The Historiographical Development of the Concept “mfecane” and ...

Mantatees in a vaguely defined part of the southern African interior. 61 Prior to
these two authors, mfecane narratives on the Transgariep region had
concentrated on events pertaining to the Ngwane, Hlubi, Tlokwa and Sotho
states in the greater Caledon Valley area, on the Ndebele chiefdom in various
locations and on the Tlhaping state in the Kuruman area where Moffat had
established his mission station. While some authors had indicated the existence
of many African chiefdoms in the interior, 62 no details of their experiences
during the mfecane years had previously existed. These narratives confirmed,
and also started to fill in, the skeletal structure of mfecane history in this area.
In the late 1850’s and early 1860’s two books appeared which brought nothing
new to the mfecane narrative, but repeated the established account. However,
they are important because of the timing of their publication and the reputation
of the authors. The context was the ongoing conflict between the Orange Free
State and Basutoland. The first work was by Orpen, an Irish-born magistrate
from the Free State, who was married to the daughter of a French missionary
and had had extensive official contact with Moshoeshoe. His book was partly a
lobbying for British support for Moshoeshoe’s state, and resulted in his
dismissal for anti-Free State sentiments. 63 The other work, by Casalis, was the
English translation of the second edition of his 1841 French book and was
published at this time for the same purpose. He had been with the S.M.E. in
Basutoland from the late 1830’s to the late 1850’s, and was Moshoeshoe’s
unofficial foreign minister for most of this time until Free State pressure forced
his removal. 64 Such works in defence of African leaders were rare. However,
61 S. Broadbent, A Narrative of the First Introduction of Christianity Amongst the Barolong Tribe
of Bechuanas, South Africa (London, 1865), 34-35. De Kock et al. (eds), Dictionary S. A.
Biography (1968), I, 122-23.
62 Broadbent, 'Letters, Maquasse, March 31st 1824', 355. Harris, Wild Sports, Map, 356.
63 J.M. Orpen, History of the Basutos of South Africa (Cape Town, 1857). De Kock et al. (eds),
Dictionary S. A. Biography (1968), I, 602-3.
64 E. Casalis, Les Bassoutos, Ou Vingt-Trois Années de Séjour et d'Observations au Sud de
l’Afrique (2nd edition, Paris, 1859), translated as E. Casalis, The Basutos, or, Twenty-three
Years in South Africa (London, 1861), 16-19. V. Nüesch, Die Geschichte der Schweizer Mission
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