independence, with far more certainty than nine-tenths of the more ambitious speculators in land, and with far more benefit to society.

To enable a colony to prosper, there must be a just proportion of farm owners and farm servants.

The Hottentot rebellion is entirely extinct. There are many absentees who cannot be accounted for, but they are glad to keep out of the way of the police and of the law, and having taken up their abode in distant countries, it is expected that most of them will settle as the Griquas, Bastards, and Corannas did of old, and that there is not much further inconvenience to be apprehended from them.

The almost total disappearance of all Hottentot thieves in the bush is very remarkable; the police can rarely find a trace of them since the last encounter four months ago, in which, out of a gang of forty, upwards of twenty were hunted up and killed by the police, assisted by a detachment of the 12th Foot. Nevertheless, it is impossible to say, that as they now meet. with little sympathy from the Kafirs, some bands may not return, and try to live by plunder within the colony.

5th. The next district is South Victoria, which gives the colonial boundary to the southern extremity of the line formerly called the Ceded Territory; and this must be considered in conjunction with the districts of Fort Beaufort and Albany, the interests of all three, in case of frontier warfare, being inseparably connected.

Since the total and final clearance of the Kroome Mountains and Waterkloof, on the 15th, 16th, and 17th September, 1852, and the establishment of three military posts therein, perfect tranquillity and security from all cattle-stealing prevails in the district of Fort Beaufort, and in those of Cradock and Somerset, which formerly suffered so severely from that nuisance, but which are now far removed from any hostile influences or cause of alarm.

Three companies are at present required for the military

occupation of the Blinkwater post, and those on the Kroome Mountains and Waterkloof; but if the intended sufficient village can be established at Blinkwater, which is at present only a military post, and the neighbouring valleys occupied by respectable and resolute farmers, very little military aid will be required to establish permanent security in that quarter.

The two remarkable tracts of dense forest, which follow the course of the rivers Kat and Fish, and the rivers Chumie and Keiskamma, comprising between them the frontier district of South Victoria, hitherto so formidable as a shelter for marauding bands of Kafirs and Hottentots, and which in April, 1852, may be said to have been entirely in their possession, are now constantly patrolled by the police and by parties of Her Majesty's troops from the Konap post and Fort Brown, Trumpeter's and Line Drift, but rarely the trace of a stray wanderer can be found in any corner of their former retreats; and never at any previous period of frontier history has there been a more complete absence of all thieving and outrage in those parts than during the last four months. This is more than there is any right to expect; and the continuance of so desirable, but sudden and almost preternatural state of things, should not yet be too confidently trusted to, and is not. However, it is now sufficiently evident, that in this respect a permanent advantage has been gained which the police will suffice to keep, provided that, when that force shall become a colonial charge, it be not, through false economy, enervated or reduced to an inefficient

state.

The present establishment and annual cost is as per margin,* and possibly some further reduction may be practicable when another measure, which will be adverted to next, comes into operation.

6th. The Fingoes within the colony are, as is probably generally known, remnants of a scattered race, found living in dis

* Fifteen officers, 260 men. Cost £25,000 per annum.

P

tinct communities, but associated with the more remote Kafir tribes by whom they were held in a sort of bondage; and from various motives, under various circumstances, and at various times, they were brought by former Governors from among the Kafirs, who ill-treated them, and have been located chiefly in South Victoria and Fort Beaufort. Their numbers may amount in all to 7000 males, capable of bearing arms; but they live under their respective head men, in small distinct communities, and have no national organisation or union.

These people have always proved true and faithful; and have, during the late war, when enrolled in companies under European officers, done good and gallant service against the Kafirs, to whom they are quite equal as warriors, in every respect.

As the natural consequence during the progress of a warlike contest, their ancient enmity against their former oppressors ripened into a mortal hatred, and in proportion as they have become estranged from the Kafirs, they have become attached to the Europeans, and especially Her Majesty's troops, with whom they served, and who used them well.

This people have made greater advances towards civilisation than the Kafirs seem capable of; and as they are placed in the intermediate frontier country, between the Kafirs and the colonists, it is most desirable to keep them attached to us, and available at any moment, not only in small detachments as a support to the police, but in a state of sufficient organisation and control to turn out as an efficient armed force of 1000 strong, or upwards, at a day's notice, to assist in repelling attempted invasion, or in support of general colonial interests and the safety of the community, in quelling any Hottentot or other insurrection.

In their present temper and disposition they would be ready to join Her Majesty's troops, who are here for the protection of the colony, heart and hand, in any case in which they might be called upon to act. They are capable of becoming, in respect

to the military exigencies of this colony in Africa, what the Sepoys are to those of the East India Company in Asia; and whilst it is politic to encourage the existing state of things in respect to the Fingoes, neglect, ill usage, or breach of faith towards them, might make them formidable enemies, and troublesome to deal with.

With these views, there are now enrolled four militia companies, of sixty men each, at a trifling expense;* and this small force, as well as the police, it is intended should be maintained at the cost of the colony. Further particulars respecting the constitution and rates of pay of these two descriptions of border police will be found in the Appendix, letter Q.

Further particulars under this head will be laid before you when opportunity offers, for providing for this expenditure during the interval that must necessarily elapse before the constitutional Parliament can enter upon its legitimate func

tions.

When that time arrives other more serious considerations will present themselves, as to manner in which, and how far, this colony may provide for or contribute to its own security and defence, and maintain or improve the advantages that have been gained.

Fifty of the old Kafir police have remained faithful throughout the war, and have done good service. These have been retained, not only in justice to their merits, and as an encouragement and example, but because their services are essential, not as a force, but as a police, to enable the T'Slambie and Gaika Commissioners to carry on their duty without having recourse to military intervention in time of peace, when civil authority will suffice.

But as this police is a remnant of that long since established, organised on the same principle, and at the same rate of pay,

* 4d. per diem without rations or allowance, except when attached to some regiment or sent out from their location. See Letter, Appendix Q, Fingoe Corps.

and is exclusively required for Kaffrarian duty, it is already provided for in the Schedule to the Appropriation Ordinance, under the head of Border Department (Aborigines).

7. As an additional measure to provide for the security of the frontier hereafter, without the aid of Her Majesty's troops, clusters of farms in Victoria are now being established, so arranged that the farmhouses may be placed within reach of mutual support. There are,. already, numerous applications from respectable young farmers of some capital, and bona fide occupants, a point which is insisted upon; among them, one party of eighteen gallant and enterprising burghers, who have done good service during the war, have already been placed, according to their own desire, on farms of 2000 acres each, along the banks of the Keiskamma, an advanced position which they are well calculated to maintain, and, well supported by the police and Fingoe companies, have no fears about it.

This system would have been extended along the whole line, were it not that no less than eight farms had been previously sold without covenant as to occupancy; a pernicious system, by which they have fallen into the hands of one or two landspeculators, whose right of property must be respected, but whose monopoly only serves to keep the honest farmer and bona fide occupant out of them.

When the above measures are fully realised, there will scarcely be any occasion for regular Troops within the colonial boundary at all, so long as the one great advanced post of British Kaffraria be maintained.

8. With reference to British Kaffraria, the information received from the Chief Commissioner and the Gaika Commissioner continues to be perfectly satisfactory, and the Gaika Tribes, lately in rebellion, appear to be sitting down contentedly in their new location.

As to the portion of British Kaffraria immediately adjoining the colonial border, the conduct of the Chief Siwani and his tribe, who occupy the greater portion of a broad margin on