passiom of xudo uncivilised men, which is moie gloiious in its cli.i i .icier, and will be nioie niipoitaiH in its results, iJun tliosc moic biilliant \icton.s which have placed hit. iwnie amongst the most illustrious men of the picsent Jlcloic quitting WcnbuiQ His Excellency was told, that beyond it he would find neaily all the people disali'ccte I, or as they aic called " l'.itiiots." home even piogiKialiCdlcd his nut being allowed to proceed— and tliat lie woi'W uc sent back to the Colony a piisoiicr ! 1.. ...-1 of tins, however, feelings oi attachment and affection to 11 is Excellency wtie displayed in evely jiossiblc way — cveiy Kind of supply lcquiicd, and asinstance in ihe way of hoises oxen, &c-, being furnish, cd with the utmost lcadiness. 'flic only place where discontent with the government was openly expressed, v> .is at the farm ofWilem Jacobs, landdiost of Wenl)Uig. Ileie some 20 farmers were assembled— in the jacence of whom Jacobs slated, that the wish of a large niajoiity of the Emigrant Fanners was, that they should l)c allowed to continue as they wcie, without any inleifercnce of government ; and if this were not conceded them that they would proceed finthcr into the Jnteiioi. I\o one contiadictcd this, although llis Excellency talked to them some time on the disadvantages of then position. "They h id," he observed, "been 10 or 12 icais, as it were, then own masteis ;— they had not in that time been able to establish anything appioaclung io u ioim of government ; they had no ihurches, no schools— that indeed several most lcspcelable old people had, with 'eais in their eyes, told him that they li.id not seen a chinch ioi 10 jeais, and that by a longer continuance in ihe same state they must sccplainly that what Ilia Excellency piedktod would be the case, viz. : that the Ducih Emigrants would go back into barbarism, and the native savage advance into civil /alion and become the bupetioi,— for they hud churches, minuters nnd scbool-musteis."— Whilst in Jacobs' tent nothing wao chseived to lead to a belief thut what Jacobs said was not tlie public feeling — but His Excellency had not piocccded a mile beforo one of the most respectable of the paity ovei took him, saying he was iiot to suppose they wore united in opinion in what liad been c\pubsed t the fact being that such was t lie want of confidence m each other, ami such the unceia t;uuty whether an expiesbion of contrary feeling by an individual would not biing on his head the vengeance ot those in autkuuty nt present, that no one could muster sufficient re:olut ; on to speak out the feelings of their beait. Proceeding a little farther Jacobs and two more of the apparent leaders of " the Patriots," ovcitock Hi 3 Excellency and a long discussion again ensued, which ended in all being evidently in favor ot I)i3 advantages of our government being extended to them. This feeling 1 believe to be nearly general, but &uui is the distrust in each other, that they dare hardly espiris it to themEclves. A most uncomfoi table and miuatiijfaccoi y state to live in. From WenbiTg His Excellency forwarded u dispatch to the Lieut. Governor of JNutal, and a note to AdreasjPretoriui>, intimating his appioarh with a i<» quest to the latter, who it was known had quntid bis farm with the intention of tiekking into the country about the Vaal River, that he could collect as many of the Farmers along the road as possible, as His Excellency was desirous ofsecint; and conversing with them all. To this a iqdy was received on the load, staling that ns many fanners us could be got together would be at the Drift of the Great Tu^aln River by Tuesd iy, the Ist Febiuary, (mst;., thus fixing a day exactly two jmonthu after His Evcellency's lauding in Table Bay, The meting of Fretonug lb,e paity oa the lugala uiny

hn viewed as a groot c\onf— "ei-in 1 ? that if will pmlnbly be the means of Raving thousands of our follow crcniurca fiom a lilc of miserable w.indeiim; in the wills nf AfiK'i, and asjni n plnnn« them on their pro|Kities wilhm th<' District or Natal, from which they had fled under a feeling of inseeui ity , iind other causes, which under the Divine blcvjn»:, Ilk Rxcellepcy app( ars to be the means appointed to remove. Fiam Wcnbnig to Licbcnbur^'s Vlcv, (commencement of the Diaalieubcig mouiitams) Uic couniiy is vciy similar to wliut Ims been bcl'oic descubcd, hut line it becomes hilly and maishy, so much go that it wab with n good deal of difiiculty of lhr lavmrs wen 1 passed, the waggons frequently sinking up to the .tsl^s in mud. A few miles on this Bide of Liebcnbmg's Valley is .1 place called by the Uoeis " Kastccl I'oort," (Cabtle Gale.,) ceitamly well mined; for the load passes <lu<iu, r li a nairow defih foimcd by two cxtiaoi* diniry wall-like lookirg locks. Bcautiiul diy weather was oxpciienced unt'l his Excellency got among the Draakenbcigen (the (Ju'ilhl.irnba mountains j ; but after that, nothing but r.r'n. This is the wet seuson in tliib legion, and scarcely a diy [lasses without heavy ram. .Not one diy day w.is passed after descending the mountains, ycl no accident happened, and no pait of cither waggon broken 01 ina'erK'Uy damaged. A few miles hcloie m rivmg at Ihe Tugala River, h<a Excellency was met by Mr. A. Pictoiius, and several of the cimgtant fannei 1 -, who rode out to pay their icspects to linn, and lo conduct him to (he pluce appointed for meeting ihe fauneis. His Excellency divciged a little fioin the main road for tho purpose of passing thiou^h the mcimpmont of Mr. Pretoiiub' own family; and here he witness;. d what I am buie made his hcjji t bleed — bicMy women 11 ml childicn of nil ages crdinmed together 111 tents, waggons, &c, not more than half sheltered from the wet, and all hurrying away from their valuable farms und other pioperty, fearing that a longer continuance in the istrict would cost them their lives A great many famiu-s had collected on the Tti;>ala, and appointed Mr. i'retoriua io address Ihb Excellency on their grievances, which he did in a very manly anil feeling manner. There was scaicely a dry eye in the bouse, whilst Prclonus wus speakiug on the feelings of this peoj le at quitting their faims, and leaving all their piopcily to tiic rneicy of whoever chose to tike possession of it, and the naiseiies before them in the wilderness of South Aliica, &c. His Excellency was himself much moved dm ing the conversation that ensued, and endeavoured in every possible way to dissuade them Irom piocecding farther, aud to wait at least until they saw what he could do for them. All were most anvioui to letum to their faims, but expressed their belief that his Excellency would be unable to put matters in such a position as would lender it sale for them to lem.iin in the countiy; and that hence they would infinitely prefer the uiicoriifoiUbie and dangerous journey into the interior, and dependence on (hcirown lesourccs and incut. 1 ? of defence, ihjn to be under the British government 111 the distiiet of Na'al, ii the s^mc btatc, and suffeung the sanicgiicva'ices they had so long endured. The '1 ugala being lull, hi 9 Ejcell ncy was unable to cross it, which allowed more time than would piobahl} have been otheinhc spared to converse with Mr I'rctonus and other intelligent eiuigiants present, the result of which was pretty eudent, li'inely, a dettuni nation on the part of the whole to await his E>>ccllemy'b nicjsurcs. Alter staying the best part of tv.o dayb at the Tugala without any pros] ect ol being able to cross, it Wis decided to ruu-n to Piotonus' camp, and thence go i\,und the bouice& of tho river; bm bufoie g. tiiiu to frctonub', hij li^ccllcncy bad to cio&s what is called a " droo&B o|mnt,'' now, however, a lat'fe liver. Heic the hoii.r.s weic unharnessed, mid j two spans of oxen j.ut to the uagftont — >\ horse accustomed to (he water being sent llnou»h by Mr. I'ictoj mu lor In, liAcellency to ford the str .uu, which he did immediately, the hor B e, a Jaige animal, biinj just able to yet thiouij-i without i.wimminj ; fhe w.itei was, howevei , ovei Ins liaik. The baggage waggon b,m^ pretty heavy got through well ; but his E\ccl'cnc\'& little waggon, or, a,s it was faniilidilj Lulled, "government house," stood a bettei clumce of bemj swept away. However, be\cial fimners rushing in, cau»bt hold of it, fca>ing, " Government house must come sale; it shall not fall; government, house must not tall;" nnd brought it well out. At l'retorius' his Excellency was again detained hy wet, and after wuitiug sure time, at last bfnrtcd in the rain. Aftei travelling three days, during which four lai^e n.cis wcie crossed, sources of the gicat Tugdla, eacli cqaal to the Kciskamma, und so swollen that it wjs just low enough and that is all, the oxen having occasionally to swim, bis Excellency reached a poiut opposite the duft on the Tugala, where he had uccn five dnyb picviously. He was next urought uj) by a small mountjiu stream (Bluekrantz Rivci), which, after delaying him two houis, was forded, not without great d.i.i/jcr. The litilc Bushman's River, about two miles fuilhcr, his Excillency found a paity under ( aptun Camjiboll, C.M.It., and Lieut. Gibb, H.fi., jubt aruved from Pieteimauiit/buig with 11 float, which enabled the parties to cioss that and the otbu intervening rivers, viz., the MOOl River and the Umgani.

Arrival at Pu.tlrmauiutzbuiig. On alighting at t|i C residence of flic Licur. Governor, Mrs. Webt and many oihei |jdu>.i of Mauubuig wcic hcic to wclcorao him ; imd immediately a congratulatory jiddit'ss was prf ßcniutl to him by Mr. Ad\ocate Walker and othei inhabitants, to which his Excellency m.ido a veili.il »C[ily >»s usual. In the evening theic wasu paily at this Lieutcnaut-Govcinoi's, quadnlko, Sec. The proclamations spuik for themsclvtb ; so of them I will only bay, the satisfaction ib uinvti ,al, and confi. dence is icstorcd. After their pioinulgation, anothci address was presented, (at which nearly all the male inhabitants were present,) thanking Ins Excellency in the most fervent terms fcr what he had done. The second evening tiftei his Excellency' 1 ! arrival an entei tainment was given to him by Col. iioya and thj oflicers of the 45th llegt. Their nus&room waa Uslefully decorated. At one end ot the ico nin a oircle of floweis, under the „ iegiinunt.il Hags, was the ivoui "Aliwal;" at the other " Sobieon." (This day, singular enough, was the onnivcisary of the I'ittcr batile ) The walls were liteially covered with sftoid^, bayonets, flags, &.c, and the tabh; with plate, 'iln* splendid band of the legimentwas in attendance in the billiard room adjoining, and dm ing dinner played several pieces oi" music. The health of her Al;»jCbly, of Sir llany, and many ofheih, waa diuuk dm ing the evening) purticulfits ot which will u'.ich jou, aa well a3 of the uddiessoij replies, &c. His Excellency quilled Mai it /burg at two o'clock on Sunday last, and was accompanied out of town by a great many gentlemen and seveial ladies, who rpde tome miles on the road to the Bay On crushing the bridge just out of town, his Excellency found the band of the gallant 45th stationed there, wh eh, on his approach, struck up " See the conquering Heio comes," and immediately his Excellency passed them, pbyed the National air. His Excellency reached, ihe village ot D 1D 1 Urban on the following day at 1 p.m. On ncaiing the town a gieat many ot the inhabitants wtre langcd on each side of tiic way, wid jwmcUmU'ly be-

yoiul f he tti was elected a liiutnpli.il ,vih, ever flii'di w.n " Wciomv, lleio of Aliwal." llis fArdlrmv icccivrd tin addirss fiotn the, inliabii.int'i, lo'ih a slight luncheon at the hotel, inspected t he shx-kadi , \o. cc, »nil by S oYlook was on board her Al.iji"»ly't. strami 1 (jpyrr, which w is then in (he ofling. having united only ,111 hoiu 01 two pirvioitsly. At hall-past Sp m all was on boaid, and tin- slcamei ialilin<r ,i]on<> the roast ahonl trn knots in hour. About ihe s.unc horn the no.t evening; she was oil' the mouth ol the Uullalo, Imt it being too laic to attempt a landing, did not stand in. The ne\i nioiiiin" slie had diilted some 11 miles caslw.ud, which was soon made up. At H o'clock his F\cellency was on shoie, and al !) on tlio load to Kni" William's Town, wlicio he amvid at 'I p.m. — jutu t 7 1 horns horn I'ictci m.ii lUhnio , distance heinjr, fiom I'lelcimaiit/hui" toNital Hay .'lO miles ; Natal to Ikil(alo iijouth (London) '21(1 milrs, London lo tins 'JO miles; loircthci .!()() miles. JJ is I'lvtellency found all ii»ht at King William's Town, and he pi opuses leaving lot (ji.ihani's Town on Fuday moinin^, li.iltnij.j that nig'it at Peddie, and Satin day to town, u hence he will st.at on 'I ucsday ioi Capo I own, which he expects to lc.ich in ten d.iys. 1 have omitled to state, that the piintinij office at Pictcimaiii/bniEf was sniiounded almost day and ju<>ht by pel sons anxious to <>et copies ol the pioclamations All. llowell volunUeicd his sn vires to cany a rjuanlily out into the eountiy over the Diaakbei;;, and the inha hitiinls subscnbid lo deftay the expeme, supplied hoises, &c, and so j'ical was the confidence felt in his Excellency's iuc;huks, that per.ons who had sold their land to leave the couniiy w"ie anxiouslj living to pur cliase a^aiu Mi. Uhi.ippini, o! Cape Town, who had been puielusii"r at a \uv iate, and was just .ibout lo embaik, sold his speculation to a i evident at a piolit oi XJ2,OUO.X J 2,0U0.