KAFFRARIA, BRITISH, a country of South Africa, between the Great Kei, the Whit• Kei, the Keiskamma, and Indian ocean (wrested from the Ka(lirs by the Cape Colonists in the war of 1846-47), was for a time an independent colony, but is now a part of Cape Colony. It has an area of 6,500 sq.m., and is bounded on.the n. by a high and picturesque range of mountains called the Amatola (4,000 to 5,000 ft.), a continuation of the Great Wiuterbcrg and Katberg ranges in the Cape Colony. It is well watered by the Keiskamma, Chuntie, Buffalo, Gonubi, and other minor streams or torrents, generally running in deep and rugged beds, and by the Great Kei, a considerable stream, dividing it from Independent Kaifraria. None of these rivers are navigable.
The physical aspect of British Kaffraria is similar to that of Lower Albany, or the e. coast region of the Cape Colony. Many fertile, well-watered valleys are found amongst the spurs of the Amatola mountains. Behind these mountains are high grassy plateaux, extending to the Pei river, and well adapted both for grazing and agriculture.
In 1859 British Kaffraria. was divided into farms of from 1000 to 3,000 acres, which were granted free on certain terms of settlement and defense. The pop. in 1875 was 9,183 of British and German descent (exclusive of the military), and 103,973 of the native races, Amaxosa and Amafengu Kaffirs.
The principal town is King William's Town, the head-quarters of the military and seat of government, and containing a pop. of about 2,500 souls. The port of British
Kaffraria is East London, at the mouth of the Buffalo river, where there is good anchorage. There are numerous military posts and German villages extending along the line of the Buffalo from the sea to the mountains, and also several mist ion-stations, Episcopal. Wesleyan, Presbyterian, and German; and the natives are in mu aerous cases reclaimed from heathenism, and becoming an orderly and civilized population. In 1861, by her majesty's letters-patent, British Kaffraria was declared an independent colony, under a lieutenant-governor, the governor of the Cape being styled high com missioner. Its revenues were derived from quit-rents of the farms granted, and the revenue duties collected at the port of East London, and were about sufficient to pay the expenses of the limited executive. In 1865 British Kaffraria ceased to be an inde pendent colony, and was annexed to Cape Colony.
The larger ferce naturce have nearly disappeared, although a few years back the high D. of the Amatola., called the Bontebok flat, were the favorite hunting-grounds of South African sportsmen. A considerable number of the German legion, sent here after the Crimean war, have received grants of land, and make excellent settlers. Two English and one or two German newspapers are published in King William's Town. A railway traverses British Kaffraria from East London to Queenstown.