“And yet these same people permitted their own country to be taken from them by the Zoolus.”

“Yes, it was so; but want and necessity had turned them into desperate warriors.”

“I wonder they never thought of going back and recovering their own country.  They would have been a match for the Zoolus.  Is that the end of their history, Swinton?”

“No, not quite.  But perhaps you are tired?”

“Oh, no.  Pray go on.”

“The Mantatees, although defeated by the Griquas, soon recovered their courage, and intelligence came that they were about to make a descent upon Kuruman, where the missionaries had their station.  The Mantatees, having been informed that the Griquas had gone home, now determined to revenge themselves upon the Bechuanas, whom they considered but as the dust under their feet.

“On this information, Mr. M. wrote to Waterboer, who commanded the Griquas, requesting his immediate return; but Waterboer replied that an immense body of Mantatees were coming down upon the Griquas by the Val or Yellow River, and that they were forced to remain, to defend their own property, advising Mr. M. to retreat with his family to the Griqua town, and put themselves under their protection.

“As they could no longer remain, the mission station was abandoned, and the missionaries, with their wives and families, retreated to Griqua town.  They had not, however, been long at Griqua town before news arrived that both the bodies of Mantatees had altered their routes.  One portion of them went eastward, toward the country from which they had been driven by the Zoolus, and another, it appears, took possession of the country near the sources of the Orange River, where for many years they carried on a predatory warfare with the tribes in that district.  At last a portion of them were incorporated, and settled down on that part which is now known as the Mantatee new country; the remainder made an irruption into the eastern Caffre country, where they were known as the Ficani.”

“And what became of them?”

“They defeated one or two of the Caffre chiefs, and the Caffres implored the assistance of the English colonists, which was granted, and a large armed force was sent out against the invaders.  They were found located—­for they had built a town—­near the sources of the Umtata River.  The Caffres joined with all their forces, and the Ficani were surprised.  A horrid slaughter took place; muskets, artillery and Congreve rockets were poured upon the unfortunate wretches, who were hemmed in on all sides by the Caffres, and the unfortunate Ficani may be said to have been exterminated, for the Caffres spared neither man, woman nor child.  Such is the history of the Mantatees; their destruction was horrible, but perhaps unavoidable.”