, 1889-06-01

and the bullOcks gaunt and starving for
lack of fodder. A continuation of the
dry season q week or TWO beyond it's usual
limits means real starvation to hundreds
of South African cattle. In this respect
also M~ashunaland constitutes a brilliant
exception to the condition of things in
those neighbOuring countries with which
English people. are better acquainted. 1t
Is described as a 'land of perennial streams
as the fairest and perhaps also the richest
country in all South Africa, "magnifcently
watered by a perfect network of streams"
II the long sum mer grass is burned off in
June, there at once springs up a short
sweet heritage, on which cattle aud horses
thrive wonderfully. All through the months
OF August, September, aud October, the
thirsty, arid period ia the Interior of South
Africa generally, these happy MaShuna.
land hills and valleys are c0veredwith wav-
ing green grass, "whiIe small streams or lit.
tie rills run brawling dOHa every hollow,
aud all live stock look fat and comforta.
ble." We are told, and Gun believe, that
the facilities for irrigation, and the rich
ness and fertility of the soil, offer peculiar
Inducements for the growing Of corn to
supply the gOld-prOducing regions to tho
north and east, where huge populations
will some day be located. An African
0loUllCU " SUN 0AU6lU WuOES 'EUfODcitl
children can grow up strong and healthy"
where our English fruits retain their fla
YOUR, aud where the vegetables OF the
temperate zone can all b3 produced, is u
'fnd" on which both Mr.. SelouS and the
British nation are to be congratulated.
At present, of course, the country is quite
unciviliSed, and the British farmer or
laOOurer can by no means be encouraged
to pack up his belongings in haste and
make tracks for the regions of the tattOOed
MashunaS. The way in which the plateau
will be colonised will, no doubt, be- by
"adventurers," particularly miners, who,
as in other parts of the great Continent,
will act as the pioneers of civilisatiOn. As
no rose is quite without its thorn, it should
be mentioned that there is Il part even of
this Eden where European elephant.
hunters suffer from malariAl fever during
the rainy season but the writer OF the
paper adds that these men are very much
EXPOSED to the weather, aud that, if pro-
perry housed and fed. EIgliShmen could
thrive well aud he instances the case Of
the Beers in tho NJ trico district Of the
'Transvaal, who also suffered from malaria
before the land was cultivated, but who
now have conquered the plague.
Another thorn for tile natives, but
much less so for rile-carrying Europeans
is the presence of innumerable lions. Mr..
SelOus, who for the hast eighteen years
has existed in Africa by means of his gun,
introduces his readers to an undesirable
acquaintance called q "mIn-eMing t1TSn."
which he is ready to pit az linSt the Indian
tiger or man.eater for it's ~fArOcity aud BAR
TALLY for human flesh. Villages, in fact,
have to be altogether abandoned BECAUSE
of the number of these beasts in the yici-
nifty. Here is a chance for the ardent
British sportsman in search of big game.
One lion, which was at last despatched
by the assegais OF the peculiarly. plucky
Mashuna natives, was known to have
killed and deVoured thirty hum II beings.
To "bag" an animal of this sort with q
w~ell-aimed shot would be a novel diver
sion for the Englis hmen tired of potting
the timid hare or the half-d0mesticated
pheasant. The stories of ions which will
be found in Mr.. Selous' article are graphic
and thrilling enough to make everybody
desire that the unfortunate natives. may
sOon be rescued from their tour-footed
enemies, who are even mo- Q dreaded thar
the Matabele warriors Strong fences are
erected around the camps at night, a,ld
huge fires lighted, to beat off the lions
in spite OF which they too often pounce
down on any man who happens to be
sleeping a little apart from the rest.
When one of these man-eaters Is killed, %
fire is lighted, and the carcase thrown on
it and utterly destroyed Probably this