The times., 1899-10-29
THE NATIVES OF AFRICA
Attitude Of the Blacks in the BOer
British War.
The AbOrigines Vastly outnumber
the WHITES, Have Grievances
Against the Dutch and English,
and 1t L. Suggested That They May
Rise Against Caucasian Settlers.

Now that war between Great Britain and
the South African Republic has begun the
man who studies the situation from afar
naturally asks What Will the native ele-
ment do? With which party will the
blacks stand?"
The question becomes doubly interesting
when one considers that the blacks out
number the whites-English and Beers
many times over, and that, notwithstaud-
ing their comparative civilization in some
districts. they are the natural enemies Of
the Caucasian and look upon him as a
trespasser. In the TransvaaI there are
supposed TO be three blacks to every white;
in Natal the proportion is ten to one, while
in other territories, British. German, and
Portuguese, the disproportion, according to
James Bryce, is much greater 900 900 or
5000 600 Of natives against 5000 or 10000
Europeans. The total number OF whites
south of the Zambesi hardly reaches $780,
coo, while the black population is roughly
computed at from 1000. 600 TO 5000, 600. At
present therefore, so far as numbers go,
the country is a black mans country.
England has bestowed the gift of self
government upon all of its colonies in
the temperate zone but the colonies in
the tropics are governed from England.
The only Crown colony where the majority
Of population is not white may be found
in South Africa. and some writers have
compared the difficulties with which the
white in South Africa had to contend with
those which were experienced by the
whites in the Southern States Of this
country in the early days OF the recon
struction period.
The blacks are divided into two classes,
he h.1 or Wild yNhn bV far
the more numerous, and those who have
settled habitations, among whom" says
Bryce "one may include, though they are
not aborgines, but recent incomers, the
Indians of Natal and the Transvaal as
well as the comparatively few Malays of
the Cape. OF these non-tribal natives,
some till the land for themselves, while
others act as herdsmen or laborers for
white farmers, or as workmen in various
trades for white employers" These ma
tives wear clothes, speak Dutch or Eng
lish, and, to some extent profess Chris
tianity. They are quiet and orderly, and
not given TO crime. But. no matter how
law abiding or industrious a native may
be. the Beers have never given the matter
of political rights for the natives any con-
slderation.
AS to the tribal natives, that part of the
population whence danger is looked for in
case OF war, tney are III many BGdOeS OF
civilization The Bastutos are an indus
trious and settled people, many of whom
are Christians, while the Matabele, the
Barotse of the Far North, and the Tongas
of the East Coast are complete savages.
Six Million KRfirs.
There are about 5000, 900 Kaffirs living
under their chiefs south of the Zambesi
River. and besides these are Korannas
who are like the Bushmen, and Namaquas
who resemble the Hottentots. With the
| exception of the missionaries, no one pre-
tends to do anything for the education OF
these people, and although the intertribal
raids and wars have ceased, the tribal ha-
treds survive. Partial civilization does moi
| obliterate these tribal hatreds, and it is
nothing unusual TO see Zulu and -Raftil
/ fight even within the civilized districts
! The natives have gone in great numbers
/ from their native haunts 10 the diamond
/ mines at Kimberley and the gold mines
/ in the Witwatersrand and in other parts
! OF Matabeleland and Mashonaland because
! of the tempting wages They usually re-
! main at work long enough TO earn tho
/ price OF a few head Of cattle, and theI
/ return te their homes.
The natives OF Basutoand and Bechuana
! land are kindred although their common
/ language differs widely from the Zulu ant
I Rosa or Kaflr proper. The Katfir land, o
! Kafaria, is that part of the coast between
/ the western border of Natal and the Grea
/ Kei River With the exception OF tn
! vallGw Deonle including the Hottentou