



Hogsback is a village in the Amathole Mountains in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. == Name == There are two (or maybe more) theories as how the village received its name. Some think it was named for Captain Hogg, Commander of Fort Michell. Some others think that it is because one of the three peaks that overlook the village, when seen from a certain angle, resembles a Hog's Back (A hog's back is a geological term describing this particular rock formation). == History == The earliest known written reference to 'Hogsback' was found in the journal of the painter Thomas Baines, who passed the 'Hogs Back' while on his travels deeper inside South Africa in 1848. Besides the 'Hogsback', the highest peak in the area is the 1 954 m Gaika's Kop. The nearby Xhosa tribes called the surrounding area Qabimbola (meaning 'red clay on the face') as the surrounding clay was used for face painting. Gaika's Kop was one of the Xhosa strongholds. British troops were later stationed here and a number of forts were built to guard the border with the Xhosa. One of these forts was Fort Michell, named after Colonel Michell of the Warwickshire regiment, who was at one point in charge of troops in the area. SOURCESWikipedia