The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-15 00:00:00

MR. GEORGE ROBINS'S FARMS
FOR EMIGRATION TO THE CAPE.

At a time when emigration proceeds more rapidly
than ever, and thousands are annually in quest of
homes upon other shores, becomes of vital im-
portance that the character of all such scenes of coloni-
zation should appear in their real light, so a$ to stand
only by their intrinsic merits—divested of those
colours which interested motives are so apt to employ,
as of that false brilliancy of description, which dazzles

only to delude.
If, however, it can be shown that, uniting in
itself both physically and in a commercial point of
view, the high recommendatory advantages, without
the detractive influences of other emigrant domains—
there exists a portion of country so abounding in
natural capabilities as to allow it justly to be sym-
bolized by the horn of AmalthLea or the lap of Ceres
—if a region in particular can be set before the emi-
grant—where, from the exuberance of production,
arising from fecundity of soil, wealth will crown
labour with more ample prosperity than it could pos-
sibly anticipate—where, too, from unfluctuating
temperature and purity of climate—from copiousness
of water and a situation so localized as to have
the best ports and harbours within command for
very purpose of traffic and communication, thereby
'securing to the possessor the blessings, no less than
the most important and substantial benefits of this
life,—such must irrefutably be deemed by the most
fastidious mind, an emigration spot, whose name has
only to be disclosed to be sought after instantaneously
by all who look to the realization of fortune and solid
independence.
Committees under Government have frequently sat
of late, whose object has been that of strict inquiry
into the existing state of the various emigration fields
abroad, and the unbiassed evidence in such cases
adduced can be considered the only
.safe guide to the
intending emigrant and settler. Leaving the FRUITFUL
COLONY AT THE CAPE last for consideration, an excur-
sive glance at the different most inviting fields will
speedily put the emigrant in possession of their com-
parative recommendations or disadvantages as con-
trasted with that to which we desire to draw the
especial attention of the reader.
Perhaps no more destructive field can be mentioned
than the class of West India islands, Jamaica, Deme-
rara, with Sierra Leone and the Mauritius. Malig-
nant fever—a climate which on British constitutions
acts invariably with fatal effects—a supply of un-
willing labour from blacks, which is totally inadequate
to the market demand, are among the least evils of
regions which, as regards Europeans, have been de-
signated a " tropical pest-house." Canada ranks in
the same category, though in another way ; rough
and uncongenial of climate, its cold snow -surface,
extends in wastes and unproductive moors ; ague,
fever, and consumption, attack the adult, while the
severity of the winter kills off half the offspring. Its
dreary swamps and unfelled forests imbue the sickly
settler with their own sombre and unhealthy cast :
timber if cut, can never in most cases become a staple
article of export, being too distant from market to be
worth carriage ; the climate is favourable to no kind
of sheep ; paucity of winter forage precludes the
keep of cattle, and grain is also too distant from
market to realize a profit in its growth ; supplies are
equally inadequate, and slovenly cultivation marks the
whole surface. Arid of soil and destitute of water,
Australia, with the exception of its small capital at
Sydney, is no less characterised by unfitness for til-
lage and habitation, and its distance from England
is fearful. Its peculiar adaptation for sheepwalks is
its only saving quality.
In contradistinction to these, the ELIGIBILITY OF THE
COUNTRY AT THE CAPE for colonization is universally
acknowledged, and its peculiar adaptations in this
respect are among the most powerful reasons that
should induce intending English emigrants to occupy
its most favourable spots without hesitation or delay.
Of these, the finest in this capacious and luxuriant
country, may be considered the farms and lands be-
longing to Mr. George Robins, which he has just
purchased, extending to 43,000 acres, containing some
of the richest pasture-lands that the agriculturist could
covet, with vineyards cultivated on its slopes, and
orchards of fruit abundant in their produce. Mr.
Robins's judgment in the selection of land is not
very likely to be questioned. •
It may be unhesitatingly averred, after glancing
with the mind's eye over the surface of the whole of
our colonial dependencies, that no spot exists in the
entire number, which for the purposes of cultivation
or commerce can compete with this estate. Tra-
versed throughout its full length by the waters of the
river Traka, it possesses on this score a magnificent ad-
vantage. Drought, the peculiar bane and characteristic
of almost all our colonies in either hemisphere, which
abridges life, and nullifies production, can never be
expected here, whilst the profusion of supply afforded,
will tend to throw the acres of the agriculturist into
unparalleled productibility, and accommodate the mills
of the manufacturer with advantages of the most en-
viable description.
Containing, thus, within its compass, every high
desideratum of fruitfulness, extent, and beauty, as
regards its natural competencies, the estate under con-
sideration, as connected on the other hand with adjacent
localities, is more superiorly situated than those at the
Cape. Exactly central between the four great ports
of this part of the African Continent, it lies within
eight hours journey of two, and, by beaten roads,
within moderate reach of the others. Singularly.ad-
vantageous when viewed in this relative point of view,
it assumes a far more important aspect, when consi-
dered as lying at but half the distance from the
mother country, as compared with New South Wales,
which, with all its drawbacks and adverse features, is
resorted to so densely by emigrants. Again, as com-
pared with that over-rated, but in most respects, de-
ceptive colony, the shearing time is the same, but
there exists this superlative avantage over its rival,
that the Cape wools can be marketed two or three
months prior to those of Australia. Thirdly, the
freight is one-third less, and also the insurance ; while
fourthly, the land is to be obtained so much more ad-
vantageously and stock is so much cheaper, that a man
of very circumscribed capital has, here the chance to
occupy and stock a large farm with the same sum that
would in New South Wales be required merely to
purchase land.
Having thus shown synoptically and generally the
broader advantages of Mr. Robins's estate, we now
proceed to particularise from corree. and unimpeach-
able data, its minor, but not less important charac-
teristics, in a manner that may at once
serve for the
guidance and attention of the capitalist and intending
emigrant.
Slabbert's Poort, the thriving portion of property
in Mr. Robins's possession, so called, has been hitherto
exclusively some.o
exclusively: devoted to grazing purposes,
part occupied with garden ground and vineyards. A.
sufficient quantity of arable land has been in cultiva-
tion to grow wheat, oats, and barley for the consump-
tion of the residents and their stock; with a view to
profit much more will be done ; and it must never be
lost sight of, THAT THE LANDS HAVE NOT TO BB
CLEARED, filer ARE READY TO COMMENCE ALL SORTS
OF AGRICULTURAL PURSUITS FORTHWITH. On the
estate there is a house and farm buildings, suited to a
farmer and his family, and the facility to erect more is
manifest, as there is no want of materials at hand for
the immediate construction of others.
The fertile spot—THIS PRINCIPALITY—ex-
tending to FORTY-THREE THOUSAND ACRES, se-
lected by Mr. George Robins, IN THIS VAST TER-
RITORY, and known as Slabbert's Poort—ls TO BE
LET RENT FREE FOR THE FIRST YEAR, and then for
seven years AT ONE SHILLING PER ACRE PER ANNUM,
AND NO TAXES. It is situate in S. lat. 3:3, 15 ,
to 20, and long. 23, 13 to 15 E. of Greenwich, and
occupies a space of 671 square miles, or thereabouts.
It lies 300 miles east of Cape Town, 70 miles south of
Beaufort, 150 miles west of Algoa Bay, and between
River and
60 miles north of the mouth of the Knysna
and Plettenbur Bay. There is a direct
waggon road passing
fhroug. h the estate from Cape
Town to Bay,AAlgoa and this route forms a commu-
nication with theroute branching. off to Beaufort.
The nearest town to Slabbert's Poort is Beaufort,
but there are a
neighbourhood. Theeat many
valuable farms in the
find its raised on Slabbert's
Poort would soon
shipment, and thence direct way to
t
England.
Bay for
The pasturage will cam twoenty or even thirty
thousand sheep, and the wool 3 (tbe seen at Mr. Ro-
bins's offices) is nowhere to he u
The mar-
kets of the Cape are held at Zwi'ellasasidni; Worcester,
George, Graff Reinit, Graham's T
Elizabeth, for the disposal of produce. Town, and
and Port
in these places are generally the purchasers merchantsb
it is forwarded to England. From reeentex wrieh
experience,
it is pretty certain that the breeding of wool-bearing
sheep is the most profitable mode for the employment
of capital. The present year's clip will he fully
2,000,0001b5., the value of which is 100,000/. Five
years since the export of wool was not 30,000/. In
five years more, the increase may he five times greater
than it is at present. Grain and wool, two grand
staples in human affairs, are already the fermanent
products of these fertile settlements.
a The voyage to the Cape is generally performed in
couple of months (Nea Zealand and Australia oc-
cupy five months),r theho freight for passengers ranges
fo
from about 12/. steerage to 50/. for the best
cabin, including provisions
forions with a proportionate sum
o
for intermediates.the steerage is the con-
tracting price for a number of emigants. However,
any additional information on this esubj t will he
easily acquired on application at any of the ship-
brokers' offices, in London or the provinces. A steam-
vessel of five hundred tons, named the Phoenix,
between Cape Town and Algoa Bay, and calls' plies
at the
intermediate seaports to land passengers.
After having set before the reader such manifold
inducements as Slabbert's Poort possesses for emigra-
tion,
it would.be a work of supererogation to dilate fur-
ther upon its myriad advantages. Success and prosperity
must inevitably attend the decision of those, who,
placing themselves in the midst of its growing produc-