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Page 19
The small force pressed forward as far as the Matlaurin River, about
half way, where all bivouacked. Leaving the main body, Waterboer,
Moffat, and a few others, rode onward for about four hours, and then
halted for the night among some trees. At day-light they proceeded until
they came in sight of the enemy. These were divided into two parties,
one holding a town, out of which they had driven the inhabitants, and
the other lying on the hills to the left of the town. As the horsemen
drew near, they could perceive that they were discovered, and among the
masses of the invaders could be seen the war-axes and brass ornaments as
they glittered in the sun.
Riding forward, Moffat and Waterboer found a young woman belonging to
the Mantatees, whose whole appearance denoted direful want. Food was
given her, and some tobacco, and she was sent with a message to her
people that the strangers wanted to speak with them and not to fight. An
old man and a lad were also found dying of starvation, these were helped
and talked to in full sight of the enemy. All possible means were tried
to bring them to a parley, but in vain, they only responded by making
furious rushes, showing their intention to attack.
The whole day was spent in this manner, and at evening Moffat left
Waterboer and the scouts, and rode back to confer with Mr. Melville and
the other Griqua chiefs, to see if some means could be devised of
preventing the dreadful consequences of battle. One of the Griqua
chiefs, named Cornelius Kok, nobly insisted on Moffat taking his best
horse, one of the strongest present. To this generous act the missionary
afterwards owed his life.
All the party were in motion the next morning before day-light. The
whole of the horsemen advanced to within about one hundred and fifty
yards of the enemy, thinking to intimidate them and bring them to a
conference. The Mantatees rushed forward with a terrible howl, throwing
their war clubs and javelins. The rushes becoming dangerous, Waterboer
and his party commenced firing, and the battle became general. The
Mantatees obstinately held their ground, seeming determined rather to
perish than flee, which they might easily have done.
After the combat had lasted two hours and a-half, the Griquas, finding
their ammunition rapidly diminishing, advanced to take the enemy's
position. The latter gave way and fled, at first westward, but being
intercepted, they turned towards the town. Here a desperate struggle
took place. At last, seized with despair, the enemy fled precipitately,
and were pursued by the Griquas for about eight miles.
Soon after the battle commenced, the Bechwanas who accompanied the
Griqua force came up, and began discharging their poisoned arrows into
the midst of the Mantatees. Half-a-dozen of these fierce warriors,
however, turned upon them, and the whole body scampered off in wild
disorder. But as soon as these cowards saw that the Mantatees had
retired, they rushed like hungry wolves to the spot where they had been
encamped, and began to plunder and kill the wounded, also murdering the
women and children with their spears and battle-axes.
Fighting not being within the missionary's province, he refrained from
firing a shot, though for safety he kept with the Griqua force. Seeing
now the savage ferocity of the Bechwanas in killing the inoffensive
women and children, he turned his attention to these objects of pity,
who were fleeing in all directions. Galloping in among them, many of the
Bechwanas were deterred from their barbarous purpose, and the women,
seeing that mercy was shown them, sat down, and baring their breasts,
exclaimed, "I am a woman; I am a woman." The men seemed as though it was
impossible to yield, and although often sorely wounded, they continued
to throw their spears and war-axes at any one who approached.
It was while carrying on his work of mercy among the wounded that Moffat
nearly lost his life. He had got hemmed in between a rocky height and a
body of the enemy. A narrow passage remained, through which he could
escape at full gallop. Right in the middle of this passage there rose up
before him a man who had been shot, but who had collected his strength,
and, weapon in hand, was awaiting him. Just at that moment one of the
Griquas, seeing the situation, fired. The ball whizzed past, close to
Moffat. The aim had been a true one, and the way of escape was clear.
This battle saved the mission. It did more than that--it saved the
Mantatees themselves from terrible destruction. As a devastating host
they would in all probability have advanced to the borders of the
Colony, and being driven back, would have perished miserably, men,
women, and children, either of starvation, or at the hands of those
tribes whom they would have overcome in their advance, and through whose
territories they must have passed in their retreat.
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