Campaign Against Hinza with Sir Benjamin D'urban

+ r \t DECEMBER ft); 1929. EARLY DAYS OF SHEPSTONE CAMPAIGN AGAINST HINZA WITH SIR BENJAMIN D’URBAN FIRST PUBLICATION OF LETTERS AND DIARY ENTRIES By C. J. UYS. Below is published the first of an important series of articles compiled from the letters and diaries of Sir Theophilus Shepstone. The articles will appear daily in these columns, and will become more and more absorbing as the interests and importance of the young Shepstone developed. In this article the story is told of the great Natalian’s first command. Under Sir Benjamin d’Urban he served with Colonel Harry Smith against Hinza. His knowledge of the native and his language ivas even then such that he was chosen to organise a force of 6,000 Fingos. This he did to the satisfaction of his commander and the surprise of the enemy. To-morroiv’s article deals with the acquisition to the Empire of “ Queen Adelaide’s Province,” and dramat ically describes the attempted escape and death of Hinza. It describes the establishment of a military post at Kingwilliamstown, of which the Governor said: “ There never was a site more perfectly prepared by nature for a splendid provincial town.” SOUTH AFRICA’S TALLEYRAND IR John Robinson, the first promotion, for the entry wag made S Premier of Natal, who was casually iu the margin. Many a Xosa intimately associated with the iinpi had to bite the dtist before the late Sir Theophilus Shepstone for swiftly delivered attacks of the de over thirty years, once stated that spired Amafengo under Shepstone, and while much had been said and lieard it was not long before Hinza realised about the building up of a South that 'he must give in. African Dominion, if it were built up April 28. * ‘To-day five more mes the historian of the future would sengers came with this message from reckon Sir Theophilus Shepstone as Hinza: ‘Why must I die? May I not the least im come and ask the portant of its reason myself ?* To pillars.” The Do which the General minion is in being, replied: He was and the part the representatiwe played by Shep of the King of stone in its crea- England and would tion may be receive no mes estimated. The sage from him ; but task is rendered if he wishes to say easier by the fact anything he must that a number of come himself and his letters and say it, and nothing papers have now would stop his been made avail- troops from pro ayle to the his ceeding as they torian, and will ihad done but shortly be pub Hinza himself, and lished in book the General pledged form. They shed Ihis honour that a new light on Hinza sihall return “South Africa’s without molesta- Talleyrand,” a s tation after the Sir Bartle Frere conference. T h e once called him. messengers then The eldest son rode away.” of the Reverend Aipril 29. “ To-day William Shepstone, the four men who one of the foun were kept from the ders of Wesleyan 27th were released Missions in South with the same Africa, Theophilus REV. WILLIAM SHEPSTONE. message as the Shepstone was messengers r e- •born at Westbury-on-Trim, near Bristol. ceived yesterday.” While Hinza was William Shepstone removed to Gra- {hesitating, Colonel Smith made his de hamstown, where he started in business cision for Ihim. He returned with 6ome as architect and builder, and was re 1,800 head of cattle, and at “ about 5 sponsible for the erection of the first p.m. Hinza and 20 of this attendants Wesleyan Methodist place of worship in appeared in sight of the camp, an<T Kaffraria. For nearly ihalf a century were met by Captain Beresford, of the he was destined to play an active part General’s Aides-de-Camp. among the tribes across the frontiers of the Colony— as indicates his kaffir The Conditions name, “ Sonjica,” which means an en thusiastic builder. Hinza, with two of his men, came This fact brought the young Theo forward from the rest, and held out philus into daily intercourse with the his hand to Captain* B. when he was kaffir tTibes, and he became as profi introduced to the General, who congra cient in their language as in his own. tulated him on his visit, and imme His abilities as a Bantu linguist soon diately read to him the conditions on became known to the Colonial Govern which he would consider him a friend ment, and at the age of eighteen he and an ally to the British Govern was offered and accepted his first ment, whidh were that he deliver appointment as interpreter. In that within five days 25,000 ihead of cattle capacity he served on the staff of Sir and 500 horses, and that the murderer Benjamin D ’ Urban during -the 1835 of Purcell be put to the condign campaign against Hinza. punishment of death before Commis sioners appointed for tihat purpose by Diaries Begin the General; that 300 head of cattle be delivered up to the said Commis It was at this period that lie began sioners ; that the same terms be com his series of diaries, which reflect his plied with because of the murder of life and career, £is well as the his Armstrong.” (Purcell was a trader tory of (South Africa, over a period who was cruelly murdered at Shaw of well nigh sixty years, from a leather-*] Fountain in the previous July; Arm bound military pocket book. On March strong was a settler who, on his way ..... :: V m f ->*• FACSIMILE OF FIRST ENTRY in the diary of Sir Theophilus Shepstone. The last entry which will be published later will show how little the hand writing of the great Natalian changed in the course of the years. 26, 1835, he entered in a hand which to the Colony with some despatches, remained unchanged until his death: was murdered a week prior to these *‘Journal commencing with my depar negotiations.) ture from Grahamstown with His Ex cellency Sir Benjamin D ’Urban.” Like George IV. Sir Benjamiu further demanded that Sir Benjamin and his staff proceeded H :nza should pay “ 25,000 head of to Eort Willshire, to the camp of cattle, to be delivered to the Colonial Colonel Harry Smith, and had not Government, and 500 horses, one year been in the field more than a month from this date. In the evening dined when Sir Benjamin, who had already with Colonel Smith, and after dinner realised the ability of his interpreter, wo stopped talking to him until 11 decided to organise a force of the p m., when we retired.” It is to be Fingos, and gave the command to regretted that Shepstone did not leave to posterity a description of Hinza’ s young Shepstone. personality; but Colonel Smith quaintly In his diary of April 26, Shepstone de&cribed him as “ a very good-looking states: “ To-day I received my appoint fellow, his face, though black, was ment as Commander-in-Chief of the the very image of poor dear Fingos, about 6,000 in number” — but George IV IV. he was not unbalanced by this sudden To be continued| * t THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1929. EMPIRE BUILDING IN AFRICA Death of Hintza and Foundation at ip of Kingwilliamstown er P- ly MORE EPISODES IN EARLY LIFE OF SIR lie e, THEOPHILUS SHEPSTONE 'h 10 By C. J. UYS. HEPSTONE goes oji to relate in a • • . bringing the intelligence of tho S delightful and unaffected manner death of Major White and Hintza. liovv peace was proclaimed and Hintza died on the 12th inst., and poor how ultimately, when the chief failed Major White on the 14th. The circum to comply with the conditions imposed stances of the death of the former were upon tyim, his territory was annexed. as follows:— In ascending a steep hill His views as to the unwisdom of cer Hintza walked sharply up so as to get tain of the Governor’s actions in this to the top before any of the rest; he connection show that he already had a immediately jumped on his horse and sound knowledge of native psychology. urged him to his full speed; Colonel u This morning,” he wrote, “ all the Smith, who was the only one on horse officers were forpied into a line on the back, spurred his horse, and, coming left hand of the General, and Hintza np with him after about 150 yards, With his “ heemraden” appeared in the called out “ H intza!” fron (t) of the General. Colonel Smith appeared on the part of Hintza, who Hintza's Dealh pledged his good faith to the British He turned round and smiled ; the Government, w’hen the General shook Colenel then drew a pistol and pre Hintza by the hand and the three guns sented it to him— it snapped; he drew fired and feace was proclaimed through another, which snapped also; he then out Hintza’s territory. threw one of his pistols at him, which struck him on the head. This only Large Presents served as a fresh impetus to him— he After this large presents were made urged his horse afresh and appeared as to Hintza to the amount of about £150. if he would escape. However, the W hat tendency this will liaye I know Colonel, having spurred his horse to the not; 1 fear a very bad'one. .” utmost, he did not know howr to attack The peace so solemnly concluded was him as he was armed with his assegais.

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