The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-12
American Geogr aphical Society.

The annual monthly meeting of this society held
last evening in the University George Bancroft Esq., in
the chair There about thirty members present.
The minutes Of the last meeting read and approved
and several new members were elected.
work. containing the transactions of the Georgia Ge
ographical Society, presented from that institution
and accepted, with vote of thanks; and motion to
place the Georgia society the list of exchanges was
referred to the trustees, with power.
pair of shoes and hairpns from Loo Choo presented
to the society also accepted with vote of thanks
to the donor.
Mr. Livingston before reading the paper of the even
ing-on Natal written and sent by Mr. H. A. wylder on
American missionary residing in that coony-offered
few preliminary remarks on the subject of which 1t
Natal was settlement about seven hundred miles
north Of the Care of Good Hope 1t first visited by
country, Inhabited by natives living in huts In 1892
the Dutch came to it, who in turn driven out by
the English The latter assisted the natives in driving
out the boors and ultimately took possession Of it. Lit
tie is known about the natives except that the chief Of
Zulu was warike man. who could raise hundred
thousand fighting men, and with them conquered all the
surrounding nations. AS soon as he died the peopl,
and among them the inhabitants of Natal were able to
free themselves After the English became possessed Of
the country though the orders Of the government
humane they not strictly observed by the officials
who abused the power with which they were entrusted
This is about the whole history of the colony.
The following is synopsis Of the manuscript that was
then read-The area of the country is about fifteen
millions of acres The missionaries chiefly located
on the coast OF the Indian Ocean Along this there
s such endless succession of hills Wales and rivers
that the traveller halls with JOY any interruption in the
monotony The section of the country next the is
almost destitute Of trees Those that are found are In
ungles crooked, gnaried and sunted The red mangro
abounds in beech is found here and there Dur
ing great part Of the year the mouths of the rivers
blocked up by mounds of sand, cast there BY the
waves and are the hsunts of crocodles and hppopot
muses. The coast division OF Natal is so open that
wagons travel there without much labor for making
roads. At distance of from FIVE to fifteen miles in
land there are tablelands-yalleys and mountaine "
In fho
too, will be found many isolated ablelands Most of
the rocks here are of primary character. Though
the tablelands red sandstone is found vet granite,
quartz &C. are invariably found underneath At the
ms OF Of the mountains fiat grassy plains and
Of pure water One scarcely travel hour without
crossing many Of them The scenery often picturesque
and grand On the tableands the traveller apparently
sees nothing but grassy plains and blue mountains In the
distance when suddenly he stands at the edge preci
pce with river running far down below None Of the
rivers capable Of inland navigation Even those that
into the filed with rocks at their mouths
that would be very dangerous for the smaet vessel
to enter The soil is strongly impregnated with iron,
and loadstone has been found in various districts In
the eastern part Of the country the soil made to yield
two three crops OF Indian The natives never
and impoverished condition Oranges lemons lines
&C, flourish the coast and further inward apples
peaches, &c. are grown successfully. Almost al the
productions Of the temperate be raised In
Natal. 1t has been attempted to raise cotton but
though have heard that the climate is well adapted
for its growth we have heard little Of the
which Is said to have attended the effort The pastur
age ground remarkably good The climate Of Natal is
healthy exempt from extreme heat and cold II real
ICES the idea Of eternal spring The thermometer ranges
between 80 deg. and so deg. of Fahrenheit the
degree being 20 deg Of course in country where there
are many mountains and valleys, the temperature
must be changefu The colony very much visited by
thunder storms which rage there to fearful extent
Its geology is little known Nearly all the highlands
capped with red sandstone lying primitive rocks,
which chiefly granite. Marine shells are found in
land ut elevation Of 5000 feet which proves that the
country must have been once under water Quarts Is
found in the rivers Of chrys structure and of
light rose color Feldspar crystals also met with
but little lime found coal copper and lead have been
discovered, but not in abundance Compared geoogicay
with California there Is reason TO expect that gold will
yet be found in Natal The geology of this
colony Is similar to the other districts Of South Africa
s chonchoosy interesting and gives great promise for
those who fond Of this branch of science Out Of
$50 specimens sent from Natal to England upwards Of
80 new, and unknown to English chonchologsts.
The botany Of Natal Is very little known Among its
trees that producing arabic grows in great abun
dance The treasures which God has avshed here have
as yet scarcely been seem and certainly not appreciated
by the esvsges which nhabit the country.
At The conclusion Of the reading Of the paper the