I was very much struck with the appearance of the country on first
entering Bechuanaland. The vast plain, over which I was then riding on
horseback, was bounded by low, sloping hills, covered with brushwood and
trees. It suggested to me forcibly the idea of a "land of promise,"
wanting only an intelligent and energetic people to secure its proper
and successful development.
In fact, as a field for settlement, I entirely concur with the remarks
of Mr. John Mackenzie, who has worked for so many years in
Bechuanaland, and who states in his recent work, entitled, "Austral
Africa"--
"I come now to give my own thoughts as to the capabilities of
Bechuanaland as a field for colonisation. My mind reverts at once
to thrifty, and laborious people who are battling for dear-life on
some small holding in England or Scotland, and who can barely make
ends meet. I do not think that any class of men, or men of any
colour, endure such hardships in South Africa. There are portions
of Bechuanaland where, in my opinion, a body of some hundreds of
agricultural emigrants would, like the Scottish settlers in
Baviaan's river, some sixty years ago, take root from the first,
and make for themselves homes. If they came in considerable
numbers, and accompanied by a minister of religion, and possibly a
schoolmaster, the children would not be losers by the change, while
the church and school-house would form that centre in South
Africa, with which all are familiar in Scotland, and give the
people from the first a feeling of home. I would not suggest that
such men should be merely agriculturists, but that like most
farmers in South Africa they should follow both branches of
farming. They would begin with some sheep, or angora goats, and a
few cows. In the first instance they would have a freehold in the
village, with right of pasturage, and they would also have their
farm itself in the neighbourhood, the size of which would depend
upon its locality and capabilities. But with the milk of his stock
and the produce of his land in maize, millet and pumpkins, the
farmer and his family would be, from the first, beyond the reach of
want."
For two days more we travelled through the same kind of country, a fine,
bold, and very extensive plain (a promising district for cattle
farming), with rolling and undulating hills in the distance, till we
reached Vryburg, about a hundred and forty-five miles--in four
days--from Kimberley. This is the capital of British Bechuanaland, and
the head-quarters of Sir Sidney Shippard, the Administrator. The town
itself contains about 500 inhabitants, chiefly Europeans. Here we spent
four days. On one of these I was taken by Mr. M---- to visit his fine
Bechuanaland farm of 6,000 morgen--12,000 acres--which he has named
"Lochnagar." We left Vryburg at 7.30 a.m., and drove about twelve miles
in the direction of Kuruman, reaching Lochnagar Farm about 10 o'clock.
While breakfast was preparing, Mr. M---- took me round the nearest part
of this excellent and valuable farm. He has had it about three years,
and he has already shown the wonderful capabilities for development
which an enterprising proprietor, possessed of some capital, can evolve
from farms in Bechuanaland. He first took me into his fruit garden,
which he has stocked with fruits of all descriptions. I was particularly
struck with the healthy appearance of the wood (it was then the middle
of winter) of the trees of all sorts of fruit. He has planted mulberry,
apple, pear, apricot, peach, orange, citron, and several other fruits,
all of which seem to be growing fast, and taking root vigorously in the
soil. A large space is also devoted to a vineyard, as well as another to
an orchard.
The farm is well irrigated, there being an abundance of water on it, as
I myself saw. After breakfast we walked round the cattle lair, where a
large portion of his 200 head of cattle were collected. I was much
impressed with the fine appearance of the stock. Large-framed, stalwart
oxen, and fat milch cows were round me on every side during my
inspection. I did not notice a single animal that was not in capital
condition, and fit for the market--if market there could only be. I next
went through a large enclosure, in which there were about forty horses,
part of the eighty belonging to Mr. M----. Here I saw several
three-year-olds, and brood mares, and colts, all looking well and
healthy, and containing several good, well-shaped, and promising
specimens of young horseflesh. Mr. M---- has also a flock of one
thousand sheep on his farm, but these I did not see, as they were out
grazing on the veldt. We then walked to another portion of the farm,
lying close to the capital house, built of stone by Mr. M----, to a
large "pan," or lake, in which there were fish caught with a net. These
are a sort of carp, and a black-coloured fish of seven pounds or eight
pounds weight, said to be very good eating. I saw in an outhouse a small
collapsible boat, which is sometimes used on the lake. In summer, I am
told, the farm looks very pretty, with its long stretches of bright
green herbage, and wild flowers, and sunny aspect.
Mr. M---- was born at Cape Town. He is of Dutch origin, and is a fine,
stalwart-looking man with great energy of character and keen
intelligence. He seems well fitted to be a pioneer farmer, to develop
the too-long neglected resources of this fertile land. He is about
forty-five years of age, and a bachelor. He first arrived on his farm on
a Saturday night three years ago, and the next day commenced tree
planting. His first trees were thus planted on a Sunday Morning. This
was a good omen of the success he deserves, as I remarked to him.
While I was at Vryburg I was also taken by the proprietor of the Vryburg
Hotel to see a farm about five miles off, where they were prospecting
for gold. Mr. H---- informed me that the reef I saw, was the same
description of rock, I should see at Johannesburg. The people in this
neighbourhood are very sanguine; I was told that this may prove a great
discovery for Bechuanaland.
[Illustration: Decorative]
[Illustration: Decorative]