# Africa by Élisée Reclus/Volume 4/Chapter 6

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CHAPTER VI.
THE DITTCH REPUBLICS AND PORTUGUESE POSSESSIONS SOUTH OF THE LIMPOPO: ORANGE FREE STATE AND TRANSVAAL, DELAGOA BAY.
I. The Orange Free State.
F the two South African Boer States, that which takes its name from the Orange River is the smaller in extent and population. It is conterminous along two-thirds of its frontier on British territory, being bounded on the west by Griqualand West, on the south by C.ipe Colony proper, and on the east by Basutoland and Natal. The northern boundary line is traced by the River Vaal separating it from the sister republic of Transvaal, Before the discovery of the Diamond Fields the large oval-shaped enclave assigned to the Orange Free State was clearly defined on all sides by natural frontiers, the lofty Drakenberg range separating it from Natal between the sources of the Vaal and Caledon; the course of the latter stream, with some offshoots from the main range, form the limits towards Basutoland; the southern boundary follows the meandering course of the Orange, while that of the Vaal was chosen to indicate the north-west and west frontiers. But the peninsular space comprised between these two rivers above the confluence has now been detached from the Free State, and, with its diamantiferous deposits, restored to Cape Colony.
Viewed as a whole this region presents the aspect of a somewhat uniform grassy plateau at a mean altitude of from 4,300 to 4,600 feet above the sea, with a blight incline from north-east to south-west, and presenting little arable or fertile land, except in the eastern parts near the foot of the hills. The superficial area is estimated at about 42,000 square miles, or one-fifth of France, But the country is very thinly peopled, having a joint European and native population of not more than one hundred and fifty thousand, mostly distributed in small village groups or isolated farmsteads.
The beginning of the Dutch occupation dates only from the year 1837, when the first trekkers, leaving Cape Colony with their families, herds, and effects, crossed the Orange River, and ventured to seek new homes among the nomad populations of the unknown region stretching northwards to the Vaal. The convoy of pioneers was followed by others, until a new State was gradually ​THE ORANGE FREE STATE. 197 Mituted between the two rivers. But the fugitives from British jurisdiction were still followed by the Knglish authorities, and in 1H4S the BritiHh sovereignty was otftcially proclaimed in the country lying north of the Orange. The Boers resistefl, and, as in Natal, had at first the advantage of their assailants. But being incapable of prolonging the struggle with the Knglish forces and their Griqua allies, they were compelled either to submit or seek fresh settlements elsewhere. Some, refusing to accept the British supremacy with the condition of abolishing slavery and treating the natives as freemen, continued the exodus in the direction of the north, crossed the Vaal, and founded the new republic of Transvaal. Others remained in the country, where they became the dominant white element. But by extending their authority over this new colonial domain, the Knglish at the same time accepted the unfortunate inheritance of the wars that had already broken out with the Basutos and other natives. The consequence was a heavy and increasing unnuul charge on the Imj>erial Government, which caused dissatis- faction at home and a strong feeling of opposition to the policy of annexation. Thus it happened that the supreme power offered to restore their political autonomy to the Dutch Boers of the sovereignty, on the simple condition of a formal promise not to reintroduce slavery. The Boers gladly accepted this condi- tion, and in l8o4 the Orange Free State was reconstituted. Since that time the republic has prospered to a remarkable degree, the population alone having increased fivefold during the last thirty years. The Boers of the Free State. The Boers, who enjoy political dominion in the Orange Free State, are the descendants of zealous Calvinists, and most of them still profess the religion of their fathers. But other Christian denominations, such as the Anglican, Wesleyan, and Roman Catholic, are all represented, chiefly by the British settlers in the countrj', and a few native converts. Possessing for two centuries no book except the Bible, the South African Dutch communities, Afrikanders as they call them- selves, are fond of comparing their lot with that of the " chosen people." Going forth, like the Jews, in search of a "promised land," they never for a moment doubted that the native populations were specially created for their benefit. They looked on them as mere " Canaanites, Amorites, and Jebusites," doomed before- hand to slavery or death. With the exception of the single Ba-Rolong tribe, which, through their hatred of the Basutos, hud become the allies of the Dutch, all the Bantu and Hottentot peoples dwelling within the territory of the republic liave been either exterminated or expelled by these South African " Puritans." They turned the land into a solitude, breaking all political organisation of the natives, destroying all ties of a common national feeling, and tolerating them only in the capacity of " apprentices," another name for slaves. Doubtless the blacks are at present even more numerous than the whites within the limits of the State, but they are for the most part Kafirs, Bechuanus, Hottentots. St. Helena half- castes, and other recent immigrants, badly paid and badly treated. They are for​198 SOUTH AND EAST AFRICA. bidden by law either to vote, to bear arms, or to acquire the ownership of a square yard of land ; nor will cuBtora even allow them to dwell in the vicinity of the whites. Accustomed if not always to till the land, at least to superintend field opera- tions, the Boers — that is, "peasants" — as a rule fully justify this designation by their solid, square-set figures and heavy, awkward gait. They lack neither strength nor courage, but can make no claim to phyfe'ical beauty or grace. They display no sense of taste or elegance in their dress or their household surroundings. On the other hand, they are richly endowed with the solid qualities of most rural populations — thrift, method, and perseverance, besides a vigorous vitality, shown in their large families and the great excess of births over deaths. Hence their numerical preponderance over the other whites would appear to be secureil for some time to come, at least unless the equilibrium of the population be com- pletely changed by unforeseen events. But if the English are still in a great minority, thoy are none the less the representatives of a decidedly superior culture,

## in(l their speech already rivals the official language as the current medium of

intercourse, and still more of general instruction. Most of the teachers being Knglish or Scotch, their language naturally prevails in the schoolroom. It is also acquiring the supremacy in all the towns, where the immigrants — traders and mechanics — come chiefly from Port Elizabeth and other parts of the British colonies. Thus the transition from the rude Dutch dialect to the world-wide English tongue is being slowly but surely effected through the thousand subtle changes daily taking place in the very heart of the social system. The wealth of the Orange tree State is derived mainly from its pastures, the extent of land under tillage being estimated at little more than 125,000 acres. The whole territory is parcelled out in great domains, treated chiefly as grazing- ground?, and at present supporting as many as five million sheep. Over nine- tenths of tlie wool exported by the English dealers through Durban comes from the Free State, where stock-breeders have also turned their attention to ostrich- farming. Agriculture, also, has acquired a real importance in recent times, especially in the eastern districts watered by the ramifying streams of the Caledon and its numerous afthjents. In the central and western parts, where water is sc'irce, the landowners are at great pains to capture and husband it in every pos- sible way. Not a drop is wasted, and the farmsteads dotted over the monotonous sheepwalks are now usually encircled by a rich zone of pleasant gardens and orchards, interspersed with clumps of trees. At the time when the diamond fever was attracting thousands of fortune-hunters to the arid plains of Griqualand West, the supplies of provisions were drawn chiefly from the agricultural districts of the Orange Free State and Basutoland. The Free State itself possesses some diamanliferous clays, which, like those of KimlxM-ley, are found in pits or crater-like formations, apparently of igneous origin. But these industrial resources can scarcely be turned to much account until this territory, as is now proposed, is brought within the network of the South African railway systems. The junction that is to be effected between the numerous ​THE ORANGE FREE STATE. 109 lines in Cape Colony und those being pushed forward in Trunsvaal and the upltmd valleys of Natal can be realised only by carrying out tlie projected intt'nnediatc links in the Free State. The gap to be bridged over in onler to connect Kinjberley in Griqualand West with Ladysraith in Natal is about 300 miles long, while a line double that length will be required to effect the junction between Kiraberley and the Louren(;o Marques line. Topography of the Orange Free State. The only town worthy of the name in the Orange Free State is the capital. liloemfotitcin, which is situated in the middle of u treeless plain at an altitude of 4,500 feet above sea-level. It stands nearly midway between Kimberley and the liasuto frontier, on a mostly waterless stream, whose valley inclines to the Modder and Vaal, From a little eminence on the east side, which was formerly fortiti«'d, liloemfontein presents a pleasant prospect, with its regular streets lined by black and white houses. Near the European quarter are grouped the humble dwellingH of Wnitj-JIook, a suburban village, where all the natives are bound to pass the night. Bloemfontein, seat of a high school and centre of the political and com- mercial life of the republic, presents other advantages to strangers. It is an extremely healthy place, highly recommended by South African physicians as a sanatorium, especially to consumptive patients. A number of invalids from the Cape, and even from Europe, form a part of the population, which still falls con- siderably under three thousand. East of liloemfontein lies the Ba-Rolong district, till recently an independent little native State, forming an enclave in the Orange Ilopublic, just as the latter is itself completely encircled by the other South African States. About fifteen thousand of the lia-Ilolong nation dwelt peacefully in this little territory, over six thousand being grouped within the enclosures of the capital, Thuhn Ns/m, so called from the hill whose crest and slopes it covered. But in 1884 a decree of the Bloem- fontein Volksraad (Assembly) put an end to the autonomy of the petty Ba-Rolong Republic. Since then hundreds of the natives, indignant at the breach of faith committed by the Boers, have quitted their homes and sought refuges amongst their eastern neighbours and former enemies, the people of Basutoland. Befon* this event Thaba Nshu was the largest centre of population in all the non-British lands comprised between the Vaal and the Orange. The provincial chief towns in the Free State, although for the most part little more than rural villages, possess. some importance as market-places, well stocketl with provisions of all kinds to supply the needs of the flourishing farmsteads round about. Ladi/hnnitl^ lying to the north-east of Thaba Nshu, has the distinction of being the central point of the most fertile province in the republic, a province violently wrested from the Basutos. Smithjii'ld, on the Lower Caledon, and Rottxri/Zr, near the Orange, almost opposite the British town of Aliwal North, are also buj»v Hgricidtural centres. lieihulic, founded by the French missionaries, close to the Orange and Caledon confluence, has becon-e one of the chief stations on the route ​200 SOUTH AND EAST AFRICA. between Cape Colony and the Free State, thank8 to the bridge that has been constructed on the main stream at this point. P/n7i/>po/i>, is another convenient station f.)r travellers proceeding northwards by the Port Elizabeth railway, whose present inland terminus is ('olesborg, on the opposite side of the river. Fauresmit/i, lying due north of Philippolis, in the middle of an unproductive plain, derives some importance from the diamond mines, which at Jagersfoutein already produce an annual yield of about £50,000. At Jagersfontein was found the largest African diamond, a stone weighing uncut no less than 500 carats, but of very imperfect character. The Free State also possesses some carboniferous deposits, which occur chiefly in the western district of Kroomfad. In the northern part of the republic the largest centre of population is Harri- sniif/i, situated on one of the headstreams of the Vaal, near the Van-Reenen Pass, which leads over the Drakenberg down to the colony of Natal. Harrismith thus constitutes the natural eastern gate of the Free State, to which it gives convenient access from Durban by the railway, at present terminating at Ladysmith. On the long route leading thence to Bloemfontein the principal station is Winburg ( Wijn- buig), which lies in the most hilly part of the whole territory. Admimstkation. — Rp:vexue. The Orange Free State is governed by a single Chamber, the Volksraad, or •• National Assembly," composed of fifty-six members, that is one for each pro- vincial capital and one for each rural district {Vi'ld-hornetiJ or "field cornetcy "). It is elected for four years, bu*^ every two years one half of the members vacate their seats and fresh elections take place. During the session they receive remu- neration for their services at the rate of £1 per day. They choose their own president, while the president of the republic is elected by universal suffrage for five vears. The executive is vested in the President, assisted by an executive council of five members, that is, the Government secretary, the Landrost (Governor) of the capital, and three unofficial members appointed by the Volksraad, one every year, for three years. The electorate consists- of all whites born within the limits of the State, or who have resided three years, or who, after a residence of one year, comply with certain conditions as proprietors or leaseholders. Burghers (citizens) eighteen years old may vote for the veld-kornets (district judges), but not for members of the Volksraad or for the President of the Republic before they have completed tlieir twenty-first year. A landrost (governor or magistrate) appointed to each of the districts of the republic by the president, but requiring the confirmation of the Volksraad, takes cognisance of minor offences. Crimes of a graver character are remitted to a higher tribunal of three judges, who hold assizes in various districts of the State. There is no standing army beyond a small artillery corps stationed at the capital, but all able-bodied whites are bound to serve when called upon, and have also to meet twice a year for the militar}' exercises. The chief sources of revenue are the poll-tax, the tax on property transfers. ​TR.NSVAAL. 201 quit-rents, stamps, and trade licences, which generally suflfice to cover the expen- diture. There are no customs dues, and those levietl on imports at the seaports of Cape Colony are not refunded to the consignees in the Free State. A large portion of the revenue is applied to public instruction, and State aid is alsr) granted to the Calvinist Church. Till recently there was no public debt, and even now the national burden amounts to less thun £130,000, including an item of over £G0,000 due to the nationiil bank, but covered by State shares. In the Appendix will be found a table of the eighteen administrative districts, with their white and native populations. II. — Tkansvaai. or SoiTH African Rkpuhi.ic. This state is officially designated the South African Republic, presumably in anticipation of a future confederation of the other republican states in the southern part of the continent. In superficial extent it is nearly three times larger than the Orange Free State, but having been colonised at a later period it possessed till quite recently a far smaller number of white settlers. The disparity, however, is rapidly disappearing since immigrants have begun to flock in crowds to the old and newly discovered gold-fields. Thanks also to the admirable climate of the plateau and to the fecundity of the women, the white population, formerly almost lost amid the surrounding aborigines, already constitutes a respectable minority. According to the highest estimates not more than ten thousand Boers crossed the Orange at the time of the great exodus ; yet their de.scendauts in the twin republics already far exceed a hundred thousand souls, notwithstanding the heavy losses caused by the protracted wars with the natives and English. As regards the number of the natives themselves, no accurate returns have yet been made, except in the southern districts of Transvaal, near the capital. But in the northern provinces the aboriginal element is known to be relatively dense and steadily increasing. The whole population of the State is probably at present scarcely less than half a million, although in 1887 Jeppe estimated the number of natives at not more than three hundred thousand. Including the recently annexed territory known as the " New Republic," a fragment of the old kingdom of Zululand, Transvaal had in 1888 a total suporficial area of about 110,000 square miles, with a population variously estimated at from three hundred and sixty thousand to four hundred and eighty thousand. BOUNDAKIKS AM) NATURAL DlVISlOX.S. Along more than half of its periphery the South African Republic enjoys the tulvantnge of natural geographical frontiers. Towards the south she is separated from the Orange Free State by an affluent of the Vaal, and then by this river itself. On the north-west and north the boundary line follows the course of the Limpopo, separating it from Alatebeleland ; lastly, a part of the eastern frontier is clearly marked by the Tjobombo range, the seaward slope of which belongs to the Portuguese while the boundary towards the colony of Natal is traced by the ​202 SOUTH AND EAST AFRICA. upper course of the Buffalo River. But in the sections of the periphery not defined by rivers or mountains, the territory of the republic has been considerably enlarged at the expense of the conterminous regions. Between Natal and the Portuguese territory it has encroached on some of the valleys inhabited by the Zulus and Swazis, while similar encroachments have been made in Bechiianaland on the west side. In 1870 a British arbitrator had traced west of the Makwasi Hills in the Potchcfstroom district, u litnit beyond which the Boers were not to trespass. But they j)aid little heed to this injunction, and during the temporary annexation of the republic by the English, they neglected to restore to the natives the very district which they had themselves forbidden the Boers to occupy. Since then further encroachments have taken place, and in virtue of a convention with Great Jiritain, executed in 1884, the territory of the South African Republic now stretches westward to the margin of the great commercial highway which con- nects the lower Vaal with the Zambese through Shoshong and Matebcleland. Except at one point traders and travellers may follow this route without touching the Transvaal frontier. Transvaal is utfualiy divided into three more or less distinct physical regions, which are determined mainly by the elevation of the land, taken in connection with the corresponding natural and economic conditions. These divisions are (1) the Hoofje Veld, or upland region, which comprises all the southern districts drained by the Vaal River, together with the Drakenberg highlands, as far north as the Lipa- lule, or Olifant River. The llooge Veld stands at an altitude ranging from 4,000 to 7,000 feet, and has a total suj)erficial area of about 85,000 square miles. It includes most of the richest uincral distiicts, and enjoys a healthy, climate, absolutely free from malaria, and well suited to the European constitution. (2) The Ihmhen Veld, or terrace lands, embracing the relatively low-lying eastern zone between the Drakenberg and Lubombo ranges. This division, which includes the whole of Swaziland and the ui)per ^Maputa Valley, falls in many places to a level of 2,000 feet above the sea, and covers a space of from 15,000 to 20,000 square miles.) The Bunch VchI, or bush country, that is the inner plateaux, ranging in height from 3,000 to 4,000 feet, and comprismg an area of some 00,000 square miles. Much of this division is strictly steppe land, and may be described as on the whole far more suited for grazing than for tillage. IIistokk; Rf.tkospect. The foundations of this Dutch state were laid under great difficulties. In 1837, when the first trekkers crossed the Vaal and .settled in the part of the terri- tory where now stands the town of Potchefstroom, they came into collision with the terrible chief of the Matebeles, one of the most formidable Zulu warriors, who were at that time " eating up " the peoples of Austral Africa. Most of the Dutch pioneers were exterminated, but the survivors succeeded in holding their ground and eventually driving the fierce Matebcle warriors northwards beyond the Lim- l)opo. Their numbers were increased by fresh yearly arrivals from the south, ​and thus was gradually constituted a little commonwealth of wandering adventurers, dwelling in tents or in frail huts of foliage, and like the Bedouins at the other end of the continent, following their herds arms in hand.
In 1848, after the battle of Boomplaats, which for a time extinguished the political independence of the Orange Free State, numerous fugitives from that region sought refuge with their kinsmen beyond the Vaal. Then in reply to the English, who had eet a price of £2,000 on the head of the leader, Pretorius, that sturdy Boer was elected president of the new republic. Four years later, in 1852,
the independence of the Transvaal was recognised by the British Government itself.
But the everlasting wars between the Dutch and the natives still continued, and were at times accompanied by atrocious massacres and wholesale extermination. Every advance made by the white intruders towards the north was marked by a trail of blood. Thus the dominant British power never lacked pretexts, and occasionally urgent reasons of state policy and humanity, to intervene and arbitrate between the hostile parties. After the discovery of the goldfields in the eastern districts of the republic, followed by a large immigration of British subjects, other interests were created. Hence interference became imperative when the victorious tribes in the north-east threatened to overrun the whole country, exhausted by a series of reverses in the field, and already on the verge of national bankruptcy. ​201 SOUTH AND EAST AFRICA. Accordingly a British Commissioner, attended by a handful of armed men, made his appearance in 1877 at Pretoria, capital of the state, and issued a proclamation suppressing the republic, and formally annexing Trunsvaal to the colonial posses- sions of Great liritain. To such a desperate condition had the Boers been reduced at this critical juncture, that no opposition was offered to this summary proceeding, which was in fact approved of not only by the English residents, but even by many of the Dutch republicans themselves. At this time it seemed the <mly means of saving the country from total ruin, although when the danger of a native rising was over protests began to be uttered against the foreign domination. The discontent continued to increase, and came to a head when some inju- dicious measures were taken by the administrator tending to make English the offtcial language in the courts and schools, A deputation was sent to London with instructions to demand the maintenance of the local usages, administrative auto- nomy, the right of continuing the official use of the Dutch language, and some other provisions which seemed scarcely compatible with the established order. Anyhow, the deputation was coldly received, and the whole Boer nation felt aggrieved and insulted at the supercilious conduct of the British authorities. They began to prepare to assert their rights by force of arms, probably not with much hope of success against the inexhaustible resources of Great Britain, but in the expecta- tion that the struggle might ut least secure for them the respect and consideratioi of the conquerors. But to the surprise of everybody, and even of themselves, they triumphed over the British troops in three successive slight encounters, in the last of which, at Majuba Hill, they certainly showed themselves worthy descendants of the brave trekker who had Faced so many dangers and fought against such overwhelming odds in their endeavours to secure political freedom in their new homes beyond the Vaal, The war now threatened to assume formidable propor- tions, and possibly to change the whole of South Africa into a battlefield, when the GoveriK)r of Capo Colony received from the Gladstonian Ministry a memorable despatch, such as has seldom been recorded in the annals of international strife, to the effect that the Boers had been wronged, and that peace was to be concluded without further bloodslied. Despite the superiority of their forces, which were preparing lo ci'ush all resistance, the English generals were fain to withdraw without being afforded an opportunity of removing the sting of defeat, and the Transvaal Kepublic resumed its political autonomy, now cemented by the terrible ordeal through which it had passed. Elated by the satisfaction given to their national sentiment, the Boors, although accepting the nominal suzerainty of Great Britain, have become far stronger than they were before the war, and any renewed attempt on the part of England to deprive them of their freedom would undoubt- edly be attended by dangerous consequences, Thk Transvaal Boers. The Boers of the Transvaal, being farther removed from the centres of culture than their kindred of the Orange Free State, are also less polished. They are even ​TRANSVAAL. "205 clescribeil us •• burburiuns " by their F.ngliHh visitors as well a» by their country, men settled in Cupe Colony. It is certain that no recently as the middle of the prestut century many of them were still clothed, like their Katir neighbours, in the skins of animals ; nor did they feel the need of the comforts of civilised life, of which they had no experience. For weeks together they encamped beneath the stars of heaven, without furniture in their wretched hovels, living on the simplest fare, and possestiiig no literature beyond the family liible, which many of them were even unable to read. One cause that most contributed to keep the Boers in their savage isolation was the vast extent of the domains which they had appro- priated to themselves during the early days of the occupation. These allotments, or plaatx, as they were culled, which were assigned to each family of squatters, had a superficial area of 3,000 morgcn, or about 0,000 acres, and as no strict boundaries could be traced between the several estates, many of them were found to cover a fur more extensive space than that officially s|)ecified. The Boer who wus not put in posscscion of one of these enormous properties felt himself aggrieved by the fates, and, like his fathers, went into voluntary exile in order elsewhere to found a little territorial state more in accordance with his ideas of the fitness of things. From encampment to encampment wus thus continued towards the Zumbese the grcut migrutory movement which hud begun on the shores of the Southern Ocean. It was from the Transvaal that went forth the trekkers who plodded wearily for five years across the wilderness from the Limpopo to Lake Nganii and thence to the Cunene, decimated along the route by hunger and thirst and all manner of hardships, until at lust the few survivors reached their present home in the Huilla district on the Atlantic seubourd. The greater part of these emigrants belonged to the sect of the JJo/>pei's, zealous Calvinists, who scrupulously preserve the usages and even the dre^s of their fore- fathers, and in whose eyes the modern ideas introduced into their communities by books and newspapers are an abomination. In general the Boers despise every- thing thut does not contribute directly to the material prosperity of the family group. They ignore music, the arts, literature, all refining influences, and find little pleasure in anything except stock-breeding, bullying the natives, and psnhn- singing. Despite their numerous treks, they hnve contributed next to nothing to the Fcientific exploration of the land. The education of their children and journalism are mainly in the hands of the English, which fact affords some hope for the improvement of the next generation. A solitary life in the midst of his family, his slaves or " apprentices," on a domain stretching beyond the horizon of the surrounding hills — such has hitherto l)een the nonnal existence of the Dutch patriarch. For months together the only stnmgers he set eyes on were a few casual wayfcrers, some Kafir marauders, or occasionally the neighbouring proprietor contiguous to his plaats. But four times a year he felt the need of mingling with his fellow-creatures. Then the Boers saddled their horses, inspanned their waggon teams, and men, women, and children gathering from all quarters, set out for the chapel, the centre of life in the midst of their vast parish from oO to 1 00 miles in diameter. On the day ​206 SOUTH AND EAST AFRICA. appointed for the nachtmaal, or "sacrament," they assemble in crowds on the market- place adjoining the church. Keligious administrations of all kinds are performwl in the narrow building ; the married folk take the communion, the betrothed receive a blessing on their nuptials, the young people are enrolled members of the congregation, the children are baptised. A brisk business is plied in the sur- rounding booths : outstanding accounts are settled between debtor and creditor ; owners of live stock and horse-dealers drive sharp bargains. Then the place is gradually deserted, the turmoil subsides, the throng melts away, each family group takes its departure, returning to the solitude and the silence of the wilderness. Nevertheless a social transformation is slowly taking place under the inevit- able change in the outward conditions. The groat domains tend naturally to be broken u, and the IJoers thus becoming more numerous are drawn closer toge- ther. All the young people get married, all the women have several children, and the land has to bo further divided. Many great owners already grumble at their estates, reduced to one-half or a fourth of their former extent, although a thousandth part of what remains were still sufficient to support a family if pro- perly tilled. On the other hand come the foreign immigrants, and although they may not always immediately find available lands on which to settle, in the long run a certain number of estates either change hands in the lump or are parcelled cut in smaller allotments. It also frequently happens that the new purchasers are either Europeans by birth, or else British or English-speaking colonials. Scarcely an instance occurs of any genuine Boers settling in the towns or villages as artisans or traders. These pursuits are entirely monopolised by the English and Germans, many of whom thus growing richer than the Dutch landowners of the surrounding districts are able to buy up large portions of their domains. In this way the territorial aristocracy gradually absorbs elements distinct from the original Boer clas^. Of all the white intruders, the Dutch Afrikanders show themselves, as a rule, most hostile to their own kinsmen, the Netherlanders of the mother country. At a distance the two races have a certain fellow-feeling for each other, as fully attested by contemporary literature ; but when' brought close together the memory of their common origin gives place to a strange sentiment of aversion. The Boer is extremely sensitive, hence is irritated at the civilised Hollanders, who smile at his rude African customs, and who reply, with apparent ostentation, in a pure language to the corrupt jargon spoken by the peasantry on the banks of the Vaal or Limpopo, TlIK xVliOltlGINES OF TkAXSVAAL In thp southern districts the aborigines have no longer preserved their tribal organisation, and, as in the Orange Free State, are tolerated only in the capacity of servants or day labourers. But in the western, northern, and north-eastern provinces they are still constituted in distinct political and social groups. Such are the Ba-Rolongs, the Ba-Tlapis, the Ba-Katlas, the Ba-Mapelas, the Ba-Hlokoas,
family, and uro occasionally dcsitrnatid by the offensive name of Vaalpons. These natives are separated by the Drakenborg border range from the Bu-Uokus of the advanced hills and plains, who appear to be a people of the same origin as the Zulus and Matebcles. In general the trilK>s of the Transvaal consist of clans or heterogeneous groups unconnected by the ties of kindred. They form communities whose menil)er8 are of diverse origin brought under the same rule by some conquering chief. Accord- ing to the vicissitudes of war they increase or diminish, get scattered and again grouped together, endlessly modifying the original ethnical elements. Nor have anv of these peoples been settled for more than a few years in any particular territorv. The waves of Boer migration produced corresponding movements in the opposite direction among the aborigines, and these movements themselves have occasionally brought about hostile reactions. Thus the populations become incessantly displaced, like running waters drawn into a whirlpool. Not all the tribes occupying the river valleys draining to the Limpopo have yet been reduced, some even exacting tribute from the Boers settled in the vicinity. The tribe longest established in this regicm appears to be the Ma-Gwamba, or " People of the Devil," so named by their neighbours because they arc somewhat given to hard swearing, and all their imi)reeations contain an appeal to the devil. To judge from their language they would seem to be more closely related to the Zulus than to the Bechuanas. The early Dutch colonists designated these natives by the name of Knob-nuizen, or " Knob-noses," because they artificially raised a line of fleshy excrescences (knobs) from the forehead to the tip of the nose ; but this eccentric fashion has almost disappeared, ard few now are met, except some aged persons, who have any claim to the title of Knob-noses. North of the Limpopo the Gwamba people are known by the name of Ba-IIlengwc or Ba-Hlukwa, and persons speaking their language arc met as far north as Lake Nyassa. Natural Resources of Transvaal. f)f all South African lands the Transvaal Republic appears to be the most abundantly supplied with all kinds of natural wealth, and it cannot fail sooner or later to become a highly productive region. The fertile soil is suitable for the cultivation of cereals wherever the plough can drive a furrow, and the crops are always of excellent quality. Although only a very small portion of the territory is under tillage, the harvests already yield sufficient for the local eonsunjption, with a surplus exported to Natal. The tobacco grown here is of superior quality, and is highly esteemed throughout South Africa. All the European cultivated plants thrive well beyond the Vaal, and although the semi-tropic il climate is more suitable for oranges and lemons than for the northern fruits, nevertheless the apples and pears of the Pretoria district have a very fine flavour. But as a grazing countrj' Transvaal is less favourably situated than the neigh- bouring Orange Free State ; in the northern parts of the territory there are even many tracts where the farmers are unable to raise any live stock, for this region is ​largely infested by the tsetse fly, whose bite is fatal, especially to such domestic animals as the horse and ox. The Limpopo Valley throughout the whole of its lower and middle course, as far as the district to the north-west of Pretoria, roughly indicates the range of this terrible scourge. On the south side of the river the infested zone varies in width from six to about eighty miles, and on entering this fatal region travellers are obliged to outspan their teams of oxen and dismount from their horses and send all these animals back to the plateau. in the districts adjacent to this zone elephants are perfectly aware that in order to
escape pursuit by mounted hunters they have only to place themselves under the protection of the tsetse fly. Hence they often take refuge in the riverain tracts along the course of the Limpopo, where the sportsman can follow them only on foot, or else mounted on horses with a shaggy coat thick enough to prevent the sting from penetrating to the hide. It is commonly supposed that the pestiferous insect will disappear from the country together with the large game, especially the buffalo and certain species of antelopes, with which it is always found associated. Travellers mention certain districts from which the formidable tsetse has already ​I TRANSVAAL. 809 been driven, and the belief seems justified that this winged pest retreats with the advance of the plough. Hence it is probable that the increase of population and the development of agriculture will one day enable civilised man to introduce his domestic animals into the Limpopo valley. But on the eastern slopes the permanent difference of climate between the valleys draining to the Indian Ocean and the elevated Transvaal plateau is so great that horses and horned cattle cannot be transported without great danger from one region to the other. This circum- stance accounts for the large sums forwarders of convoys are always ready to give for " salted " animals, that is, those that have become accustomed to both climates. Pleuro-pneumouia, which is unfortunately very prevalent throughout the inland plateaux, is treated by the process of inoculation and amputation of the tail. Another terrible but, fortunately, intermittent plague, are the all-devouring locusts by which the Bosch-rcld, or central tableland, is more especially infested. The traveller Mohr gives a graphic account of the arrival of a swann of these winged insects, which on one occasion he witnessed when camping on the banks of the Vaal. They appeared like dense volumes of yellowish smoke, rolling up from the south-western horizon, and began to alight, first a few at a time, then by dozens, and presently by countless thousands. They came on in such vast clouds that the heavens were darkened, and the mid-day sun seemed muddy and beamless, as at sunset. No perceptible impression was made on this great surging sea of insect life by the flocks of locust-eaters which assailed it on all sides. It continued to flood all the land, changing the waters of the Vaal to a dirty yellowish grey colour. Nothing can check their onward march ; when their path is intercepted by a stream they rush headlong in, gradually choking its bed with their bodies, and thus forming a dry bridge for the myriads pressing on from behind. Where- ever they alight the country is speedily converted to an absolute desert, every green thing disappearing as by enchantment. But on the other hand the locusts are greedily devoured by domestic animals, such as horses, cattle, sheep, and goats, as well as by elephants and other large graminivorous wild beasts. The natives also regard them us a great delicacy, collecting them in large heaps and eating them dried and roasted. Mineral Wealth. As a mining region the South African Republic is no less highly favoured than as an agricultural country. Doubtless the rich diamond fields discovered in the adjacent lands on its northern frontier appear to be continued into the Transvaal territory only in the form of sporadic deposits without economic value. But on the other hand coal and other minerals occur in great abundance. The coal mines already opened in the northern part of Nutal extend far into the Boer State, where the farmers now make extensive use of this fuel, which bums with a clear flame, leaving little or no ash. In various parts of the country iron, cobalt, copper, and argentiferous lead mines are already being worked. But fur more widely diffused is the auriferous white quartz, which yields a large percentage of gold. In 18G7 the geologist Mauch discovered the precious metal on the banks of the Tati, a river 1 1 1— Af ​which flows through the Makalaka territory to the north of Transvaal, and which through the Shasha reaches the Limpopo above its great bend towards the southeast. Four years afterwards Button reported the existence of another auriferous district within the limits of the republic itself, near Eersteling, among the Devonian hills of Makapana, situated about 120 miles to the north-east of Pretoria. In 1873 further discoveries were made in the Lydenburg uplands, which form the northern termination of the Drakenberg border range, Again in 1885 rich deposits were brought to light in the eastern terraces intersected by the affluents of the Manissa, and within the Swazi territory. Lastly, these discoveries
were soon followed by other even more extensive finds in the Johannesberg district, on the Witwaters-rand uplands between Pretoria and Potchefstroom. The mines at present most actively worked are situated in this district and about Barberton, north of Swaziland, where the De Kaap deposits have recently attracted a large mining population.
Altogether it may be confidently asserted that gold exists in enormous quantities in the whole of this region, where "fresh fields are being almost daily opened up, not only in the Boer republic, but in the native districts lying east, west, and north of it." At a meeting of the Society of Arts in March, 1888, ​TRANSVAAL. 211 Mr. W. H. Penning read a paper on " The South African Gold Fields," in which he stated that it might now be safely concluded that the whole of the Transvaal WU8 gold-bearing except the " High Veldt " in the centre, although it was by no means improbable that even this district might yet prove rich in the precious metal, which in Africa often occurred in unexpected places and under entirely novel conditions. This experienced geologist is of opinion that here the gold actually lies in beds, a feature of immense importance to South Africa, and indeed to the whole world. He is satisfied that deposits hitherto regarded as mere " country rock " and localities believed to be barren would, on the contrary, prove to be highly auriferous. But there appears to be no doubt that the richest deposits are those most recently discovered, that is, those in the cast known as the De Eaap mines, from the neighbouring mountain and river, and those lying farther west in the Witwaters- rand Hills. The whites alone are privileged to acquire possession of the mines, from which the natives are rigorously excluded except in the capacity of day- labourers. By a measure passed in June, 1885, they cannot even receive payment in gold under the penalty of the lash and imprisonment. Even the Indians and Chinese are admitted to the fields only on paying a heavy residence tax of £25. In the De Kaap mines the rocky formation consists mainly of slaty schists, sand- stones, and conglomerates, with granites, quartz, and eruptive rocks cropping out here and there. Those of "VVitwaters-rand, or simply Rand, occur in a sort of conglomerate locally known by the name of iiugat, and the reefs, or auriferous veins, are everywhere disposed in the direction from east to west. Auriferous or nugget-bearing sands" are rare, hence the metal has to be extracted from its bed by powerful rock- crushing machinery. The consequence is that in the Transvaal independent private miners are not numerous. The operations have necessarily to be carried on in a large way by speculating companies commanding sufficient capital, whose headquarters are in Natal, Pretoria, Kimberley, and London. Round about the works populous towns rapidly spring up; new centres of European culture are established in the midst of the African world ; a stimulus is given to the industries, although one of the most flourishing is unfortunately the distillation of alcoholic drinks. The most productive mines enjoy a great economic advantage from their position on, or not far from, the direct route connecting Potchefstroom and the capital of the republic with Delagoa Bay. The railway, which is absolutely indispensable to the rapid commercial development of the State, has been so projected as to penetrate from the coast into the plateaux in the direction of the auriferous districts. Between Pretoria and Barberton, centre of the eastern gold fields, the line will attain an altitude of no less than 6,500 feet at its highest point. Even before the temporary annexation of the country by the English the most prominent sxibject of discussion in the National Assembly was that of the projected iron road, affording direct communication between the central regions of the republic and the Indian Ocean. Considerable loans had already been made with a view to carry out this undertaking, and rails had even been landed for the future line. But this first outlay was wasted, and the works ​212 SOUTH AND EAST AFEICA. entirely suspended by the ware with the natives, ruinous speculations, and the political troubles brought about by the British occupation. Nor were the English themselves very zealous for the construction of this line, fearing that it might have the effect of diverting from Natal and Cape Colony the whole of the foreign trade of the South African Republic. Hence fresh funds must now be raised in order to complete this great work, which is essential for the material prosperity of the land. Topography of the Transvaal. The southern strip of territory skirting the frontier of the Orange Free State still lies within the Vaal basin. The little town of Sfanderton, near the coal mines about the sources of the river, and Heidelberg, situated more to the west at the foot of Jeannette Peak (6,300 feet), both lie in the highland district where the orange will not bloom, as in most other parts of the Transvaal, where a sub- tropical climate prevails. Potchefiitroom, some 90 miles still farther west, on the Iklooi, or " Fair River," a small affluent of the Vaal, already enjoys a much warmer temperature, although still standing at an elevation of 4,300 feet. In the surrounding district maize and tobacco thrive well. Potchefstroom, which during the early period was the capital of the Transvaal, and which continued to be the most populous town in the republic long after the seat of government was removed to Pretoria, is a very agreeable place of residence. The streets are lined with weeping willows, said to have been originally introduced from St. Helena, and all the surrounding gardens are enclosed by quickset hedges where blooms the rose. Owing to the profusion of blooming plants, most of the Transvaal towns present a charming aspect during the flowering season. The Mooi River, which springs from a cavernous limestone rock, disappears at several points along its course, again emerging in the recesses of underground grottoes, one of which, the Wonder-fontein, recalls the marvellous spectacle presented by the analogous formations in Carniola, The present capital of the republic, named Pretoria in honour of its President, Pretorius, lies at an elevation of 4,500 feet, on a gently sloping plain, everywhere encircled by hills except towards the north, where the Magalies, or ** Black Rhinoceros Range," is pierced by a gorge giving egress to one of the headstreams of the Limpopo. The Apies, as this headstream is called, collects in a single channel several rivulets which after traversing the town serve to irrigate the neighbouring gardens. Originally laid out on an ambitious scale, with boulevards and streets crossing each other at right angles, Pretoria long remained in a state of transition between town and country, presenting somewhat the aspect of a large garden relieved here and there with a few groups of low buildings. But since it has become a j^ace of resort for the miners proceeding to the northern gold fields it has put on the appearance of a busy mart. Houses are already crowded together in the central quarter, and large numbers are attracted to the markets, while the sedentary population exceeded six thousand in 1887. A few
West of the capital, the little town of Rustenburg, and that of Zeerust in the province of Marico, the "Garden of the Transvaal," are also situated on upper affluents of the Limpopo: A similar position is ocoupied by Nylstroom, eo called because its Boer founder supposed he had here discovered the sources of the Nile. The rivulet which joins the Limpopo above the great falls still retains the name of "Nile," which recalls the lofty ambition of the Boer voortrekkers, or pioneers, who in their crass ignorance fancied themselves on the high road to the Promised Land. Between this river and the Olifant lies the mining town of Ersteling
(Eersteling), near which are extensive gold reefs and the famous Ijzerberg, or "Iron Mountain." Then follows Marabas Town, beyond which, towards the north, the white population diminishes rapidly. Beyond the ruined station of Zoutpansberg, founded in the year 1834 near some productive salt-pans, there are no inhabitants of European origin except the missionaries and a few traders.
The district where the river penetrates into the region infested by the tsetse fly is scarcely even explored. Here the only human habitations are a few native camping-grounds occurring at long intervals on the routes crossing the stream. The Limpopo flows through almost unknown solitudes throughout the whole section of its course, which forms the northern frontier of the republic and which sweeps round to the east of the border range. The white population does not descend from the elevated plateaux, which are here carved into elongated ​214 SOUTH AND EAST AFRICA. tories by the streams flowing to the lower Limpopo. The European settlers are here concentrated mainly about the towns of Middclhurg and Lydcnhurg, in the upper basin of the Olifant, which joins the Limpopo 120 miles above its mouth, and in the upland valleys of the Manissa (Nkotami) and its affluents. Here are situated the recently founded towns of Barherton (already with a population of six thousand) and Eureka, centres of the De Kaap gold fields as Jo/tan nesbcrg is of those in the Witwater-rand district. In the middle of the year 1887, the latter place was stated to have already as many as ten thousand inhabitants, although its very name was not yet entered on a single map. As soon as the railway from Delagoa Bay penetrates into the heart of the plateau, the population and trade of this region cannot fail to be increased tenfold. This railway had already been pushed forward in 1888 to within 60 miles of Barberton, with which place it was connected by a steam tramway pending the construction of a regular line. Barberton itself, which three years previously consisted only of a few huts, now possesses several hotels, three banks, two share exchanges, a good club, and a theatre. The capital of the numerous companies engaged in developing the De Kaap gold fields exceeds several millions, and more undertakings are being floated every week.* The vast majority of the miners throughout the whole of this auriferous regions are of British descent, and English is everywhere the current language of trade and general intercourse. Thus with the rapid material development of the country, the Anglo-Saxon race threatens to swamp the Boer element, just as it absorbed the Spanish in California, Texas, and other parts of the United States in a single generation. South of the auriferous region the escarpment of the elevated plateau com- prises the territory of New Scotland, which appears to abound in carboniferous deposits. Here is situated Lake Chrissie, an extensive sheet of water which is now all that remains of the vast inland sea which formerly flooded a large part of the plateau. The coal-fields are continued southwards across the provinces of Wakkerstroom and Utrecht till they merge in the rich coal mines now being worked in the Newcastle district of North Natal. East of the plateau the enclave in Zululand, lying near the waterparting and traversed by the Black and White Umvolosi rivers, was occupied in 1885 by some six hundred or seven hundred Boer settlers grouped chiefly in and about the little town of Vrijheid (" Freedom "), on a small affluent of the "White Umvolosi. Administration of the Transvaal. In the South African Republic, as in the Orange Free State, the white element has reserved to itself all political rights. From their present masters the old rulers of the land can now expect nothing but tolerance, and such a measure of liberty as the administration may voluntarily confer on them. The whites, whether citizens by birth or naturalised after a five years' residence and on payment of £25, are alone entitled to take part in the elections of the members of the Volks- • Marrin, op. cit., p. 17. ​TRANSVAAL. 215 raad and of the President of the republic. For these offices those only are eligible who are natives of Transvaal or residents of fifteen years' standing, pro- fessing the Protestant religion, and owners of a domain within the limits of the State. The legislative power is vested in the Volksraad, which consists of forty- four members elected for four years, one-half retiring every two years. Each district returns three delegates, besides which each mining district is represented in the Assembly by a member appointed by a syndicate of the miners. All signa- tories to a petition for the annexation of Transvaal are ip%o facto excluded from the right of suffrage and from all public offices. Dutch is the official language of the Volksraad, which holds its sessions in Pretoria. The President is elected for five years by all enfranchised burghers, and is assisted in his executive functions by a council of five members : the State Secretary, the Commander of the military forces, the Minister of Mines, and two non-official delegates named by the Volksraad. The suzerainty of Great Britain, restricted to the control of the foreign rela- tions of the republic, is little more than nominal. But even the present constitu- tion, which has been frequently amended since the proclamation of the " Thirty- three Articles " in May, 1849, is itself only provisionary. The patriotic Boers of South Africa still dream of the day when the two republics of the Orange and the Transvaal, at first connected by a common customs union, will be consolidated in a single " African Holland," possibly even in a broader confederacy comprising all the Afrikanders from the Cape of Good Hope to the Zambese, The Boer families grouped in every town throughout South Africa form collectively a single nationality, despite the accident of political frontiers. The question of the future union has already been frequently discussed by the delegates of the two conter- minous republics. But imless these visions can be realised during the present generation, they are foredoomed to failure. Owing to the unprogressive character of the purely Boer communities, and to the rapid expansion of the English- speaking peoples by natural increase, by direct immigration, and by the assimila- tion of the Boers themselves, the future " South African Dominion " can in any case never be an "African Holland." Whenever the present political divisions are merged in one state, that state must sooner or later constitute rather an " African England," whether consolidated under the suzerainty of Great Britain or on the basis of absolute political autonomy. But the internal elements of dis- order and danger are too multifarious to allow the European inhabitants of Austral Africa for many generations to dispense with the protection of the English sceptre. The Transvaal Republic has no standing army beyond a small force of horse artillery, but in case of war all able-bodied citizens are obliged to serve. The revenue — derived chiefly from the sale of lands, the customs, the hut tax payable by the natives, and the dues levied on mines — has increased more than threefold since 1880. Hitherto the annual surplus over the normal expenditure has been chiefly applied to developing the telegraph system. The public debt, which in 1882 exceeded £560,000, was reduced in 1884 to less than £400,000. It is partly a ​216 SOUTH AND EAST AFRICA. charge on the public revenue and partly secured on the fixed property of the State. The territory of the South African Republic is divided for administrative pur- poses into sixteen provinces or districts, which are, for the most part, named from their respective chief towns. They are administered by a landrost, a sort of governor and magistrate combined, who is invested with very extensive powers over the native populations. The districts, which before the great development of the gold-raining industry numbered twelve, will be found tabulated in the Appendix. III. — Delagoa Bay. This inlet on the south-east coast of the continent takes its name, not, as has been said, from the fact that it was the last African port of call for Portuguese vessels boimd for Goa and the East Indies, but because it presents the appearance of a lake or lagoon (lagoa). But in any case Delagoa Bay promises one day to acquire great importance as the natural outlet of the whole Limpopo basin and of the States on the South African plateau. The form of the coast-line, and the depth of this land-locked basin, which receives several streams navigable by light craft, give to this Portuguese possession quite an exceptional value, all the more highly appreciated by the shippers of Natal and Cape Colony that south of this splendid estuary there is not a single well-sheltered and commodious haven. Hence, the English colonists, as heirs of the old Dutch navigators who effected a landing here in the year 1720, and as representatives of Captain Owen, who acquired a strip of territory on the coast in 1825, did not fail to claim possession of the bay, which would have been in every way so convenient, and which must have secured for them the unchallenged political and commercial supremacy over the inland States. The priority of possession, however, was contested by Portugal, and in 1875 became a subject of arbitration, and was decided against England by Marshal ^lacMahon, President of the French Republic, to whom the question had been referred by the Governments of London and lasbon. Delagoa Bay was con- sequently restored to the Portuguese province of Mozambique, although from the commercial point of view the judgment might be said to have been given in favour of the Transvaal Republic, because the bay is the natural outlet of that State on the Indian Ocean, while it is the interest of Portugal to attract all the traffic of the plateaux to the port of which she has acquired the possession. But not being yet provided with docks, piers, or other shipping conveniences, and with only a short unfinished line of railway and undeveloped communications, with a thinly peopled, unhealthy, and uncultivated territory, this port has, so to say, nothing at present to depend upon except the prospects of its future prosperity. In fact, the whole district of which it is the capital, from the Maputa to the Limpopo, is an unreclaimed region largely covered with primeval forests, savannahs, and marshy tracts. It has a total area of about 16,000 square miles, with an esti-
Lorenço Marques.
The town of Lourenço Marques, founded in 1867 on the site of a village that bore the same name and which had been seized by the Va-Twa Zulus in 1823, is eo designated in memory of the navigator who established the first Portuguese factory on the shores of Delagoa Bay, in the year 1544. But these waters had already been explored by Pedro Quaresma, who made no attempt to secure a footing in the district. The low houses of the present town, built of stone and disposed along the streets running at right angles to each other, present a pleasant
seaward prospect, although standing at a low level and surrounded by sluggish waters which formerly served the purpose of moats against the attacks of natives. This position of Lourenço Marques in the midst of low-lying alluvial lands, renders it insalubrious during the hot season; and it is now proposed to carry out a system of drainage and extensive plantations of the eucalyptus, in order to dry up the swamps, which at first may have seemed to constitute an advantage for the rising settlement. But in any case there are some more elevated lands in the vicinity, and a comparatively healthy upper town, inhabited chiefly by the ​chants, is gradually rising above the lower quarters devoted to the shipping interests.
The Zulus of the Lourenço Marques district are described by Mrs. Pringle, who visited the place in 1880, as an exceptionally fine-looking race of quite gigantic stature. "Many of the women are over six feet high, and have such beautifully developed figures, that they would form perfect studies for a sculptor. Nearly all the hoeing and most of the manual labour is done by them. As this must be very hard work, sooner or later it must kill any who are not naturally strong, whereas those who can stand it have all their muscles fully expanded by constant action. Not two of the men or women we met were dressed alike. Some had their hair most elaborately frizzled, and all kinds of feathers stuck into it. Instead of a loin-cloth, they wore wild beasts' skins tied round their waists, with a row of tails dangling from them. Others again had their hair drawn out in fine
strings and plastered with red mud, so that in the distance it looked like a headdress of red coral."
This traveller speaks in depressing terms of the extremely unhealthy climate of Lourenço Marques, described as a perfect hotbed of fever, and so deadly that even horses cannot live there. A station of the Eastern Telegraph Company has been established at Lourenço Marques. But one after another the unfortunate officials in charge of it sooner or later fall victims to the climate. "Now they are trying the experiment of sleeping on board a vessel anchored in the harbour, until they can build a station up on the hill."
Lourenco Marques does not lie on the shore of Delagoa Bay, but occupies the northern bank of an estuary which is developed on the north-west side of this extensive sheet of smooth water. Three rivers have their mouths in this common estuary, which is nevertheless still inaccessible to vessels of the largest size. The mean depth is not more than 16 or 18 feet, rising to 24 or 25 during the spring tides. But for average shipping the harbour leaves nothing to be desired, presenting from east to west an uninterrupted stretch of about 8 miles of good anchor ​DELAOOA BAY. 219 age. The neighbouring bay is capacious enough for hundreds of the very largest vessels, which may here ride at anchor with perfect safety in depths ranging from 40 to 120 feet. The entrance, some 12 miles wide and over 50 feet deep, is largo enough to give access to a whole fleet. The railway has its terminus to the south of the town, on the very beach, which is soon to be protected by a sea-wall lined with landing-stages. The line runs from this point mainly in a north-westerly direction to the Manissa, crossing this river at the spot where it escapes through a rocky gorge from the Lobombo Hills, the most advanced border range of the plateau and western limit of the Portuguese territory. In 1887 the railway had already reached this place, 55 miles from the coast, but to reach the plateau it will have to ascend the escarpment by a gradient of considerably over an inch in the yard. The land routes followed by the emigrants with their cattle between the Transvaal and the rivers flowing to the port of Louren^'O Marques have the serious disadvantage of having to traverse a low-lying tract, usually infested by the deadly tsetse fly. Occasionally this dangerous zone has been crossed without disaster ; but travellers and traders have not unfrcqucntly had to abandon their chattels in the marshy bottom lands, after losing all their draught animals in the attempt to get over this tsetse and fever-stricken district. The reclaimed lands on the outskirts of Lourenco Marques produce the sugar-cane and tropical fruits, and here are also some coffee plantations. Large numbers of turtles are captured in the neighbouring waters. Each successive decade witnesses a considerable increase in the trade of Delagoa Bay, in which some Marseilles merchants, and Banyans from Diu, on the west coast of India, have a larger share than the Portuguese dealers. The exports consist mainly of hides and mineral ores, the imports of brandy and war material. But the total value of the exchanges still falls much below £100,000, although the transit dues levied on goods destined for the Transvaal is only three per cent, at the Portuguese custom house. The trade in ivory has ceased ; while, since the year 1845, no more slaves have been forwarded through this outlet. On the other hand, the voluntary emigration of the natives towards Natal has assumed con- siderable importance. The agent stationed at Lourenco Marques sends presents to the tribal chiefs, who in return give a certain number of young men permission to go abroad on the condition of coming back in a few years with their earnings. The territory stretching south of Delagoa Bay is inhabited by the Amatonga people, who belong to the same group as those occupying the shores of the St. Lucia lagoons and backwaters, and who even recognise the same tribal chiefs, notwithstanding the arbitrary frontiers traced by diplomatists. In this southern district of Delagoa Bay no European settlements have yet been made. Here the shore, fringed with dunes, is dangerous to shipping, while the mouths both of the Manissa (Nkomati) and Limpopo are of difficult access. Nevertheless here reside a few Banyan dealers, who chiefly import brandies, and whose factories on both rivers are accessible to light craft. The Limpopo factory is situated at Manj'oba, a kraal standing at the head of the navigation of the river, 80 miles from the coast. The influence of the tides is felt as far up as this point. In exchange for ​spirits the dealers take chiefly hides, caoutchouc, and beeswax. No establishment has been founded by Europeans, either on the river or in the neighbouring maritime region, and here the only human habitations are a few kraals of the Magwamba (Malolo) natives scattered here and there amid the forests and on the open savannahs. The Magwambas, who belong to the widespread Amatonga (Batonga) family, and the communities that have escaped the ravages of the Zulus, give evidence of a relatively high degree of native culture. All these tribes are — greatly addicted to the smoking of hemp.
* ↑ Charles Marvin, English Africa, p. 7.
* ↑ Towards the Mountains of the Moon, p. 76.
* ↑ Ib. p. 77.