While I was at Port Elizabeth I paid a flying visit to Grahamstown. A
railway journey of rather over one hundred miles carried me there. The
railway runs through the veldt, where wild elephants are still strictly
preserved. There are said to be more than one hundred of these animals
in the district. They occasionally do great damage to the line. During
my stay I was hospitably entertained by the Bishop. I had already heard
that Grahamstown was noted for its natural charms, and its appearance
certainly did not disappoint me. Beautiful in situation, it merits the
high praises which have been bestowed upon it. It has also acquired a
reputation for being the seat of learning, and the centre of the
principal educational establishments of the Colony. The Bishop having
kindly provided me with a carriage, I drove to see the various objects
of interest in the neighbourhood. I first went to the Botanical Gardens,
which are very striking. They contain a large collection of rare and
valuable specimens of both arboriculture and horticulture. They are
admirably kept, and are very ornamental. I next drove round the Mountain
road. This is a beautiful drive of seven miles back into the town. The
views of the surrounding country are superb. It is a priceless boon to
the inhabitants of Grahamstown to possess such an attractive and
health-giving spot, for their recreation and enjoyment. I afterwards
visited the Museum, where there is a most interesting and valuable
collection of animal, vegetable, and mineral curiosities, both ancient
and modern. I also went over the Prison, and recorded in the visitors'
book my favourable opinion of the arrangements made for the health and
comfort of the prisoners. They appeared to me to be all that could
reasonably be expected, or desired. I also went to see the Kafir school,
carried on under the careful management of the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. M----.
I regretted that time did not permit of my visiting the celebrated
Ostrich Farm of Mr. Arthur Douglass, at Heatherton Towers, about fifteen
miles from Grahamstown. Mr. Douglass has the largest and most successful
Ostrich Farm in the Colony, in addition to which he is the patentee of
an egg hatching machine, or incubator, which is very much used in
various parts of South Africa. The export of feathers has increased
rapidly, and has become one of the chief exports of the Colony, as
whilst in 1868 the quantity exported was valued at £70,000, in 1887 it
had reached the value of £365,587. This is by no means the largest
amount appearing under the head of exports during recent years, as in
1882 the value of feathers exported was £1,093,989. It is estimated that
during the past half-century the total weight of the feathers exported
has been more than one thousand tons. The Cape Colony has, in fact, had
a monopoly of the ostrich industry, but in 1884 several shipments of
ostriches took place to South Australia, the Argentine Republic, and to
California, and the Government of the Cape Colony, being alarmed, that
the Colony was in danger of losing its lucrative monopoly, imposed an
export tax of £100 on each ostrich, and £5 on each ostrich egg
exported.
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