CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. Cessation of Hostilities.
Cape Journals to the 25th December received at Sydney contain an account of the proceedings of Sir Harry Smith, the new Governor, who arrived in Table Bay by the Vernon on the Ist December, and appears to have been received by the colonists very enthusiastically. On the 20fh his Excellency took his departure for Kaffirland, inspecting on his route the Kaffir police force at Alice Town; and detachments of Royal Artillery, the 45th Regiment, and the Cape mounted rifles. Oil the 22nd his Excellency arrived at King William's Town, and on the following day Colonel Somerset arrived, with the notorious Kaffir chief Pato, his brother Cobus Congo, and a chief named Cosa, all of whom, together with their followers, had surrendered tlipmselves unconditional prisoners. Upon the arrival of his Excellency he inspected the troops of the garrison, and after the inspection was over he turned to the Kaffirs, of whom about 2000 were preseut, the several chiefs being ai ranged according to the rank of their tribes. None were armed, not an assagai was seen — a circumstance without a parallel in the previous history of Kaffirland. Before addressing them, two large staves were brought forward, one being surmounted by a round brass knob, the other a common Serjeant's halbert, — emblematical of peace and war, which were placed on each side of the Governor. His Excellency then upbraided the Kaffirs with their faithlessness in the observance of their engagements, and their audacious, continual, and unprovoked aggressions upon the colony, and upon hei Majesty's subjects, and informed them he was determined, by the help of God, either to put a stop to their aggressions or destroy them. He then called upon the chiefs in the presence of their assembled followers to make their election either of peace or war. He cared not which they chose, but wished them to come forward and in sincerity pledge themselves for one or the other. His Excellency then read the proclamations defining the conditions on which British Kaffraria was in future to be held by the several Kaffir chiefs of the British Government, pausing at certain passages," and explaining and enforcing those passages on which he wished to Jay peculiar en phasis. The chiefs having declared their perfect understanding of everything that had been said, were then told to step forward separately each being required to place his hand upon the staff of peace, or upon that of war should he prefer it, and to kiss his foot, in token of absolute submission and deep humility for their past aggressions upon the colony, and hostility to the British Government. This ceremony appeared to excite intense interest among the assembled Kaffirs, as their chiefs, one after another, approached the Governor, who sat proudly on horseback ; and as with their hand on the staff of peace, they bent their heads in lowly submission, aud kissed the foot of him whom they had agreed to acknowledge as their future great chief. At length the chiefs having resumed their places, his Excellency took a piece of paper, and, holding it up in sight of the assembled throng, tore it into shreds, and, while scattering them to the winds, exclaimed with great energy, " there go your treaties." " The staff of war," which had throughout the ceremony been held in a vertical position, was
then- taken by Sir Harry, and being poised for a few seconds horizontally, was^lrarled by him with great force to the ground. " There," exclaimed his Excellency, " is an end of the war !" — now let us have three cheers in token of future peace." Sir Harry, taking the initiative and waving his hat, the air was rent with "the loud acclamations of the assembled multitude — soldiers, Kaffirs, and spectators, all uniting, apparently with heartfelt satisfaction, in long reiterated cheers, at the happy termination of a contest of which all parties seemed to be heartily tired. Sir H. F. Young embarked on board the Essex on the 4th of December, under a salute ordered by his Excellency.
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New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 283, 15 April 1848, Page 2
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674CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. Cessation of Hostilities. New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 283, 15 April 1848, Page 2
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