Lourens_Bushmen

Louwrens Bushman Murders 1862

The story of Ouma van Staden (born Louwrens)

Note: I had the pleasure with Professor J Needling of meeting Mrs Koos van Staden (born Louwrens) during a visit to Pofadder in the Bushmanland. We met a dignified old mother of 82, from whose mouth the following interesting piece of history was heard; and of sufficient importance for the narrative to be preserved. (by Dominie A D Luckhoff)

"My father, Jacobus Louwrens, grew up on the farm Hottentotsbos in the District of Riversdale, and my mother was Magrieta Pieters, from Skuinsberg in the District of Caledon. In those days the rainfall was heavier than now, and my father trekked to the Victoria West District, which at that time extended very far, and was also thinly populated.

In those days few white men lived o the other side of the Karreeberge, but the farmers were accustomed to trek there with their stock after good rains, when the veld was lush. They could stay there as long as water remained in the vleis and pans for men and beasts, but as soon as the water dried up they had to return over the mountains again.

So it happened that our family, together with other boers (farmers) trekked over the Karree Mountains. My father made a water supply at one place, Kalbasputs, and there we stayed when the others returned. We were one large family, and aged 21, I was the oldest of the nine children. About 2 hours from Kalbasputs on the farm Springbokoog there lived tame Bastards (ie mixed race). A white smous (travelling merchant) lived at one place, Riet, also a few hours away. He had a shop, where he also sold alcoholic drink.

It was not completely alone at Kalbasputs because my father allowed a number of tame Bushmen families to stay there on condition that the men helped with the cattle, and especially their watering. This all happened peacefully, and little did we think what frightful disasters were to befall us.

It happened like this. Without the least warning, a traitorous Bushman persuaded the tame Bushmen to murder us all and to take our stock. On one particular Sunday afternoon, four of us went for a wander; my father, my oldest brother Bernardus (18), my sister Jacoba (16) and myself. It was a beautiful afternoon and we rode on horses about half an hour in the direction of Jaersen Karreeberge. It was late in the afternoon when we returned home. Four of the Bushmen ambushed us from behind large boulders about a thousand paces from the house. One was armed with a gun, and the three others with bows and arrows. To our surprise the first shot passed beside my father, the attack was apparently aimed at him and he was severely wounded and called out to the house for help. Bernadus received a poisoned arrow under his heart and ran to the house to get a rifle. Meanwhile the men attacked the house. One housemaid screamed "the Bushmen are murdering, the Bushmen are murdering!" Brother Nicholaas (14) gripped the rifle and bandolier and ran out to help. Just as he came close a bullet went through father's shoulder blades. It was a mortal shot, and he collapsed yelling "Run to the house and protect your mother!"

I will now first tell what happened to us girls. When the Bushmen attacked us we fled and unhappily were separated. I had thought that the Bushmen had murdered everyone in the house. In my fright I first wandered aimlessly in the darkness, but as soon as I recovered I held the peak of the mountain in my eye and chose the direction to Sprinbokoog. After I had walked for hours. I came across a maid who spoke in Bushmen language. I was so frightened that I could not even speak because I thought it was the Bushmen who were following me. After I had aimlessly walked around her three times she said in Afrikaans "Is that a madman?". She came closer and I told her that the Bushmen were murdering us. She gave me a piece of mountain food to eat and called to a youngster "Go and get drink of water quickly for Tant Bet'. When the water arrived and she saw how exhausted I was she said "Young Lady (Nooi), don't drink that, just wash out your mouth."

The basterd men were all away from the house where there was only the maids, and out of concern that the Bushmen would follow me the maid made me go with her the same night to Goegoe, where a rich basterd lived. There I was well looked after by old Witbooi and Aja Siena. My feet were so full of thorns and I felt so sick that I had to stay there for 2 days. But on the Wednesday morning I struggled with the help of one stick and encouragement of Aja and a young maid to Springbokoog.

Peterson immediately sent a wagon to fetch the body of father, Bernadus and Jacoba, and all three were buried in a large grave at Riet, where it can still be seen today. I went to Springbok with the wagon.

Now I must tell you what happened to my sister Jacoba. With the attack of the Bushmen that Sunday afternoon and when we were separated, she took flight on the footpath to Springbokoog. She was also sure that the people in the house had been murdered. After her father had been shot the Bushmen followed her and caught her halfway and brought her back. Her end was dreadful. They first stuck two poisoned arrows into her and then buried her half dead in a Anteater hole, with her head bent over. She must have been buried alive because her body was still warm when Peterson's basterds found her. Branches of a gannabush which she grabbed from the edge of the burrow were still in her hand.

It also went badly with mother and the other children. Bernadus was severely wounded by the time he reached the house. Mother was unable to cut out the arrow, which had a hook in it, and so it had to remain in. He insisted that she must immediately leave for Springbokoog with the children. He himnself would stay, because of his wound. Mother would not leave him behind and entreated him to come with them. He gave in. Two housemaids helped carry the children. The youngest sister was but 13 months old, the youngest brother but 2 years. They escaped In the darkness and walked far to Dassiekloof. There, the old maid said " Old Lady, here we must turn off, the Bushmen are coming!" We turned off the footpath and lay deadstill. The Bushmen went past but did not find us and returned back. " Old Lady, now we can walk again" Twice thus must we turn off the footpath to avoid the Bushmen. "Old Lady (Ou Nooi), now we are safe, they will not come again!"

On Monday morning mother and the children reached Springbokoog. The poor Bernardus died from his wound the following morning after a painful time, and mother had to leave his body behind. She reached safety with her children at Riet, with Peterson. There at last we met one another again.

Peterson engaged 11 Basterds to catch the murderers. When they overhauled the Bushmen they took fright because the Bushmen entrenched themselves. The plundered goods - any cattle, four horses and 600 small stock were turned around near Kalbasputs and were again taken in hand by the Basterds.

The murderers eventually got their just deserts. After they roamed around for three months they were caught at Witputs, now the village of Marydale. One farmer, Piet Booysen noticed that they were stealing water from his waterhole. He took his gun and waited out the night with his shepherd. They all climbed down into the well which had steps, and there he caught them. Together with the four murderers were three more Bushmen who had helped to steal the cattle. Booysen threatened them from above the well with his rifle and made them break their arrows. Thus they climbed out one by one to be bound with ostrich thongs.

Thereafter all of the prisoners were taken to Kenhardt, where they were taken before the maistrate. I had to go as principle witness. I knew Jakob Peters as the Bushman who had killed father with the rifle. I also recognised amongst the murderers Piet Goegoe, and Jaer. One of the seven had a scar low across his eyes. As soon as the magistrate said "Take off his muts (beanie)" I recognised him on the spot from his large white eyes and his bald head, as the traitor amongst the murderers. He denied this vigorously, but the other Bushmen confirmed it.

In June, I think 1863, all seven came before the judge at Beaufort. We had since gone to live again at Kalbusputs - I must not forget to make it clear that Kalbasputs, Springbokoog and Riet are now in the Carnarvon District, near to Van Wyksvlei. Carnarvon was then Skietfontein, a mission station. We were once again called as witnesses and travelled on the wagon to Beaufort. The seven Bushmen were in prison in Beaufort, but the three were released because mother had not charged them with stealing the animals. The other four were condemned to death and were later hanged. The traitor escaped from the prison but was caught again in the Beaufort mountains."

So ends the story of Maria (Miemie) Catherina Louwrens, later Mrs Koos van Staden.

Comments by Laurie Lourens b 1.3.1939:

Laurie Lourens points out that the above account is based on recollections by Ouma Koos van Staden, born Louwrens, some 61 years after the event. Consequently it contains a few errors, including a wrong date of 1860. This has been corrected above to 1862

Another relates to the origins of her parents Jacobus Johannes Nicholaas Lourens b 15.9.1816 died 4.5.1862 and Magaritha Jacoba Pieters. She mentions that her mother grew up on the farm Skuinsberg in the District of Caledon. According to Laurie the correct name of the farm is Schuitsberg, originally of 1422 morgen, granted to Barend Hermanus Pieterse on 1 September 1832. He thinks her name was probably spelt Magrieta Pieterse. The farm itself was beautifully situated against the mountain, with two rivers flowing through it: the Sonderentrivier and the Soutrivier, in the Soetmelksvallei. This farm was later subdivided into three areas of 609, 636 and 8 hectares.

The third point he makes refers to Ouma van Staden's recollection that her father "made" water and allowed the bushmen to water their animals from his well. In reality, it seems that in accordance with the times during which bushmen were being pushed off their traditional land, he took possession of the bushmen's well. This he used it for himself, giving the bushmen only the water already used for his family's washing: truly, in Laurie's view, an invitation for murder in that dry and unruly country. The bushmen, for their part, had probably done much the same to former occupants over many centuries of conflict. The spelling Louwrens was used by some members of the Lourens family, particularly those who trekked to the Northwest and Namibia, but they are of the same original Lourens (Lorentz, Lorenz, Rostock) family from Rostock Germany.

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