Dick King Saviour of Natal

E.P. & COMMERCIAi. PTG. CO. LTD. SMl]"H STIUl!ET • • DUAIIAN AFRICA LIBRAR Y C04 0027 0560 11111111111111

NO. ... 66/1 .. 987 .. CLASS BA. ... 9.68.J.02 .... EYR DICK KING SAVIOUR OF NATAL

being some inciJents in the life of Rfchard Philip King (1813,1871)

UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN LIBRARIES BY CYRIL J. EYRE

DICK KING, {From a photo in tbt pomssion of Dr. Richmond Allan. Photo by A. L. Btvis,junr., Esq.) ILLUSTRATIONS.

PACE

DICK KING • 3 DURBAN IN I 842 . 29 THE "OLD FORT," DURBAN, AT THE TIME OF THE SIEGE 31

'NDONGENI • 3.S MONUMENT ON THE ESPLANADE 39 THE "CONCH" ENTERING THE HARBOUR • 59

MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE 63 MRS. R. P. ("mcK") KING 6S MONUMENT AT THE ISIPINGO GRAVEYARD 71

MAP SHOWING PROBABLE ROUTE TAKEN BY DICK KING at end of Vol. FOREWORD

Mr. Eyre's interefling and well.,written Life of Dick PREFACE. King, who saved Natal in 1842 by his memorable ride to Grahamstown, supplies a long.,felt want in the annals of For much valuable as#flance rendered in the writing of Natal. Many people who look at the monument at the head this little work, I wish to record my thanks to the following: of the jetty on Durban Esplanade will be able to visualise Mr. R. H. P. King, of Manderflon, Natal; Mr. F. R. better by reading Mr. Eyre's brochure the aBual hifloric King, of lsipingo Beach, South Coafl; and Dr. Richmond falls and feel the thrill of what King did for his Colony and Alla~, of Pinetown; Mr. M. Basson, Keeper of the Natal for South Africa. Without unduly anticipating the contents Archives; ProfessorC. Beyers, Senior Archivifl, Pretoria; of the booklet, we cannot but mention Dick King's famous and also Mr. A. L. Bevis,junr., of Durban,for the photo; horse" Somerset"-a noble animal who bore the burden and graphs appearing in the book. beat of day and night in the famous ride. The memories of CYRIL J. EYRE. the favourite horses of illuflrious soldiers have been per" petuated no more deservedly than the memory of" Somerset." Durban North. The Durban Library Committee is to be congratulated in March, 1932. encouraging the publication of this book, which is destined to attraB the interefl of a clientele far beyond the bounds of our shores. A. LAMONT, M4y,r. D11rban. M4rcb, 193.z. INTRODUCTION

THE present paper is little more than an attempt to put down accurately the available information about "Dick" King. A few facl:s about the early days relating to the movement which induced settlers to this country during 18.20, and also extracts from the narrative of one of the settlers, have been included to complete the hisl:orical record. Only one "roman., '"tic fiory appears in the work-the fiory relating to "Somerset," his supposed gallant horse. The compiler expresses the hope that one day the fiory of"Dick" King will be told by a writer skilled in the art of making a narrative attracl:ive, for the wanderings and achievements of Dick King are worthy of a literary setting, and a heritage of which we may well be proud.

CYRIL J, EYRE,

D11rbon North. Mmb, 193z. DICK KING: Saviour of Natal.

BEING SOME INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF RICHARD PHILIP KING (1813 ... 1871)

URING the year 1819, owing to disl:ress and unem,. D ployment among the lower and middle classes in the United Kingdom, outlets for the superabundant pop,. ulation were sought, and the Cape of Good Hope was suggested as a good field for emigrants. On the 12th July 1819, the House of Commons decided to expend the sum of £50,000 in sending out to the Eastern districts of the Colony some 4,000 souls. The suggested scheme was a success from the start, no less than 90,000 applicv tions being received for consideration. Out of this huge number 4,000 were selecl:ed, and in due time embarked from England in twenty ... six emigrant ships. Of these twenty ... six ships, our interest is centred chiefly in one, the Kinnersley or Kennersley Caflle, under the command of Captain Pinkney. In the month of January, 1820, she was lying at the Port of Bristol, awaiting the motley throng who were to make up her complement of emigrant passengers. Amongst the number who embarked at this port was a pany of sixty,.four persons under the direcl:ion of Mr. Samuel Bradshaw, and this little party sailed as "Brad,. shaw's pany." Now, included in the number on this !}ii~ there were twenty,two persons having the name of Ki~g," ~ut it is the family given in the following extract that 1s of11:1terest to us and whose progress we must follow for some ume. 12 DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL 13

EMBARKATION LIST. early days of January, 1820, until her arrival at Algoa Return of Settlers proceeding to the Cape of Good Hope under the Bay (T. Sheffield, in the "Story of the Settlement," says direction of Mr. Samuel Bradshaw. Table Bay) on the 29th March, and in order to get an

Profession or N rune of Names of Children. authentic story of the voyage out to the Cape, extracl:s Names of Meo. Age. Trade. Women Age Males Age Females Age from "An Albany Settler's Reminiscences" (1888) are Philip King 30 Labourer Maria 30 Richard 8 Elizabeth J Andrew s given. The author of these Reminiscen~es was, at ~he John time of his arrival with the settlers, aged rune, thus bemg [The youngest daughter, Rhoda, is not included in the above list. She Dick's senior by a year. was probably born at the Cape, afier Mr. and Mrs. Philip King's arrival ". . • Men and women who headed the families from the home beyond at Algoa Bay.] the waters. . . . These arc they who rcally 'bore the burde~ and ~h~ heat of the day' in the colonising of Sout~,Eastern Af~ica, for the~ anxieties on Now if you glance through the above extract, which behalf of their offspring doubled thw care and toil. .. . . It IS hardly to _be is taken from the "Records ofthe Cape Colony;' vol. 12. supposed that a child of nine years old could enter mto full sy~pathy with the feelings of those who were rending the ties of home a~d kindred, and 1818,.1820, pp. 470 ... 471, you will see among the male launching the boat of life on an unknown sea. But the p18ure ?,f the la§\ c~ildren the name of"Richard;' the youth whose name parting which I myself beheld has never faded from my memory. rmgs through South Africa as the "Hero of the ride to It may safely be suggested here that the e~~erience Grahamstown;' undertaken during May, 1842, and never faded from Dick's memory. The Rerruruscences which saved the Colony of Natal for the British Empire. continue: Richard Philip King, to give him his full name, and " ••• Long delays interfered with the departure of the Sir Gmgt Osborn. who is ever gratefully remembered by us as "Dick;' was We chafed under them, but they, perhaps, saved our lives, for a few dyas born at Chatham, England, on 28th November, 1813,* before our cxpc8ed time of flarting, one of those January gales, for which the coast of England is so fearfully noted, burfl upon us as we lay moored and, as seen from the aforementioned extracl:, was the in the Thames. . . • Had the gale ( which was said to be the scverefl that eldest son of a family of five children, three boys and two bad been known for forty years) caught us while going down the Channel, girls. His early childhood up to this age is a closed book we should, perhaps, have foundered, as many others did. . . . _I know nothing about the regular emigrant ships of the present day; that 1s, so far to us; in facl:, we get no description of the man until we as respects the quality of the food, or the accommodation they supply; but meet him with the Rev. F. Owen, whose wagon he I remember the close packing ' between decks,' the 'banyan days,' and the drove, in 1837, at the age of twenty,.four. bard salt junk and the harder biscuit of 1820. I have not forgotten how W_e must now take up the threads of our story from salt the outside of the puddings used to tafie which the weather,beaten cook had boiled with sea water in the general 'copper' ; nor how the passengers the time the Kinnersley Caflle leaves Bristol during the sometimes quarrelled with the fleward for cheating them out of the sup, plies. . . . And I remember the fieep wine,clad hills, and the grapes and * Through the courtesy of The Secretary to The Commander,in;Chicfp oranges of Madeira. . . . Nor have I forgotten the one or two fearful 1:hc Admiralty, C:hatha_m, it has been ascertained that no entry of King's: ftomu we encountered, when the hatches were battened down, the heavy birth can be found m thcrr records. The Re8or of Chatham Parish Churcb ICaS were shipped, and while the torrents poured down among us in the had a ~cful search made through the records for the years 1813,1825 and midnight darkness, the mothers clasped their children to their bosoms, ex, also failed to find_any . entry relating to King. This authority also informs: ~. ' W c11 all hold together !' . . . And the scene was repeated as me that State rcg1shat1on was not in force at the time and unless a child ship after ship made the coafl. The Chapman and the Nautilus, the North,, was baptised there would be no record of his birth exdnt. ..,,,_, the Gir'-l, the Kinntrslty Caf1lt • • • and all the rest, as they 14 DICK KING: SAVIOUR o F NAT AL DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NAT AL IS

ranged along the coast, with its high blue mountains full in view had their decks thronged with anxious ga~ers on the new flrange land in ;hich their wife and two children, and for each. child or person future lot was c~st. . . . The n,ch valley of Lushington afforded a resting, exceeding this number a further deposit of £5 ea~h had place to J:?yason s party, Holder s people called their location New Bristol. to be paid. This sum was ref~nded by degrees, 1.e., on · · · Passmg on, towards the fro~t, there were Mouncey's party, Hayhurst's party, Brads?aw s party, Southey s party flretching along the wide plains of landing and in three monthly mstalments after they had the round hill, and drinking their W eflern waters. • . . " settled at their camps. Furthermore, one hundred acres The auth~r ofth~se in~eresling reminiscences then goes ofland was allotted to each head ofa family or ~ndividual on to descnbe their amval on the "location." Dutch of the party at an annual quitrent of £2, which was to wagoners emptied them and their baggage on the "green... be held in trusl by the head for the whole party under sward." L~ft in the wilderness, they musl take root and his charge. . . grow,. or die where they stood. The thought of Handing After disembarking at Algoa Bay, the vanous parues o~ their own ground rouses them to action, and tents were trekked to the district of Albany, and we find the Brad... pitch~d and the night fires were kindled to scare away shaw party settled to the north ... east ofBathurst. the wild beasls. Their lives as settlers had begun. The following extracts from '.''!he Record_s of. the Elephants roamed from the Koom to the Kowie and Cape Colony" show us. that. Ph_1hl? and ~ana Kmg, t? the Addo; rhinoceros were in the Fish River ravines; with their children, are m this distnct durmg the years l10_ns slalked _on the slopes of the Winterberg, their roar 1820... 1825: bemg heard In the l~wer districts; the howl and laugh Vol. XV., 1822,23,p. 305.-0n the 10th March, 1823, a Memori~l from the Settlers of the District of Albany, was sent ro Earl Bathurst, to lay o( the hyena; the shnll yell ofthe jackal, were the regular before your Lordship a flatement of the real circumflances which have rught~y serenade of the new settlers, to which the little prevented their advancement." ones hs~ened and tre~bled. The scenes could be repeated Vol. XVIII., June,Oct. 1824, p. 400.-0n the I~th Septem_bcr, 18_24, another document drawn up by the Settlers to contradict an assertlon agamst as loca~on after location grew up, and Dick King who one, Mr. Rivers, Landdrofi of Albany, "that he had not time to attend to was with Bradshaw's party," might well have rela;ed to cases of distress among the English Settlers . • . and to declare, that we us the same sl_or~, had he cared to do so. During the consider the assertion to be incorrect and unfounded." Vol. XXI.-A Memorial drawn up by the W cslcyans in Albany, praying latter part of his life he probably did speak of these early for an annual fupcnd for the Wesleyan Minister, dated 28th May, 1825. expenences, and it is indeed a great loss to us that they The above documents are signed by Philip King, have never been handed down by our latter day colonists and left for us to enjoy. · father of"Dick." After making a diligent search, I can find no other Philip King recorded as a settler in Albany A_rr~?ge~ents were made that emigrants were to come 0 0 at this date. It is regrettable that, owing to a lack ofdocu,. out m parties. 1:he head_ of a party was in many in,. mcntary evidence, we are unable to follow the progress slances a_ man of capital and mfluence, who selected nine ~ Dick's parents after this date. Any reader interested oth~r. smtable or able ... bodied men, with or without families. m the hardships suffered by the King family and other settlers from 1820 onwards, is advised to consult the The English ~overnment insisled that a sum of£10 works of two eminent South African historiographers, should be deposited by the head of every family of man, . Sir George E. Cory and George McCall Theal ; also I6 DI C K KI NG: SA V I OUR O F NAT AL D I C K K I N G: S AV I OU R O F NAT AL 17 from him, I took the liberty of confirming much. of his "Records of the Cape Colony," in 35 volumes, edited data by consulting offi_cial sour~es a~d found, with the by G. M. Theal. exception of a few mmor detail~, his m~mory to be a The education and welfare of the children was under... wonderful storehouse of information relatmg to Durban taken during the years 1822... 23, and whether Dick at" and district . . tended the classes of infuuction which began to spring The following story, then, as told by Mr. Bailey, 1s up, or how long he remained receiving his education at given to readers, to whose judgment I would leave the the hands of men who came out with the settlers as matter: · tc~chers. we do _not know. We must therefore pass over "When on hunting and other trips with 'Dick' to Zu~uland I ~ften spoke this_ penod until we co~e to the year 1830, the year in to him about his ride, in an endeavour to hear from his own lips some ~f which contemporary writers assert that Dick, trekking the hardships he suffered. I learnt noth_ing_. ~ e would never allow dis, cussion on the subje8 in his presence. Finding it a hopeles_s task I dropRed up from the Cape with some other settlers, arrived at referring to the subje8 altogether. One day I had occasion to ask Dick Durban. what induced him to leave the C ape and come up to Natal. H e t?ld ~e that he was fifteen years old when he trekked up. He was, at the ume, m '!'he year of Dick King's arrival at Port Natal, as the employ of a man named Gill, either at Bathurst or Grahamstown. pointed out, has always been said to be 1830. On find ... This man, he said, was a cruel and hard taskmafier and he was alw~ys ing that some myfiery surrounded the event the writer unhappy whil§l in his employ. So, one day, he decided to leave, and Dick during December, 1931, called on Mr. George Bailey of told me that he trekked up to Natal, part of the way on foot, and on some §\ages of the journey he got a 'lift' from transport riders." Avoca, Natal, who is now in his eighty..,ninth year and wh? was an intimate friend of Dick's. Mr. Bailey is, I If the story as related by Mr. Bailey is accepted by the believe, one of the few colonists full living who came to reader (I have no reason to doubt it), Dick's arrival at Durban on board the Minerva, which was wrecked out.., Durban would be about the year 1828. side the harbour in July, 1850. He was a youth of about In July, 1828, Dr. Cowie and Mr. B. Green left the seven years of age at the time, and during his early resi.., British settlement at Grahamstown to explore the coast of dence at the Port often heard of Dick's famous ride. On Kaffraria to Natal, and going via the "old road" they th~s account the hero of the day in his eyes was Dick visited and rested at the various missionary stations until King, and many years later, on attaining manhood, he they reached Buntingville. They also rested at Fynn's b~came .acq u~inted with his hero, thereby forming a kraal, near Durban, for a considerable time. Ifwe accept fnendship which, he told me, lasted intimately up to the Bailey's story, it is possible that King either joined the time of Dick's death. expedition when they set out, or was assisted by them during his journey. Was it at this time that Fynn and ~ntimatii:ig !hat _I w~shed to clear up the important King became acquainted? If so, Fynn may have heard pomt of Kings arrival m Durban, the old colonist, who the boy's story and requested him to remain at his kraal has a mofi remarkable memory for names, dates, etc., for a time before finally trekking up to Durban. Some was agreeable to relate what he had heard from King Year_s later Fynn and King formed a very close friendship himsel( which lasted until the former's death in 1861. In order to place reliance on information obtained 18 D I C K K I N G : S A V I O U R O F N A T A L D I C K K l N G: S AV I O U R O F N AT A L 19

It is unf~rtunate that information of an incorrecl bush and making other improvements; Capt~in Gar,. ~ature re~ardi~g the move~ents of Dick King, from the diner topped the list with £30, ~gle £?• while others time of his ~rnval an? at different periods of his lifetime, gave what ~hey co:1ld afford. Dick. K.ing must h~ve should be mcluded m two well .... known works such as been in straitened circumstances at this time, only bemg ~· G. Mackeurtan'('<;radle ~ay~.ofNatal," publis~ed able to promise ~s a. contribution "one we~k's wo~k." m 1930, and a pubhcat10n entitled In Commemoration Dick was at the ume m the employ of Captam Gardiner of the Cent~nary of, the 1.820 Settlers of Albany, April as his wagon driver. The same day a petition. was ~ra~n 1820-Apnl 1920, P~?lished at Graha_mstown in 1920. up by Captain Gardiner and.~ddressed to Sir BenJa~in Bo~h. ~f these authontles state that Richard King, of D'Urban, praying for recogruuon of.the C?lo~y of_Yio ~ailhe s party, was the fam?us 1:11an who. undertook the toria by the British Government. Dick King is a signa,. r~de to ~raha~stown. This Richard Kmg was, at the tory to the petition. . tlI~e of his amval, aged twenty .... seven, while the Richard On the 20th July, 18 35, Captain G.ardiner left Durban, K~ng of Bradshaw's party was aged eight. Our Dick with Dick King as his wagon dnver, for the Cape, King was born on 28th November, 1813, and there is taking the only route along the coast road. About the theref~re no doubt that the Richard King of Bradshaw's 25th August they were in the vicinity of Bun~ing ~nd party is the hero of the famous ride to Grahamstown. Faku's residence, and finding that the Fronuer tnbes Having no authentic record of his movements in and were at war with the Cape Colony, had to retrace their aboutthe"Port"duringtheyears 1830 .... 1834,*wearrive fieps to Durban or Port Natal, and on the 15th Sep,. at the year 1835, when we find that on the 23rd June tembertheyreachedtheBerea(Durban),thenonlybush. some fifteen residents (Russell in "Old Durban" sl:ates On the 22nd September they again left for the Cape, but seventeen) held a meeting in one of Mr. Berken's huts, this time decided to go by way of the Quathlamba or under the leadership of Captain Allen Gardiner when Drakensberg Mountains, and on 8th October reached a it was decided to form the town of D'Urban, nar'iung it tributary of the Um~im~ulu River, in the vicinity of after the Gover~or of the Cape, Sir Benjamin D'Urban. Und~berg, and findmg it necessary. to cut the bank on They set to busmess at once and sl:reets were laid out and both sides to make a passage, Gardiner named the spot it was agreed that no more Kaffir huts were to be er;cl:ed "King's Ford." (A footnote in Gardiner's Journal says: as residences for Eu~opeans. Every settler received an "From Dick Ki~g, dri:7er of my :Vaggon.") . On the allotment of.land, with a sl:ipulation that he was bound 16th _Oct~ber _Di.ck King met ;-;11th an. acc1de.nt, as to ere~ a. smt~ble -dwelling within eighteen months. A G~diner m .his. JOU!nal fiates: . My dnve~, Ri~hard subscnpuon list was opened for funds towards clearing King, was llill limpmg from a kick he received m the counc ofthis morning's training." They now proceeded on a south~esterly course by compass, and on the 20th * When elephant hu_nting and ivory trading in the interior, King used Dur~an as a base for his trading operations. His hut was situated on tho O&ber a westerly course was taken until they reached Bay~1de, somewhere between Cato's Creek and Jonnson's Lane. On rCI ;vern Glen. At this point their progress was barred by turnmg to Durban, he made this his "home" for two or three months duriog ftccp and rugged mountains and they proceeded on the year. 21 20 D I C K K I N G : S A V I O U R O F N A T A L D I C K K I N G : S A V I O U R O F N A T A L

· f the Church Missionary Society. Richard an. e~sterly course, making their way down to the coast, Dingaan, under the auspicesdo dueled us to the Kraal of Dingaan at King drove our wagon an con sl:nkmg 1t at the Umsecabu River in Pondoland on Umgungunhlovu." fi O ' 4th November. From this point they proceeded on a It is necessary for us to take an e_xcerpt .rom wen s southerly course, and on the 26th they were far into the . fc llow the acl:ivities of King durmg October, d1ary to o . . . f nhl Cape Colony, sighting the outskirts of Butterworth on I 8 37. They were in the v1cm1ty o U mgungu ovu, that date. They reached Grahamstown on the 29th. and Mr. Owen had on October 11th been sen~ for ~y Dick Ki1;1g must have taken leave of Gardiner here, Dingaan. Dingaan requested Mr. Owen to give hn:i. as he ( Gardmer) left Grahamstown for Capetown, going some gunpowder. This Mr. Owen refused to do, ~n via Port Elizabeth on his way back to England. He advised him to purchase some at Port Natal. Dealing ?1ake~ no mention in his journal of anyone accompany, with the subjecl: in his diary, Owen slates: mg him from Grahamstown to Capetown. This was in ". . . But I hereby got myself into another dileo:ima, for he no:,v wanted rchase some and ive it to him, and he said he w~uld give me an December, 1835. lllt t~~'s tooth to purch!e it with. This, I declined, say~ng I was not a On 20th June, 18 36, Dick King is back again at =er but a teacher and that he had better spe~ to 11:r· King-J~ f~~~?~~ Durban, for on this date we hear of him being present in the diary remarks: This was the famous Dick King w?o . t fiom Port Natal to Graharnstown in 1 8.µ, in orde~ to obtain assistance fo: at a meeting of residents which had been called to dis, the British troops who were besieged by the Boers m the Old Fort at D~u cuss the question of fulfilling certain obligations to ban.')-the driver of my wagon, who was returning to Port Natal, and gi!e Dingaan relative to absconding natives, made in a treaty him the tooth inslead of me, and that he would get him the gunrowder. ' between Dingaan and Gardiner. As this treaty had a Owen, after some consideration, granted Dmgaan s tendency to keep the settlement in a continual fiate of request, being of the opinion that it was really for the strife, we i_nay ~afely suggest that Dick was actively em, purpose of shooting elephants, and he wrote the follow, ploye~, with his small band of companions, in helping ing note to Mr. Maynard's agent at Natal: . "Sir,-I beg to send you an elephant's tooth, ~n~ shall be obliged by to brmg about a normal slate of affairs during this you ~ding ~e in return as much gunpowder as it is worth, by bearer.- troublesome period. I ranam, etc. "Th About the end of the year 1836 or early in 1837 he At the request of Dingaan he wrote as a P.S.: e must have left Durban for Port Elizabeth, as it is in the tooth has been given me by Dingaan." latter town that we find him in March, 1837, joining the Dingaan evidently became suspicious of the wh?le Rev. Francis Owen as one of his wagon drivers. Mr. ttansaaion, for Owen slates: "But subsequently Dm, Owen, in his diary, does not mention the facl:, but Miss gaan changed his mind and sent the tooth ~y ht~ own Jane Williams, afterwards Mrs. Jane Bird, tells us so in servant, who would arrive at Natal before Kmg. her "Personal Recollecl:ions of Dingaan and his maY Referring to King and the episode of this tusk, Mr. sacre of Retief and his Party," as follows: H. G. Mackeurtan in "Cradle Days of Natal" states: He had driven Gardiner's and Owen's wagons and was . "W~ arrived in Capetown on the 2nd March, 1837, and sailing thenCC m, I thtnk, the Ethel, reached Port Elizabeth on the Good Friday following, bearer to Port Natal from Dingaan's kraal of the We travelled to Port Natal overland via Kaffirland and reached the Pod tusk which had given so much trouble to in July or Augufi, intending to proceed to the Kraal of the Zulu Chid 22 DIC~ KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL D I C K KI NG: S AV I O U R O F NAT AL 23

Owen." Relying on the entry of the incident in Owen's Dick King, who had driven Owen's wagon up to Um" diary, it may be safely said that Dick King was not the gungunhlovu, had already left t~ go in~o the interior_of bearer of the tusk to Durban as sl:ated. the country. Dingaan, not bemg satisfied at havmg Some time after the above incidents took place, King destroyed the leaders of the Dutch party, sent his arn:iy left for Durban, as he was present at a meeting of British to massacre all emigrant white men, women and ch1l ... settlers there on the 23rd October, 1837, who presented dren, who were then sl:opping in their wagons and en" Pieter Retief and his party with an address of welcome. campments south of the Tugela .. Eve~ ready_ to fil_l th_e His usual signature, R. King, appears on the address. gap in an emergency, we find Dick Kmg domg his bit It is sl:ated that on the 6th May, 1837, Robert Biggar nobly, as R. B. Hulley (interpreter for Mr. Owen), who appointed Richard King as a lieutenant in a regiment was in Zululand at the time of the massacre, sl:ates : sl:yled the "Port Natal Volunteers."* "The English, having received a message from the American mission, aries, of the intended attack on the Boer's laager, Richard King fiarted with About the end of 18 37 the Swazis were carrying out some natives on foot, walking day and night to reach the camp before the raids on the Zulu border and sl:ealing cattle. This Zulus should make the attack. He reached the firfi camp to find that the roused the anger of Dingaan and he despatched a mes" Zulus had surrounded it; he passed on to the main body of Boers, reached senger, Thomas Halstead, with an order to his white than just in time to enter the laager before the Zulus could cut him off." "subjects" at Natal to arm themselves and come to him A severe fight took place at this camp and, it is said, at Megoonloof, as "he wished to send them againsl: an King took part in the defence. enemy who had robbed him" and who had placed him" Towards the end of February or early in March, King self in a position where the Zulus could not get at him. returned to Durban, for on 11th March he met Mr. The residents of Port Natal, on being acquainted with Owen in the vicinity of the Natal camp. Let us read Dingaan's orders, made preparations for fulfilling them, Owen's account of this meeting: "M.rcb utb, Sabbatb.-Rode down to the bay in the morning. On the and about thirty white men musl:ered to the call under way I passed the Natal camp. One of the settlers civilly invited me to dis the leadership of John Cane. Dick King went with mount, and I gladly sat down among them. . • . Just after I had taken this expedition to the U mpongola Mountains to recover 'lll'f leave, I met Richard King, who drove my wagon into the interior, and the cattle sl:olen from Dingaan. This satisfactorily ac" ~ whom I had formed in consequence some acquaintance, as he had ~-several signs _of a humbled and serious mind, jufi opening to complished they returned to U mgungunhlovu, where lllltrU~n. I ask~ him whether bt intended to join the expedition. With they each received a few head of cattle for their services. pat feeling he said he would not if I did not advise him. He professed We now come to the year 18 38. It is perhaps unneces" -..: have made up his mind, but feared he mufi follow the rest. Such po~ of example. He was at the Dutch camp when the Zoolus sary to recount the tragic happenings that took place at -.::bil Jt and gave me the following authenticated account of the dreadful Umgungunhlovu on 6th February, when Pieter Retief -;,,:; daybreak on ~aturday the I 6th ult. the savages surprised an out, and his party were so brutally massacred by Dingaan. all camp m a pcrfctHy defenceless position, when the families := .250 At the requesl: of Dingaan, the Rev. Mr. Owen, on About individuals, including men women and +· ~ mauacred. It is said that not a single person ~caped. Some g1111ed while .1.._, la · h · Retief s first visit, had written out a formal document by W Tbe . un.7 Y 1D t cir wagons. Others were alarmed, which a large tract of land was conveyed to the Boers. 4lileaioa. fro DOJSC_ofthe guns alarmed the main body, who sending m which the report proceeded, discovered that an army *Graham Mackeurtan's " Cradle Days of N atal. " r49~,r845 . 24 DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL D I C K K I N G : S AV I O U R O F N A T A L 25 was at hand. Unsuspicious of Dingaan and the Zoolus, they at firfi However, some eight or ten days later, the 10th or 11th thought that the English at Natal had sent the natives againfi them. Then April, the same commando again started f~r J:?urba~ in they imagined that Umzelekaz, their old enemy, had come out against search ofDingaan, and reached the Umvou River with, them. WJiien R. King told them they were not his men, but by their dress he knew them to be Zoolus, they could scarcely believe him. Some out opposition. Crossing this river, they discovered a prisoners whom they took, informed them of the massacre of Mr. Retief's party of about 150 men (Zulus) on top of a hill further party. Richard King himself was in danger at first from the Zoolus, on. Spies were sent to keep watch on their movements,. two of whom meeting him unarmed, had endeavoured to spear him, and afrerwards from the Boers, who knew him to be an Englishman. and late the same afternoon they arrived at the Tugela~ The camp was perfecHy defenceless, the wagons not having been put which they crossed the next morning (about 17th April) in any order as usual when they fortify themselves; nevertheless, such and advanced on a little village called Zoolo. Here large was the terror of their muskets that the main army of Zoolus were bodies of Zulus closed in on them, and retreat being afraid to make a general charge, which if they had done, would have succeeded (it is said) in the total ruin of their adversaries. They soon took impossible, a rare battle commenced. A short while after to their heels, and the Boers pursued them that day to the Tugela. The the battle started, a large body of Zulus was seen ad, next day they renewed the pursuit, and found multitudes on an island in vancing on their rear. The leader, Biggar, now took a the river, skinning some sheep which they had plundered. The Boers fired and many of the Zoolus plunging into the river, were carried away by the ilep which involved them in ruin: he divided his force, fiream ..•." sending part of it to oppose the body advancing in the On 17th March, a week later, the Dutch and English rear. The enemy seeing this, made a desperate rush and met at Durban in order to agree to a united action against succeeded in getting in between the divided force. Only the Zulus, and the English accordingly made prepara., four Englishmen and about 500 blacks succeeded in tions for a determined attack on Dingaan, to revenge the making their escape back to Durban. As Dick King deaths of Thomas Halsl:ead and George Biggar,* who went out from Durban with this commando, he mufi had formed part of Retief's party. A commando con., have been amongst those fortunate enough to escape, for sisting of about 30 Europeans and 1,500 Zulus was a few days later we find him on the brig Comet, having formed, under the leadership of Robert Biggar, and taken refuge there with the Europeans who were at the Pott. _Rj7hard King joined the expedition. (This is the expe., ~mon t?e Rev. Mr. Owen refers to in his diary.) Early The Zulu! follo~ed up their vicl:ory by corning down m Apnl they furted from Durban, making direct for to Durban 1mmed1ately, and remained there for nine U mgungunhlovu, but had only been four days on their days, during which time they destroyed all the property journey when they fell in with a party of Zulus, a hand., they could lay th~ir hands on, and returned to U mgun, fol, it is said, who had some 5,000 to 7,000 head of cattle ~ovu. Durmg the period of occupation by the with them. On meeting with such a rich prize, the ulus the survi_:ving residents took refuge on board the commando did not combine with the Dutch. as origiw Comtt at rught and on one of the islands during the ally intended, but confiscated the cattle, returning to • Thc_b~cks who had been with them retired to the Durban with them and dividing the spoils. -~ skirting the Bluff and Bay. After the Zulus re, ::cu mgungu~lovu, some eight or nine English, * Halstead was killed at Umgungunhlovu and Biggar at the Boer's og them Richard King, left the island and Camp, Weenen. 26 D I C K K I N G : S A V I O U R O F N A T A L D I C K K I N G : S A V I O U R O F N A T A L 27

sought out the blacks in the bush, fully determined to try that there is a rumour that the English Government intends taking possession their fortune once more in Natal. of the Port ofJ:'fat~l and.that t?e.troops are already on the way. Concerning Consequent to being a transport driver and hunter the other English mhab1tants 1t 1s left to the discretion of the Commandant, General to decide.- (G. S. Preller: Voortrekker Wetgewing Notule van during his early days in Natal, Dick King was always die Natalse Volksraad, 18 39,1845. )" on the move, travelling into the interior. During 1838 he was with his friend, David Steller, hunting on the The S_enior Ar_c~ivi~ at Pretoria has compared the ·umgeni River, and early in 1839 he proceeded on a above with the ongmal m the archives, and it has been hunting trip with Theophilus Shepstone, David found to be correct. Steller, and others. That King and his companions were not detained for It is not until June, 1840, when domellic affairs any length of time by the authorities is shown by the facl: claimed the attention of the handful of residents at Dur1 that a few months later King was again hunting up at ban, that we get into touch with him again. During this the Tugela. month one hundred and twenty,one sites were offered for sale, and Dick King, Toohey and Ogle were, by a The following declarations may also have had some special resolution of the V olksraad, prohibited from pur1 bearing on the matter: chasing any of the sites. This resolution has often been (•] A ~cclaration, signed by R. King and J. Douglas, againfi J. de Lange, referred to by writers in their works, but the text of it has a Ficld,Commandant, who obtained certain cattle of the white settlers under false pretences during the year 8 • hitherto not been given to the public. It was passed at a 1 39 [6] -tother declaration by R. King, that four mounted Boers came to his meeting of the Council of Representatives of the V olkY P ce and took twenty,five cows, and that he had paid for these. raad on the 5th June, 1840, and reads: "It was resolved that Toohey, Ogle and Richard King shall be pre,, anJhls now bri_ngs u~ to the month of August, 1840, hibited from purchasing or to own any crf or land at Port Natal." P kiwe find ~ick Kmg, David Steller, Douglas and During the years 1840,41 rumours were in circulation Tar ns hunting elephant and hippopotamus at the that the British Government intended taking possession ~geAla, where they meet ~elegorgue, a French natural... of Natal, and Dick King, with some others, was suY IIUssi ta la~er date we agam meet them at Aldin Grout's on station, near Empangeni. At this mission station pecl:ed by the V olksraad of having a hand in assisting ~ th~m to achieve this objecl:. It appears that it was for Imo ou1anne.d.. We ~ear of King's cattle trespassing this reason that the above resolution was adopted by the ti.. ...~- the missionary s corn here, and he (Grout), -...ang belonged to Delegorgue, sent him a sharp V olksraad, and further light is thrown on the matter Y when we read a further resolution passed by them on the • 11teso111:n~rilieipt of whi~h the old naturalist exploded and D. ke poor native messenger in very harsh lang, 14th January, 1841, respecl:ing the same individuals and 1 a few others, i.e. : y ~ ~ustl have enjoyed the little incident im, Zul~n,d ater, at the kra~l of Mlandela, some "That an order be sent to the Commandant,General to cause the followial of persons to be brought up to this place, viz., D. C. Thoy [Toohey?],. IIJbsrantia.l I gave a manequm parade, displaying King, David Steller, C. Adams, Robert Joyce and Henry Ogle-s egs, afterwards throwing off their shawls 28 DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL 29 and showing frames of enormous size. It is said that Dick King, with others of the party, on witnessing this display, collapsed in uncontrollable mirth.* , • .. During the month of October, 1841, Dick King, Parkins and Douglas are up at the Tugela again, and on the 28th the following letter was sent to them by the Landdrost of Port Natal: "Port Natal. "Dear Sirs, 28th OHobu, 1841. "According to information from Provincial Commandant that you went on a journey with a probable view of crossing the Tugela, and while it is not known to me that you have permission to do so, so you arc all ordered on no account to cross the Tugcla, but on the contrary, if one or all or any of you might be across the Tugcla, then to return without delay in order to prevent further trouble. "I am, Your Obedient Servant, "To Messrs. Douglas, (Signed) J. s. MA.RITZ, Parkins, Magistratt." R. King. A photographed copy of the original of the above, in Hollands, can be seen in the Old Durban Room at the Durban Museum. It was presented to the Museum by Mr. R. Parkin. The original letter was for some time in the possession of Mr. Francis Richard King, second son of "Dick" King, who is now living at "King's Resl:," Isipingo. Mr. King told me that he had, unfortunately, lost it during one of his trips to England. We now come to the year 1842, when Dick King DURBAN FROM THE B EREA IN I 842. performed his heroic feat of riding to Grahamsl:own on 26th May, arriving there ten days later. { From an illuffration published in the "Illus, Many descriptions of the ride, in prose and verse, have trated London News," January, 1843, in the Don ColleHion, Durban Municipal Library.] been published since the year I 879 to the present dar, the majority of which agree with those included in thJS work.

* Graham Mackeurtan, "Cradle Days of Natal, 1497,1845." 30 D I C K K I N G : S A V I O U R O F N A T A L DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL 3I

It is of the utmost importance that Cato's narrative and Ndongeni's three statements should form part of this work, thereby serving as a guide in helping us to arrive at a satisfactory solution in unravelling the mystery which appears to surround the starting,point of the famous ride. Four starting,points have been given to us by many authorities in the past, and these include: r I. Cato's Creek. 2. The foot of Gardiner Street (Dick King's Statue). 3. "B" Shed at the Point. 4. The Old Fort (a stone marks the spot). It will readily be seen by the reader that the majority of the narrators disagree with George Christopher Cato, one of the chief actors in the proceedings on that fateful day. His narrative must be borne in mind when reading the various accounts. His statement that Dick King was not pursued should be noted. The description of the ride as related by"W.S." in his lecture on "The Zulus and other South African Races," delivered at Llandudno, Wales, in May, 1879, is too absurd to warrant any remarks. An excellent account of the ride is given in "The

Seven Wonders of Southern Africa," by Hedley OF THE BRITISH CAMP AT DURBAN DURING THE SIEGE OF Chilvers.* JUNE, 1842. In this account it will be noticed that Pieter Hogg and Made by Captain T. C. Smith, the officer in command. John Douglas are stated as being the steersmen of t~c '-1M1 in tbt ctntre foreground represent Captain Smith (centre), Lieut. boats across the Bay. G. C. Cato, in his narrative in I {left) and Lieut. Molesworth ( right). Lieut. Humphreys was killed "Bird's Annals of Natal," it should be noted, makes no mention of these two individuals. [ From the original water,colour sketch in the "Old D11rban" Room, Durban Museum.}

* The writer sought permission to include the account of the ride in this work. Mr. Hedley Chilvers very courteously granted permis_si?n, but; reply was received to my requefi to the S.A.R. & H. Publicity Dep ment, Johannesburg. 32 D I C K KI NG: S AV I O U R O F NAT AL DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL 33

The descriptive accounts are now given in the follow, hills along the coasl:, to avoid being noticed and inter, ing order. Particular note should be made ofthe passages cepted. He was not pursued. On his way to and through in italics. Kaffraria, the Wesleyan missionaries at the different sl:a, I. Cato, G. C.: "Disturbances in Natal, 1839,1842," tions assifled and expedited him on the long journey." in "Annals of Natal," by John Bird. 2 vols. Extra8 from "FIVE LECTURES ON THE £MIGRATION OF THE DUTCH .2. Cloete, Hon. H.: "Five Lectures on the Emigration FARMERS," etc., by the Hon. HENRY CLOETE, LL.D., Recorder of of the Dutch Farmers." the District: 3. Cory, Sir G.: "Rise of South Africa, 1838,1846." ". . . He consulted some of the principal Englishmen Vol. 4. resident at Durban, and happily found in your 4. Holden, Rev. W. C.: "The Colony of Natal." then worthy and worshipful mayor (G. Cato) a faith, 5. Kermode, W.: "Natal; its early rise, progress and present fiuture progress. " ful adviser, through whom means were devised to expe, the immediate intelligence to the Cape Colony. 6. Mackeurtan, G.: "Cradle Days of Natal." elite 7. Russell, George: "Hisl:ory of Old Durban." • "Richard ( commonly called Dick) King, then living 8. "W. S.": "The Zulus and other South African ma hut at Durban, at once offered to take the despatch Races." ~ • personally to Grahamstown. The following night . was supplied with two troopers, and the moment ·'ANNALS OF NATAL," by JOHN BIRD, 2 vols.: Dislurbances in Natal, 1839,1842. Extracl from the narrative of Mr. George Christopher Dight had spread darkness around, Mr. Cato got Dick Cato: Ind th~ horses across the bay, to the bluff, where King, "After the failure ofthe night attack on 23rd May, and ng one horse and leading the other, soon crossed the the defeat of Captain Smith, I went to his camp. He , and before daybreak passed the U mcomas, said it was indispensable to send Kafir runners with he. was safe from further pursuit, and wended his despatches to Graham's Town, reporting the disaster and Cous Journey across Kafirland, where we shall leave the urgent need of reinforcements. I offered to carry the ~ the P!esent. . . . I sl:ated in my last lecture that despatches mysel( He said he had more need of f!1Y h South, after his disastrous defeat at the Con, services on the spot. I then said that ifhe would g1ved (-t found in the present ~orthy ma~or of D'U_r, me two of the troop horses and his despatches, I woul • ~eorge Cato), a fatthful adviser; and m undertake to have them forwarded. This was done. 1i . King, an energetic public,spirited messenger letters and horses were brought to me at nine in the eveni~ out taki ng any selfish advantage of the circum,' At midnight, it being then low water, I awoke Dick Tnded at once to his call, and went off to on board the "Mazeppa." My brother (Christopher Jose th e fatal result of the night attack on the Con, Cato) in one boat, I in another, each towed a ho e authorities in the Cape Colony. It was across the bay. King sl:arted and took the course( t only chance of relief depended on the Graham's Town. At firsl: he followed the line o w ch that intelligence was conveyed, and 34 D I C K K I N G : S A V I O U R O F N A T A L DICK KI N G: SA V I OUR O F NAT AL 3S

Dick King (as he is commonly called), feeling the im... portance ofthis mission, got through the Amabaka* and Amaponda countries, at the extreme peril of his life, and on the ninth day reached Graham's Town in an almost exhausted slate."

Extracl from "THE RISE OF SOUTH AFRICA," by Sir GEORGE E. CORY, vol. 4., 1838,1846, pp. 144-145 (published 1926): " ..• Mr. G. C. Cato was one of the civilians .... He visited the military camp on the morning of the 25th, when Captain Smith told him that information of the disaster of the 23rd, as well as of the necessity for rein., forcements, muft be taken to the Colony without the least delay. Cato at first offered to ride to Grahamstown himselfand take the despatches, but on Captain Smith saying he could not spare him, he (Cato) was prepared to find someone else. His choice fell on one Richard King-or Dick King, the name by which he is always known-one ofthe British settlers of 1820, who :was then living at Isipingo, but on this night, the 25th of May, happened to be sleeping on board the 'Mazeppa.' King was a man of fine physique, he could speak the native lang, uage, knew the route to Grahamstown, as he had already travelled it on trading and hunting expeditions, and withal he was a man of indomitable determination, pluck and perseverance. Mr. Cato, with the despatches, woke him about nine o'clock that night and put before him the heavy task he was to undertake. Dick King needed no pressing or encouragement. At midnight, accoDl' panied by his native servant, Ndongeni, he was ready to ftart. The first difficulty to overcome was that of crossing

* He was surrounded by the Amabakas, who mistaking him at first for a Dutch emigrant farmer, were about to take revenge upon him for ~ attack made upon them by Pretorius; but he, happily, could make hi[llSCII CENI: THE NATIVE WHO ACCOMPANIED KING ON HIS FAMOUS understood, and explained his errand, upon which they allowed him to pass- RIDE. 36 D I C K KI N G: S AV I O U R O F NAT AL DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NAT AL 37 the wide bay and deep water; yet this had to be done, to his Excellency. On this difficult but urgent mission as to ground and pass anywhere near the Congella camp Mr. Richard King at once volunteered to go, and was was to invite detechon and failure. Mr. G. C. Cato, conveyed across the channel with two horses, in two with · his brother Joseph, therefore, procured two good boats, by Mr. Cato at midnight, in order to escape the C.M.R. horses and two boats. With two men in each notice of the Boers by taking the path along the shore of boat and a swimming horse towed behind, the small the Bluff. party pushed off from the shore and reached the long island, Salisbury Island, which is about three;quarters of the way "There were six hundred miles to be traversed through across the bay. King and Ndongeni then left the boats, ma_de the heart ofKafir;land, two hundred rivers to be crossed their way across the island and swam or waded with and tribes of savages to be passed through-many of their horses across the narrower channel to the further whom were too ready to stop and plunder and murder shore. Arrived safely, the long and arduous ride of 600 a solitary traveller-in order to convey information ot miles to Grahamstown began, King leaving behind him their destitute and trying circumstances to those from the confidence that speedy assistance would be the result whom alone relief could be obtained; the journey being of his journey. It was fortu?-ate that he started ~hen he enough to damp th~ courage and break the heart of any did, for it was just at that ume that the Boe_r mmd was ~ except an Englishmen. Such deeds of determina; engrossed with the preparations for the seizure of the aon and daring remind us of olden times in which $lores." astonishing acl:s of valour were performed by our fore; fathers, whose soul is truly found among the settlers of Extracl from "THE COLONY OF N ATAL, SouTH A FRICA," by the Rev. Albany. WILLIAM C. HOLDEN: "Captain Smith and his devoted little band were now .. This Herculean_ task was successfully performed in cooped up in their camp, with prospecl:s as poor, and days, tw~ of which were spent in sickness and conse... hopes as forlorn, as ever fell to the lot of mo~als ; . ~ .detenuon, thereby leaving only eight days' actual there is a courage and power of endurance m ~n -""Ul..ll~.. Many ofthe rivers had to be swum frorri bank soldiers which is truly astonishing, as will be seen 1n ; so that, taking the whole journey into account sequel, when these determined men were reduced edf}-e of the most . wonderful performances eve; m the pages of history; which will be admitted horse;flesh, biscuit;dust, and ground forage;cor~, : h yet were determined to hold out. Under these cue wv o_,.. kn ow t he d1stance,' the rivers, the country ~rs stances, Captain Smith had no other prospect b~ this inf. · MK.::· tng travelled the whole alone. I have• him than a surrender to a company of Farmers, u k ~~rmatton from himself; and it has been cotffirmed he could communicate to the Governor of the Cape . ~ av,: no room for miflake or falsehood. And so news of his unfortunate position, and obtain timely ere d e measures taken by his Excellency that '!.~ ays, succour arrived for the almos; tam: forcements. He therefore applied to Mr. G. C. Cata wrce." provide the means of forwarding his despatch ov 38 DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NAT AL D I CK KI NG: S AV I O UR O F NAT AL 39

Extract from "NATAL; ITS EARLY HISTORY, RISE, PROGRESS AND FUTURE PROSPECTS." by W. K.ERMODE: " ••. On making application to Mr. George C, Cato, the present American Consul, and one of the oldest colonists in Natal, for special couriers to carry despatches to the Cape Colony, that gentleman, with superb courage, volunteered himself to be the bearer of them. Captain Smith, however, considered Mr. Cato's presence essential to his interests, and it was then arranged that the late Mr. Richard King should undertake the perilousjourney alone. For that purpose two horses were swum across the harbour by himself and Mr. Cato, in the darkness and fullness of the night, but their fiealthy movements were deteBed by the vigilant Boers, who at onct fired upon them, and hotly pursued Mr. King. Mr. Cato remained on the Bluff, and for his intrepidity was placed by the Boers 'in durance vile,' but he does not appear to have felt much trepidation, for he persisted, with his feet fafi in the flocks, in tantalising his gaolers by sketching British men,.of,.war on the prison walls. Mr. King, cleverly eluding his pursuers, accomplished the extr:v ordinary ride of over 600 miles to the Cape frontier in ten days (two of which were spent in sickness, and coll' sequent detention, thereby leaving only eight days' actual travelling), a wonderfully short space of time, consid ing that it was through a rough tracl: of country infe with wild animals, and traversed by several large ri swarming with alligators. This is not the place eulogise the name of Richard King-a name gratdi remembered by colonists, one which will ever shine brightening lustre of the page ofNatalian history, as ofa colonial hero who deserved well of the Govern OP "D1cic K " but whose services were ill requited." ,..,. E ING ON THE VICTORIA EMBANKMENT -., RECTED BY ' PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION, 1915. 40 D I C K K I N G : S A V I O U R O F N A T A L D I C K K I N G : S A V I O U R O F N A T A L 41

Extraa from "CRADLE D AYS OF N ATAL, 1497,1845," by GRAHAM Extract from "HISTORY OF OLD DURBAN," by G EORGE RUSSELL: MA.CKEURTAN, K.C. (published 1930): " ... Fertile in expedient, as were all Durban men ot ". . . Cato volunteered to ride to Grahamstown for that age, Cato asked for two horses of the Cape Corps,. relief, but Captain Smith would not allow him to go; and undertook to find a suitable white man as express Richard King went instead. Cato and his brother rider. Dick King, the Richard King who had attended Joseph woke King at midnight on the Mazeppa . ... the two meetings in 18 35, under Captain Allen Gardiner The Boers having heard of his departure, made firaight and signed the memorial to Sir Benjamin D'Urban, was for his home at Isipingo, thinking he would call there visiting on board the' Mazeppa.' Appealed to by Mr. Cato, on his way. King, evidently suspecting that the Boers he, with the usual readiness of a colonial hunter to take would do this, rode along the beach, giving his home a his life in his hands, and set out for anywhere, with wide berth. He is said to have escaped some Boers at blanket and gun, a handful of biscuit or chunk of bil., the Umkomaas. He was also attacked by Ncapayi's tong, at once consented, his sympathies being naturally tribe below the U mzimkulu. They took him for a Boer. with his countryman, though he had lived for some time: Knowing the language, he was fortunately able to per., at the Isipingo in close neighbourhood with the Boers. suade them that he was not. Riding alone at breakneck Being from home, he had no opportunity of selecting speed, swimming the rivers, and pausing only to change his clothes, or making any elaborate preparations for his horses at the missionary establishments along the way, he journey of many hundreds of miles, through native tribes covered the six hundred miles to Grahamstown in ten and hundreds of rivers. He is not known to be of a days. On two ofthese days he was too ill to travel. The poetical turn, so his entertainment on board the Mazeppa journey was an outfiadning feat of physical endurance did not suggefi his brief reply, 'Bring forth the horse," and courage. He was accompanied on the first part of but, Captain Smith having sent his despatches to Mr. Cato., it by his native servant Ndongeni, who rode bareback. two troop horses, as were agreed, were brought forth, am! Ndongeni suffered dreadfully from chafing, and also taken to the Point, where at midnight, when the tide was became alarmed when he neared the Amaxosa. He was low, Mr. Cato, with his brother Joe Cato, in two boats, a long way from home, and this was a firange tribe to him. each towing a horse, crossed over the island channel, He thereupon returned to the Port, with King's consent. then narrower than at present, to the end of the island,. "Had King not succeeded, Captain Smith would shook hands with the brave and deliberate Dick King, have been forced to capitulate. The Government re., the hero of Natal, and if not devoutly, certainly most warded his efforts with the princely sum of £15. The earnestly, wished him god ... speed. The most difficult part inhabitants of the Port subscribed another £70. Ndon., of ~e journey consisted in avoiding the moonlight, after· geni was still alive in 19u, residing rent.,free on Crown Wading the shallows behind the island, to the Bluff; lands on the South Coast of Natal. He was interviewed, sleirti~g the Bluff and crossing the U mlaas River without in 1905, and declared that his only need in life was a ~ttll~on or pursuit by the Dutchmen. This accomplished, and 0 gun, "so that I may shoot the baboons which destroy . his way to the U mkomaas River long before dawn,. my crops." king found the refi comparatively easy, following the 42 DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL D I C K K I N G : S A V I O U R O F N A T A L 43 spoor left by the military wagons. He overcame all risks, he was beleagured until reinforced from the Cape including sickness, and on reaching Kaffraria, and the Colony. On this occasion one of the English pioneer frontiers of the Cape, was kindly succoured and for, colonists,]ohn King, under cover of darkness, eluded the warded by the Missionaries on the route; and eventually Boers, swam across the bay on horseback, and hurried reached Grahamstown, the Military headquarters, a dis, through Kafirland to King William's Town, on the Cape tance of 600 miles, which he accomplished in ten days, frontier, accomplishing the journey offour hundred miles thoroughly done up. Let us hope that Natal, more in three days, and communicated the tidings of the plight especially Durban, will mark with some perm~nent Captain Smith was in. On the arrival of British rein, memorial its appreciation of a brave patriot, who, .m an forcements the Boers submitted, and our sovereignty of unpretentious manner, performed a noble acl: without the colony has never since been questioned. King was hope of honour or reward ; an act that any of our sons suitably rewarded by grants of land and money for his might be proud to emulate if they are 'built that way.' daring, and is ilill in Natal. I had his and his brother's "Mr. Joseph Cato returned with the boat to the acquaintance while in the colony, from both of whom I often Mazeppa, Mr. Geo. Cato to the Point, satisfied with the beard the flory of John's great ride, and the many harrow success of the enterprise, and the certainty of their friend's escapes he had while passing through a hostile country, ability to accomplish his hazardous task, as he was master where a white man had never before been seen. I have of the Zulu dialecl:, of fine physique, a good shot, a been over the ground myself, on foot, and know some, fearless rider and hunter, known to all the natives far thing of its difficulties. . . ." and wide.'' In a previous chapter the importance of Ndongeni's Extratt from "THE ZULUS AND OTHER SOUTH AFRICAN RAcEs," by "W. S." (a paper read before a local debating society in March, 1879, futements has been stressed, and these now follow in and published in pamphlet form by W. Smith, Warrington House, order as below : Llandudno) : Statement made to R.H. Beachcroft in 1897. " ... The Boers having been the conquerors settled Statement made to J. J. Jackson in 1905 • . in Natal, where they proclaimed their independence, Statement made to James Stuart in 1905. which was, though, of short duration. The Governme~t Many points having no relation to the ride, and owing of the Cape notified that according to the principle laid to the length of the statements, have been excluded from down that they were ilill British subjects; denied them the accounts of Messrs. J. J. Jackson and James Stuart. the right of settling in Natal, and a small force un.der The difference between Ndongeni's stories as relat~d Captain Smith was sent to protecl: the Colony agamst to Messrs. Beachcroft and Stuart is very perceptible, and their encroachments; which was, however, too small to should be noted by the reader. operate against the Boers, who considerably outnu~1 It should also be noted that when making the two bered the handful of men Captain Smith had under hJS 1att~ statements CJ ackson and Stuart) N dongeni was command. Captain Smith, however, reached aplace ca!ZeJ calling back to memory what occurred sixty,three years the Congella, near Durban, which he fortified, and in which previously. 44 DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAz. SAVIOUR OF NATAL 45

J ,tfirst demurred, saying there were other and older men than I who should COLONY OF NATAL p: but Dick said, "I sclecl you," and then I agreed. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. F1"fth s . Afttr this two horses wm secretly brought down from the Camp by night to · ess1on, First P arlia, "'1trt we were waiting ready to cross in a boat. One horse was white and ment, 1897. L.A. 2 3. the other a bay. We entered the boat and the horses made to swim, and we began to cross. As we reached mid-stream I saw a white man rush out 6om the buildings occupied by Cato and run towards the water, pursued ~he following statement by U ndon eni Ka . J, some Boers, and as this man swam olf to the ship anchored in mid, Chief Umbotshwa, relative to Dick Ki~g's rid fi.Xot, channel he was shot by these Boers. s~ccour of Durban (Document No e. or t e This man I afterwards heard was Charles Adam's father. After landing 11shed for general information. . 185, 1897) is pub, as the boat returned back to the ship. Dick and I then mounted our horses-I riding the bay-but there wm no flirrups to the saddle; we rode on By order of the Legislative Assembly, cill daylight and then concealed our horses in the bush at the lllovu. I changed my clothes and flarted olf to Ogle's place, some distance off, to Legislative Assembly Office, Natal. F. W. A. WATSON, tedt for food. While the food was being cooked I joined the other native 13th May, 1s97. Clerk. lads and began to play. While thus occupied a Dutchman came up and be recognised me, and he said, "Are you not Undongeni!" I said, "Yes." Statement of Undon"eni Ka Xoki Ch 'if U b h He then said, "Your master, Dick King, is dead; do you know this!" I a , 1e m ots wa aid, "No, it is some time since I left him." He continued, "We killed [vide C.O. 182o!i8gJ ]. him yesterday." I believe: the Dutch when they shot Charlie Adams' father I was born in Zululand and a d believed they had killed Dick. This Dutchman and his comrades passed founder of the Zulu dynast/ m escended from Senzangukona, the on to the Umkomazi to close and guard the drifts and to patrol the district. I came to Natal with my paternal uncles d . th I returned to "Dick" with th<.' food, and we remained there till dark and and Dingana, and settled under Ch. f X t1? e feud between Mpandi then continued our journey, not daring to travel in the daytime, fearing then under the age of puberty At th1e . a ;rs e of the Cele tribe, being the natives might report to the Boers. We crossed the U mkomazi at the man, whom the natives call~d Usi at ttme remember Ogle and a white drifi above the present one. From this point we saw no more Dutchmen, these people resided at the bay and t~~eungab, fcCatoh, D. King, Joe Cato, and rode by day as well as through night. On crossing the St. John's we troops. ' is was e ore t e advent of the British proceeded on one day's journey to a small river called the Umgazi; here . After the Boers seized the cattle of Ch 'cf . we found a camp with English troops. Here "Dick" obtained a new mount, prisoner, the English troops ca 1d Ncapai, and had taken Fodi I llill riding the bay horse, and we went on, reaching a place the Mawan, Smith, and Dick King came as~ ~Pth~n er t?e com~nd of Captain gana. Here I told "Dick" that I was knockt'd up and could go no further. to transport them to Durban I I UfilZlmkulu River, and helped "Dick" said, "I will ask the missionary (there being a mission flation · was emp oyed b "ff k" We joined Smith's wagons and . d Y ic at the time. there) to give me a man to guide me; you will go back to the camp and w h ere a temporary camp was ' itch accomparued . . them toth e Umhlatuzana, wait till you see a ship pass. I did so, and flayed at the camp two days, Soon after this the troop P J . Duk Kmg went to the Bay. when a ship passed. I thereupon accompanied a native despatch runner, present occupied by the tr s movDe ubp to and creeled the fort which is at who carried despatches from this camp to Captain Smith at the Bay. . oops at ur an Du · h . . camp a dispute arose between th B · d h rmg t .e construction of this On arriving at Isipingo I saw a large ship olf Durban. From Isipingo ?f the military transport cattle a~d ~;;~a~h . t he E?~~sh about the grazing I went for a short visit home, and on again going to look for "Dick" I m the Congella fight and the 'besi in f his osaliues arose, culminating found that the Dutch were retreating inland and Durban in the hands of I was with "Di k" h . eg g o t e fort. . c at t e Pomt, and I rememb C . . . the English. I proceeded to the Point and found "Dick," and the military officers an d h avmg a consultation with h h. er aptain Smith commg seemed glad to see me and gave me many a threepenny and sixpenny piece that Dick King came to me and \:t .~~e :en there, and the result was because I had accompanied "Dick" for help. Subsequent to all this I left go and get help from the English at the ·c ant you to acco~pany me to ~d returned home and married. I have now one wife living out of three ape. No one else will volunteer." Wives and my kraal consists of this woman's hut and my married son's hut. 46 D I C K K I N G : S A V I O U R O F IC K K I N G : S AV I O U R O F N AT A L 47

Iam not a nc· h man, having under ten head of cattl d .,,,.y to Pictennaritzburg by a route different to that taken by the commando. five unmarried daughters I hold th . . f e an two goats. I have IJ. Pictcnnaritz, King and Ogle were rewarded for their services. Each . fifi . e position o an Official w· can c laim een cattle for each . l Hith Itness, and but ten head of small and indifferent cattle. Not only, therefore, did tbt Government that I accomnanied v· ertoh! ~dve never made it known If Boers prove themselves distrustful, they were ungrateful as well. Dick r ~ck r..tng on IS n e for succour. t lCing returned to Isipingo _thoroughly dissatisfied, res~nting deeply the man~ UNDONGENI, bis X mark. arr in which he, an Englishman, had been treated, m what was, or ought WitnesJ: • be, an English and not a Boer settlement. (Signed) S. HARRISON. (Signed) R. H. BEACHCROFT But this was not all. The Boers, who had congregated in large numbers Magiflr~tt. oo the north bank of the Mlazi, the settlement being known to the natives March 25th, rs97• as Makala, got to hear King had been bartering clothes, beads, ere., for cattle in Zululand. Two cows and calves, wrongly supposed to have been to procured, were one day seized from his farm at Isipingo, on the ground bat he had no right to trade without the Boers' permission-now that Statement made to Mr.James Stuart (1905). Natal had become their colony! Wantonness of this kind merely deepened the feelings of vengeance foll~~~rs~i~~:~s:;h~::si~ed tHe Boers wa~ a chief, Fodo, and his abeady harboured by King againfi the arrogant invader. He was in Because a number of goa~,skin: w:;·/resen~ed with a few goats as rations. .lespair. He sinarted under a type of injustice which no one was able to fort, Fodo and his people were accuse~un1 hn ~ fiream near the temporary icdrcss. It is such incidents as these that some, at any rate, of the motives over and above those awarded F d ? avmg made away with goats which prompted and even drove King to embark on his hazardous mission, already presented him and h .d bo o rehplied the skins were those of animals a een t rown a a · l b find their proper origin. This is why, when approached by Smith and on campaign, they could not be dried and 1·r l s1mp y ecause, being Cato, they found in him so ready an agent. encumbrance on the journey S fb" • ned, would only be an Captain Smith and his men lefi the fort at Mgazi, in Pondoland, for flogged, whilst he himself ;as ;:e ~ isdmen were th~reupon seized and firmly behind his back and he c_e hun er at:"~t. His hands were tied Natal in March, I 842. I was with Dick King as voorlooper when he went • was, m t at condition pl d · , to meet the British forces at Mzimkulu. He showed them the way to Durban waggon. We were accordin l d di ' ace m my master s and assisted with his experience as a waggon~river, either in indicating keeping. Dick found fault wil ~h;1i0:rs fcrecl:lr respo~sib_le for his safe 0 the most suitable crossing,places in the rivers or extricating waggons that, had done, asking how a man w tak ~ tymg a chief m the way they Boers had Fodo's hands release~s t~owe his food. ~n hearing this, the in the absence of roads, frequently §luck fast. waggon. Several of his followers · .'hlh~lept with Fodo under our I come now to the principal part of my slory. No sooner did the British were wit 1m there Afi n . fc d ays ~t our. waggon, he suddenly disa ed . : ter s,aymg ~ur troops get to Durban than they began to be harassed by the Boers. Quarrels the rught m question and found hippear . .m the rught. I woke durmg presently arose in regard to pasture lands. The Boers objeckd to Captain ~hich had been left i~ a pot at the fi: r;11ssmg, also some cooked meat, Smith's, and other English residents', oxen trespassing on ground between his men, leaving two full at the P a~e. He had eloped with one of Durban and Congella, which they regarded as exclusively their own. They, had seen before daybreak. Kin ;:r~n.l reported to Mr. King what I o~e day, deliberately caused these oxen to disperse and firay about at a sooner did they make th g g e went at once to Pretorius. No distance, giving me and other herds the greatest difficulty in recovering them. . . e announcement than th avmg either deliberately let th . ey were enraged with For a time, the contestants exchanged visits, leading, however, to no im, Kinh fl l e pnsoner go or con . d h. g rong y repudiated the insinuation Th B ruve . at is escape. provemcnt. Friction increased, and went quickly from bad to worse, until threatened to shoot King fcor h 1s· suppose d. c e li oers· · persmed, and even aa_ual hostilities occurred. I helped in the confuuclion of the fort, made was severely rated by the Boers "Wh omp city m the affair. I, too, ch1effy of sods. I was present at the memorable night attack on the Boers, shoot us like dogs away from o·ur h y c~mthmandeer us, and then seek to on May 23rd, when our forces were repulsed. J accompanied my master that H d , omes m e eld ," d a not Pretorius intervened it is t . b bvl . retorte my master. lligbt, carrying bis ammunition. After going some di§lance, I was told to go been shot. ' no impro a e that King would have back. I and the other natives, who were with me, slopped and watched the fight. We saw a tall man shot, who afterwards turned out to be the bttt. The result of this contretemps w h1c. h caused King . t O · er fccc lings towards the Boers• h entertain extremely officer in charge of the cannon. The Boers had taken up a position near • was t at we were ordered to make our DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NAT.AL SAVIOUR OF NATAL 49

some mangrove trees, away from the water's edge. The night was a moon, hich we were making. The shot had been fired at some L."11.towar d sw . . . d h M d light one, but the moon, I should think, was in its last phase. There was ...,. whom I had already not.teed swmmung towar s t e . azeppa, an no fighting next day, it having been mutually agreed that those shot on .-ii, had a parently been too late to catch o~r bo~t. This u~ortunate ather side should be removed and buried. I took part in this work, waggons ,.ho !;, ck He rose in the water on bemg htt, only to smk out of -son was s,ru · Id h h' being used for the purpose. Open hostilities having broken out, some of r.- ent after I on a subsequent date, was to t at t ts was ==-i.t a mom . ' d' W l the native servants gave notice and left. I remained. aitY' Adams whose son is now living near Har mg. e present Y The Boers advanced full closer to our laager. They patrolled the ~:the oppo;ite shore. All got out. The dripping horses were sadfle~ northern shore of the Bay, and posted a cannon at the Point, for use in ~ King mounted the white, I mounted the bay .. As I ~ot on, a c ot case the Mazeppa, then anchored in the Bay, should attempt to escape. laced over my horse's eyes to prevent it bccomm~ reilivc. The sa~e Matters now began to assume a very critical aspect was f:«n done in regard to the other. There were no ~rups t~ my sadd c. ~Id King. "All right," he said, "we've not far to go. I not.teed stachcls I was wondering what would occur next when, on the night of the 25th, I heard my master's voice at the door of the flablt, in which I and hiJ ~ already been affixed, containing food for h?rses and ours~lvcs, also ·other waggon boys used to sleep. My master's premises were quite close to clothing for the journey. Dick handed me a pifiol, for use !n case of those of Messrs. George and Joseph Cato. "Ndongeni !" "Yes, Sir," said k. He too, carried one, but no gun. King sat creel on his horse, a re of a' wild and intrepid spirit. He wore a large beard, had on coat, I. "Come here, and don't forget your things." I went, snatching a few ~ belongings, including my mutsha, not knowing what was required of me, =and long trousers, spurs, a somewhat bro~d,brimmed sa~d,c?loured and leaving my friends in the stable. Dick King, who was with two others, hat. pifiol on side, hold,all strapped to saddle m front; held i? hts. hand moved off to Mr. Cato's house, where I found George Cato and others. I 1 double rein, no whip. As for his horse,. it w~s strongly bmlt, tail cut, not short and round its neck was a rctm; tt stood about 14.2. a was here told by Dick that he wanted me to go home with him to Isipingo. but In ..you shall never stand in need of anything ( a wu ku dinga luto)," he few moments' our valiant steeds, with clean cut cars erect-th~ looked to " "-b undcd forward apparently even more anxious than we added, impressively, in the presence of the others. Thinking it natural that me Iik craccrs o • h M'''k l T my master should want to get away to his farm, where I knew he had were to be off. W c ascended the Bluff by a pat to ruru s. ~aa · wo & ea, s came with us, the other being left with the_ boat. Mruru had long property, I expressed no surprise. I obeyed the order without question. 1 Little did I imagine that, because of my being a native, I was being alto, ~friendly to the English, with whom he and his people had fr:qkentl{ bartered fish caught in the Bay. When we reached the gate of his. raa, gether deceived. The white men, no doubt on account of my nationality, was bed-rime. He was directed to obliterate the spoor or hoo~prmts_ of preferred not to trust me with their secret, a secret on which, as I afterwards it found, so much depended ! Moreover, had I been told what was required our horses, an infiruclion which, I believe, was duly observed. D{} 1%ng of me, it was possible, in their view, that I might have refused to go. and I now parted from our friends and went off along the B u rt ge southwards. . d ·d I h d In about ten minutes, it full being quite early in the night (say, nine Although young I was by no means an fncxpcrtencc rt er. a o'clock), we set out to a part of the shore, zoo or 300 yards diHant, and neareH the frequently ridden ca;lc (pack-oxen), which facl, wdl knov.:n to _my m~ter, "Mazeppa." This spot is not far fro,n where Addington Hospital now flands. I was no doubt one of the reasons why I was selected to go with him. B:g, here beheld two fineAooking horses, the one white, the other bay, being held moreover of a light weight may have been another rcaso~. I had en by a European. I concluded at once these were troop horses, and had been warned before mounting, that if, in the event of my bemg t~rowbn, kl furnished by the officer commanding, Captain Smith, whom I had seen allowed' the horse to go, it would refi use to be caug h t! an d go shaighc-h ac. in the course of the afternoon. Four Europeans now entered the boat I saw to its stable. Shortly after starting, I was thrown, owmg t? the horse s Y}c°g waiting. Who these Europeans were I know not. George and Joseph Cato badly. I had, however, a knack of almost alwars corru~g on to my eet may have been among them. My master was one. I was told to enter and when thrown. I fortunately did so on this occasion, retamed hold of the did so. Two of the Europeans then rowed us over, the horses being led at reins and remounted. . h D · k the stern by the other man already referred to. The care taken not to make W c came to the Mlazi, not many yards where tt enters t c sea. . tc a sound, the silent dipping of the oars by practised hands, the very absence dismounted, took off everything except his shirt, and han~cd the thmgs -0f snor_cing by our steeds, soon showed me, boy though I was, that the to me to carry on my head. As we plunged into the wa~cr, hig~ on account enterprise I had been so suddenly launched on, which even animals seemed of the tide, it seemed, in the dark, as if we w~rc c~osst~g a rtv~r in ~ood. to appreciate, was no ordinary affair. We were gliding by the Mazeppa, Dick, wholly regardless of crocodiles, swam ~ hJS shirt, ~cading him ds when I heard the report of a gun ring out loud in the night, echoed back by the well as my . own horse. Being unable to swim, I rcmamed mountc , SAVIOUR OF NATAL 51 50 D I C K K I N G : S A V I O U R O F N A T .A l J>ICK KING: . h d ahead with the same extreme caution as before. clutching on to the mane. Dick King was a man absolutely brave and fearless. He. feared neither lions on land or crocodiles in water. fall,~~ de:~; r~: :dges of the bushes, inclined this way ::d tht Vic !>JU'l'e b . g obliged to bend down to get out of the way o ranc es It was well known to me. at the time, jusl: as it was to King, that the. (lequcnt Y em Boers were guarding the drifts ; it was for this reason we crossed close to diat hung ave~ our:att:z:o~:;her high up, I went, by direction, to the sea, where there were no drifts. There were Boers at Mlazi, Ezim, .Afier crossm~ t e I o. h ' b . <> •late at night, when I heard from bokodweni, Amanzimtoti, Ilovu, and Mkomanzi. At the Mlazi I saw _,ther of Ogles kraa s, it t aenbo (I for et the name), who had been three of them mounted returning to their camp at Makala, after having cbc indu~a, Mta~yanh ~h~:ard ti7e Boers ghad discovered our spoor, ~nd apparently been relieved by others. My horse, which had remarkably good warking m Dur an, a . W now went forward at a swifter eyesight, also perceived them. At Amanzimtoti, I saw four more on the were already in hot_ pursuit after us.as ;e were about falling in with ~he road leading to Ilovu. We crossed the Ilovu low down, passing through pace, no longeMr kqu1te ~s ~~~~:r~:e was the limit of imme~ate Boer m, reeds as we did so. Here, again, my master swam across. It was near cncmY The omaz1 a II d f. Mzmto It was · th h the had occasionally trave e as ar as ·. W dawn when we crossed the Ilovu. We entered the thick growth so common ftucnce~ oug . y d that caused us to redouble our energies. e about that part, and there remained for the whole of the day. Before reach, cbc feeling of bemg purs~e I h sea King swam this river too. The ambanyom c ose to t e · . h h ing this spot, when I found my master did not, after crossing the Mlazi, c:rosse d th e Mp l fc ded in quick success10n; t en t e make for the farm at Isipingo, as he had said he intended to do, I questioned Mzintob If~ ant~~~:. :e::,/: six rivers in all. The_Mzimkulu, him. He replied that he had deceived me, and wanted, as a matter of faa, Mzum e. ng • ed not long after usnr1se. to go on to Mzimkulu, where, as he reminded me, I had been with him at this time frequented sea,chowd, wh_as;ross that I was made acquainted with ly when I reac e t is siage . before. Still, I did not become unduly apprehensive, and, as I knew the I t was on . F ndin that we were once more moving Boers would not spare me any more than they would spare my master, the true object. of our J?urnJ\ bick gl questioned him, whereupon he should they fall in with us, I had no objection to urge. beyond the pom~ menuone y ' G ahamstown to report to our At Ilovu, I was directed to put on my ordinary native garb, and go said: "Ndongem, I ~m on my way toandr besi ed b' the Boers. Can and see if I could find any Boers about. I was, moreover, to go to Ogle's people about .our havmg been arac~ed for otten ~hat rook place on the kraal, kwa Tolane, and report to the induna and principal wife that Ogle you be .surpns~~? Have you a rC:nied t! shoot us like dogs, or the way would probably be made a prisoner in Durban. In order to escape detection, Ncapay1 expediuon, where they w_ . •" Then I understood. My own I here joined other lads in the common game of ukuhlab' insema (i.e. to in which they raided my sl:ock a\1S1amgo. tinue my journey for succour, fuck a large bulb when being rolled down an incline). Whilsl: so engaged, feelings were aroused, and I reso ve to ~on uarrel between whites; four Boers rode up. One of these said, "Is not that Ndongeni; Dick King's even though I was a black man~ and this w~s a dmism would meet with servant?" Another expressed doubt. Seeing one of them, Martinus, the even though I seriously doub~ed if my rnal.stedr s opf Boers who had posted . . pe with the mu utu es o , d son of Halimansi, was known to me, having accompanied us on some response su.ffi c1ent to co f al "Never " my master once more ~ssure • waggon trip, I admitted I was the person I was supposed to be. "What themselves m every part? Natd · f hi' Ndongeoi. The serv1ce you do you want here?" asked the man who knew me. "I have come on a "Never shall you sl:and m nee O ~?yt ng, visit to my relatives," I replied. "Your masl:er has been shot," the Boer this day ~en~er will be;~mef b~:!· without furrups were being severely continued. "He tried last night to cross the Bay, and was killed as he By this ume, the e e s. 0 r g I was The horse I rode was very swam." I expressed surprise on hearing this, and added, "It served the fch by me, young and aclive thout ~fol animals would only walk rascal right." (It was policy to speak thus, and I was wise enough to frisky, and inclined to lea~ where Ies~ podw~ did not escape my master's d Th ry predicament s,oo m . know it.) . or wa e. e sor h. ff to relieve my pain. I ought to remark here that I had frequently come into contacl wit~ notice; he here and there lent me is h'1hu1s d it been nearer Durban, we Boers during our waggon journeys, and so was familiar enough with therr On and on we went. Country w ic ' a. ht we now traversed with language to hold an ordinary conversation. This knowledge I sl:ill, to some would never have travelled ~ver e;it ~~ :g o'w was simply to cover the extent, retain. impunity in the broadest dayligh~. et~ Ji: o~der to reach our destination After the Boers had passed on, I went back to Dick, who, in the mean, ~und, t? proceed ~Ion~ the eashest ro~ u's kraals by which we passed were time, had changed and laid his wet things out to dry. I told him everythin~ 10 the quickest pomble ume. T e~nod h · Ruence of the Boers, there that had come to my notice. Owing to this intelligence, as well as to his not unfri~dly, and, as they ~ere yo;.o\f1 ~:tents and purposes, by the own experience, he decided to remain the whole day in hiding. Amongsl: ~as nothing to fear from the mmatesM. ikaba andMzimvubu (St.John's) other things, I took the horses to drink at the stream. No sooner did night time we had crossed the Mtamvuna, s ' SAVIOUR OF NAT AL 53 52 D I C K K I N G : S AV I O U R O F NATAL Told to Mr.].J.]ackson, 1905 (from the "Twentieth Century the principal difficulties of our arduous undertaking had b overcome. What remained was not . k een successfully Impressions of Natal"). the frontie~s of a British colony had be:~ ;::cbe~r d~nrrou~ as befo~e, for on every side. We met two waggons e M . ' w~ pro e~s of assistance I am 'Ndongeni, son of Xogi, born in Zululand, above the White for the troops at Durban We advised ~h ar 21mvubu,kcarrymg provisions . · em to turn ac , and they did urnfolosi .... During the reign of King Dingaan my father's house fell ~er the displeasure of the King, who slew some of our people. The accomparued Mlamulanku · (" h so. bulls"I -one of D . k Ki ' ~ t e peacemaker between contendi JCIIIJindcr of us fled and joined Mpande, brother of Dingaan, in Natal. side of the M aztmout:g shpra.ts~) to the British military camp on the soul I was a boy of about fifteen and herding cattle when we came to live at the one I was gridin h : w m ff1drrups and a fresh horse were procured for me lsipingo, in Natal. There I entered the service of Dick King as voor, g avmg prove too rough King c · d .d • looper· Mpande joined the Boers, and with Pretorius, the Dutch leader, fi ne white charger. We crossed th M . onanue ton e his the neighbourhood f · . ; . gazana, and yet another fiream in went to Zululand, to overthrow Dingaan, but my people flayed in Natal. 0 a DllSSIOll scaaon at B . ·u • h European, known to natives by the name f ~nangvt e, ten C arge of a At this time the natives of the Baca tribe working for Pretorius fiole Jenkins). By this time, owing to havin ha~ t ~rwanqana Re:,. Thomas certain of his cows and calves. The Boers went in pursuit, and were joined fi.irrups my l s h d 11 . h . g o nde over 200 oules without by Dick King and Ogle. I accompanied my master's wagon .... Shortly dangled on e?her asid:eof~~ hbeen Jeik~d Jrlm their sockets. Both literally afterwards the Boer Commander came down, and the fighting commenced stirrups had been got too late t~r:fford :e r o~:r.11 power over them, and 1,ctween Captain Smith and his men and the Boers. The Boers captured my part, done all that could under the cir:u . But I had now played Bcningfield, Geo. Cato, Charlie Adams, M'lckenzie, Ogle and others, boy of sixteen, and succeeded' in comin . mfiances, be expected ~fa Adams escaped in the night and tried to make for a boat, but was shot safety. Seeing I was like! to b g with my master from danger mto dead by the Boers. The Boers were under the impression that they had Dick told me to return to ~he ca:o~: ;:;_ore _an cncumbranc~ than a help. shot Dick King, and did not know at the time that it was Adams. Dick to look out for a ship in four dayt b Jarc1, ;d,bafier adding that I was King had volunteered to ride to the Cape to get relief, and he selected me on his journey alone I was t '. ohn or ur an, he pushed forward to go with him. W c fiartcd off at midnight, King riding a white horse 1 On the fourth day, beheld ~th~:li e h~a~ds the doctor at the camp. j ~~1 and I a bay one. I had no ilirrups and suffered terrible from chafing in and knew my master's efforts h d b g t e s P I was told to look for, consequence. despatch r~nner was now ordere~ to ;::v~rf

A V I R F N A T A L S o u o S7 56 D I C K K I N G : S A V I O U R O F N AT AL pJCK KING: . h ted to send messengers to the Cape a~d to Wi~berg GEORGE'S STORY were i~ fuaiRits.' i ~y ~~g volunteered for the service, and Somerset li~ '"Somerset' stood fifteen hands high, a bay, with black points; skin for relief. c a~ h' ·1ous J. ourney. A second horse was supp e cloth of gold, kind of satin, sleek, whether groomed or ungroomed. His cl d O bear him on t is pen forequarters were shaded with dark firipes like the marks of a zebra. and a sele J ~ C Cato The necessity was very urgen~ b. by r. ,,·Tw~ horse; from the laager, both clamping adt t e ,ltl,' ,. 't" band of black on the back extended from shoulder to croup. No iron shoe J, h I' ht with rein an trave mg ,ct • had ever been on his hardened hoofs. His withers sloped, and his back Stood waiting in t e moon ,g ' -Lynn Lister. was short, close ribbed,up. His flowing black mane, when tossed, seemed . d e es on 'Somerset' he was extremely plea~ed, charged with clefuicity. "As soon as King clapped h y ld rtainly be successful. That rught "'Somerset' could brook no delay, and when saddled, pawed the air and thought that so mounte e w~u c\ the channel at midnight. There and ground. The wonder was how he was fed, for there were whole days he and the two horses were convey{ :cros h the heart of Kafirland, many during which he was tied up in the laager with only a few dry crusts of were six hundred miles to .trave t broug the road in an unknown . to be crossed and tubes to e met on bread for food, and this horse was the pet of the laager, for its spirit and nvers • beauty. Pict used to relate how it ran down the ostrich. country. . . enou h to check the ardour of any "Its head was small, like an Arab's, ears short, supported by a long "The difficulues m prospect;~re t 's previous experience had arched neck, eyes full of fire, and yet so mild ; knees wide and flat, chest person facing the task alone. :;;d at ~~e mettle of 'Somerset,' ""'.ho broad, girth deep, with rounded flanks, hocks well under, fore legs straight. been in horseflesh, he "'."as _soo; asto ntle swift pace day afier day, cro~smg "This golden bay had received the best education in the military riding never Hagged, but maintaine ~le . f natives who attempted to mter, school, and was as docile as any pet. rivers, someti~s in or~er to avo~ thpartl: le distance. Many of the streams "In Augufi, 1838, Dingaan resumed hostilities with 12,000 men, and ccpt him. King rode Somerset e w o attacked the the fortified laager of Andries Pretorius. It is recorded in were full from bank.to bank. 'th no indication of distress, excepting th~ hifiory that the great Napoleon had his chargers trained midst bursting "Thus they humed on, W1 There was no time for resting, until shells and exploding mines. With 'Somerset,' not even the fiendish de, 'Somerset' had a trained ap)?earan~e. h'U King sat down exhausted and moniacal war,shouts of the rushing Zulus were noticed. When the Zulu one hot day, after surm~untlh~ fou~;r th: horse stretched at his ude quite impi was held in check, the Commandant rode 'Somerset' at the head of went to sleep;. on waking, d c the rider on. . O his volunteers round the Rank of the enemy in the rear. He had been in, Rat, but in an mstant he arose, rea y ~arry he Kei River and the Fish formed of the good qualities -of his mount, and when he returned he said "In passing through the country d eelJ 'Somerset' -a trying ordeal. he had not once been obliged to dismount in order to fire. Of course, no River, King became very dro~sy, :d :n. King occasionally leading the trekker would do so if he could help it. weak as they were-but they siagg "It was mainly by this venture of outflanking the Zulus that they ,were horse. . h ho e Graham's Town, Driver's Bush defeated. Even then some of the bravest came near enough to see what a "At last they reached the hetg ts a vN t miles further could they horse he was, and said they would capture him and take him to Dingaan. Hills, and were in sigh~ of the ~o:;; fuo~~de~he beautiful horse over his "As I saw Pretorius gallop out of the laager, elephant gun in hand, have travelled. Then King s\oo fc h nderful feat of endurance ht d made a vow or t at wo li fMr coatless, veld,schoens, sjambok at wrist, bending o'er his horse's neck, as he eyes and nee k , an fc I He also quoted some nes o s. -careered at the head of his band, I thought there was never a smarter soldier. would take care of thhe. hho~Sse or evet:rbowed with arched neck: It seemed forlorn,hope in the presence of such a host. All the best 'schiet N • m to w ic omers b paarden' ( shooting horses) were out, not one left behind. Then was Din, orto~.~~eah~tifu!! mdly bea~~ifid'ual!fghl:s~a~::,t ~:;:;~tran~fiery tyt, gaan's army scattered. With t y prou y arcrx: •1 ' Ji . "When the British reoucciped Natal in 1842, Jan again lent 'Somerset' Thou art so swift, ytt tasily curbed; th; g;;eb{c:~:S It~; fiut." to Pretorius. The English soldiers noticed the horse at several meetings of . . . • old officer, 'Somerset's' form« British and Boers, and remarked what a fine fieed it was. So far did "In passing through Bathurs~~reet, an mit the veteran to again fuokt admiration go, that a Griqua from the Cape made up his mind to §teal. owner, accosted him, but time . ~ot per d " 'Somerset,' and one dark night he stealthily entered a Boer laager at the his old favourite, and the impa?~~t ~1~ Pli~e on. Congella, moved familiarly about as ifhe were one of the 'wachter,ruiters,' "What became of 'Somerset i. t ~li .barracks next morning was "George replied: 'The news m t e rru t~!')' d d ,., and quietly untied the rein, and brought 'Somerset' into the British camp. that King lay in the hospital and "Somerset was ea . "As the fighting continued, supplies ran short, and the British besieged

/ SAVIOUR OF NATAL 59 DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL DICK KING:

Having delivered the famous despatch to Colonel Hare at Grahamstown, King left for Port Elizabeth and boarded the Conch, which was conveying the relief force to Durban. Mr. William Bell, who was for many years Port Captain at Durban, commanded the little schooner and after contending with "adverse winds and currents, only reached Natal after a passage of thirteen days, arriv, ing at the roadsl:ead on the 24th June. On Sunday, the 26th, she entered and anchored in the Bay." In order to follow King,s aclivities at this time it is necessary to give the following extracts from Commander Bell,s narrative. He sl:ates: "On our passage from Algoa Bay, Captain Durnford informed the officers under his command that, when they entered Port Natal, they mull wear shell jackets and their sidC/arrns, by this arrangement their double; barrelled guns would be unemployed. The Captain proposed to Mr. King -which was readily agreed to-that as he must be a good shot, he might have the use of his gun when entering the harbour. She was cleaned up and put in good order, and loaded, but not discharged. To relate the particulars of this would be contrary to the wish of my deceased friend, Major Durnford; we must, therefore, lower it down into the lower hold of oblivion. Mr. King did good service in other ways; and had I been the .distributor of rewards, he would have got more than he has got." TURNED TO DURBAN, TOWING "CoNCH " ON WHICH DICK KING RE " Further on he says: T HE ' M.S "SountAMPTON. BOATS OF THE H • • "At low water, I observed some Katirs coming towards us from the The landing took island. I manned the boat and went to meet them, accompanied by Mr. ith troops of the relief force. T e oats are filled W King. We found on landing that they were old friends of his, and a con, h b place on the 26th June, 18.µ. versation between them was immediately entered into ...at the conclusion Mr. K ng informed me that the Boers were holding out fearful threats [From a photo in tbt "Old Durban Colltc, against him and a neighbour of the name of Marais, I believe a coloured tion" in the Durban Mustum .J man. We now parted company with our sable friends and returned to the ship.' It is probable that Ndongeni was one of the "sable friends" referred to by Bell, and I base this fiatement on what he (Ndongeni) told Beachcroft about proceeding to the Point and finding "Dick" there. A short while after this Bell made arrangements to 6o DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL J) I C K K I N G : S AV I O U R O F N A T A L 61 visit the camp (the Old Fort) and invited King to ac, that King received the despatch from his hands, whe~eas company him. This King declined to do, saying that G rge Cato tells us that, after the failure of the rught he preferred to remain on board the Conch. At the camp atte:'ck of the .23rd, he visited the camp, a.nd requested Bell heard that a schooner was off the port, and on S 'th to give him two troop horses and his despatches, returning to the Point found that it was the Mazeppa a~he same time undertaking to have them forw~rde~. which had proceeded to Delagoa Bay on the roth Jun; The letters and horses were brought to ~ato a~ rune m for assistance. On hearing that the port was in possession the evening. At midnight he awoke Dick Kmg, and ofthe British she entered the Bay, but in weighing anchor conducl:ed him safely across the Bay, a~ you have ~l~eady she parted with her lasl: cable and was driven in the read in the foregoing extracts from v~nous authonues: direcl:ion of the island and grounded on a sandbank. I referred a little while ago to cle~nng up the quest~on Seeing this, Commander Bell, accompanied by Dick of the starting .... point of the famous nde, and after readmg King, manned a boat and went after them. On board, the accounts of: h fi ing. the vessel they found everything in the greatesl: con, ( a) Ndongeni's sl:ory related to Mr. R. H. Beac cro t fus10n, but soon allayed the feelings of those aboard as and Mr. J. J. Stuart, to the welfare of their relatives. During their sl:ay on (b) Narrative of Mr. George C. Cato, . . board, Commander Bell tells us, a dispute arose between we cannot but come to the conclusio? ~h.at D~~k.!-<-mg Dick King and the crew, both parties accusing each set out on that fateful night from the v1ruc1ty of B shed other ofcowardice. It lasted for about half an hour when at the Point, and did not go. to the Old Fort for the it calmed down, after which Bell and King retu;ned to despatches, as the sl:one marking th~ spot there would n. The Mazeppa was at the ume moored a few the Conch. suggest. . · fi h · h It is difficult to find any reason why the crew of the hundred yards direcHy opposite the pomt rom w ic Mazeppa accused Dick of cowardice: they were aware they started. . b of the facl: (being at the Point at the time) that he had,. From the year I 842 ~i?g sett~ed ~ither at Dur an or a month previously, risked his life and undertaken a Isipingo, and possibly divided his soJou~n at these places perilous journey of six hundred miles to save their skins. up to the year I 8 50, when he was tradmg as a butc~er .In a ~espatch! dated 20th August, 1842, from Cap, at the corner of King Street and West Street. ~e earned ta.1.n Srmth to Sir George Napier, K.C.B., the following on this trade until 1857, and during this year disposed ot bnef passage is all the tribute that is paid to King for the business. d f h his daring: During the year I 848 he became ~~sses~e o t e " .. ·. I ought befo~e this to have brought under your Excellency's notice Isipingo property, in extent 5,816 acres, ~y virtue of the the exemons of Mr. ~ng, when entrusted by me with the overland despatch right of occupation." He, or one of his descendants, of the 24th May. His energy and determination in making his way so was granted a half share in 387} acres ofland at Ixopo promptly to the Colony was worthy of all praise." in the year 1909 for "services rendered to the Govern" ~aptain Smith here speaks of his despatch of the 24th, ment." . . which should read the 25th. He also leads us to believe Little or nothing is known of him durmg the year SAVIOUR OF NATAL 63 DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL

1851, until we obtain a few glimpses of him during the ...... years 1852.,1855. It was on 22nd December, 1852, that Dick King was married to Miss Clara J. Noon, of Maidslone, Kent, who came out-to Natal with her uncle, Mr. Breede, with the Byrne immigrants, and it will, no doubt, be of in., teresl to readers to have the following description of that great event in Dick,s life as given to us by Mrs. Eliza W. Fielden in "My African Home,, (1852.,57). "28th December, 1852.-We have been to a wedding in Durban. We rode in early, dressed at our house, and rode out again in the evening. The bride was a good,looking girl of seventeen, dressed in white muslin, as were most of the ladies. The bridegroom, a powerful, dark man, double her age, who has been long in the Colony, and has received a grant of land from Government in acknowledgment of a special service he rendered once by riding over the coafi to give information of an outbreak. "The wedding,breakfast, which was ample, was held under an awning in the garden. The only carriage in the place was hired for the day, and .- afier taking the bridal party to and from church, was sent round the town to bring the guests. It was a light, covered van, and the white curtains on . this occasion were tied with pink ribbon. I suppose the van had springs;· if not, it certainly had the power of conveying them to its occupants, for every jolt sent one almost right across to the other side." COPY OF MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE.

The above entry refers to the wedding which took [From a copy in the possession of the author.] place on the 22nd December, as shewn in the photo" graphed copy of the "Duplicate Original Marriage Register." It will be noticed that in the copy of the marriage regisler "Richard King,, is given as being of full age. With the knowledge that he was born in 18 13, his age at this juncture is easily arrived at. It will also be of interest to the reader to know that he was married at the "Colonial Chaplain's House, Durban." T o"day it is known as "The_Glebe,, and is situated near Albert Park. It is again necessary to quote Mrs. Fielden and the Rev. James Scott to trace his movements during the KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL

years 1853.-1855. Mrs. Fielden on 2nd July, 185 3, writes: "Leyland rode to see some sugar planting. . . . I was watching for him towards th.e dinner hour, when he rode up accompanied by two ladies and a gentleman, all expecting dinner. However, they were quite content with boiled beef and soup, and slatted for Durban when almost dark, neither lady the least afraid of riding through the bush path by night. One of them was Mrs. King, the young lady at whose marriage we had been present a few months before. "Tuesday, July 5th.-. .. The following night it was shared by two others, and Mr. King corning to breakfast, in order to join the party going

Mrs. Richard ("Dick") Philip King, surviving her late husband, afterwards married Mr. J. H. Russel, who was Secretary and General Manager of Railways in Natal, before the days of the Natal Government Rail, ways. Some years later he was retired on pension, and subsequently entered business as an accountant, being associated with the firm of Grant and Frudd. He and Mrs. Russel afterwards retired to Exmouth, England, where Mrs. Russel passed away on 2nd December, 1908, after surviving her (first) famous husband for thirty,seven years. Mr. Russel passed away about the 24th Septem, ber, 1913. My work is now completed. My only objecl: in under, taking to write this work was to fulfil the request of an American friend, and also with the sincere hope that it will convey to the reader a simple and truthful picl:ure of events which occurred at various sl:ages in the life of one, it is sad to relate, we know so little about. In conclusion, let me quote the words penned by the Editor of the Natal Colonifl on the 14th November, 1871: "Well, he is gone; and among them all, already passed away or slill among us, there is not one, a truer, braver, simpler soul than Dick King. As such, as a pattern of an unassuming genuine man, let his name and memory be cherished among the worthies of Natal." A more fitting tribute to a brave and simple soul would be difficult to find.

GO Cs)ll>TBB.Y. ING IN THE ls1PIN GuVE oP D 1CK K 72 DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL 7J LIST of PROPERTIES IN Roads, Streets, Buildings, etc., commemorating the name of OF DICK KING THE POSSESSION Dick King. FROM ABOUT DURING HIS LIFETIME KING'S FoRD, near the Drakensberg Mountains in Natal, in the vicinity THE YEAR 1830 TO I87I. ~ of C avern Glen. Named by Captain Allen Gardiner on his joumer to the C ape in 1835. I830. Hut on th B . e ays1de, near Cato's Cree.le. KING STREET, in Durban. EQUESTRIAN STATUE, at the foot of Gardiner Street, Durban. · Unveiled r 840. Land at Isipingo (E · .x:tent un.lcnown S by His Worship the Mayor (Mr. J. H. Nicolson) on Saturday, 14th 18 Lo · ec year r 848). August, 1915. . 4 r. t137,afuip fladii 0 PARTICULARS rt THE STATUE AND MONUMENT. and referred · ,. n rom Smith Street . G C C t~:n Dutch Survey" "'~d ti.to Baystde, as shown Executed in Italy by Ascoli Brothers. Contract for Statue complete, · • ato. .1.~g t k -- e or the V: lksr This Lot, in the planC:f~tession ~d to pay average.o aad by £1,200. Designed by H. H. Grellier. No. 6, Block M · Oete & P1c:n of r8 · h Cast at the Iron, Concrete and Asbestos Works (Wentworth). Fisher s· 'm extent 679 feet b ti. i-5, JS s own as Erf Panels were also designed by H. H. Grellier (cost £105) and cafi at , 1mmons & Rod ( Y 106 eet of this property. way Pty. ), Ltd., now ~upy fr . the Iron, Concrete and Asbestos Works. (They are a gift from Mr. Jonsson's Lan . ont portton Edwin Grecnacre.) remains th e, on the sue, it is believed . Base of the Monument was built locally by Messrs. Kelly & Cross, of e property of Die.le King. ' in the year I931 slill Durban, out of Greytown fione. I848. S,816 acres ofknd A panel shows the two boars crossing the Bay, with two horses in tow, ti ., I . at Isipingo "b . and underneath are cut the names of the occupants, whilst below that on, u Urnately granted to L, ' y vmue of the right of mm on .20th Dece ber occupa, are the words: "Dick King saved Natal. May 1842. Erecled by Public r8so. A thatched buildin m ' 1848. Subscription." Another panel shows both riders and horses on the way• .known as "Th p ~'. on the comer of S "th . W. Paton was the architect His butcher's ~o avilion." DlJ and King Strecu, It was on the suggefiion of Mr. E. L. Acutt (ex.-Mayor of Durban) King owned E p was on the comer of Ki that the fund was raised for the erection of the Memorial. "Kin 's S ,,rvens u and u, Bloc.le L ng and West Strecu. Mr. George Palmer and Miss Ethel Campbell were instrumental in g treet and sold small plots th He cut out or laid off ere. organising the public subscription. Farms at Yaalban.lc T The Memorial was presented by Mr. Acutt, Chairman of the Fund, to Mr. William Leathern ransvaaJ. purchased through the the Mayor for safe keeping. · agency of KING'S HALL, Aliwal Street, Durban. Opened by the Mayor (Mr. T. M. House on the otai S Wadley) on ISt April, 1925. (Afterwards rc,named "King's Kinema") .. flation A mal n outh Coast road h Has a portrait of Dick King and two plaques, suitably coloured and the gro~nds ~ I notice,board attachel t~C:t t e Isipingo railway built into the wall of the main hall, depicting scenes of his memorable is now used fo~ the foUo~ing words: "Diet/Kie~t t?e entrance to ride to Grahamstown. The name of the hall was the outcome of a remearne s 0 2 ;"' b . ng s House " It -, usmess. · popular vote in a competition organised by Mr. Joseph Butterworth, of 1909. Half share in 378i Durban. · the Government " acres ofland at Ixopo for "servi KINGSWAY TRUNK ROAD, on the Natal South Coast road, between This was · ' ces rendered to U mbogintwini and Amanzimtoti, on the seaAi:ont. Opened to the presumably granted to one of L ' ,us sons. public during 1931. "KING'S ;R.EsT," Isipingo Beach. The private residence of Mr. F. R. King, second son of the late "Dick0 King. . Nott.-King's Rest, on the Bluff, does not commemorate the name of"Dick" King. It marks the burial place of Lieut. J. S. King, who was buried there in 1828. 75 SAVIOUR OF NATAL DICK KING: 74 DICK KING: SAVIOUR OF NATAL

G~VESTONE IN THE lSIPINGO CEMETERY, with the following inscrip, Table of Authorities. uons: e \l · authorities. "Sacred to the memory of Richard Philip King, born Chatham, Eng, . made to the io owmg Acknowledgment of indebtedness is land, November 28th, 1813. Died Isipingo, Natal, 10th November, atal (two volumes). 1871. Age 58 years. Palman qui mtriutferat." . Anna1 so [N BIRD REVERSE SIDE OF STONE. . Natal. . . luland and Natal. BROOKS z "The gallant acl of Richard Philip King in riding overland to Grahams, Olden Times m u BRYANT town for the relief of the remnant of the troops and others bcleagurcd by · N tal Notices. A,_. CHASE · a f Southern .t'Ulica. the Boers and reduced to great privations in May, 1842, is a matter of Seven Wanders o . . f Dutch Farmers, etc. CHILVERS . on the Errugrauon o history and will never be forgotten in Natal. His kindness and generosity CLOETE . L~c\urfesS th Africa (five volumes). were a household word, but his affeaion as a husband and father can . Rise o ou CoRY be but known to his bereaved family, who creel this monument as a M African Home. FIELDEN . y the Zoolu Country. slight tribute to one whose irreparable loss they now mourn." . Journey to GARDINER, . Zululand. Krnc's MANSIONS, corner of Acutt Street and Esplanade. Completed in GROUT . History of Natal. December, 1930, and named after "Dick" King, the opinion being held HoLDEN 'Tis but Yesterday .. that he flarted on his epic ride from a spot near the building. Hooic. . Zululand under Dmgaan. HuLLEY · f African Seaport. al • Story o. Century Impressions of Nat . K1NGSMEAD SPORTS GROUND, adjoining the Old Fort. When suggcs, INGRAM ~ . Twcnuet [Natal (1497,1845). tions were invited for the naming of this ground, the opinion was held LLOYD that he flatted from the "Old Fort" on his ride. The Durban Football Cradle Days o MAcKEURTAN • Colony of Natal. . Southern Africa. Association therefore adopted the name of"Kingsmead" by a resolution MANN . History of the Battles, etc., m(Van Riebeck Society) passed on the 10th December, 1923. The official name of the ground MoonIE . Diary: ed. by Sir G. Cory. is "Kingsmcadow." OwEN · • . of Old Durban. RussELL, C. • Histolry he Land and its Story. DICK KING LODGE, Sons of England Patriotic and Benevolent Society. Nata: t RUSSELL, R . . slcnt ) A Lodge formed in Durban in 1921, under the charter of the Sons of . Story of a ~ cm . Africa (two volumes . SHEFFIELD, England Society. Lodges arc usually named after an Englishman who . Wanderings m Soutca· since 1795 (various). STEEDMAN, has performed some outflanding deed on behalf of his country. The • History of South A C~lon (35 volumes). THEAL ecords of the Cape . y -rr:-g of the Zoo- honour has been conferred on Dick King by this Lodge and he is their . R n: Dmgaan, ~u patron character. It is a practice of the brethren of the Lodge to meet .. Statements respccung on the Esplanade each 25th May, the anniversary day of the ride, when Woon • lahs, etc. Cc t nary of the 1820 settlers of the Worthy President places a wreath on the Dick King Stauct. It mcmoration of the n e SouvENIR! I n com s,1861 should be noted that the objc& of this Society arc flrictly non.,political. Albany: List of Settlers. • Annual Reports for 183 • N Miss10NARY SocIETY. DICK KING'S MEMORIAL, OLD FORT. A flonc let into the wall near WESLEYA ,. ( S) the entrance gateway, and slated to be the spot from which King set out "N TAL ADVERTISER 192 • on his famous ride. The following inscription appears on the tablet: "N:TAL CoLONIST" (is7i).) "On the 26th May, 1842, Dick King set out from this Fort on his 'NATAL MERCURY" (various • memorable ride to His Honour Colonel Hare, C.B., at Grahamstown, Lieut. .-Govcrnor on the Frontier, asking for help for Her Majesty's Forces besieged here by the insurgent Boers." The reader is advised to refer to page -4-4, where documentary proof will be found to definitely settle the long,debated question of King's flarting,point. .,. SAVIOUR OF NATAL 77 76 D I C K K I N G : S A V I O U R O F N A T A L DICK KING: . tance which a discharge of shells and DESPATCH FROM CAPT. SMITH, 27th REGT.,. the attack without t?e valuabl~ ~:~e afforded me. Giving the_ or~er to shot from the howitzer woul d . ft ed to where the terrrunauon of TO LIEUT •.;COLONEL HARE, C.B. AND K.H., advance, therefore, the troops had JU :v:~ space in front of the Congella, LIEUTENANT.;GOVERNOR. a range of mangr~t brt~o~~~ fi:: from the bush was ~ured on th~~; whrn a heavy an we ~ re d d commenced a fire m return, w i e upon which they immediatily trme J~ortunately, one of the draught oxen Port Natal, May 25th, 1842. the two six,pounders w~e oa '?g~. but this being soon got over, a desuuo being shot caused some m~crrup~o fc , h'Ie our opponcr1ts. But several. Srn,-It is with feelings of deep regret that I have the honour to com, tive fire from the guns silence d~ a d~aping out of their "trektouws, municate to you the disastrous result of an attack made by the force under more ofthe oxen becoming wou\ ;h:\mbers, which caused much delay my command on the emigrant farmers congregated at the Congella camp rushed among the troops, ups~ ~ h anks This circumfunce, added din d some confusion m t e r ' b" ak advantage at this place. in rel oa .g, and l h total silence of the guns, e mg t _en . In my last despatch, I detailed the various fteps taken by the farmers. to the partial, an at engt_ ' d heavy fire ( their long pieces c~rrymg to annoy the troops, and my determination to abstain, if possible, from of by the Boers, they again opcne :Vere loss resulted to the troops m con, hostilities, if it could be done without detriment to the honour of the service, much farth~ th~n a ;:iu5tet). h!ls was not likely to accomplish the PtKte in the vain hope of conciliating these misguided people, and smoothing the sequence. Fmdmg, t erd ore,~ nt in motion, and that the men were a l ng way to a quiet settlement of their long,disturbed position as regards the for which I had put the . etac me . cffetlin this object afrer some de ay' Government of the Cape. But the receipt of an insolent letter, demanding fast I thought it ex:pedi~nt to ~u~e, the ro!d difficult. The troops, how, that the force I commanded should instantly quit Natal, followed up by the 'partial rising oft: ud: :~;l:Ckl tolerable order, leaving ~~nd th~~ the removal, by armed men, of a quantity of cattle belonging to the troops. ever, reached camp a ut hi h he death of the oxen rendered tt impossi e rendered it absolutely necessary that some fteps should be taken in order to I regret to say, the guns, w c t prevent a repetition of such outrages. to remove. . l ess of the farmers might induce I therefore determined, after mature deliberation, to march a force and Thinking it probable that this parua ~ucc I made such preparations attack their camp at Congella (a place about three miles from our position). them to make an immediate attack on s~se ~~:Js· realised shortly afr~ards, and set a pan the night of the 23rd instant to cffetl that object. As the road u I thought necessary; and ~ound ~ /re on three sides of it. This w~ leading to the Congella from the post the troops now occupy lies for the a large body of them opcrung a h vy. b t they did not finally retire until most part through thick bush, I thought it best to cross the sands at low met by a spirited resistance on our part• u water, as by this means I could avoid annoyance from the farmers, till about an hour before daybreak. L. h esult of this attack, and the within a short distance of their fution. Fitting a howitzer, therefore, into • _r: you has =n t e r b . Such, I regret to m1orm • the total in both skirmishe_s emg as a boat, under the supctintendence of Lieutenant Wyatt, of the Royal consequent loss has been s~er~ cat cause of failure I attnbute.to the and leaving it under the charge of a sergeant of the same corps, Artillery, detailed in the return enclose. . i:;hgi had placed the howitzer, with.the I gave him directions to drop down the channel to within five hundred mismanagement of the boat m f; s might have been thrown mto yards of the Congella, and await the troops, in order that they might form h shells of which I had horJ t e t :~::e to be of any use, and even took under cover ofits fire, aided by that oftwo six,pounders which accompanied' the force I had with me. This consisted of 1 subaltern and 17 privates, confusio~ ~ but she ~r~~r;or ho;:re~o produce much effect Royal Artillery; I subaltern, I sergeant, and 7 privates, Royal Sappers ; up a posmon too dist ccted with the subjea of this report, and 2 captains, 2 subalterns, 5 sergeants, and 100 rank and file, 27th Regiment, Among the many matter~ c~~he death of Lieut. Wyatt, of ~he Royal and 2 mounted orderlies of the Cape Mounted Riff es. awakening the deepest rcgr '. d had exerted himself much m making Having previously sent a picquet out to feel the skirts of the wood in Artillery' who for the two prev~~s w~s killed early in the atlion. Of the front of our position, in order to prevent our movements being discovered, the necessary auangement~, d le and Lieut Lennard, of the 27th I put the whole party in motion at n p.m. (it being bright moonlight,) zealous services of Capt~n Lo~t; these officers being severely wounded. 'i·ment I was also deprived, . hi h the detachment was placed, and arrived without molestation within nearly 800 yards of the place f Reg ' · · tances m w c · cd proposed to attack. To my great mortification, I found that the boat had In fact, under the uymg circ.uhms h illingness to perform the duty aSS1gn l t regret that wit sue w not dropped down the channel according to my instructions; but as I con I h ave on y o l h id have been so unfortunat.e. sidered it imprudent to await the chance of her arrival, I was forced to make to them, the resu t s ou 78 D I C K K I N G : S A V I O U R O F N A T A L

The loss on the part of the Boers it is difficult to estimate, but I am told it has been severe. The whole of this day they have made no movement; but I have to give them the credit of treating such of the wounded as fell into their hands with great humanity. These, with the bodies of those who fell, they sent to the camp this afternoon and to,morrow the sad duty of interring our departed comrades will take place, What fieps the farmers may subsequently take I cannot at this moment surmise with any degree of certainty; but I think it probable they will again demand that I should quit the territory they call their own within a specific time. I shall, of course, do what I can to maintain myself in my present position; but, considering the number of the disaffecled, and the means they possess of molesting the troops, I beg to urge the necessity of a speedy reinforcement, as I scarcely consider the troops at present stationed here sufficient for the performance of the duty to which they have been assigned. I have the honour, &c., (Signed T. C. SMITH, q_apt., 27th Regt., Commandant.

RETURN of Killed, Wounded, and Missing ( men and horses), belonging to the Detachment under the command of Captain T. C. Smith, 27th Regt., on the night of the 23rd and morning of the 24th May, 1842. Royal Artillery.-Killed: 1 subaltern, 3 rank and file. Wounded, 2 rank and file. Royal Sappers and Mincrs.-Wounded: 2 rank and file. Twenty,seventh Regiment.-Killed: 12 rank and file, I battalion horse. Wounded: 1 captain, 2 sergeants, 2 3 rank and file, 1 riding horse. Missing: 1 rank and file, 1 troop horse. Cape Mounted RiRes.-Killed: 1 rank and file. Wounded, 2 troop horses. Missing : 2 rank and file. TOTAL-Killed: 1 subaltern, 15 rank and file, r battalion and I troop horse. Wounded: r captain, r subaltern, 27 rank and file, 1 riding horse, 2 troop horses. Missing: 3 rank and file, 2 Hottentot wagon..drivers (killed on morning of the 24th), 1 English driver ( wounded do. do. ).-In all: 17 killed, 3r wounded, and 3 missing. R·oba.6/e Rovle lcJken b.f1- 11 DICI< l(/N G Ym9en, R on h1'.5 famous r ide lrom Ol/l?BAIII I Porf Natal lo Grahams/own (/mloOJ R 0 I 0 from the Z6 ".!> M1!J, 1842 lo ahoul lhe .S. / llovo Ii'. J · Umkomoo.s I? • 4"-" June l84Z. _(!o L>a~)- I Umr,nlo Ii' \...t ,f tV {/mz,,,.,/rul" I/ ,(J

{J,.,/o m v una 11 ~f Com;,1/ed from Old Mc1p:, ~~ by C. J Eyre /932

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Scale ol Mt/es

E,P, & COMMERCIAi. PTG, C:O. LTD, SMl'.TH STIU!ET • • DURBAN