CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 288, 4 August 1855, Page 5

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

The recent arrivals bring no fresh news of the state of the British Caffre frontier. The Governor, Sir George Grey, visited Uitenhaire and Port Elizabeth at the end of January. He was next expected at Graham's Town ; and the inhabitants had prepared an address expressing their hope that he would mature the policy originated by Sir George Cathcart. r-s Interesting news arrives from the Transvaal Republic. The Caffres, under Makapan, had murdered Field Cornet Potgieter, and several men'and women, with revolting cruelty. Prastorius collected 500 men and four guns, and hunted the Oaffies to certain caverns, 2000 feet in length and from 300 to 500 feet wide. Not liking to venture an assault, he attempted on the 30th October, to blast the rocks above, and so to crush the enemy. But this failed, owing to the loose nature of the soil. He then resolved on a blockade. On the 6th October, Com-mandant-General Potgieter was . shot by the Caffres, and his body fell within the outer defences; but they were instantly stormed, and the body recovered. - As the siege went on too slowly, he blocked up the openings of the caverns with loads of stones and irees, brought and thrown down by friendly Caffres, cooperating with the Dutch. This reduced the enemy to extremities. Day by day they died or were shot down. The women and children rushed out to get water, and many died drinking it. At length possession of a part of the caverns was obtained ; and much of the property of the murdered men was recovered. But the stench rising from the dead Caffres —900 bodies were fouml—compelled the Dutch to raise the siege on the 2lst November. Praetorius next led his men against another Caffre chief, Ma pal a, who fled at his approach. In the Kraals, the remains of the murdered men were found cut up and roasted with fat! Mapala took a position where he could not be assailed. The Commando was out two months, and captured 3300 head of cattle and 1200 sheep and goats. Another chief, Dnshani, has been promptly punished in Natal, for some outrage, and compelled to pay a fine of 1038 head of cattle. The Natal Mercury remarks that the thorough union between the Dutch and English had astonished the savages.— Spectator.