An account of the Amakosae, a tribe of Caffers adjoining the Eastern Boundary of the Cape Colony

Abstract

This abridged account, written by Assistant Staff-Surgeon N. Morgan, provides a detailed ethnographic and historical overview of the Amakosae (sic) (Xhosa) tribe, who abutted the Eastern Boundary of the Cape Colony in the early 1830s.

The paper begins by tracing the history of European encroachment at the Cape, noting that Dutch expansion and aggressive land acquisition led to the subjugation of the original Khoi inhabitants. It establishes that the Xhosa, simultaneously expanding from the east, met the colonists around the formation of the Graaff-Reinet district (c. 1786), resulting in a century of conflict marked by seizure, conquest, and predatory incursions. By 1825, the Xhosa had been forced to relinquish land west of the Keiskamma River, transitioning into a trading relationship with the colonists.

The text describes the Xhosa territory's rectangular geography (approx. 10,000 square miles), bounded by mountains, the Bashee River, and the sea, noting its healthy climate and abundance of Mimosa and bush.

A detailed account of Xhosa political history and genealogy follows, despite the challenges of relying on oral tradition. The Chiefs trace their lineage back to a common ancestor, Um Conde, approximately two centuries prior. The account focuses on the major political division between the line of U'Caleka (leading to the principal chief U'Henza) and the line of U'Raraba (leading to Gika and his regent, U'Maaquomo), detailing the civil wars and external conflicts (especially against the Tambookies).