It was around noon when the sons of Gogosoa arrived with Herry. They were gathered in the front of the fort. The freemen were there in their numbers, armed and outraged.
'Commander!' It was their spokesperson, Reindersz. 'Seize the sons of Gogosoa and keep them hostage until our slaves are returned.'
'Stand back. As your Commander I will deal with this matter. Soldiers, arrest the two Hottentoos next to Herry.' The soldiers rushed towards them and pointed their guns at the two men flanking Herry. The Hottentoos, who were there in vast numbers, scattered I different directions when they saw Schacher, Otegno, and another chief of the Caapmen, Osaoa, dragged away.
Herry, visibly shocked and confused at the sudden twist of events stepped up to the Commander. 'What are you doing? This was not what we agreed-'
'We are taking them hostage.'
'That is not why you called them here. You said you wanted to make an agreement about Gogosoa.'
'Enough with the lies and deceit. Their
women were seen taking roasted tortoises to the slaves.'
'That is not true.'
'That is why you were sooo unwilling to search for the runaways. You knew, all along, they were harbouring them. To sell them for a profit. You are a traitor. Vanish from my sight.'
'Where are you taking them?'
'To the surgeon. Leave.'
'If you promise to treat them well, we will make one last search for the slaves.'
His promises did not move the Commander. 'If you know where our slaves are, return them. Or you and those harbouring them will feel the wrath of our anger.'
The sight of Krotoa standing next to the Commander surrounded by weaponed soldiers, unleashed Nommoa's anger.
'It was you!' He pointed his spear at her. 'You advised them to take our people hostage.' The soldiers formed a barrier in front of the Commander and pointed their guns at Nommoa. 'Traitor, I am going to feed you to the lions if I lay my hands on you.'
'How dare you accuse me of such mischief?'
The Commander ordered the soldiers to lower their guns. 'She had no share in this matter. My people witnessed the sights of intimacy between the Hottentoos and the fugitives. Were their eyes deceived?'
'That is what your people say. What proof have you of this claim against us?' Insisted Nommoa.
'Were the fugitives not served roasted tortoise upon arrival? Do you deny this?'
Nommoa hit the ground with his spear. 'That is your proof?' He laughed and addressed the Caapmen. They all laughed.
Their insolent behaviour angered the Commander. He enlisted Krotoa's support. 'Why are they laughing? What is that Batavian Hottentoo telling them?'
She smiled. 'I do not think you will like it, mijnheer.'
'Eva! You will tell me this instant!'
'He said... He said the Caapmen knows the difference between a hissing cobra and the sound of a singing bird.'
'Meaning?'
'He says his people are not stupid. That you are not to be trusted and that I told you to take his sons hostage... Now they all believe that I betrayed them. If my mouth... Or yours do not declare my innocence, right here right now, in public, I will be an outcast. These feet will not walk among them again. Ever.' Her big black eyes welled up. She took a deep breath to suppress her feelings.
All eyes were fixed on the Commander. 'The sons of your chief reported that our slaves had been seen near their camp. Eva is not involved in this.'
After Nommoa addressed them a cacophony of murmuring, shouting and head-shaking erupted as they turned around and walked off.
When Krotoa was more composed she pushed her way through the line of soldiers behind the Commander and headed towards the fort.
***
Van Riebeeck summoned his Council. 'Members of the esteemed Council of Policy, the battle lines are drawn. My hand is forced. The Goringhaiqua sent that imbecile to broker a stand-off. For now, a change in tactic is required. I, personally, will deal with that simple-minded Hottentoo and when I'm done with him I'll feed his lips and tongue to pigs! The vultures will feast on his carcass until there is nothing left of him but bones,' he shouted and hit the table with his fist, pulled out his handkerchief and dabbed his face. 'For now, I will follow the path of sweet palaver but believe me, I have many regrets... the biggest one is sending Anthony to Batavia. That Batavian Hottentoo learnt, more about us than we ever imagined. I will use every available means at my disposal to destroy his stronghold on the Caapmen. For now, we will give him the impression that we are working with him. We will give in to his demands. We must demonstrate that we are not collaborating with Autshumao and Krotoa. Their first demand is that we take hostage one of Autshumao's followers, Jan Cou.'
'Why?' Someone asked.
'As I said. To demonstrate we are not in cahoots with Autshumao. We will do so but when the time is right, I will deal with him.'
It was not long before they received a request that Krotoa and Nommoa sought an audience. His spirits lifted.
'Abraham, order Angela and Catrijn to clean the one-ear slave and hand her over to the soldiers. Put chains on her wrists and ankles. When I go outside to meet with them, walk with her past the entrance hall. Make sure she is seen.'
When he stepped outside to meet them, Nommoa was stone-faced. Krotoa navigated the negotiations. 'The Caapmen demand that mijnheer seize a hostage from the tobacco thieves as well.'
'Their time to deliver my slaves are running out. And so is my patience.'
'Hostages taken from all three Khoe groups will prove that all the Caapmen are treated equally, and increase efforts to find the slaves and-' She stopped in the middle of her sentence when two soldiers marched past them with Susanna. Nommoa's exterior remained unaltered under the scrutiny of the Commander.
'Is that it?'
'It is mijnheer.'
'I must consult. I will send word.' He turned around and slammed the wooden doors behind him while Susanna shuffled across the uneven stones behind the soldiers, all the way back to her solitary holding pen.
***
After much deliberation, the Council it was Bastinoq fired up the emotions. 'Take hostage the chief of the tobacco thieves. Let that Herry sweet talk him into the fort.' It was met with loud applause. 'The mutual jealousy, hatred even, between them are great. We will use that rupture, and flush out what are plotting against us.' This strategy departure elicited unleashed positive energy. So much so that the Council rose to their feet to applaud him. He waited for the excitement to die down. 'Commander, use all of them as alliances for as long as the Company can benefit from such envy and strife.'
'We need new friends. Powerful friends with cattle. Those friends are in the interior. Herry, on many occasions, had spoken about his fears of going too far inland. He was frightened of the Saldanhars but we will use that to our advantage. The next time the Saldanhars are in the neighbourhood he will, naturally, request the protection of the guns of the fort.' He laughed and they all joined in. 'That will be our chance. We will demand cattle for our aid. If there is nothing more, Abraham, will read our Resolution on this matter.'
Abraham laid the paper in front of him and held it down with four weights. He touched the writing to check if the ink was dry. 'It is agreed that the leader of the Chochouqua also known as the Tobacco Thieves will be taken hostage so that all tribes do their best to recover the fugitive slaves.'
When the Council adjourned the Commander called Abraham to his side. 'Warn all the freemen to be on their guard. They must arm themselves with firearms. If they do not possess firearms, they must apply for some at the Company's armoury. After this warning all those found without firearms shall be fined. Guns must be kept in good order and random inspections. Carelessness will result in harsh punishment.'
Three runaways, a man and a woman belonging to Caspar Brinkman and a female slave of Jan Reyniersz returned before the month of June. Three days later all Caspar's slaves were back, his two black slaves, a man and a woman, were all returned to their farms in the middle of the night, left on the doorstep of their owners. Asked how they got there they all had the same reply. They ran away and freed themselves from their abductors.
How they returned mattered little to the Commander for he was a practical man. 'No action against the Hottentoos. For now. The thieves did not hand them over in person for fear of the truth. Do they honestly think we do not know the fugitives had been amongst them? They are back. That is all that matters. Get them back to their labour as soon as they are punished.'
The freemen were not convinced. 'Two are still missing. One of Jan Reyniersz, and one of Harman Remajenne. That does not include the other black slaves of the Company, which the Hottentoos have promised to search for.'
'And we will pretend we believe they are searching for them. Of more importance is the issue of punishment. I had reports that the pressing labour needs of the freemen necessitates that the runaways are taken out of imprisonment and punished with haste.'
'Indeed, Commander.' The freemen agreed. 'We cannot wait for the capture of the slaves of Reinersz and Remajenne. Time is against us. Their labours are required.'
'I called a meeting with the Council of Justice to deliberate on suitable punishment for the runaways. All of them will be tied to a pole and scourged. One of them will be branded. Two will remain in chains, linked to each other, until their masters requested that they may be set free. This matter is closed.'
When the rebellious winter of 1658 made way for spring, distinct voices, strategies, and actions, expressed very differently, infiltrated the hearts a d minds of the Colony. It worried the Commander. He became more restless as the warmer months approached. He could not sleep.
On one such night he got up and walked to the guard outside the door of the fort. 'Take me to the one-ear slave.' The guard walked ahead of him, lantern held high.
When they got to the wooden shack, he unlocked the door, put his hand over his mouth and nose and called. 'One Ear, step outside.' When there was no movement on the inside, he went inside, needled her with their musket and pushed her outside.
She fell at his feet and remained down. Not even lifting her head she lay where she had fallen, unresponsive, spreadeagled.
Without uttering a single word he looked down on her body, turned around and made his way back to the fort.