ss stable character as
intelligence officers. These, in their turn, unwisely without due inquiry,
engaged subordinates, upon whom they relied for their information. Graaf
Reinet people had had to put up with something akin to the Spanish
Inquisition. Men there were afraid to speak for fear of espionage, the
most innocent remarks were distorted by spies recruited from an uncertain
section of the community. A cattle inspector was deported without trial;
in consequence, the Secretary for Agriculture decided not to employ him
again; at Graaf Reinet a Colonial intelligence officer constantly declared
in public that it was his intention to drive the people into rebellion;
and so instances could be multiplied.

The rebellion was not due to martial law. In Graaf Reinet the prison was
frequently so crowded, often by men who did not in the least know why,
that no more sleeping accommodation could be found in it. People were in
durance vile because they would not join the town guard or defence force.
So overcrowded the prison became that many persons contracted disease
during their incarceration.

For these sad occurrences the Cape Government was not initially to blame;
more than once they had remonstrated with the local military authorities,
but reports concerning their conduct were not allowed to reach the ears of
Lord Roberts or of Lord Kitchener. Very often a Hottentot informed against
respectable citizens to the intelligence officer, and by virtue of that
they were imprisoned as long as the military authorities deemed fit. When
released, a man would sometimes find that his house had been sacked and
his most valuable property carried away. Persons were deported at an
hour's notice without reasons being given, and thereafter scouts took
possession of their farms and plundered and destroyed everything. Four
wagon-loads of men, women and children were deported from their homes at
Beaufort West. In vain did they ask what they had done. Everybody of the
name of Van Zyl in the district of Graaf Reinet was deported! not a single
person was left on their farms except those who had driven them out of
them. And after these had done their work the victims were told, "Now you
can return home." Some had to walk back many miles to their farms, to find
only ruin left. Many white people were imprisoned on the mere evidence of
coloured persons, the reputation for veracity of whom was well known all
over South Africa, and whose evidence against