, at
which time the accursed system of slavery was virtually brought to an
end in the colony, though the slaves were not finally freed from all
control till 1838. But the glory of this noble work was sullied not a
little by the unjust manner in which, during these four years, the
details relative to the payment of compensation to slave-owners were
carried out. We cannot afford space here to go into these details.
Suffice it to say that, as one of the consequences, many families in the
colony were ruined, and a powerful impulse was given to the exodus,
which had already begun. The leading Dutch-African families in
Oliphant's Hock, Gamtoos River, along the Fish River, and Somerset, sold
their farms--in many cases at heavy loss, or for merely nominal sums--
crossed the border, and bade a final adieu to the land of their fathers.
These were followed by other bands, among whom were men of wealth and
education, from Graaff-Reinet, Uitenhage, and Albany, until a mighty
host had hived off into the far north. Through many a month of toil and
trouble did this host pass while traversing the land of the savage in
scattered bands. Many a sad reverse befell them. Some were attacked
and cut off; some defended themselves with heroism and passed on,
defying the Kafirs to arrest their progress, until at last they reached
the distant lands on which their hearts were set--and there they settled
down to plough and sow, to reap and hunt and build, but always with arms
at hand, for the savage was ever on the watch to take them at a
disadvantage or unawares.

Thus were laid the foundations of the colony of Natal, the Orange Free
State, and the Transvaal Republic.

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Note 1. The war of 1884-6 cost the Treasury 800,000 pounds, and the
colonists lost in houses, stock, etcetera, 288,625 pounds.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

THE LAST.

With peace came prosperity. This was not indeed very obvious at first,
for it took a long time to reconcile the unfortunates of the eastern
provinces to their heavy losses, and a still longer time to teach them
to forget. Nevertheless, from this time forward the march of the
settlers of 1820, commercially, intellectually, and religiously, became
steady, regular, and rapid.

No doubt they suffered one or two grievous checks as years rolled on.
Again and again they had to fight the Kafir savage and drive him back
into his native jung