By the time it began the freebooters had grown into princes.
From this time to nearly the close of the 16th century the burgh was exposed to frequent raids, both from freebooters on the English side and from partisans of the turbulent chiefsDouglases, Maxwells, Johnstones.
This act called forth a protest from the 15th Lord Derby (now secretary of state for the colonies), stating that he could not recognize the right of Boer freebooters to set up governments of their own on the Transvaal borders.
This protest had no effect upon the freebooters, who issued one proclamation after another, until in November 1883 they united the two new republics under the title of the " United States of Stellaland."
A change, however, came about towards the end of the century, when the Scandinavian freebooters known as Danes began to harry the coasts.