Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-04-06
MAKING MONEY IN AFRICA.
Experience Of an English Family In
Northwest Rhodesia.

"In one of the most remote parts OF
Britain Beyond north Of the Victo-
ria Falls, three days journey from
Bulawayo, but only twenty miles from
the nearest point on the new Beira
and Mashonaland railway, we have
formed a settlement Of six white per-
sons-my husband, myself, our three
children and my brother-in-law, the
boss of the gang.
"Our little home consists Of $4,000
acres Of land in the Mapanza district
Of Northwest Rhodesia, with four
huts, the most imposing Of which Is
our married quarters. One is occu-
pied by my brother-in-law, one by the
servants and the fourth as the kitch-
en-" writes a correspondent Of the
Queen.
Although we are only twenty miles
from the railway our distance from
any other sign Of civilization Is far
greater. Choma Is nominally a rail-
way station, but is only a geographi-
cal expression. 1t consists Of one cor
rugated hut wherein our postman
squats, waiting for the train which
stops once a week to deliver and take
up our mail. Our situation is abso-
lutely desolate; the only sounds that
disturb the stiffness by day or night,
except the cattle and our natives, are
the roaring Of the lions and laughing
Of hyenas. But the solitude is COM
pensated for by the glorious climate,
the infinite variety Of game, the rapid
development of the place and the
splendid financial prospects. Every
acre after cultivation increases ten
fold in value. Literally, as we'll as
metaphorically, the men work to pre-
vent the grass growing under our feet
the local grass runs up to the height
of two-story house after every rainy
season, and has to be cut down.
"The live stock consists Of about
200 cattle, a couple Of dogs and some
poultry. Our first crop Of tobacco.
the best Turkish, Is an unhoped for
success-and we have been equally
fortunate with hemp, mealies, castor
oil bean, ramie "a jute which we have
imported from Japan via India), ba-
nanas and figs. 1t is q wonderful soil,
on which exquisitely colored flowers
flourish as we'll as English vegetables
Of all kinds.
"Only horses fail to do we'll here,
probably on account Of the altitude
and intensely rarefied air. We bought
two in Rhodesia, but although salted
for Rhodesian use they died here af-
ter a few hours horse sickness.
I'VE have little army Of local tai
ent for the purposes Of labor, and very
fine fellows they are. Their COM
mander In chief, a native with some
French blood in him, claims to be the
Comte e'Artois; but he is the author
of innumel able stories Of adventure,
most of which appear to have little or
no foundation in fact.
1--WE are in the happy position OF
making money rapidly without any
opportunities for spending 1t except
in the purchase Of groceries from Bull
awayo, which reach us a week after
we have sent the order. We have no
other requirements that cannot be
satisfied by barter, for which purpose
calico and matches are our currency.
The clothes we brought from home
two years ago will last until we have
succeeded so far as to be able to take
q trip home.
Occasionally the monotony Is re-
lieved by an incident such as happen
ed a few weeks ago. Our postman
was some eight hours late In deliver
ing our weekly mail, which consists of
a few letters, sometimes small par
eel from London and always batch
Of illustrated newspapers. The boy
was reprimanded accordingly and
with a delightful grin made his apol-
ogies. On the homeward journey from
the railway there had been a slight
difference of opinion between him and
a lion as to which could run the fast
er. The boys sense Of self-preserva-
ton, to say nothing Of the safety OF
the mail, suggested the nearest tree
as the winning post.
"It was lucky he remarked, that
I got there first or you would have
had no picture papers this week. He
had exhausted the patience of the lion
while studying some Of the newspaper
illustrations.
"a few weeks ago we had a pleas
ant break In our uneventful life. The
Duke Of Westminster camped just on
the border Of our estate. It seemed
so strange having a neighbor with
whom, 1 need hardly say, we exchang-
ed 'calls'-and very informal they
were. One day when he came over to |
see us he brought with him baby ell
ephant which he had recently cap
tured. 1t may be months before we
have another visitor"