CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. THE KAFIR WAR.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 704, 1 May 1852, Page 3

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. THE KAFIR WAR.

£From the Sydney Morning Herald.'] By the Yarra Yarra (steamer) we Have received "Graham's " Town jourbals to the 30th January, and from Cape Town to the 2iid February. Our previous advices notified that the Kafir chiefs of the Gaikas and'Seyolo had sued forpeace, and that there was every prospect of an immediate termination of the war. We regret to find that this prospect was an uncertain and distant one at the date of the latest papers before us. The following General Order, dated Head. Quarters, Williams' Town, January 23rd, will explain the unsatisfactory, state of affairs. The rebel Kafir chiefs having on" the 15th instant formally sued for peace, it was intimated to them, throughthe Gaika Commissioner, that her Majesty " cannot treat with rebels ; " that ' ' their surrender must be a general and unconditional surrender, trusting to her Majesty's clemency," and that this tendered \n a solemn manner and in good, faith, hostilities would cease." /'.Eight day 3 have now elapsed since the rebels were made acquainted with his Excellency's decision, and the demand for submission nqt having been complied with, operations against them will be continued with every activity. The troops. will take the field on the 26th and 27th instant, in seven columns, to penetrate the Amatolis, and the country of Seyolo, Stpck, Tola, and Zazini, on the left hank of the Keiskamma ; and to spoil the catile and devastate the crops of the enemy.

The Kafirs say they will fight no more ; but until the object in view, viz., their unconditional submission, be thoroughly effected, hostilities will continue. " During the prosecution of the operations all the Regular and Burgher Posts along the line of Frontier and in the interior line are desired to be most alert in patrolling, watching, and waylaying night and day ; and they will arrest, when possible, all straggling Hottentots and Kafirs by every means tolerated by civilized war. A vigorous observance of these instructions will much aid the troops in their operations, and ensure the subjugation of these rebels and bandits. . " Terms of amity h^ve been entered into with Bokoo, and his son Mapassa, and hostilities with this powerful tribe will cease, "A. J. Cloktb, Quarter-Master-General.'' The Zuid Afrikaan, of the 2nd of February, ""The information from King Williams' Town, received since the date of our supplementary issue on Tuesday, had reference almost exclusively to the projected movement of the troops on the Amatola. Major-General Somerset received an express at Graham's Town on Thursday last from the Commander-in-Chief, and the next morning, in heavy rain, started for Fort Beaufort, whence his division will move immediately towards the scene of operation. There is -a rumour, of his .Excellency Sir Harry Smith taking the field in person,' but we cannot trace this report to any reliable foundation. It is said that the troops will be formed into five or six divisions, and that these will enter the mountains at different points, with directions, should the enemy resist or fail to make the required submission, to lay waste the standing crops, and ihus, by the potent means of want, or at least, by the prospect of a dearth of food, compel them, if possible, to succumb at once to British power, instead of leaving them the means, in abundance of corn, of protracting hostilities to an indefinite period. " The Butterworth Fingoes were to be removed for the present to the vacant country between Newton Dale and the Sea, and the Fish and Keiskamma Rivers. The movement of these people in this direction has occasioned much perplexity, and holds out the prospect of future embarrassment. A repoit is current that the mission station of Butterworth was destroyed shortly after it was evacuated by the Fingoes, but this requires confirmation. " The spoor it is said of several parties of Kafirs and Hottentots passing into the colony has been lately seen in two or three places along the Fort* Beaufort Road. One Hottentot is reported to have deserted from an escort while proceeding along that Tine, and two Fingoes are said to be missing from the military station at Leeuw Fontein." The Graham's Town Journal of January 30 says :—: — " The cattle recently captured by the troops across the Kei, have been since sold by public auction, realizing very high prices. The largest portion was sold at King William's Town ; but no paiticulars have as yet reached us. Of those taken by General Somerset's division to Fort Beaufort, upwards of 400 were sold at that place by public auction, realizing an average of 30s. per head. 1566 were brought to Graham's Town, and were sold on Thursday by Mr. B. D. Bell, the whole drove, a very inferior lot, many of them being mere calves, giving an average of 325. per head. The total amount of this sale was £2,508 3s. The proceeds of these several sales are, it is said, to be distributed as prize money among the troops actually in the field at the time of their capture."