Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1895-05-09
NTASSAlANC.
A Rich Region In Africa tho British Are
Opening Up

The most wonderful record OF prog
ress that has come out of tropical At
rica is the story OF Nyassaland. No
one would have believed twenty years
ago that a garden spot would be found
there where white men could live with
in the tropics in perfect health and
prosperity. No one would have
dreamed that to-day native teleg-
raphers in the lake region would be
sending messages to the sea and to
Europe, that upon the mountain sides
native woodsmen would be cutting pine
trees and sawmill hands turning the
logs into lumber, and that half mil
lion coffee trees would be flourishing.
Many of them arc now bearing their
first crops on the plantations of the
white farmers. The wilderness where
Arabs followed the slave chase is being
turned into gardeH and the secret OF
this remarkable transformation is that
the uplands of Lake Nyassa are high
above the ocean level. Nyassaland
may be called one of the little islands
that are lifted high above the sea of
miasma which overspreads nearly the
whole of tropical Africa.
So among these elevated valleys and
mountains south of Lake Nyassa the
white man is turning the riches of ma
| ture to good account, and is having a
| potent and q beneficial influence upon
the natives who thirty years ago had
never seen q white man. Mr.. ii. III.
johnson, her majesty's commissioner
in British Central Africa, has just told
the story of this development to the
Royal Geographical society, and here
are some of the interesting facts he
gave
The official name of this region is the
British Central Africa protectorate. 1t
was only four years ago that European
planters began to hear that there was
a chance to make money in this domain
by raising coffee. At that time the
total white population was only fifty
seven. To-day it is nearly 400. The
trade of the country has exceeded $780,
0OO -Four years ago there were on
Lake Nyassa and the rivers only eight
British steamers, while to-day seven
teen steamers and l20 barges or sailing
vessels are plying these waters. -Four
years ago Europeans were cultiyating
about 900 acres, while the area under
crops has now been increased to more
than 5000 acres. Over 5000, 900 coffee
plants are now growing, and when
they all come into bearing, as they will
before long, there will be ample freight
for the railroad which is to be built
around the sixty miles of rapids in the
Shire river. When this road is COM
pleted freight may be taken by steam
from the north end of Lake Nyassa to
the Zambezi and the ocean vessels
which will await in the Chindc branch
of the Delta.
Agricultural land four years ago was
selling from l cent to cents an acre.
To-day unimproved land ranges in
price from 25 cents to SIS an acre, and
and in a number of the seven or eight
European settlements lots are sold from
$500 to 81 900 apiece.
About four-fifths of the land surface
is from 5000 to 5000 feet above the sea.
The immediate result of this elevation
is much cooler climate than is found
in most parts of Central Africa. 1t is a
well watered country. with many per-
ennial streams, and the water in almost
all places is wholesome to drink
Those who have read Livingstonc's
descriptions of the Wilderness when he
first made it known to the world will
be struck by the amazing contrast
which Blantyre and the ether Euro
pean settlements present to-day. In
these towns are clean, broad, level
roads, bordered by handsome avenues
of trees, and comely red brick houses,
with rose-colored verandas peeping out
behind clumps of ornamental shrubs.
The natives who pass along are clothed
in white calico A bell rings to call
the children to school. The planter
gallops past on horseback or a mis-
sionary trots in on white donkey
from visit to an outlying station,
Long rows of native carriers pass in
Indian file, carrying loads of European
goods, or smart-looking policeman in
black fez, black jacket and trousers
marches off on some errand.
Native bricklayers and carpenters
are building houses in the European
style. Through the open doors OF
the printing Office natives may be
seen setting type for the little news
papers that appear every week. The
visitor will see post office, court OF
justice, and perhaps prison, whose
occupants, however, during the work
ing hours are out repairing the roads
under charge of black policeman
On the outskirts of the town are brick
yards, where the natives turn out
thousands of bricks as well made a:
those used in our own building opera
tions.
The most interesting feature in the
neighborhood of these settlements
however, is the coffee plantations
which are the chief cause and support
Of the prosperity of Nyassaland. The
first and biggest planter, Mr.. Buch
anan, raised last year crop that was
valued at $4,000. Sixteen years ago {
,, small coffee plant was sent from the
Edinburgh Botanical gardens tc
Blantyre, and from this plant tn,
greater part of the 100000 coffe,
trees now growing are descended
The mother tree is still alive in th,
mission grounds at Blantyre. TIL,
climate and soil of Nyassaland seem t.
suit the coffee tree to perfection, ant
the crops are unusually large.
One strong inducement to plan
coffee here is the abundance an,
cheapness of native labor. The plant
1 ers are now able to secure an enor
: nous supply of labor from tribes tha
are scattered far and wide around
Natives travel on foot several hundred
miles to get work on the European
plantations. They know they will b
well treated, well paid, and that the,
may return in safety to their home
with the wages they have earned, be